English Parasitology curriculum integration and educational innovation at the University of Alcalá.: Integración curricular e innovación educativa en Parasitología en la Universidad de Alcalá.

Antonio Peña-Fernández; Jorge Pérez-Serrano; Tania Martín-Pérez; María de los Ángeles Peña

doi:10.6018/edumed.702321

Autores

Antonio Peña-Fernández Department of Surgery, Medical and Social Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Alcalá, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona, Km. 33.600, 28805 Alcalá de Henares https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5690-5445
Dr Department of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Alcalá, Crta. Madrid-Barcelona Km, 33.6, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4870-8978
Dr Department of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, University of Alcalá, Crta. Madrid-Barcelona Km, 33.6, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9499-412X
María de los Ángeles Peña Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Alcalá, Crta. Madrid-Barcelona Km, 33.6, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0908-8286

DOI: https://doi.org/10.6018/edumed.702321

Palavras-chave: Parasitology education, Curriculum innovation, Forensic parasitology, Interdisciplinary teaching, CBRN preparedness, e-learning

Resumo

Parasitology remains a foundational yet increasingly marginalized discipline within modern health and life sciences curricula. At the University of Alcalá (UAH, Spain), parasitology has experienced reduced visibility in undergraduate programs due to curriculum reforms and its integration into broader (bio)medical modules. This manuscript presents a comprehensive review of parasitology education at UAH and outlines recent innovations implemented to strengthen its teaching across different undergraduate and postgraduate programs. To address declining instructional time and diagnostic training, UAH has adopted active and interdisciplinary learning strategies. These include the integration of parasitology into Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) preparedness training, the implementation of scenario-based workshops, and the launch of a summer course focused on advanced diagnostic techniques. Digital innovations, notably the e-Parasitology^© platform, have supported self-directed learning and enhanced student engagement in both animal and clinical parasitology. A novel teaching strand in forensic parasitology has also been introduced, supported by virtual case studies and interactive resources. Preliminary evaluations indicate that these interventions have improved student motivation, diagnostic reasoning, and conceptual understanding, particularly among students without prior exposure to parasitology. The UAH experience demonstrates how applied, digital, and interdisciplinary approaches can revitalize parasitology education, ensuring its relevance to One Health and public health priorities. Recommendations are proposed for sustaining parasitology within integrated curricula and enhancing its relevance on global health training.

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