Active Learning Facilitator Resources (CAS and LeAPs)

Content Application Session (CAS)

CAS, or Content Application Session is our flipped classroom active learning approach to covering important scientific and clinical concepts.  Students are assigned pre-reading materials in a specific content area before each session.  They then come to class where a content expert, often with a basic scientist and clinician, will expose students to cases or other types of active learning strategies that emphasize important concepts.  Often, important clinical correlations will be introduced and clinical relevance is always paramount in these sessions.  CAS complements our PIBL course very nicely in that it helps students apply what they know to a specific content area.

Content Application Sessions (CAS) are designed to do the following:

  • Allow students to participate in active learning
  • Expose students to clinically-relevant application of important scientific knowledge
  • Help students retain the information they have learned before coming to a CAS session
  • Summarize important non-clinical and clinical concepts that students must know to be a competent physician
  • Enhance critical thinking skills important for clinical and scientific disciplines.

Learning, Application and Pondering Sessions (LeAPs)

LeAPs are required integrated didactic sessions that are developed using an integrated approach across all clerkships to cover foundational material and objectives using an active learning approach. The content of the LeAPs is designed to provide a framework and an approach to the relevant material.  It is not intended to represent the breadth or depth of the greater clerkship curriculum.