Arash Arianpoor^1,2
Silas Taylor³, Pin-Hsiang Huang^1,4,5 and Boaz Shulru^f6
1 Office of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
2 School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
3 UNSW Sydney
4 Department of Medical Humanities and Education, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
5 Department of Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
6 Office of Medical Education, UNSW Sydney

Abstract

Research Question:
How are self-regulated and self-directed aptitudes of learning abilities promoted?


Thesis Methodology: 

Phase I: Systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at determining the factors suggested to promote or hinder self-regulated and self-directed aptitudes of learning (SELF-ReDiAL) in health professionals. 

Phase II: Development and validation of a tool for assessment of SELF-ReDiAL in health professionals. 

Phase III: Determining the association between SELF-ReDiAL and the major factors raised during the meta-analysis. 

This project will address the challenges in developing lifelong learning, and by adopting and adapting new educational practices which can promote SELF-ReDiAL in health professionals, aims at improving health professional competencies and enhancing the outcomes of continuing professional development (CPD) programs. 

Based on the preliminary review, SELF-ReDiAL is suggested to be affected by individual attributes of learners (e.g., self-esteem, self-efficacy, satisfaction, stress, coping strategies, and psychological safety), factors related to learners’ interaction with others (such as sense of belongingness, group cohesion, and social-emotional strategies), and learning environments, as well as by non-modifiable factors (such as sex and age). 

What is your question(s) for discussion with participants:

How is continuing professional development impacted by SELF-ReDiAL? 

SELF-ReDiAL is in synergy with the cyclic CPD actions, which include reflection, planning, learning, and assessing. Therefore, physicians with higher levels of SELF-ReDiAL are anticipated not only to benefit more from formal CPD programs, but also to engage in informal learning opportunities. 

How SELF-ReDiAL is associated with assessment for continuing professional development? 

It is suggested that assessment of SELF-ReDiAL level prior to initiating a formal CPD program for either an individual or a specific target group will shed light on the required level of support and instruction. 

References (maximum three) 

Filipe HP, Mack HG, Golnik KC. 2018. Continuing professional development: progress beyond continuing medical education. Ann Eye Sci. 2:46–46. https://doi.org/10.21037/aes.2017.04.01 

Jeong D, Presseau J, ElChamaa R, Naumann DN, Mascaro C, Luconi F, Smith KM, Kitto S. 2018. Barriers and facilitators to self-directed learning in continuing professional development for physicians in Canada: A scoping review. Acad Med. 93(8):1245–1254. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000002237 

Kostons D, Van Gog T, Paas F. 2012. Training self-assessment and task-selection skills: A cognitive approach to improving self-regulated learning. Learn Instr. 22(2):121–132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2011.08.004 

Gareth Davies¹
1 University of Cape Town 

Research Question:
Can the entrustment framework developed within Competency Based Medical Education (CBME) be applied to a rural Low- and Middle-Income Country (LMIC) context; assessing non-specialist physicians’ readiness to provide safe anaesthesia care in rural workplaces? 

Thesis Methodology:
Pragmatism paradigm. Data collection: mixed methods, including surveys, interviews, observations and artefact review 

Findings so far:

Trust is fundamental to the provision of healthcare, between healthcare providers and their patients and educational supervisors and their trainees. Entrustment as an assessment construct has gained general acceptance within CBME. The framework allows supervisors to assess trainees outside of the “classroom” as they perform healthcare tasks in clinical workplaces. Here supervisors are not only considering individual competency, but also determining the degree of autonomy a trainee should be permitted and the appropriate level of supervision. 

The current framework was developed in predominantly well-resourced academic settings to assess post-graduate medical trainees. By contrast, rural operating theatres in LMICs are clinical, often under-resourced workplaces, with physicians (most commonly non-specialists) employed to provide safe anaesthesia with remote supervision. These workplaces are not conventional training or assessment spaces and the physicians are considered employees, not trainees affiliated to an academic or university department. 

Entrustment decision-making at present underscores the principal aim of CBME, which is the graduation of competent healthcare professionals. This is in contrast to the primary consideration of the rural LMIC healthcare context: ensuring optimal patient safety. 

What is your question(s) for discussion with participants: 

References (maximum three)