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Continuous Professional Development: a successful course providing informed, individualized support and advising for medical students

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ePoster Presentation

3:00 pm

26 February 2024

Exhibition Hall (Poster 1)

Assessment for postgraduate, surgical education and CPD

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Presentation Description

Marika Wrzosek1
 Kathleen Beckmann1, Leslie Ruffalo1, MaryAnn Gilligan1, Carley Sauter1, Cynthia Kay1, Ashley Pavlic1, Sarah Vepraskas1, Hari Paudel1 and Heather Aschoff1
 1 Medical College of Wisconsin 



Background:
Professional development is critical to student success, yet there is no generally accepted model to best integrate this task in the medical school curriculum. In response, our institution implemented the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) course. We present the course structure and learners’ assessment regarding CPD’s impact. 


Summary:
The CPD course spans years three and four of medical school with the goal of ensuring students’ eventual attainment of global competencies. Each third-year student is assigned a CPD faculty director who monitors student progression along competencies, rotation evaluations, and OSCE performance, and provides specialty advising. At the end of the academic year, students complete a summative evaluation of CPD and its components, including their relationship with their director. We used statistical software and content analysis techniques to analyze quantitative data and open-ended questions, respectively. 


Results:
Of the 1,203 evaluation reports submitted since 2016, 828 (70%) students indicated that they “strongly agreed” or “agreed” that their CPD director’s feedback was useful. 908 (75%) of students “strongly agreed” or “agreed” that their CPD director was accessible during times of need. 986 (82%) students rated their CPD director as “outstanding” or “very good.” Given the robust learner response, in the spring 2023, the course was expanded to include select second-year learners. 


Discussion:
The success of the CPD course prompted expansion into preclinical years, wherein learners who have struggled may receive earlier CPD intervention before their formal advising in the third year. 


Conclusions:
Professional development requires the use of innovative strategies. Our CPD course highlighted the value of one-on-one mentoring and feedback on competency progression and individualized advice on meeting students’ career goals. 


Take home:
Students are amenable to data-driven advising as they progress through medical school. CPD faculty are uniquely positioned to notice trends among student cohorts that may drive institutional change. 


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