Sensemaking in Medical & Health Education Makes So Much Sense
In today’s complex health and medical landscape, facts alone are not enough. Medical professionals, patients, educators, and researchers are constantly surrounded by streams of data, specialized language, and rapidly evolving scientific knowledge. The challenge is not only accessing information but also making sense of it. This is where sensemaking becomes essential. What is Sensemaking? Sensemaking […]
What is Applied Medical Literacy?
Medical literacy is the ability to use medical language—such as terminology, concepts, and classifications—and to analyze, evaluate, and apply medical information. It goes beyond simply recognizing terms on a chart or repeating what a doctor says. True medical literacy involves interpreting health information in context, asking meaningful questions, comparing sources, and making informed decisions. Applied […]
Clinical Reasoning in Grade Three with A-to-Z Medical History and Histology Lessons
In medicine, diagnosis is like solving a mystery—every clue matters. Doctors rely on clinical reasoning to piece together information from a patient’s medical history, physical symptoms, and even microscopic anatomy (histology) to understand what’s going on in the body. Now imagine giving children the chance to understand that same kind of reasoning skill in Grade […]
If Dog Man Can Teach Kids About Surgery, So Can You
Children are natural question-askers—especially when something is surprising, unfamiliar, or just plain weird. And if you’ve watched the Dog Man movie with a child lately, you may have heard a flurry of questions before the opening scene even finishes: These are big, curious, and important questions. At its core, the origin story of Dog Man—where […]
Building Differential Diagnoses in Kindergarten with A-to-Z Medical Literacy
In medical school, students learn early on that symptoms—especially ones as common as rashes—can have a wide range of causes. One essential skill for clinicians is building differential diagnoses: lists of possible explanations for a patient’s symptoms. Doctors are trained to think broadly, using memory aids like the VITAMIN CDE and VASCULITIS mnemonics to ensure […]
Improving Inclusivity in Medical Learning Environments
There are many psychological, social, and instructional factors that influence inclusivity in medical learning environments. Implementing specific and actionable strategies would support students and improve learning, engagement, and inclusivity. Psychological Two significant psychological factors are 1) deficit thinking and 2) drink-from-the-firehose curriculum and teaching. Deficit thinking shows up as language like “don’t waste a spot” […]
Why We Need More Children’s Storybooks About Chemical Allergies
Chemical allergies—such as contact allergies and more specific sensitivities like methylisothiazolinone allergy—are increasingly common, yet they remain underrepresented in children’s literature. These allergies, often triggered by ingredients in everyday items like soaps, shampoos, and cleaning products, can have a profound effect on a child’s daily life. And yet, for many families, finding accessible, child-friendly resources […]
Strength-Based Writing and Feedback for Medical Education
Strength-Based Feedback for Writing Assignments: An Assessment for Educators prioritizes asset/strength-based approaches and feedback. Assessment, whether formative or summative, should not only be of learning, but also for learning. This means that educators have a responsibility to make day-to-day adjustments to teaching based on assessments and provide feedback that moves learners forward (William, 2018). Not […]
Why Medical Literacy Matters, This Moment in History
Medical education has largely only been accessible to students selected by accredited medical schools. However, most medical students have historically come from physician families. For example, in the United States “75% of medical students have come from families in the top two quintiles for income” (American Association of Medical Colleges, n.d.) and many of these […]
Why a Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum Matters for Medical Literacy
A guaranteed and viable curriculum helps ensure that all students, regardless of their individual instructors or institutions, receive a foundational level of consistent, essential knowledge.
