⚙️ General Principles
📚 Foundational Knowledge
👶 Human Development
🫀 Organ Systems
🧠 Behavioral Health
🌐 Multisystem Processes
⚖️ Population Health & Ethics
🛡️ Patient Safety & Systems
Competency Integration Framework
All content is mapped to USMLE Physician Tasks/Competencies and assessed progressively across Step 1 → Step 2 CK → Step 3 to ensure practice-relevant mastery.
🔬 Step 1 Focus
- Foundational science integration
- Host response to insult mechanisms
- Immunology, pathophysiology basics
- Normal vs. pathologic development
🩺 Step 2 CK Focus
- Clinical presentation & diagnosis
- Initial management & disposition
- Preventive medicine & screening
- Special populations application
🏥 Step 3 Focus
- Independent practice management
- CCS: Computer-based simulations
- Systems-based practice & QI
- Longitudinal patient care
🔄 Cross-Step Integration Examples
Geriatric Medicine:
Step 1: Normal aging physiology → Step 2: Fall risk assessment → Step 3: Polypharmacy management
Step 1: Normal aging physiology → Step 2: Fall risk assessment → Step 3: Polypharmacy management
Nutrition:
Step 1: Vitamin biochemistry → Step 2: Malnutrition screening → Step 3: TPN complications
Step 1: Vitamin biochemistry → Step 2: Malnutrition screening → Step 3: TPN complications
Opioid Safety:
Step 1: Receptor pharmacology → Step 2: Pain assessment → Step 3: Prescribing guidelines & monitoring
Step 1: Receptor pharmacology → Step 2: Pain assessment → Step 3: Prescribing guidelines & monitoring
Gender-Affirming Care:
Step 1: Endocrine physiology → Step 2: Reproductive health → Step 3: Longitudinal care coordination
Step 1: Endocrine physiology → Step 2: Reproductive health → Step 3: Longitudinal care coordination
Enhanced Library Taxonomy — USMLE 2025 Alignment
Tier 1 — Exam Level
USMLE Step / MCCQE1
- Step 1: Foundational Sciences
- Step 2 CK: Clinical Knowledge
- Step 3: Clinical Practice + CCS
- MCCQE1: Canadian Licensing
- All content assessed progressively across steps
Tier 2 — Content Domain
7 Major Categories
- General Principles
- Human Development
- Organ Systems (11)
- Behavioral Health
- Multisystem Processes
- Population Health & Ethics
- Patient Safety & Systems
Tier 3 — Topic Indexing
Standardized Metadata
- MeSH controlled vocabulary
- TIME-ITEM taxonomy (Willett)
- ICD-10 / SNOMED CT codes
- Bloom's taxonomy level
- Special population tags
- Competency mapping (ACGME/CanMEDS)
📚 Study Guide
Library Architecture & Taxonomy
A multi‑dimensional, hierarchical framework built on best practices for medical education resources. Designed to support self‑directed learning, curriculum mapping, and USMLE alignment.
🏛️ Core Principles
- Accurate & peer‑reviewed
- Accessible, on‑demand
- Self‑guided & high‑yield
- Point‑of‑care relevance
- Spaced repetition & adaptive learning
🗂️ Three‑Tier Hierarchy
- Tier 1: USMLE Step (1, 2 CK, 3, MCCQE1)
- Tier 2: Content Domain (discipline, organ system)
- Tier 3: Specific Topic (MeSH, TIME‑ITEM)
📊 Metadata Schema
- Resource ID, title, type, step, discipline
- Learning objectives (Bloom's taxonomy)
- Clinical case metadata (format, rarity, setting)
- Usage analytics, ratings, peer review status
⚙️ Technical Implementation
- Relational + NoSQL database (PostgreSQL, MongoDB)
- Elasticsearch for advanced searching
- Graph database (Neo4j) for semantic relationships
- RESTful API, cloud infrastructure, mobile‑ready
- Offline access & synchronisation across devices
Library architecture evidence base
- Al-Eyd G et al. Curriculum Mapping as a Tool to Facilitate Curriculum Development. BMC Med Educ. 2018;18(1):185.
- Komenda M et al. Curriculum Mapping With Academic Analytics. PLoS One. 2015;10(12):e0143748.
- Dexter J et al. Mapping a Curriculum Database to the USMLE Step 1 Content Outline. Med Teach. 2012;34(10):e666–e675.
- Garber R et al. Medical Education in the Modern Era. JACC Adv. 2025;4(10):101804.
- Willett TG et al. It's About TIME: A Taxonomy of Subjects in Medical Education. Med Educ. 2008;42(4):432–438.
- Fritze O et al. Boosting Competence-Orientation — Linking Curricular Mapping and Visual Analytics. Med Teach. 2019;41(4):422–432.
- Ali M et al. iCBLS: An Interactive Case-Based Learning System. Int J Med Inform. 2018;109:55–69.
- Jeyaraju M et al. Factors Leading to Successful Performance on US Licensure Exams. Acad Med. 2023;98(1):136–148.
- Burk-Rafel J et al. Study Behaviors and USMLE Step 1 Performance. Acad Med. 2017;92(11S):S67–S74.
- Rieul G et al. Organizing and Sharing Medical Knowledge. J Med Syst. 2023;47(1):101.