The Future is Interdisciplinary - The Future is Interdisciplinary - Development of a Medical Sciences Master’s Program that Fosters Academic, Professional, and Personal Development

Oct 15, 2026

This paper outlines the design, development, and implementation of a new Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences (MSc IMS) program at Western University in Canada. The course-based program emphasizes interdisciplinary education and experiential learning to strengthen students’ academic, professional, and personal skills. The authors explain the rationale and curriculum development process, highlight innovative program features, and report inaugural-cohort insights from a pre-questionnaire on motivations and needs. Findings are linked back to the program rationale, informing educators and curriculum designers.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages22

Reading Time55 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Program design and implementation

Curriculum design and innovative features

Inaugural cohort findings

The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning | Volume 15 | Issue 2 | Article 9 | | --- | --- | | Summer 08-31-2024
The Future is Interdisciplinary: Development of a Medical Sciences Master’s Program that Fosters Academic, Professional, and Personal Development
Nicole Campbell
Western University, ncampb47@uwo.ca Mohammed Estaiteyeh
Brock University, [mestaiteyeh@brocku.ca](mestaiteyeh@brocku.ca)[ ](mestaiteyeh@brocku.ca)Isha DeCoito
Western University, [idecoito@uwo.ca](idecoito@uwo.ca)[ ](idecoito@uwo.ca)Amy Robinson
Western University, [arobin45@uwo.ca](arobin45@uwo.ca)
Follow this and additional works at: [https://www.cjsotl-rcacea.ca](https://www.cjsotl-rcacea.ca)
[https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2024.2.16366](https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2024.2.16366) | | Recommended Citation Campbell, N., Estaiteyeh, M., DeCoito, I., & Robinson, A. (2024) . The future is interdisciplinary: Development of a medical sciences master’s program that fosters academic, professional, and personal development. The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 15(2). [https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2024.2.16366](https://doi.org/10.5206/cjsotlrcacea.2024.2.16366) The Future is Interdisciplinary: Development of a Medical Sciences Master’s Program that Fosters Academic, Professional, and Personal Development Abstract This paper outlines the design, development, and implementation of a new Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Medical Sciences (MSc IMS) program at Western University in Canada. The coursebased program focuses on interdisciplinary education and experiential learning with a goal to foster students' academic, professional, and personal skill development. The authors discuss the rationale for developing the MSc IMS program, describe the curriculum design process, outline the innovative features in the program, and share the findings from the inaugural cohort on their motivation to enroll in the program. The alignment between the data from the inaugural cohort and the rationale for the program is also highlighted. The paper adopts a narrative approach to detail the process used throughout the design of the program and presents findings from a pre-questionnaire—focusing on the overall needs of students and rationale for their enrollment—administered to the inaugural cohort of the program. This scholarly work informs educators, curriculum designers, and administrators about the importance of interdisciplinary programs in higher education. It is also of significant relevance to departments planning to develop new programs or update existing ones to reflect 21st century teaching and learning approaches. Cet article décrit la conception, le développement et la mise en œuvre d'un nouveau programme de maîtrise en sciences médicales interdisciplinaires (MSc IMS) à l'Université Western, au Canada. Le programme, basé sur des cours, se concentre sur l'enseignement interdisciplinaire et l'apprentissage par l'expérience dans le but de favoriser le développement des compétences académiques, professionnelles et personnelles des étudiants et des étudiantes. Les auteurs expliquent pourquoi le programme MSc IMS a été développé, décrivent le processus de conception du programme, expliquent les caractéristiques innovantes du programme et partagent les conclusions de la cohorte inaugurale sur leur motivation à s'inscrire au programme. L'alignement entre les données de la cohorte inaugurale et la raison d'être du programme est également mis en évidence. L'article adopte une approche narrative pour détailler le processus utilisé tout au long de la conception du programme et présente les résultatsd'un questionnaire préalable-axé sur les besoins globaux des étudiants et des étudiantes et les raisons de leur inscription-administré à la cohorte inaugurale du programme. Ce travail scientifique informe les éducateurs et les éducatrices, les concepteurs et les conceptrices de

FAQs

What is the MSc IMS program designed to achieve?

The program is designed to foster students’ academic, professional, and personal development through interdisciplinary education and experiential learning.

How do the authors describe the process of developing the program?

They discuss the rationale for creating the MSc IMS program, describe the curriculum design process, and present the program’s innovative features.

What evidence is reported from the inaugural cohort?

The paper shares findings from an inaugural cohort, including results from a pre-questionnaire focused on students’ overall needs and their rationale for enrolling.

Oct 15, 2026

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