Longitudinal Mechanism-of-Disease Mapping to Promote Integration Across Disciplines in Preclinical Medical Education.

To improve integration of basic science learning and clinical reasoning in preclinical medical education, we developed a longitudinal, case-based activity spanning physiology, immunology, and respiratory pathophysiology. Student teams created mechanism-of-disease maps and illness scripts for respiratory disease cases with increasing complexity across courses. Integration was reinforced through iterative refinement and explicit linkage to previously learned concepts. The activity was feasible to implement across courses and did not negatively impact student performance on traditional assessments compared to a prior cohort. A standardized rubric enabled consistent evaluation, providing feedback and differentiation of team performance. Student perceptions indicated moderate-to-high engagement, while lower satisfaction scores highlighted areas for improvement related to time constraints and mapping tools. These findings support the use of longitudinal mapping activities as a scalable approach to promote integration and early clinical reasoning in preclinical medical education.