About CLIPP
The CLIPP program, a product of iInTIME, is based on the premise that developing computer-assisted instruction (CAI) materials in a new way would result in a CAI program that lives up to its potential. The CLIPP program achieved this with:
- comprehensive coverage of a nationally accepted curriculum; see more detail below...
- a uniform approach to CAI pedagogy; more...
- multi-institutional development by educators; more...
- extensive evaluation by users. more...
CLIPP is currently in use by the majority of U.S. pediatric clerkships. Approximately 70 percent of all medical students in the United States are now using CLIPP with an average of 3,000-4,000 CLIPP cases completed each week. In addition, a number of osteopathic, nurse practitioner and international medical schools are using CLIPP. Since the project's inception, each CLIPP case has been completed by more than 7,500 students.
CLIPP in Academic Medicine
An article detailing the creation, dissemination and evaluation of the CLIPP cases was published in the September 2005 issue of Academic Medicine. The citation is: Multi-institutional Development and Utilization of a Computer-Assisted Learning Program for the Pediatrics Clerkship: The CLIPP Project. Fall LH, Berman NB, Smith S, White CB, Woodhead JC, Olson AL. Acad Med 2005 80: 847-855.
Innovation Award
In December 2005 CLIPP received the inaugural "Innovation in Clinical Medical Student Education Award" from the Northeast Group on Educational Affairs (NEGEA). These awards recognize important, innovative accomplishments in medical education by an individual or a group of individuals who work at an NEGEA school. The NEGEA, a regional organization of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Group on Educational Affairs (GEA), promotes excellence in the education of medical students, residents, and physicians through the professional development of medical educators.
Teaching Award
CLIPP received the 2008 Academic Pediatrics Association Outstanding Teaching award May 5, 2008, at the APA Annual Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii. The purpose of the APA Outstanding Teaching Award is “to foster interest in the teaching of general pediatrics by giving national recognition to an outstanding general pediatric program. Programs must demonstrate excellence in educational teaching methods, acceptance by students and/or residents, acceptance by the community and the institution innovations and adaptability, or outstanding quality of the individuals trained in the program.”
Link to a list of abstracts and presentations regarding the CLIPP Program.
More detail about CLIPP
- CLIPP comprehensively covers the learning objectives of the COMSEP curriculum
The COMSEP curriculum provides a basis for establishing learning objectives for the Pediatric Clerkship. CLIPP provides a methodology to teach the COMSEP curriculum, validated by pediatric educators throughout the country. This avoids the necessity of clerkship directors at each institution developing their own implementation strategies.
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- CLIPP cases are all built on a common template
CLIPP cases are interactive, frequently requiring the student to make decisions about diagnoses and clinical management, but providing support from an Expert - the case author. CLIPP cases incorporate multimedia extensively, yet are designed to run acceptably over a standard Internet connection. Link to see a static list of the cases.
A unique feature of the CLIPP software, the Diagnostic Network, focuses the student's learning on clinical reasoning. At key points in the case the student is required to develop a differential diagnosis based on the case findings. The student is also asked to justify the differential diagnosis by showing whether findings argue for or against the differential diagnosis.Return to top
- CLIPP was built to meet the needs of Clerkship Directors
Arguably the most valuable feature for institutions is the ability of CLIPP to assist institutions in meeting new LCME requirements. CLIPP was specifically designed to address the challenging ED-2 and ED-8 requirements of providing a consistent education for all students regardless of training site, as well as the ability to document that experience. Many COMSEP members have attested to the value of CLIPP during their LCME review. A detailed explanation of how CLIPP addresses the LCME guidelines can be found in the Instructors' Area of the CLIPP Web site. Contact the Program leaders directly for more information regarding the experience of clerkship directors using CLIPP for their individual LCME reviews.
The Instructors' Area of the CLIPP Web site provides clerkship directors and their faculty with many additional CLIPP-related teaching resources. See About the Instructors' Area.Return to top
- CLIPP provides an effective and interactive learning methodology valued by students
CLIPP has been fully integrated and studied at 6 COMSEP schools* during 2004-2005. Our studies have demonstrated that students greatly value CLIPP and find the cases a more effective learning tool than traditional teaching methodologies (e.g. reading, didactics) during the pediatric clerkship. Eighty percent of students found CLIPP to be a more effective learning tool than traditional methods, and 10 percent of students found it to be as effective.
Specifically, students tell us that CLIPP provides a solid knowledge foundation, stimulates active learning, and actively engages them in the learning process. Students found the cases most useful for improving their ability to generate a differential diagnosis, for understanding how to evaluate and manage common pediatric problems, and for providing an appropriate general pediatric knowledge base.
*CLIPP Working Group schools: Boston University, Dartmouth, Morehouse, University of Illlinois (Rockford), University of Utah and University of Washington. Return to top
The program's directors, Drs. Leslie Fall and Norm Berman, developed CLIPP through a PreDoctoral Training Grant from the Bureau of Health Professions. Drs. Fall and Berman are based at Dartmouth Medical School in Hanover, NH.
To ask questions about CLIPP's content or for technical assistance, write to clippsupport@i-intime.org.