Table 3 Implementation of 6D-Approach in a UME course

Step 1. Didactic

Lecture summary: This lecture reviews the mechanism of DNA replication and also the ways in which DNA can be repaired, if any replication error(s) occur. Further the lecture explores, selected causes of DNA damage, and the consequences if the repair mechanisms are impaired.

Lecture objectives: Following the lecture students should be able to:

0 Describe the structure-function of the replication machinery in eukaryotes 0 Summarize the key events in the process of DNA repair 0 Identify the different causes of DNA damage 0 Discuss the consequences of failure of DNA repair mechanisms

Step 2. Designate

Two student groups were designated:

0 Group 1 (4 students) presented TWO case reports pertaining to autosomal disorders where repair mechanisms are impaired A. Fanconi’s anemia B. Xeroderma pigmentosum.

0 Group 2 (4 students) presented the topic: Exploitation of DNA repair mechanisms in cancer therapy Both groups performed an extensive literature search and selected the following articles:

0 Group 1 selected TWO articles: (A) For Fanconi’s anemia: The Fanconi Anemia and Breast Cancer Susceptibility Pathways, N Engl J Med. 2010 May 20; 362(20): 1909–1919. doi:https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra0809889; (B) For Xeroderma pigmentosum: Xeroderma pigmentosum: a case report and review of the literature, J PrevMed Hyg 2010; 51: 87–91

0 Group 2 selected ONE article: For Exploitation of DNA repair mechanisms in cancer therapy: DNA repair mechanisms in cancer development and therapy, Front Genet. 2015 Apr23;6:157. doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2015.00157. eCollection 2015.

Step 3. Distribute

The articles were uploaded on the LMS and shared with all the students in the cohort

Step 4. Design

0 Each group had 14 days for the preparation of presentation.

0 Both groups used Microsoft power-point to prepare their slides for presentation.

0 The time, venue and duration of individual presentation was indicated by the instructor to individual groups prior to the commencement of the course.

Step 5. Delivery

0 Both groups delivered the presented their slides in the form of oral presentation

0 All the group members in both Groups 1 and 2 participated in the presentation process in a predetermined sequence (designated by the students in a group) 0 A student from the cohort volunteered to act as the timekeeper during the event 0 Individual groups were allocated 25 min for presentation delivery and 15 min for discussion

Step 6. Discuss

0 Representative from each group facilitated discussion 0 Discussion focused on three aspects:

A. Suitability of the article in addressing the assigned topic

B. General critic of the different aspects of the article

C. Correlating the concepts delivered in Step 1, with the findings/data reviewed in presented articles