Applying the Prism Model to design arts and humanities medical curricula

The arts and humanities (A&H) play a fundamental role in medical education by supporting medical learners’ development of core competencies. Like all medical curricula, those integrating the A&H are more likely to achieve the desired outcomes when the learning domains, goals, objectives, activities, and evaluation strategies are well-aligned. Few faculty development programs focus on helping medical educators design A&H curricula in a scholarly manner. The Prism Model, an evidence-based tool, supports educators developing A&H medical curricula in a rigorous way for maximum impact. The model posits that the A&H can serve four pedagogical functions for medical learners: 1) skill mastery, 2) perspective taking, 3) personal insight, and 4) social advocacy. Although this model has been described in the literature, no practical guidance exists for medical educators seeking to apply it to the development of a specific curriculum. This paper provides a step-by-step demonstration of how to use the Prism Model to design an A&H curriculum. Beginning with the first step of selecting a learning domain through the final step of curriculum evaluation, this paper helps medical educators apply the Prism Model to develop A&H curricula with intentionality and rigour to achieve the desired learning outcomes.