The value of health professions education: the importance of understanding the learner perspective

The Value of Master's Degree Programmes in Health Professions Education: A Scoping Review

INTRODUCTION

There are increasing numbers of Master's Degree Programmes in Health Professions Education (MHPE), and the value to their students and graduates is not well understood. We conducted a scoping review to explore what is known about the value of MHPE programmes to their students and graduates.

METHODS

A scoping review was conducted using Arksey and O'Malley's five-stage framework. PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane, BEI, ERIC and EThOs databases were searched in addition to cited reference searching. Original research with an evaluation and published in the English language were included.

RESULTS

Nineteen studies were included. Studies were based in a variety of locations on five continents, and included in-person, distance and blended learning. Students and graduates of MHPE programmes self-reported development of their pedagogical knowledge, confidence and credibility in their role as an educator, and educational scholarship. Enhanced career opportunities and opportunities for collegial interactions and networks were also reported. Important barriers included struggling with the time and financial commitments required for studying on a MHPE programme.

CONCLUSIONS

There are a variety of dimensions of value of MHPE programmes to their students and graduates. Important practical recommendations for MHPE programme providers and employers include providing opportunities for the development of networks and supporting the time and financial commitments required for studying.

Is health professional education making the most of the idea of 'students as partners'? Insights from a qualitative research synthesis

Students as partners is a movement which is gaining momentum in higher education, yet disciplinary perspectives are underexplored. Using a qualitative synthesis approach informed by Major and Savin-Baden (2010), we systematically investigated how health professional education has taken up the practice of working in partnership with students. Fifty-five publications were identified in our search from 2011 to -mid 2018. The majority of literature came from North America and medicine was the most frequently represented health profession. Our three stage analysis identified five key themes: (1) framing (i.e. ethos) of the partnership; (2) drivers for partnership; (3) sustainability; (4) inclusion of student voice; and (5) understanding of partnership and its benefits and challenges. Health professional educators are well equipped to enact partnership opportunities due to their clinical skills in person-centred care. However to gain the most from student-staff partnerships, health professional education would benefit from greater awareness of the field's theoretical understandings of partnership and its key principles of reciprocity, respect and responsibility.