A systematic review of faculty development initiatives designed to improve teaching effectiveness in medical education: BEME Guide No. 8

Radiologist preferences for faculty development initiatives to improve resident feedback in the era of competency-based medical education

INTRODUCTION

Since 2022, all Canadian post-graduate medical programs have transitioned to a Competence by Design (CBD) model within a Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) framework. The CBME model emphasized more frequent, formative assessment of residents to evaluate their progress towards predefined competencies in comparison to traditional medical education models. Faculty members therefore have increased responsibility for providing assessments to residents on a more regular basis, which has associated challenges. Our study explores faculty assessment behaviours within the CBD framework and assesses their openness to opportunities aimed at improving the quality of written feedback. Specifically, we explore faculty's receptiveness to routine metric performance reports that offer comprehensive feedback on their assessment patterns.

METHODS

Online surveys were distributed to all 28 radiology faculty at Queen's University. Data were collected on demographics, feedback practices, motivations for improving the teacher-learner feedback exchange, and openness to metric performance reports and quality improvement measures. Following descriptive statistics, unpaired t-tests and one-way analysis of variance were conducted to compare groups based on experience and subspecialty.

RESULTS

The response rate was 89% (25/28 faculty). 56% of faculty were likely to complete evaluations after working with a resident. Regarding the degree to which faculty felt written feedback is important, 62% found it at least moderately important. A majority (67%) believed that performance reports could influence their evaluation approach, with volume of written feedback being the most likely to change. Faculty expressed interest in feedback-focused development opportunities (67%), favouring Grand Rounds and workshops.

CONCLUSION

Assessment of preceptor perceptions reveals that faculty recognize the importance of offering high-quality written feedback to learners. Faculty openness to quality improvement interventions for curricular reform relies on having sufficient time, knowledge, and skills for effective assessments. This suggests that integrating routine performance metrics into faculty assessments could serve as a catalyst for enhancing future feedback quality.

Health profession education hackathons: a scoping review of current trends and best practices

BACKGROUND

While the concept of hacking in education has gained traction in recent years, there is still much uncertainty surrounding this approach. As such, this scoping review seeks to provide a detailed overview of the existing literature on hacking in health profession education and to explore what we know (and do not know) about this emerging trend.

METHODS

This was a scoping review study using specific keywords conducted on 8 databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, PsycINFO, Education Source, CINAHL) with no time limitation. To find additional relevant studies, we conducted a forward and backward searching strategy by checking the reference lists and citations of the included articles. Studies reporting the concept and application of hacking in education and those articles published in English were included. Titles, abstracts, and full texts were screened and the data were extracted by 2 authors.

RESULTS

Twenty-two articles were included. The findings are organized into two main categories, including (a) a Description of the interventions and expected outcomes and (b) Aspects of hacking in health profession education.

CONCLUSION

Hacking in health profession education refers to a positive application that has not been explored before as discovering creative and innovative solutions to enhance teaching and learning. This includes implementing new instructional methods, fostering collaboration, and critical thinking to utilize unconventional approaches.

Underrepresented in medicine (URiM) faculty development: Trends in biomedical database publication

BACKGROUND

Biomedical databases create an educational platform that allows institutions to share innovations and research discoveries. Identifying literature in biomedical databases that inform the faculty development experiences of faculty underrepresented in medicine (URiM) can help institutions identify resources to promote career advancement for this group. The authors sought to determine biomedical database trends in publications related to faculty development experiences of URiM faculty over the last twenty years.

METHODS

An electronic search for literature published between January 2003 to Dec 2022 was conducted in the databases CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, and PsycInfo using keywords underrepresented minority, faculty development, career development, professional development, academic medicine, and workforce in the title, abstract, or body of the manuscript. Growth rates were calculated for each database. The statistical significance difference in median numbers of publication per database was evaluated using Krusksal Wallis and Dunn's test post hoc.

RESULTS

Search results found 1516 publications over the twenty-year period. Scopus published the most literature with 1,372 publications with a mean number of 68.6 per year (SD 83.47). Both Scopus and PubMed had increased growth rates at 41% and 25%, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in median publication numbers between Scopus, CINAHL, and PsycInfo (p < 0.001) but not PubMed (p 0.062).

CONCLUSION

Trends in publications related to URiM faculty development have increased over the last twenty years, most noted in the Scopus and PubMed biomedical databases.

Leadership development training for orthopaedic trauma surgeons: an international survey

Purpose

This study examined the leadership development themes that global orthopaedic surgeons in differently resourced countries perceive as essential components and evaluated barriers to attending leadership development programs.

Methods

This multinational, 45-question survey engaged orthopaedic surgeons (one expert per country). The questionnaire collected participants' demographics, perception of effective leadership traits, and valuation of various leadership themes based on importance and interest.

Results

The survey was completed by 110 orthopaedic surgeons worldwide. Respondents most commonly reported holding a leadership position (87%) in hospital settings (62%), clinical settings (47%), and national orthopaedic societies (46%). The greatest proportion of participants reported having never attended a leadership course (42%). Participants regarded "high performing team-building," "professional ethics," and "organizational structure and ability to lead" as the most important leadership themes. No significant (P ≤ 0.05) differences were identified among perceived importance or interest in leadership themes between income levels; however, statistically significant differences were identified in the questionnaire; respondents in low- and middle-income countries (LICs/LMICs) demonstrated a stronger interest in attending a leadership course than those in high-income countries (HICs) (98% vs. 79%, P = 0.013), and fewer surgeons in LICs/LMICs had taken personality assessment tests than those in HICs (22% vs. 49%, P = 0.019). The most common barriers to attending leadership courses were lack of opportunities and invitations (57%), difficulty missing work (22%), and cost of course attendance (22%).

Conclusions

These findings can better inform the development of effective curricula and provide a framework for a successful model for the future.

Level of Evidence

V.

Comparing the effects of team-based and problem-based learning strategies in medical education: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Recently, there has been a concerted effort within medical schools to depart from conventional lecture-based learning approaches to alternative teaching methods such as team-based learning (TBL) and problem-based learning (PBL), with the aim of enhancing both student engagement and instructional efficacy. Despite this shift, a comprehensive review that directly compares the impacts of PBL and TBL methods in medical education is lacking. This study seeks to address this gap by conducting a meta-analysis that compares the effects of TBL and PBL in the context of medical education.

METHODS

Studies from Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Chinese Wanfang Database were searched, from inception to July 11, 2023. A meta-analysis was performed using Stata 14.0, and a total of 10 studies (including 752 participants) were included. The standardized mean difference (SMD) was used to estimate pooled effects. Heterogeneity was detected using the I2 statistic and further explored using meta-regression analysis.

RESULTS

Compared with PBL, TBL significantly increased the number of theoretical tests (SMD = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.02-0.73). Additionally, TBL greatly improved teamwork skills compared with PBL. However, there were no significant differences between the TBL and PBL groups concerning practical skill scores, learning interest, or understanding skills.

CONCLUSION

TBL in the theoretical aspects of medical education appears to be more effective than PBL in improving theoretical test scores and teamwork skills, providing evidence for the implementation of TBL in medical education.

Transforming professional identity of medical teachers in Pakistan by a certificate program in health professions education: a thematic analysis of reflective essays

Introduction

A teacher's professional identity development is a dynamic and continuous process that requires rigorous, longitudinal, faculty development initiatives which are designed to work on individual professional growth. Impact of such programs must be evaluated by qualitative means to identify the process of change; The purpose of our study was to investigate whether and how our thoughtfully designed 6-month certificate program has transformed the professional identity of medical teachers.

Methods

The study was conducted in National University of Medical Sciences, Pakistan using thematic analysis, wherein a weekly task of guided reflective writing, on Moodle, was given. Data was analyzed in six phases to achieve credibility and transferability.

Results

By analyzing 202 reflective writings, seven subthemes were identified which manifest transformation in certain aspects of identity of participants and grouped under three major themes. The seven subthemes represent transformative journey of participants and include recognizing millennial learners' dilemma, identifying learning gaps and overcoming barriers, discovering a newer version of self, alternative frame of thinking, transforming traditional classroom, conducive learning environment and Community of Practice. Three major themes identified were Awareness, Modeling and Socialization which represent three processes bringing transformation in participants.

Conclusion

Our faculty development program has transformed certain aspects of professional identities of medical teachers by incorporating informal teaching strategies of experiential learning, professional socialization, reflections, and role modeling. Participants' beliefs and practices on teaching were challenged by giving a disorienting dilemma of millennial learners and learning theories. They underwent critical discourse with professional peers and mentors in community of practice, reflected on their traditional teaching practices, acquired new insight, underwent self-discovery, and introduced digitalization and interactive learning strategies within their classrooms.

A practical model of faculty development in medical education: make it accessible, versatile, and easy to use!

Faculty development programs should offer transformative resources and prioritize the needs of the faculty. If faculty face difficulty in accessing such programs, the potential impact of the resources may be limited. To alleviate such issues, we designed a faculty development program that is available to anyone at any time in any configuration. By allowing faculty to choose from a diverse range of medical education topics based on their interests and needs, they may promptly apply crucial concepts in their teaching and education leadership roles. Faculty members can engage in personalized professional development, enhance their teaching practices, and ultimately foster their professional growth. Also, program coordinators and administrators can seamlessly integrate our resources into any existing faculty development program, serving as self-study materials, resources for existing programs, or a stand-alone curriculum with high accessibility, versatility, and ease of use.

Exploring Quality and Requirements in Faculty Development Related to Teaching

BACKGROUND

Little is known about medical school requirements for faculty development related to teaching (FDT) in medical education. This study examined the national landscape and local faculty perceptions of their own institution's FDT requirement.

METHODS

An electronic survey was disseminated to Faculty Affairs Offices in US medical schools to assess FDT requirements. A second survey was distributed to faculty within one medical school to gauge faculty perceptions related to existing FDT requirements.

RESULTS

Responses were received from approximately 33% of US medical schools and 36% of local faculty. Few responding medical schools had formal FDT requirements. There was a wide range variation of hours and activities necessary to satisfy existing requirements and consequences for noncompliance. For respondents from schools that did not have a requirement, many saw value in considering a future requirement. Many local faculty agreed that the FDT requirement improved their teaching skills. When asked to share other thoughts about the FDT requirement, several qualitative themes emerged.

CONCLUSION

This study helps establish a national benchmark for the status of FDT requirements in medical education and revealed information on how to optimize and/or improve such requirements. The authors offer five recommendations for schools to consider regarding FDT.

Pivoting Continuing Professional Development During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Narrative Scoping Review of Adaptations and Innovations

INTRODUCTION

Most formal continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities were offered in person until March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional structures of CPD offerings. The authors explored the adaptations and innovations in CPD that were strengthened or newly created during the first 16 months of the pandemic.

METHODS

The objectives of the narrative review were to answer the following questions: (1) what types of adaptations to CPD innovations are described? and (2) what may shape future innovations in CPD? The following databases were searched: Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and ERIC to identify the literature published between March 2020 to July 2021. The authors conducted a comprehensive search by including all study types that described adaptations and/or innovations in CPD during the stated pandemic period.

RESULTS

Of the 8295 citations retrieved from databases, 191 satisfied the inclusion criteria. The authors found three categories to describe adaptations to CPD innovations: (1) creation of new online resources, (2) increased use of the existing online platforms/software to deliver CPD, and (3) use of simulation for teaching and learning. Reported advantages and disadvantages associated with these adaptations included logistical, interactional, and capacity building elements. The review identified five potential future CPD innovations: (1) empirical research on the effectiveness of virtual learning; (2) novel roles and ways of thinking; (3) learning from other disciplines beyond medicine; (4) formation of a global perspective; and (5) emerging wellness initiatives.

DISCUSSION

This review provided an overview of the adaptations and innovations that may shape the future of CPD beyond the pandemic.

Mapping the Terrain of Faculty Development for Simulation: A Scoping Review

ABSTRACT

Understanding what interventions and approaches are currently being used to improve the knowledge, skills, and effectiveness of instructors in simulation-based education is an integral step for carving out the future of simulation. The current study is a scoping review on the topic, to uncover what is known about faculty development for simulation-based education.We screened 3259 abstracts and included 35 studies in this scoping review. Our findings reveal a clear image that the landscape of faculty development in simulation is widely diverse, revealing an array of foundations, terrains, and peaks even within the same zone of focus. As the field of faculty development in simulation continues to mature, we would hope that greater continuity and cohesiveness across the literature would continue to grow as well. Recommendations provided here may help provide the pathway toward that aim.

Gaps in plastic surgery training: A comparative literature review of assessment tools in plastic surgery and general surgery

Assessment tools for grading technical and nontechnical skills, such as operative technique and professionalism, are well established in general surgery. Less is known regarding the application of these tools in plastic surgery training. This study is a comparative review of the most prevalent assessment tools and rubrics utilized in general and plastic surgery. Two parallel systematic reviews of the literature utilizing PubMed and Cochrane were conducted for articles published between 1990 and 2022. Searches used Boolean operators specific to assessment tools in general and plastic surgery. Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria for general surgery assessment tools, and 21 studies were included for plastic surgery assessment tools. Seven studies (50%) evaluated technical skills in general surgery, whereas 15 studies (71%) assessed technical skills in plastic surgery with commonality found in the evaluation of principles, such as tissue and instrument handling and operative flow. Task-specific evaluation tools were described for both general and plastic surgeries. Five studies evaluated nontechnical skills, such as communication and leadership in general surgery, whereas no plastic surgery studies solely examined nontechnical assessment tools. Our literature review demonstrates that standardized skill assessments in plastic surgery are lacking compared with those available in general surgery. Plastic surgery programs should consider implementing competency-based assessment tools in surgical coaching and training for technical and nontechnical skills. More research is necessary in plastic surgery to optimize the evaluation of nontechnical skills.

Faculty development for strengthening online teaching capability: a mixed-methods study of what staff want, evaluated with Kirkpatrick's model of teaching effectiveness

Background

Globally, tertiary teachers are increasingly being pushed and pulled into online teaching. While most developments in online education have focused on the student perspective, few studies have reported faculty development (FD) initiatives for increasing online teaching capability and confidence from a staff perspective.

Methods

We designed and evaluated FD workshops, using five datasets, and the use of H5P software for interactive online teaching. We used educational theory to design our FD (Mayer multimedia principles, active learning) and evaluated our FD initiatives using the Best Evidence Medical Education (BEME) 2006 modified Kirkpatrick levels.

Results

Teaching staff reported that Communities of Practice were important for their learning and emotional support. Uptake and deployment of FD skills depended on the interactivity of FD sessions, their timeliness, and sufficient time allocated to attend and implement. Staff who applied FD learning to their online teaching created interactive learning resources. This content was associated with an increase in student grades, and the roll-out of an institutional site-wide H5P license.

Conclusion

This paper demonstrates an effective strategy for upskilling and upscaling faculty development. The use of H5P as a teaching tool enhances student learning. For successful FD, we make four recommendations. These are: provide just-in-time learning and allocate time for FD and staff to create online teaching material; foster supportive communities; offer personalized support; and design hands on active learning.

A systematic review of faculty development programs based on the Harden teacher's role framework model

BACKGROUND

Despite the changing roles of faculty in the health professions over the past two decades, none of the reviews has been paid enough attention to the impact of the faculty development programs on these roles. The objective of this review is to synthesize the existing evidence that addresses the questions: "What are the types and outcomes of faculty development programs based on the Harden teachers' role framework and which of the areas described by Harden and Crosby are the authors referring to?"

METHODS

This review was conducted according to the guidance for Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework. In 2020, a literature search was conducted in MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, ERIC, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, Magiran and SID databases. The review included 119 studies (between 1990 and 2020) that met the review criteria. Data were extracted using a modified coding sheet. We used the modified Kirkpatrick model to assess the educational outcomes of faculty development programs.

RESULTS

The majority of faculty development programs were workshops (33.61%) with various durations. Most programs focused on the domain of information provider and coach (76.47%), followed by the facilitator of learning and mentor (53.78%) and assessor and diagnostician (37.81%). Only five faculty development programs focused on the domain of role model. The majority (83.19%) of outcomes reported were at level 2B, level 1 (73.95%) and level 2A (71.42%). Gains in knowledge and skills related to teaching methods and student assessment were frequently noted. Behavior changes included enhanced teaching performance, development of new educational curricula and programs, improved feedback and evaluation processes, new leadership positions, increased academic output and career development. The impact on the organizational practice continued to be underexplored.

CONCLUSION

Based on the review findings, broadening the scope of faculty development programs beyond the traditional roles of the faculty members by utilizing a competency-based framework for developing a comprehensive faculty development program is recommended. Attention to individualized form of faculty development programs and incorporating more informal approaches into the design and delivery of faculty development programs is also needed.

Successful implementation of Medical Education Faculty Development Project at Saint George University of Beirut in the immediate post triple blow to Beirut

Background

The aim of this study is to explore the efficacy of the Faculty Development Program (FDP) implemented at the Saint George University of Beirut-Faculty of Medicine (SGUB FM) under exceptional circumstances as the triple blow to Beirut.

Methods

The Faculty Development, directed towards a cohort of 35 faculty members, is composed of two major components: methodology of teaching and techniques of assessment. The Kirkpatrick's assessment model, in combination with a specifically designed psychological questionnaire, were chosen to assess the effectiveness of the faculty development initiative.

Results

Results of the different questionnaires were interpreted individually, then through the lens of the psychological questionnaire. A majority of faculty (55%) were significantly affected psychologically by Beirut's triple blow and 77% of all participants found the workshops to be of excellent quality (Kirkpatrick's Level I). Moreover, Kirkpatrick's level II results yielded a 76% mean percentage of correct answers to post-workshops MCQs and a significant improvement in the mean results of the self-assessment questionnaires, administered before and after each workshop. Results also show that the more a trainee is psychologically affected, the less he/she performs as evidenced by a decrease in the satisfaction rate as well as in the score of the cognitive MCQs and of the self-assessment questionnaires.

Conclusions

This study was able to highlight that significant learning can occur amidst exceptional circumstances like the Beirut triple blow and administration should invest in professional growth to retain its faculty.

Assessing Chinese anatomists' perceptions and attitudes toward blended learning through faculty development training programs

Background

As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the faculty development program has partially shifted to online formats over the past two years, with a specific focus on professional training related to blended learning. The effectiveness of this training is closely tied to the perceptions and acceptability of blended learning among the trainees. This study aims to evaluate the perspectives of educators on blended learning, thereby assessing the efficacy of faculty training programs.

Methods

Anatomical teachers were chosen as a representative sample due to their significant presence among medical science educators. Chinese anatomists were invited to participate in a survey that gauges their attitudes and readiness for blended learning.

Results

A total of 297 responses were collected, covering all provinces in mainland China. The findings from the survey demonstrate that Chinese anatomists hold learning flexibility in the highest regard among the various facets of blended learning. Meanwhile, the presence of a connected learning community emerged as a pivotal factor influencing anatomists' perceptions, explaining 14.77% of the total variance. Further analysis showed noteworthy disparities in anatomists' attitudes toward blending learning based on their job titles, mentorship guidance, and support from in-service institutions. Notably, lecturers showed a more pronounced engagement in the connected learning community than teachers with different job titles. Additionally, anatomists who received stronger institutional support showed higher proficiencies in learning management.

Conclusion

This survey revealed that Chinese anatomists attribute considerable value to aspects such as learning flexibility, a connected learning community, and effective learning management within the domain of online/blended learning. Positive attitudes toward blended learning are likely to be nurtured by mentorship and institutional support, subsequently correlating with improved training outcomes. The distinctive characteristics observed among Chinese anatomists in the context of blended learning offers insights to enhance the effectiveness of faculty training programs, thereby facilitating the evolution of future teaching strategies.

The APGO Academic Scholars and Leaders Program: Supporting obstetrics and gynecology faculty development for 20 years

PURPOSE

We evaluate the impacts of the Academic Scholars and Leaders (ASL) Program in achieving 3 key objectives: treatment of education as a scholarly pursuit, improved education leadership, and career advancement.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We report on the twenty-year experience of the ASL Program-a national, longitudinal faculty development program of the Association of Professors of Obstetrics and Gynecology (APGO) covering instruction, curriculum development/program evaluation, assessment/feedback, leadership/professional development, and educational scholarship. We conducted a cross-sectional, online survey of ASL participants who graduated in 1999-2017. We sought evidence of impact using Kirkpatrick's 4-level framework. Descriptive quantitative data were analyzed, and open-ended comments were organized using content analysis.

RESULTS

64% (260) of graduates responded. The vast majority (96%) felt the program was extremely worthwhile (Kirkpatrick level 1). Graduates cited learned skills they had applied to their work, most commonly curricular development (48%) and direct teaching (38%) (Kirkpatrick 2&3 A). Since participation, 82% of graduates have held institutional, education-focused leadership roles (Kirkpatrick 3B). Nineteen percent had published the ASL project as a manuscript and 46% additional education papers (Kirkpatrick 3B).

CONCLUSIONS

The APGO ASL program has been associated with successful outcomes in treatment of education as a scholarly pursuit, education leadership, and career advancement. Going forward, APGO is considering ways to diversify the ASL community and to support educational research training.

Peering Into the Future: A First Look at the CBME Transition to Practice Stage in Diagnostic Radiology

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

Queen's University (Kingston, ON, Canada) adopted a competency-based medical education (CBME) curriculum for Diagnostic Radiology residency training in an accelerated manner in 2017, with the curriculum comprised of four stages of training. This article focuses on the final stage (Transition to Practice), during which assessment methods of the new national curriculum (implemented in July 2022) were piloted. This study aims to highlight the challenges and opportunities associated with the implementation of CBME in Diagnostic Radiology training and specific considerations for programs undergoing this curricular transition.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ethics approval was provided by the affiliated hospital Research Ethics Board. All relevant electronic assessments pertaining to all trainees who had completed the Transition to Practice stage (n = 3) were collated, deidentified, analyzed, and presented in tabulated format.

RESULTS

A total of 39 evaluations completed by 13 assessors were assessed, with an average time of 3 minutes and 6 seconds to complete an assessment form. Also, 95% of evaluations were rated as entrustments. However, no residents met the minimum number of required entrustments for all five stage-specific Entrustable Professional Activities. These 39 evaluations included 219 milestone rating scores, with 86% rated as "achieved." Following review by the residency program Competence Committee, all three residents were promoted from the Transition to Practice stage.

CONCLUSION

Challenges in CBME implementation include the number and quality of resident assessments. Strategies for success may include providing clear guidelines and training for both faculty and residents, early identification and intervention, and adopting a holistic evaluation strategy. CBME has the potential to enhance medical education quality by emphasizing learner progress toward competency and providing personalized feedback and support.

Effectiveness of a supervisor training on quality of feedback to internal medicine residents: a controlled longitudinal multicentre study

OBJECTIVES

High-quality feedback on different dimensions of competence is important for resident learning. Supervisors may need additional training and information to fulfil this demanding task. This study aimed to evaluate whether a short and simple training improves the quality of feedback residents receive from their clinical supervisors in daily practice.

DESIGN

Longitudinal quasi-experimental controlled study with a pretest/post-test design. We collected multiple premeasurements and postmeasurements for each supervisor over 2 years. A repeated measurements ANOVA was performed on the data.

SETTING

Internal medicine departments of seven Dutch teaching hospitals.

PARTICIPANTS

Internal medicine supervisors (n=181) and residents (n=192).

INTERVENTION

Half of the supervisors attended a short 2.5-hour training session during which they could practise giving feedback in a simulated setting using video fragments. Highly experienced internal medicine educators guided the group discussions about the feedback. The other half of the supervisors formed the control group and received no feedback training.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Residents rated the quality of supervisors' oral feedback with a previously validated questionnaire. Furthermore, the completeness of the supervisors' written feedback on evaluation forms was analysed.

RESULTS

The data showed a significant increase in the quality of feedback after the training F (1, 87)=6.76, p=0.04. This effect remained significant up to 6 months after the training session.

CONCLUSIONS

A short training session in which supervisors practise giving feedback in a simulated setting increases the quality of their feedback. This is a promising outcome since it is a feasible approach to faculty development.

The effect of the Educational Scholar Program as a longitudinal faculty development program on the capability of educators as scholars

INTRODUCTION

The Educational Scholar Program (ESP) is designed and implemented as a longitudinal and institution-based faculty development program. The present study aimed to assess the effect of the ESP on educators' capabilities to undertake SoTL activities associated with their scholar role.

METHODS

This study was conducted from 2017 to 2022. The participants (n = 64) were educators in six schools of Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences. The ESP was a faculty development program that consisted of training and project-based stages. The educators experienced small-group learning, self-directed learning, and reflective assignments in the training stage. In the second stage, the educators completed a SoTL (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning) project. Learner-related outcomes based on Kirkpatrick model was assessed. The reaction of educators (satisfaction, active participation in the ESP, and the perception of mentoring sessions) was assessed by three questionnaires (Reaction level). The educators' learning was evaluated by modified essay questions and their project reports (Learning and Behavior levels). Outputs of the ESP including journal publications, abstracts presented at meetings or congresses, grant funding, awards in educational festivals, promotions, projects with ongoing implementation following the ESP, and conducting further SoTL projects after ESP were assessed quantitatively over two years after participating in the ESP (Results level). Data were summarized by descriptive statistics (mean, percentage, SD, 95% Confidence Interval (CI)). Cut-off scores of the instruments was calculated with a standard setting method which introduced by Cohen-Schotanus and Van DerVleuten. Data analyzed by One-sample t-test.

RESULTS

Sixty-four of 72 (89%) educators completed the ESP. The mean (CI) satisfaction score of educators was 42 (CI: 26.92-58.28), the active participation was 92 (CI: 80.24-103.76). The scores of the mentoring assessment from the perspective of the educators were reported at 90 (CI: 78.24- 101.76). The mean (95%CI) learning scores in the essay examination were 88 (CI: 70.36- 105.64), and project assessment were 90 (CI: 78.24- 101.76). The results showed the educators' scores in reaction and learning significantly higher than the cut-off scores. (P < 0.05). Most projects were conducted in curriculum development and assessment/evaluation domains. The number of projects with ongoing implementation over the two years following the ESP and the acquisition of grants was higher than other outputs in the results level.

CONCLUSION

The ESP, as an institute-based longitudinal program, enhanced the learner-related outcomes (in four levels of reaction, learning, behavior, and results). The creation of practical learning and supportive mechanisms influenced on the results. The outcomes of ESP indicated that the educators prepared to conduct SoTL activities in their educational community.

An Online Resident-as-Teacher Curriculum Improves First-Year Residents' Self-Confidence Teaching in the Clinical Learning Environment

We implemented an online Resident-as-Teacher curriculum for all incoming residents (PGY1s) to provide them with a basic foundation for effective teaching in the clinical learning environment. The curriculum consisted of 5 asynchronous modules delivered via the web from 2017-2021. Prior to starting the course, the PGY1s completed a self-assessment of their teaching ability (pre-test) and then again 7-8 months after completing the course (post-test). Analysis of the paired data from 421 PGY1s showed a statistically significant improvement in the self-ratings of their teaching from pre-test to post-test (p < 0.001). Our findings suggest that an online Resident-as-Teacher curriculum can produce lasting benefits in new residents' self-confidence as educators.

Design and Evaluation of an Interprofessional Preceptor Development Mini-Fellowship Program

INTRODUCTION

Health professions preceptors require skills and knowledge to effectively meet the educational needs of interprofessional students in clinical environments. We implemented a mini-fellowship program to enhance the knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy of preceptors teaching students and applying quality improvement (QI) methods across disciplines and patient care settings.

METHODS

The design, implementation, and evaluation of the program were informed by the faculty development literature, principles of adult learning, and preceptor needs. The 3-day program included workshops on curriculum design, clinical teaching methods, QI, social determinants of health, cultural humility, and interprofessional teamwork. Quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods were used including preprogram and postprogram knowledge and self-efficacy surveys, along with end-of-session and program evaluations.

RESULTS

Five annual cohorts involving 41 preceptors with varied demographics, professions, and clinical practices completed the mini-fellowship program. Participants' percentage of items answered correctly on a QI knowledge test increased from 79.2% (pretest) to 85.5% (post-test), a gain of 6.3% (90% CI: 2.9-9.7%; P < .003). The average QI self-efficacy scores improved from 2.64 to 3.82, a gain of 1.18 points on a five-point scale ( P < .001). The average education/teaching self-efficacy increased from 2.79 to 3.80 on a five-point scale ( P < .001). Ultimately, 94% would recommend the program to other preceptors.

DISCUSSION

An interprofessional preceptor development program designed to train clinicians to effectively teach in the clinical setting and to conduct QI projects with students was achievable and effective. This program can serve as a model for academic centers charged with training future health care workers and supporting their community-based preceptors' training needs.

Teaching Observation as a Faculty Development Tool in Medical Education: A Scoping Review

INTRODUCTION

Health professions education often includes teaching observation to inform faculty development (FD) and indirectly improve student performance. Although these FD approaches are well received by faculty, they remain underused and/or underreported, with limited opportunities to receive feedback in workplace contexts. The goal of our study was to map the depth and breadth of education literature on the use of observation of teaching as a tool of professional development in medical education.

METHODS

Following the methodology by Arksey and O'Malley, we conducted a scoping review and searched four databases for articles published in English (final searches in April 2022).

RESULTS

Of 2080 articles identified, 45 met the inclusion criteria. All observation activities were associated with one of the following FD approaches: peer observation of teaching (23 articles, 51%), peer coaching (12, 27%), peer review (9, 20%), and the critical friends approach (1, 2%). Thirty-three articles (73%) concerned formative versions of the observation model that took place in clinical settings (21, 47%), and they tended to be a voluntary (27, 60%), one-off (18, 40%), in-person intervention (29, 65%), characterized by limited institutional support (13, 29%). Both barriers and challenges of teaching observation were identified.

DISCUSSION

This review identified several challenges and shortcomings associated with teaching observation, such as inadequate methodological quality of research articles, inconsistent terminology, and limited understanding of the factors that promote long-term sustainability within FD programs. Practical strategies to consider when designing an FD program that incorporates teaching observation are outlined.

Assessing the Use of Microlearning for Preceptor Development

The objective of this study was to evaluate microlearning as a preceptor development method compared to a traditional method of learning. Twenty-five preceptor participants volunteered to engage in a learning intervention about two preceptor development topics. Participants were randomized 1:1 to either a thirty-minute traditional learning experience or a fifteen-minute microlearning experience; participants then crossed over to the other intervention for comparison. Primary outcomes were satisfaction, changes in knowledge, self-efficacy, and perception of behavior, confidence scale, and self-reported frequency of behavior, respectively. One-way repeated measures ANOVA and Wilcoxon paired t-tests were used to analyze knowledge and self-efficacy, and Wilcoxon paired t-tests were utilized to assess satisfaction and perception of behavior. Most participants preferred microlearning over the traditional method (72% vs. 20%, p = 0.007). Free text satisfaction responses were analyzed using inductive coding and thematic analysis. Participants reported that microlearning was more engaging and efficient. There were no significant differences in knowledge, self-efficacy, or perception of behavior between microlearning and the traditional method. Knowledge and self-efficacy scores for each modality increased compared to the baseline. Microlearning shows promise for educating pharmacy preceptors. Further study is needed to confirm the findings and determine optimal delivery approaches.

Feasibility of Including Hands-On Microteaching in the Medical Faculty Development Program in India: A Mixed-Methods Study

Background Medical faculty development programs (FDPs) often lack hands-on training in teaching skills. Microteaching, a short, focused teaching practice, could be a feasible way to bridge this gap. This study aimed to explore the feasibility of including hands-on microteaching in a medical FDP in India. Methodology This mixed-methods study involved fresh medical faculty members who never attended FDP on the basics of medical education technologies, stakeholders, and students from a recently established autonomous medical institute of national importance in India. Participants completed a pre-test survey on their teaching skills and received a hands-on microteaching session during an FDP. After the session, participants completed a post-test survey and provided feedback on the feasibility and acceptability of hands-on microteaching in the program. Program evaluation was done by application of Kirkpatrick's Model levels one, two, and three. Results According to the Kirkpatrick Model of Evaluation level one (Reaction), the participants reported improved teaching skills and greater confidence in their ability to teach after the microteaching session. They also reported that hands-on microteaching was an effective way to learn teaching skills and receive feedback. Stakeholders opined that microteaching is a very effective tool for improving teaching skills and should be a part of FDP. Evaluation at level two (Learning) shows that there was a significant improvement in the mean score of post-tests. As per level three (Behaviour Change) evaluation, the majority of the students informed that there is observable improvement in the effectiveness of teaching of faculties in the past two months, i.e., since the participation of faculty in hands-on microteaching in FDP. Conclusions Hands-on microteaching could be a feasible and effective way to enhance the teaching skills of medical faculty members in India. The study findings suggest that including hands-on microteaching in FDPs could help bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical teaching skills.

A systematic review of intellectual and developmental disability curriculum in international pre-graduate health professional education

BACKGROUND

Despite the increasing global population of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), this population remains especially vulnerable to health disparities through several factors such as a lack of access to sufficient medical care and poor determinants of health. To add, numerous studies have shown that healthcare professionals are still insufficiently prepared to support this population of patients. This review synthesizes the literature on current pre-graduate IDD training programs across healthcare professions with the goal of informing the creation of evidence-based curricula.

METHODS

Four major databases were searched for current pre-graduate IDD training interventions for healthcare professionals. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis flow diagram and the Best Evidence Medical Educations systematic review guide were used to frame our collection and analysis.

RESULTS

Of the 8601 studies screened, 32 studies were identified, with most studies involving medical students (50%). Of note, 35% of studies were interprofessional. Most interventions utilized multiple pedagogical methods with a majority including clinical experiences (63%) followed by theoretical teaching (59%). Kirkpatrick levels showed 9% were level 0, 6% were level 1, 31% were level 2A, 31% were level 2B, 19% were level 3, 3% were level 4A, and none were level 4B.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a paucity of formally evaluated studies in pre-graduate health professional IDD education. As well, there are a lack of longitudinal learning opportunities and integration into formal curriculum. Strengths identified were the use of multimodal approaches to teaching, including interprofessional approaches to optimize team competencies.

Ongoing training and peer feedback in simulation-based learning for local faculty development: A participation action research study

BACKGROUND

Simulation-based learning (SBL) is often used in healthcare education. Professional development has been identified as crucial to the success of SBL. Effective, high-quality SBL requires facilitators who are multiskilled and have a range of SBL-related knowledge, skills and attitudes, which require time and practice to acquire. However, investment in facilitators' competence is often limited, particularly at smaller institutions without an associated simulation centre.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study is to describe how a smaller university college with limited resources and limited facilitation experience has initiated continuing professional development and how this continuing professional development has contributed to maintaining and developing SBL facilitators' competence.

METHOD

Participatory action research has been used to improve the practice of SBL facilitators at a university college in Norway. The evaluations and reflections of 10 facilitators engaged in professional development and 44 national simulation conference participants have been analysed by way of Vaismoradi's qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

A culture of participation and engagement and a clear professional development structure are both of crucial importance in the implementation and maintenance of continuing professional development in SBL. When these are present, not only does facilitation become more transparent, but facilitators become more aware of their own strengths and weaknesses, manage to address these and perceive an improvement in their confidence and competence.

CONCLUSIONS

Facilitators at smaller institutions without an associated simulation centre can improve their competence and confidence in SBL beyond the initial course, despite the absence of experienced mentors. The results indicate the importance of engaging in ongoing training and self-reflection based on peer feedback, the facilitators' own experience and up-to-date literature. Implementing and maintaining professional development at smaller institutions requires a clear structure, clear expectations and a culture of participation and development.

Making Outbreak Investigations Real to Learners

Frequent outbreaks and the COVID-19 pandemic underscore the need for delivering hands-on outbreak investigation content to learners. This work aimed at assessing the effectiveness of using a combined experiential, competency, and team-based learning activity for teaching outbreak investigations to first-year medical students (M1). Two prospective cohorts of 84 M1 students each in 2019 and 2020 underwent an interactive endeavor. This project evaluated the competencies gained as portrayed in a team presentation, students' perception of those competencies, and activity's utility. Students gained most competencies, particularly those linked to their role as clinicians. There is still room for improvement in detecting an outbreak, labeling the epidemic curve type, and designing a study suitable for answering the hypothesis. Based on 55 and 43 (65% and 51%) responders, most of the groups agreed that the learning activity was useful in providing the necessary skills to conduct an outbreak investigation. Facilitating experiential learning opportunities in which students can practice their recently acquired medical skills (i.e., recognize symptoms, elaborate differential diagnosis) engaged them in the non-clinical components. Such opportunities can also gauge in lieu of a formal evaluation the level of mastery achieved and deficiencies not only in specific but also in related competencies.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-023-01756-5.

Defining new roles and competencies for administrative staff and faculty in the age of competency-based medical education

PURPOSE

These authors sought to define the new roles and competencies required of administrative staff and faculty in the age of CBME.

METHOD

A modified Delphi process was used to define the new CBME roles and competencies needed by faculty and administrative staff. We invited international experts in CBME (volunteers from the ICBME Collaborative email list), as well as faculty members and trainees identified via social media to help us determine the new competencies required of faculty and administrative staff in the CBME era.

RESULTS

Thirteen new roles were identified. The faculty-specific roles were: National Leader/Facilitator in CBME; Institutional/University lead for CBME; Assessment Process & Systems Designer; Local CBME Leads; CBME-specific Faculty Developers or Trainers; Competence Committee Chair; Competence Committee Faculty Member; Faculty Academic Coach/Advisor or Support Person; Frontline Assessor; Frontline Coach. The staff-specific roles were: Information Technology Lead; CBME Analytics/Data Support; Competence Committee Administrative Assistant.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors present a new set of faculty and staff roles that are relevant to the CBME context. While some of these new roles may be incorporated into existing roles, it may be prudent to examine how best to ensure that all of them are supported within all CBME contexts in some manner.

A decade of faculty development for health professions educators: lessons learned from the Macy Faculty Scholars Program

Faculty development (FD) programs are critical for providing the knowledge and skills necessary to drive positive change in health professions education, but they take many forms to attain the program goals. The Macy Faculty Scholars Program (MFSP), created by the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation (JMJF) in 2010, intends to develop participants as leaders, scholars, teachers, and mentors. After a decade of implementation, an external review committee conducted a program evaluation to determine how well the program met its intended goals and defined options for ongoing improvement.The committee selected Stufflebeam's CIPP (context, input, process, products) framework to guide the program evaluation. Context and input components were derived from the MFSP description and demographic data, respectively. Process and product components were obtained through a mixed-methods approach, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative data obtained from participant survey responses, and curriculum vitae (CV).The evaluation found participants responded favorably to the program and demonstrated an overall increase in academic productivity, most pronounced during the two years of the program. Mentorship, community of practice, and protected time were cited as major strengths. Areas for improvement included: enhancing the diversity of program participants, program leaders and mentors across multiple sociodemographic domains; leveraging technology to strengthen the MFSP community of practice; and improving flexibility of the program.The program evaluation results provide evidence supporting ongoing investment in faculty educators and summarizes key strengths and areas for improvement to inform future FD efforts for both the MFSP and other FD programs.

Faculty Development and the Emergency Medicine Educator: A National Needs Assessment

BACKGROUND

Faculty development (FD) encompasses structured programming that aims to enhance educator knowledge, skill, and behavior. No uniform framework for faculty development exists, and academic institutions vary in their faculty development programming, ability to overcome barriers, resource utilization, and achievement of consistent outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

The authors aimed to assess current FD needs among emergency medicine educators from six geographically and clinically distinct academic institutions to inform overall faculty development advancement in emergency medicine (EM).

METHODS

This cross-sectional study assessed FD needs among EM educators. A survey was developed, piloted, and distributed to faculty via each academic institution's internal e-mail listserv. Respondents were asked to rate their comfort level with and interest in several domains of FD. Respondents were also asked to identify their previous experience, satisfaction with the FD they have received, and barriers to receiving FD.

RESULTS

Across six sites, 136/471 faculty completed the survey in late 2020 (response rate of 29%): 69.1% of respondents reported being satisfied overall with the FD they have participated in, and 50.7% reported being satisfied with education FD specifically. Faculty report higher comfort levels and interest in several domains when satisfied with the education-specific FD they have received compared with those who report not being satisfied.

CONCLUSIONS

EM faculty report generally high satisfaction with the overall faculty development they have received, although only half express satisfaction with their education-related faculty development. Faculty developers in EM may incorporate these results to inform future faculty development programs and frameworks.

The Objective Structured Teaching Encounter (OSTE) in health professions education: A systematic review

PURPOSE

New emphasis on the assessment of health professions educators' teaching competence has led to greater use of the Objective Structured Teaching Encounter (OSTE). The purpose of this study is to review and further describe the current uses and learning outcomes of the OSTE in health professions education.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

PubMed, MEDLINE, and CINAHL (March 2010 to February 2022) were searched for English-language studies describing the use of an OSTE for any educational purpose within health professions education.

RESULTS

Of the 29 articles that met inclusion criteria, over half of the studies (17 of 29, 58.6%) were published during or after 2017. Seven studies described OSTE use outside of the traditional medical education context. These new contexts included basic sciences, dental, pharmacy, and Health Professions Education program graduates. Eleven articles described novel OSTE content, which included leadership skills, emotional intelligence, medical ethics, inter-professional conduct, and a procedural OSTE. There is increasing evidence supporting the use of OSTEs for the assessment of clinical educators' teaching skills.

CONCLUSIONS

The OSTE is a valuable tool for the improvement and assessment of teaching within a variety of health professions education contexts. Further study is required to determine the impact of OSTEs on teaching behaviors in real-life contexts.

Lessons From Using Design Thinking to Develop the 2021 AACP Teachers' Seminar

Objective. To describe and evaluate how a design thinking approach aided the creation of the 2021 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Teachers' Seminar.Methods. The design thinking framework (ie, inspiration, ideation, and implementation) was used to structure the seminar development process from July 2020 to July 2021. Nine committee members engaged in a persona activity (ie, inspiration), a brainstorming activity (ie, ideation), and a prototyping activity (ie, implementation) to create a user-centered learning experience. Twenty-five small group facilitators were then recruited to create and deliver breakout session content. After the seminar, the team was invited to debrief their experience in a focus group and an electronic survey to evaluate the perceived impact of using design thinking in the planning process.Results. Twenty-one (62%) of the 34 committee members and small group facilitators attended the focus group, and 28 (82%) completed the electronic survey. Most agreed that design thinking was a useful approach to support the Teachers' Seminar, and they were generally positive about the experience. There was a significant increase in self-reported creative self-efficacy for coming up with novel ideas, ability to solve problems, and helping expand others' ideas. Team members identified positive attributes about the seminar and planning process as well as areas for improvement. Team members also acknowledged challenges and potential solutions for professional organizations and program developers to consider when creating user-centered experiences.Conclusion. Design thinking can be a useful framework for seminar planning and implementation to create engaging, meaningful, and valuable educator development experiences.

Postgraduate Surgical Education in East, Central, and Southern Africa: A Needs Assessment Survey

BACKGROUND

The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery has identified workforce development as an important component of National Surgical Plans to advance the treatment of surgical disease in low- and middle-income countries. The goal of our study is to identify priorities of surgeon educators in the region so that collaboration and intervention may be appropriately targeted.

STUDY DESIGN

The American College of Surgeons Operation Giving Back, in collaboration with leaders of the College of Surgeons of Eastern, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA), developed a survey to assess the needs and limitations of surgical educators working under their organizational purview. COSECSA members were invited to complete an online survey to identify and prioritize factors within 5 domains: (1) Curriculum Development, (2) Faculty Development, (3) Structured Educational Content, (4) Skills and Simulation Training, and (5) Trainee Assessment and Feedback.

RESULTS

One-hundred sixty-six responses were received after 3 calls for participation, representing all countries in which COSECSA operates. The majority of respondents (78%) work in tertiary referral centers. Areas of greatest perceived need were identified in the Faculty Development and Skills and Simulation domains. Although responses differed between domains, clinical responsibilities, cost, and technical support were commonly cited as barriers to development.

CONCLUSIONS

This needs assessment identified educational needs and priorities of COSECSA surgeons. Our study will serve as a foundation for interventions aimed at further improving graduate surgical education and ultimately patient care in the region.

The Pain Medicine Curriculum Framework-structured integration of pain medicine education into the medical curriculum

Medical practitioners play an essential role in preventing pain, conducting comprehensive pain assessments, as well as promoting evidence-based practices. There is a need for the development of innovative, interprofessional and integrated pain medicine curricula for medical students. The Pain Medicine Curriculum Framework (PMCF) was developed to conceptualise a purposeful approach to the complex process of curriculum change and to prioritise the actions needed to address the gaps in pain medicine education. The PMCF comprises four dimensions: (1) future healthcare practice needs; (2) competencies and capabilities required of graduates; (3) teaching, learning and assessment methods; and (4) institutional parameters. Curricula need to meet the requirements of registration and accreditation bodies, but also equip graduates to serve in their particular local health system while maintaining the fundamental standards and values of these institutions. The curriculum needs to connect knowledge with experience and practice to be responsive to the changing needs of the increasingly complex health system yet adaptable to patients with pain in the local context. Appropriate learning, teaching and assessment strategies are necessary to ensure that medical practitioners of the future develop the required knowledge, skills and attitudes to treat the diverse needs of patients' experiencing pain. The historical, political, social and organisational values of the educational institution will have a significant impact on curriculum design. A more formalised approach to the development and delivery of a comprehensive pain medicine curriculum is necessary to ensure that medical students are adequately prepared for their future workplace responsibilities.

Supporting health professional educators in the workplace: A scoping review

PURPOSE

Clinical educators frequently request additional support for educating pre-qualification health professions students despite having access to professional development programs to build education knowledge and skills. The breadth of 'additional support' options remains unclear. The aim of this review is to explore what is known about support options for health professional educators in the workplace through the lens of learning organisations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A scoping review was conducted searching Ovid Medline, CINAHL, ProQuest and PsycINFO electronic databases from 1 January 2005 up to 21 October 2020 for studies that identified support strategies for clinical educators of pre-qualification students in the workplace. Relevant data were charted, summarised thematically and synthesised with reference to support type and implementation level.

RESULTS

Fifty relevant records related to medicine, nursing and allied health clinical education were included. Twelve support themes and five cross-cutting support categories were identified across four implementation levels of healthcare systems.

CONCLUSIONS

A diversity of support for clinical educators beyond professional development was identified. Future research combined with leadership and commitment from the healthcare and education sectors is needed to better understand the applicability, efficacy and resourcing of any newly integrated support to ensure it is sustainable and improves clinical educator capability.

A scoping review of nutrition education interventions to improve competencies, lifestyle and dietary habits of medical students and residents

We reviewed the available research and gave an overview of the effects of nutrition education interventions (NEIs) on medical students’ and residents’ knowledge of nutrition, attitudes towards nutrition care, self-efficacy, dietary practices and readiness to offer nutrition care. From 28 May through 29 June 2021, we searched Google Scholar, PubMed, ProQuest, Cochrane and ProQuest to retrieve 1807 articles. After conducting de-duplication and applying the eligibility criteria and reviewing the title and abstract, 23 papers were included. The data were descriptively and narratively synthesised, and the results were displayed as frequencies, tables and figures. Twenty-one interventions were designed to increase participants’ knowledge of nutrition-related topics, and eighteen studies found that nutrition knowledge had significantly improved post-intervention. Only four of the eleven studies that reported on attitudes about nutrition post-intervention showed a meaningful improvement. The self-efficacy of participants was examined in more than half of the included studies (n 13, 56⋅5 %), and eleven of these studies found a significant increase in the participants’ level of self-efficacy to offer nutrition care post-intervention. At the post-intervention point, seven interventions found that dietary and lifestyle habits had significantly improved. The review demonstrated the potential of NEIs to enhance participants’ dietary habits and nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes and self-efficacy. Reduced nutrition knowledge, attitude and self-efficacy scores during the follow-up, point to the need for more opportunities for medical students and residents to learn about nutrition after the intervention.

Engaging Health Professions Educators in an Initiative to Create and Disseminate Micro Virtual Asynchronous Educator Development Content During COVID-19

OBJECTIVES

Most teaching activities pivoted to virtual during COVID-19. Demanding schedules necessitated brief, asynchronous, and widely disseminated professional development to encourage connection and reinforce educator identity. We created and disseminated micro virtual asynchronous educator development while engaging educators from interprofessional backgrounds to co-create teaching tips. We undertook educational evaluation to understand the impact of our educational initiative, measured along 2 professional development dimensions offering contexts for learning-the individual or independent experience, and the group or collective experience-which served as an organizing framework from which to interpret our results.

METHODS

Between June 2020 and July 2021, 74 educators at our institution were asked to participate in our "One Minute Teaching Tips" initiative by providing a brief tip or pearl. Each tip was edited, prepared as a high-quality infographic, and shared via: (1) website; (2) digital monitors; (3) newsletter; and (4) Twitter (now X). Quantitative metrics measuring website and Twitter engagement were analyzed descriptively and to determine distinctions among key variables. Participants answered a brief survey and directed content analysis was utilized to analyze the open-ended responses.

RESULTS

Fifty educators (67.5%) participated. Among those, 45 (90%) completed the survey. Tips were accessed via website 1447 times, averaging 28.9/week. The average tweet garnered 43.2 engagements. Six categories aligned with the individual dimension: participants engaged meaningfully, considered prior experience, relied on educational principles, focused on interest or passion, reflected on teaching practices, and experienced reinforced professional identity. Six categories aligned with the collective dimension: participants felt the initiative supported institutional need, was visible to the community, encouraged engagement with other tips, supported inclusive participation, brought value within the community, and showcased education.

CONCLUSION

Our initiative aligns with a contemporary understanding of professional development and was impactful along individual and collective dimensions. Similar initiatives could be developed in alignment with accreditation requirements.

A continuing professional development imperative? Examining trends and characteristics of health professions education doctoral programs

BACKGROUND

Despite the long-standing faculty development initiatives for improving teaching skills in the health professions, there is still a growing need for educators who are formally trained in educational theory and practice as health professions schools experience dramatic demand and growth. Graduate programs in health professions education (HPE) provide an avenue for health professions' faculty continuing professional development to enhance their knowledge and skills for teaching and curriculum leadership roles. There has been a proliferation of certificate, master's, and doctoral programs in HPE over the last two decades to respond to the growing need for well-prepared faculty educators and program leadership. The purpose of this study was to identify and describe current HPE doctoral programs in United States (U.S.) and Canada.

METHODS

The study first examined doctoral programs in HPE identified in earlier studies. Next, we searched the literature and the web to identify new doctoral programs in the U.S. and Canada that had been established between 2014, when the prior study was conducted, and 2022. We then collated and described the characteristics of these programs, highlighting their similarities and differences.

RESULTS

We identified a total of 20 doctoral programs, 17 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada. Of these, 12 programs in the U.S. and 1 program in Canada were established in the last 8 years. There are many similarities and some notable differences across programs with respect to degree title, admission requirements, duration, delivery format, curriculum, and graduation requirements. Most programs are delivered in a hybrid format and the average time for completion is 4 years.

CONCLUSIONS

The workforce shortage facing health professional schools presents an opportunity, or perhaps imperative, for continuing professional development in HPE through certificate, master's, or doctoral programs. With the current exponential growth of new doctoral programs, there is a need to standardize the title, degree requirements, and further develop core competencies that guide the knowledge and skills HPE graduates are expected to have upon graduation.

Development and Evaluation of a Faculty-Based Accredited Continuing Professional Development Route for Teaching and Learning

This article characterizes and evaluates the development of an accredited, in-house, faculty-based teaching recognition scheme aimed at supporting clinicians and academics to achieve Advance HE Fellowship recognition. The scheme takes 6 to 24 months to complete and forms part of an institution-wide scheme. The evaluation covered 44 months, collecting data on participation rates across the school and 21 semi-structured interviews across 16 staff participants. We describe the outcomes measured alongside key perceived benefits and challenges to support the implementation of similar schemes elsewhere. Across 130 academic staff, there was 61% engagement. In interviews, 11 participants characterized benefits in terms of changes to their teaching, such as adopting new strategies for differing class sizes, and highlighted the benefit of accessible and context-specific development opportunities designed specifically for STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine) practitioners and clinicians. Motivations for participating were mainly intrinsic (69%), with international professional recognition also featured (61%, n = 10). Of the 23 participants who withdrew, the largest subgroup (39%) withdrew because they had left the institution, and 35% withdrew because of a lack of time, which encompassed a range of issues. We outline recommendations for implementing similar schemes including protected time, accessible development opportunities, and support for mentors.

Development of a Formative Assessment Rubric for Peer Evaluation of Teaching (FARPET) and Pilot Use in Veterinary Online Teaching

Peer evaluation of teaching (PET) serves an important role as a component of faculty development in the medical education field. With the emergence of COVID-19, the authors recognized the need for a flexible tool that could be used for a variety of lecture formats, including virtual instruction, and that could provide a framework for consistent and meaningful PET feedback. This teaching tip describes the creation and pilot use of a PET rubric, which includes six fixed core items (lesson structure, content organization, audiovisual facilitation, concept development, enthusiasm, and relevance) and items to be assessed separately for asynchronous lectures (cognitive engagement-asynchronous) and synchronous lectures (cognitive engagement-synchronous, discourse quality, collaborative learning, and check for understanding). The instrument packet comprises the rubric, instructions for use, definitions, and examples of each item, plus three training videos for users to compare with authors' consensus training scores; these serve as frame-of-reference training. The instrument was piloted among veterinary educators, and feedback was sought in a focus group setting. The instrument was well received, and training and use required a minimum time commitment. Inter-rater reliability within 1 Likert scale point (adjacent agreement) was assessed for each of the training videos, and consistency of scoring was demonstrated between focus group members using percent agreement (0.82, 0.85, 0.88) and between focus members and the authors' consensus training scores (all videos: 0.91). This instrument may serve as a helpful resource for institutions looking for a framework for PET. We intend to continually adjust the instrument in response to feedback from wider use.

Education Theory Made Practical: Creating open educational resources via an apprenticeship model

Introduction

Clinical faculty may have limited knowledge of education theories and best practices in health professions education. Many faculty development programs focus on passive learning with limited application to practice. There is a need for more active engagement for early career educators.

Methods

We created an apprenticeship-based electronic book series focused on translating education theories into practical applications for clinician educators. Chapters were authored by teams of two to four geographically separated early career educators, who were tasked with explaining an education theory and relating it to their educational practice. The chapters underwent internal peer review, followed by open peer review as a blog post and eventual publication. Usage data were collected, and surveys were sent to authors and end-users.

Results

Six volumes (60 total chapters) have been created to date by 180 unique authors and 17 editors over a 6-year period. There have been 65,571 total blog page views and 17,180 total book downloads across the five published volumes. Authors reported an increase in their perceived knowledge (pre 2.6 ± 1.7 vs. post 7.2 ± 1.1, mean difference 4.5/9.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.0-5.0, p < 0.001) after writing their chapter. Authors also reported career benefits including authorship for academic advancement/promotion and developing an area of education theory expertise. End-users also reported a mean increase in their perceived knowledge (pre 4.4 ± 2.5 vs. post 7.3 ± 1.4, mean difference 2.9/9.0, 95% CI 2.1-3.8, p < 0.001) after reading a chapter.

Conclusion

The Education Theory Made Practical electronic book series represents a proof of concept for an apprenticeship-based model to teach education theory, while also creating scholarship and open access resources for the broader community.

Do the benefits continue? Long term impacts of the Anatomy Education Research Institute (AERI) 2017

BACKGROUND

The Anatomy Education Research Institute (AERI) was held in Bloomington, Indiana in July of 2017. Previous research has shown that AERI was successful in meeting Kirkpatrick's first two levels of evaluation via positive initial reactions and learning gains identified at the end of AERI. This manuscript demonstrates continued success in Kirkpatrick levels two and three via six-month and thirty-month follow-up surveys and nine-month follow-up focus groups and interviews.

METHODS

Quantitative analyses were completed using Microsoft Excel (2019) and SPSS version 26 while qualitative analyses were completed for both survey responses and focus groups/interviews using thematic analyses.

RESULTS

Results demonstrate that the learning gains seen immediately post-AERI 2017 were sustained for all participants (accepted applicants and invited speakers). Qualitative results continued to demonstrate positive reactions to AERI 2017. Both quantitative and qualitative results demonstrated that the main obstacle to educational research for most participants is time, while collaboration, IRB, institutional roadblocks, and devaluing of educational research were also identified as obstacles.

CONCLUSIONS

The research presented here indicates positive outcomes to Kirkpatrick Levels 1, 2, & 3 of evaluation following AERI 2017. However, substantial obstacles still exist for researchers in medical education. The need for a sustained community of practice for educational researchers was suggested as a potential buffer against these obstacles and multiple options for providing that community are discussed.

Navigating nursing curriculum change during COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-synthesis

Aim

To consolidate the evidence around the experiences of nursing undergraduates and faculty members navigating through remote and online education during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background

The Coronavirus disease 2019 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Virus (COVID-19) has placed massive pressure on healthcare, economic and education systems globally. Restrictive social distancing policies and public health measures necessitated educational institutions to switch from face-to-face to remote and online education to sustain the learning process. These changes have created an uncertain path and undue stress for healthcare learners and faculty, especially for professional roles that traditionally require more hands-on and access to clinical practice particularly pre-licensure nursing students. As such, there is an urgent need to consolidate evidence on the experiences of nursing undergraduates and faculty members as they navigate the rapid transition from face-to-face to remote and online education to ensure continuity of learning in achieving optimal learning outcomes and to support them during current and future public health crises.

Design

A systematic review and meta-synthesis of the qualitative literature was undertaken using Sandelowski and Barroso’s approach.

Methods

Six electronic databases, CINAHL, Embase, ERIC, PsycINFO, PubMed and Scopus, were searched systematically using the eligibility criteria from December 2019 to September 2022. The Critical Appraisal Skills Program checklist for qualitative studies was used to conduct the critical appraisal of the selected articles.

Results

Forty-seven studies were included in this review, which encapsulates the experiences of 3052 undergraduates and 241 faculty members. An overarching meta-theme ‘Remote and online education: a rollercoaster ride’, emerged along with three main meta-themes: (1) Transition to remote and online education: A turbulent road, (2) Acceptance of the untravelled road, (3) Hopes and recommendations for the road ahead.

Conclusion

To improve nursing undergraduates’ and faculty member’s navigation of remote and online education, more institutions should move towards establishing hybrid education as the new ‘normal’ and exercise prudence in the organisation and delivery of curriculum, teaching, well-being and clinical attachment contingencies of their healthcare courses.

Comparison of ultrasonography learning between distance teaching and traditional methodology. An educational systematic review

BACKGROUND

Use of the web for radiological education is an obvious application. Many computer-based teaching materials have been developed over recent years, and e-learning is becoming increasingly popular in medical schools.

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether the effectiveness of distance-learning and/or e-learning, m-learning and web-based methods are equivalent to traditional methods.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Systematic review of comparative studies of teaching techniques guided by Best Evidence Medical Education.

METHODS

A search was carried out in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Tripdatabase, CINAHL and LILACS online databases in April 2020, for original publications in all languages. The following MeSH terms were used: Ultrasonography; Teleradiology; Telemedicine; Education, Medical; Teaching; and Simulation Training; along with the terms e-learning, m-learning and web-based. All eligible studies were assessed using the Kirkpatrick model and Buckley's quality indicators.

RESULTS

The search in the databases and a manual search resulted in 4549 articles, of which 16 had sufficient methodological quality for their inclusion. From analysis of these data, it was observed that teaching of ultrasonography using telemedicine methods is similar to the traditional method, except for venous access procedures, for which the studies did not show agreement.

CONCLUSION

We found that learning via telemedicine methodologies presents great acceptance among students, besides demonstrating quality similar to the traditional method. Thus, at least at the moment, this has the capacity to serve as an important adjunct in the teaching of ultrasonography.

REGISTRATION NUMBER

DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/CGUPA at the OPENSCIENCE Framework.

Effectiveness of interprofessional shared decision-making training: A mixed-method study

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluated the learning effects and examined the participants' perceptions of an interprofessional shared decision-making (IP-SDM) training program.

METHODS

This mixed-method study used a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design in the quantitative phase and semi-structured interviews in the qualitative phase. The 6-week curriculum design, based on Kolb's experiential learning cycle, consisted of two simulated objective structured clinical examinations with standardized patients and blended teaching methods through various course modules.

RESULTS

A total of 39 multidisciplinary healthcare personnel completed the 6-week training program, and 32 of them participated in qualitative interviews. The IP-SDM training program effectively improved the SDM process competency of the participants from the perspectives of the participants, standardized patients, and clinical teachers. The interviews illustrated how the curriculum design enhanced learning; the effectiveness results indicated improvements in learners' attitude, knowledge, skills, and teamwork.

CONCLUSION

This IP-SDM training program improved multidisciplinary healthcare personnel's competency, self-efficacy, and intention to engage in IP-SDM.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Applying Kolb's experiential learning cycle and blended teaching methods to develop and implement the IP-SDM training program can improve multidisciplinary healthcare personnel's knowledge, attitude, skills, and teamwork in IP-SDM.

Community, Coaching, and Action Research: Promoting Ambitious Teaching in Medical Education

Ambitious teaching is an instructional approach enacted through central tasks of teaching that involves a fundamental shift in mindset and practice. In this approach, the teacher facilitates student learning in the context of authentic, interactive experiences by eliciting student thinking and adapting instruction accordingly. We designed the Medical Educator-Excellence in Teaching (MEET) program to promote ambitious teaching in medical education. Here, we describe the structure of MEET, the framework that informed our work, and program evaluation data. We propose MEET as a model of educator development that promotes ambitious teaching through development of educator community, focused coaching, and inquiry into practice.

Assessment of core teaching competency of health professional educators in Ethiopia: an institution-based cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

Understanding the competency of educators is key to informing faculty development, recruitment and performance monitoring. This study aimed to assess the core teaching competency of nursing, midwifery and biomedical educators, and associated factors in Ethiopia.

DESIGN

An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted in January 2020 using structured tools adapted from the WHO's nurse and midwifery educator competency frameworks.

SETTING

Two health science colleges and nine student practice sites in Ethiopia.

PARTICIPANTS

All classroom instructors and clinical preceptors of nursing, midwifery and biomedical technician training programmes, and all the graduating class students.

MEASURES

Overall teaching competency scores, teaching domain competency scores, competency gaps and performance gaps of educators were outcome measures. Past training on teaching skills courses, teaching experiences and sociodemographic characteristics of educators are associated factors.

RESULTS

Most educators were not trained in teaching methods (82%). The teaching competency scores of classroom instructors and clinical preceptors were 61.1% and 52.5%, respectively. Competency gaps were found in using active learning methods, performance assessment, feedback and digital learning. Professional background of classroom instructors had a significant and strong association with their competency score (p=0.004; V=0.507). Age and teaching experience of clinical preceptors had significant associations with their competency score (p=0.023 and p=0.007, respectively) and had strong associations (V=0.280 and 0.323, respectively). Sex of students and their perceptions of how well the educators give education resources had a significant and strong association (p<0.001; V = 0.429).

CONCLUSIONS

Nursing, midwifery and biomedical educators lacked the competency to undertake important teaching roles, which could contribute to the low quality of education. More attention should be given to strengthening faculty development.

Reimagining Faculty Development Deployment: A Multipronged, Pragmatic Approach to Improve Engagement

PROBLEM

Faculty at academic health centers have many competing demands on their time, leading to high work stress, burnout, and limited capacity to meaningfully improve their teaching, evaluation, feedback, and other education-related skills. Faculty development provides a useful mechanism to assist faculty in enhancing their knowledge and skills in these areas, but engaging faculty can be a challenge.

APPROACH

To promote engagement, the authors developed a multipronged, pragmatic approach to faculty development. They created: (1) brief videos leveraging micro-learning strategies; (2) prepackaged workshops for use during existing faculty meetings; (3) a newsletter to raise awareness of faculty development opportunities; (4) a searchable, web-based catalog to facilitate rapid retrieval of faculty development content; and (5) an academy to acknowledge engagement of individual faculty members, provide certificates, and promote a culture that prioritizes our education mission.

OUTCOMES

Since they launched the new approach in 2017, they have developed 41 microlearning videos, 15 prepackaged workshops, and 24 issues of the newsletter. Between January 2017 and May 2021, the videos generated more than 150,055 views; the workshops were downloaded 2,850 times; and the issues of the newsletter, emailed bimonthly to 3,500 members of the faculty, had an open rate that increased from 30% in 2017 to 70% in 2021. The Academy of Educational Excellence, which was launched in 2018, grew to more than 490 members. Preliminary feedback suggests faculty and education leaders are highly satisfied with the faculty development resources and approaches to engagement.

NEXT STEPS

Next steps include obtaining more user satisfaction data and evaluating whether education-related knowledge and skills have improved among faculty participants.