The Hidden Curricula of Medical Education: A Scoping Review.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To analyze the plural definitions and applications of the term "hidden curriculum"
within the medical education literature and to propose a conceptual framework for
conducting future research on the topic. METHOD: The authors conducted a literature
search of nine online databases, seeking articles published on the hidden, informal,
or implicit curriculum in medical education prior to March 2017. Two reviewers independently
screened articles with set inclusion criteria and performed kappa coefficient tests
to evaluate interreviewer reliability. They extracted, coded, and analyzed key data,
using grounded theory methodology. RESULTS: The authors uncovered 3,747 articles relating
to the hidden curriculum in medical education. Of these, they selected 197 articles
for full review. Use of the term "hidden curriculum" has expanded substantially since
2012. U.S. and Canadian medical schools are the focus of two-thirds of the empirical
hidden curriculum studies; data from African and South American schools are nearly
absent. Few quantitative techniques to measure the hidden curriculum exist. The "hidden
curriculum" is understood as a mostly negative concept. Its definition varies widely,
but can be understood via four conceptual boundaries: (1) institutional-organizational,
(2) interpersonal-social, (3) contextual-cultural, and/or (4) motivational-psychological.
CONCLUSIONS: Future medical education researchers should make clear the conceptual
boundary or boundaries they are applying to the term "hidden curriculum," move away
from general musings on its effects, and focus on specific methods for improving the
powerful hidden curriculum.
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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/16137Published Version (Please cite this version)
10.1097/ACM.0000000000002004Publication Info
Lawrence, Carlton; Mhlaba, Tsholofelo; Stewart, Kearsley A; Moletsane, Relebohile;
Gaede, Bernhard; & Moshabela, Mosa (2017). The Hidden Curricula of Medical Education: A Scoping Review. Acad Med. 10.1097/ACM.0000000000002004. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/16137.This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this
article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.
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Kearsley A Stewart
Professor of the Practice of Global Health

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