header-logo
Medical College of Wisconsin Medical School Medical School

MCWfusion Curriculum Learning Communities (LCs)

Medical students in classroom

Learning Communities Overview

Throughout all phases of the MCWfusion Curriculum, Learning Communities (LCs) will provide a longitudinal structure to facilitate 1:1 coaching and support.

Program objectives:

  • Foster student well-being
  • Serve as a structure for achieving curricular objectives
  • Nurture master adaptive learner skills and growth mindset for student lifelong learning through faculty coaching
  • Provide interface for coordination of other student support systems

Learning Communities Concept & Structure

Each Learning Community will consist of eight students and one faculty navigator. The Learning Communities will then be organized into houses which include an associated behavioral medicine professional and an academic advancement and remediation expert.

The Learning Communities will meet weekly/biweekly in Phase 1 and during the Spiral Weeks in Phases 2 and 3.

The Learning Communities program will be a component of the following courses:

Phase 1: The Good Doctor

Phase 2: Thriving During Clerkships

Phase 3: Preparing for Residency

Learning Communities Content & Coaching

Thread Content Integration

Small group discussions in the Learning Communities will include content from the Character and Professional Development doctoring thread and may include other thread content. Many of these topics require psychologically safe learning environments.

Learn more about Doctoring Threads

1:1 Coaching

Coaching during Spiral Weeks will include Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) development and review. Learning Community coaches will work in collaboration with the students to help improve performance and unlock potential, to establish and meet goals, to understand and resolve challenges and to focus on growth. Students will meet with their coaches twice per semester for individual coaching.