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Response to: Further evidence for curricular influence on student connectedness

We thank Farlow et al. for their comment on our recently published study “Small group activities within academic communities improve the connectedness of students and faculty”. We are pleased to see that the results described by Farlow et al. strengthen the conclusions from our study and help mitigate one of its limitations. Both studies found that increased emphasis on small group teaching and the introduction of academic communities positively impacts students’ sense of connectedness with faculty, but does not significantly affect students’ connectedness with each other. This data from another school in another location helps mitigate a major limitation of our study due to its single site analysis. Many medical school curricula implemented in the last two decades share the key elements of the curricular changes at University of California San Diego (UCSD) and Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM). The increase in small group teaching better models the team-based approach to health care, and the introduction of academic communities enhances students’ medical school experience and maximizes learning. Our two studies support the concept that the many other medical schools undergoing curricular changes that include these elements may be benefiting from enhanced relationships formed between students and faculty. Future studies may clarify how stronger student–faculty relationships strengthen the learning experience and professional development of students, but the benefits of increased connectedness within communities is generally accepted (Liu et al. 2007). Rates of depression and burnout in medical schools are high, reflecting the stressful environment. We hope that increased meaningful relationships with faculty can foster a student culture of wellness and wellbeing to provide greater student resilience.