Coming of age as communicators: differences in the implementation of common communications skills training in four residency programmes

OBJECTIVES: To determine thematic similarities and differences in the implementation of common-content communications skills training (CST) in medicine, surgery, paediatrics, and obstetrics and gynaecology residency programmes. METHODS: Communications skills training based upon the Kalamazoo consensus statement of communication skills in the clinical encounter was implemented in 4 residency programmes. Field notes of the CST sessions in each programme were analysed and coded for themes, considering the domains of Context, Input, Process and Product ('CIPP' methodology). Immediate learning outcomes were quantitatively assessed using retrospective pre/post methodology. RESULTS: Important differences were noted in the implementation of CST in the 4 disciplines. The 2 surgical disciplines showed relatively less reflective language and greater concentration on straight skill acquisition, whereas the 2 medical disciplines concentrated on the residents' role as teachers of communication skills for buy-in. Thematic similarities between disciplines included similar challenges to being good communicators in practice, as identified by residents (e.g. inadequate time and space), as well as lack of formal training. Quantitative learning outcome data from the educational intervention were significant in all groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Common material in CST can be adapted to different disciplines. By analysing for thematic similarities and differences in implementation in the 4 disciplines, a picture of different pedagogic 'subcultures' emerged, with different behavioural norms and values related to the doctor's role as communicator. In shared core competency training, it may be useful to consider these differences in planning, so that the training may be both sensitive to the behavioural norms of different disciplines, and effective.     

Simulation in surgical training: educational issues and practical implications

BACKGROUND: Surgical skills are required by a wide range of health care professionals. Tasks range from simple wound closure to highly complex diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Technical expertise, although essential, is only one component of a complex picture. By emphasising the importance of knowledge and attitudes, this article aims to locate the acquisition of surgical skills within a wider educational framework. SIMULATORS: Simulators can provide safe, realistic learning environments for repeated practice, underpinned by feedback and objective metrics of performance. Using a simple classification of simulators into model-based, computer-based or hybrid, this paper summarises the current state of the art and describes recent technological developments. Advances in computing have led to the establishment of precision placement and simple manipulation simulators within health care education, while complex manipulation and integrated procedure simulators are still in the development phase. EVALUATION: Tension often exists between the design and evaluation of surgical simulations. A lack of high quality published data is compounded by the difficulties of conducting longitudinal studies in such a fast-moving field. The implications of this tension are discussed. THE WIDER CONTEXT: The emphasis is now shifting from the technology of simulation towards partnership with education and clinical practice. This highlights the need for an integrated learning framework, where knowledge can be acquired alongside technical skills and not in isolation from them. Recent work on situated learning underlines the potential for simulation to feed into and enrich everyday clinical practice.     

An evaluation of the effectiveness of a computer simulation of anaesthetic uptake and distribution as a teaching tool

Gas Man is an interactive, microcomputer-based simulation and tutorial designed to teach the principles of anaesthetic uptake and distribution. Using two resident groups, one at a primary university-teaching hospital and the other at a medical school affiliated community hospital, the authors compared residents' knowledge of the subject prior to exposure to the tutorial and the average time spent using the program during a self-paced instruction period. Both groups not only significantly improved their knowledge of uptake and distribution 8 weeks after using this program, but wished to spend additional time with it, implying that it was a pleasant and satisfying way to learn. Computer simulation has the potential to be an important teaching tool in an anaesthesia residency training programme.     

Low- to high-fidelity simulation – a continuum of medical education?

Context  Changes in medical training and culture have reduced the acceptability of the traditional apprenticeship style training in medicine and influenced the growth of clinical skills training. Simulation is an educational technique that allows interactive, and at times immersive, activity by recreating all or part of a clinical experience without exposing patients to the associated risks. The number and range of commercially available technologies used in simulation for education of health care professionals is growing exponentially. These range from simple part-task training models to highly sophisticated computer driven models.
Aim  This paper will review the range of currently available simulators and the educational processes that underpin simulation training. The use of different levels of simulation in a continuum of training will be discussed. Although simulation is relatively new to medicine, simulators have been used extensively for training and assessment in many other domains, most notably the aviation industry. Some parallels and differences will be highlighted.     

Teaching doctors how to diagnose paroxysmal events: a comparison of two educational methods

Objectives  Two educational methods, facilitated case discussion and a computerised tutorial, were compared for teaching about childhood epilepsy. We used a comprehensive and clinically relevant assessment method to evaluate the hypothesis that a computerised tutorial more effectively increases knowledge acquisition than a facilitated case discussion.
Methods  Paediatric trainees ( n  = 66) were arbitrarily allocated to facilitated case discussion or computerised tutorial. The analysis of paroxysmal events was taught by the same teacher, using a standardised protocol and principles of active learning. Outcome measures included knowledge acquisition, clinical confidence and usefulness pre- and post-teaching, and at 3 months follow-up.
Results  Computerised tutorial participants scored significantly higher on knowledge acquisition post-teaching. There was gain in clinical confidence in both modalities post-teaching which did not differ between the groups. Confidence and knowledge were not related post-teaching. Both groups found the teaching relevant to clinical practice. However, facilitated case discussion participants rated the session as more enjoyable, and more useful in reinforcing and acquiring knowledge, and felt more motivated for further learning. At 3 months follow-up, participants in both modalities showed significant increases in knowledge acquisition, with no difference between modalities.
Conclusions  The computerised tutorial more effectively imparted knowledge immediately post-teaching. However, facilitated case discussion is the preferred modality in terms of participant enjoyment and perceived usefulness.     

Reliability and learning from the objective structured clinical examination

The difficulties in measurement of the clinical performance of students in the health professions are well known by educators. One innovative measure incorporated in several of the educational programmes, including the BSc in Nursing programme, in the Faculty of Health Sciences, at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada is the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability of this evaluation method, both within and between stations. One problem that has been noted by users of the OSCE method is that performance on individual OSCE stations is poorly correlated across stations, apparently regardless of the particular content of the station. A number of hypotheses have been advanced to attempt to explain this phenomenon: performance of any skill is sufficiently variable that the correlation is poor; different skills have little common basis, so that there is no generalizability from one to another, or reliability of assessment in any one station is low. To test these hypotheses, a study was designed for test-retest and interrater reliability. Students undergoing a 10-station OSCE also repeated their starting OSCE station at the end of the examination circuit. In addition, several stations were rated by more than one observer (interrater). This study of 71 first-year BScN students showed that the interrater reliability was high (ICC = 0.80 to 0.99), and test-retest reliability on the same station was good (ICC = 0.66 to 0.86); however, correlation across stations was low (alpha = 0.198). Thus it is apparent that there is high consistency of repeated performance of a skill but little consistency of performance on different skills.     

Teaching from the clinical reasoning literature: combined reasoning strategies help novice diagnosticians overcome misleading information

OBJECTIVE: Previous research has revealed a pedagogical benefit of instructing novice diagnosticians to utilise a combined approach to clinical reasoning (familiarity-driven pattern recognition combined with a careful consideration of the presenting features) when diagnosing electrocardiograms (ECGs). This paper reports 2 studies demonstrating that the combined instructions are especially valuable in helping students overcome biasing influences. METHODS: Undergraduate psychology students were trained to diagnose 10 cardiac conditions via ECG presentation. Half of all participants were instructed to reason in a combined manner and half were given no explicit instruction regarding the diagnostic task. In Study 1 (n = 60), half of each group was biased towards an incorrect diagnosis through presentation of counter-indicative features. In Study 2 (n = 48), a third of the test ECGs were presented with a correct diagnostic suggestion, a third with an incorrect suggestion, and a third without a suggestion. RESULTS: Overall, the instruction to utilise a combined reasoning approach resulted in greater diagnostic accuracy relative to leaving students to their own intuitions regarding how best to approach new cases. The effect was particularly pronounced when cases were made challenging by biasing participants towards an incorrect diagnosis, either through mention of a specific feature or by making an inaccurate diagnostic suggestion. DISCUSSION: These studies advance a growing body of evidence suggesting that various diagnostic strategies identified in the literature on clinical reasoning are not mutually exclusive and that trainees can benefit from explicit guidance regarding the value of both analytic and non-analytic reasoning tendencies.     

How residents learn: qualitative evidence for the pivotal role of clinical activities

OBJECTIVES: Medical councils worldwide have outlined new standards for postgraduate medical education. This means that residency programmes will have to integrate modern educational views into the clinical workplace. Postgraduate medical education is often characterised as a process of learning from experience. However, empirical evidence regarding the learning processes of residents in the clinical workplace is lacking. This qualitative study sought insight into the intricate process of how residents learn in the clinical workplace. METHODS: We carried out a qualitative study using focus groups. A grounded theory approach was used to analyse the transcribed tape recordings. A total of 51 obstetrics and gynaecology residents from teaching hospitals and affiliated general hospitals participated in 7 focus group discussions. Participants discussed how they learn and what factors influence their learning. RESULTS: An underlying theoretical framework emerged from the data, which clarified what happens when residents learn by doing in the clinical workplace. This framework shows that work-related activities are the starting point for learning. The subsequent processes of 'interpretation' and 'construction of meaning' lead to refinement and expansion of residents' knowledge and skills. Interaction plays an important role in the learning process. This is in line with both cognitivist and sociocultural views on learning. CONCLUSIONS: The presented theoretical framework of residents' learning provides much needed empirical evidence for the actual learning processes of residents in the clinical workplace. The insights it offers can be used to exploit the full educational potential of the clinical workplace.     

Clinical epidemiology: an experiment in student-directed learning in Western Australia

This paper describes an experiment at the University of Western Australia (UWA) medical curriculum, in which the focus of the 1 week of face-to-face teaching in public health in the 3-year clinical rotation was changed from important health problems affecting whole communities to one emphasizing the use of epidemiological principles to enhance doctors' decision-making. The students are now left to choose the clinical subject matter, and instead of being presented with predetermined readings selected by the teaching staff, the students have assumed responsibility for discovering the latest relevant information on the topics they choose and of presenting this to the class. The teacher now spends much less time in front of the class, providing only mini-tutorials each day on presenting to small groups, and on the skills required to understand the published literature on the aspects of the diagnosis, investigation, management and prognosis of individual patients.
The topics chosen by students for exploration differ little, either in terms of the nature of the health problems concerned or the epidemiological principles at issue, from those covered previously when the programme was set entirely by the staff. However, attendance at the course has improved sharply, the short time between mini-tutorials and application of the material they cover has increased the perceived relevance of the teaching, and feedback collected systematically from successive classes of students has been very positive. Any anxiety on the part of the staff at relinquishing control of the curriculum has proved unfounded while the new programme has much to recommend it as a model of self-directed learning.     

Science is fundamental: the role of biomedical knowledge in clinical reasoning

CONTEXT: Although training in basic science is generally considered a critical aspect of medical education, there is little consensus regarding its precise role in clinical reasoning. Whereas some reports suggest that biomedical knowledge is rarely used in routine diagnosis, other research has found that biomedical knowledge can become an integral part of the expert knowledge base. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the current paper is to present evidence in support of different views regarding the role of biomedical knowledge, including the two-world hypothesis, encapsulation theory and recent work on the role of biomedical knowledge in novice diagnosticians. The implications of these models for clinical teaching will be examined. DISCUSSION: Recent work suggests that biomedical knowledge can help novices develop a coherent and stable mental representation of disease categories. As a result, learners are able to retain clinical knowledge over time and maintain diagnostic accuracy when faced with clinical challenges. This suggests that clinical teachers should attempt to make explicit connections between biomedical knowledge and clinical facts during training.     

Medical ethics contributes to clinical management: teaching medical students to engage patients as moral agents

Objectives  In order to teach medical students to engage more fully with patients, we offer ethics education as a tool to assist in the management of patient health issues.
Methods  We propose that many dilemmas in clinical medicine would benefit by having the doctor embark on an iterative reasoning process with the patient. Such a process acknowledges and engages the patient as a moral agent. We recommend employing Kant's ethic of respect and a more inclusive definition of patient autonomy drawn from philosophy and clinical medicine, rather than simply presenting dichotomous choices to patients, which represents a common, but often suboptimal, means of approaching both medical and moral concerns.
Discussion  We describe how more nuanced teaching about the ethics of the doctor–patient relationship might fit into the medical curriculum and offer practical suggestions for implementing a more respectful, morally engaged relationship with patients that should assist them to achieve meaningful health goals.     

Relevant behavioural and social science for medical undergraduates: a comparison of specialist and non-specialist educators

AIM: To compare what medical educators who are specialists in the behavioural and social sciences and their non-specialist counterparts consider to be core concepts that medical graduates should understand. BACKGROUND: Previously perceived as 'nice to know' rather than 'need to know', the General Medical Council (GMC) now places behavioural and social sciences on the same need-to-know basis as clinical and basic sciences. Attempts have been made to identify what components of these topics medical students need to know; however, it remains unknown if decisions over programme content differ depending on whether or not educationalists have specialist knowledge of the behavioural and social sciences. METHODS: In a survey of medical educationalists within all UK medical schools, respondents were asked to indicate from a comprehensive list of psychological, sociological and anthropological concepts what they considered a minimally competent graduate should understand. Comparisons were made between the concepts identified by specialist behavioural and social science (BSS) educators and those without such training. RESULTS: Despite different disciplinary backgrounds, non-specialist educators largely concurred with BSS specialist educators in the concepts they considered tomorrow's doctors should know about. However, among BSS specialists there remained disagreement on what BSS content was relevant for graduates. Differences reflect specialist knowledge and recognition of the role of theoretical underpinning of BSS and reveal gaps in non-specialists knowledge. CONCLUSIONS: Educationalists with formal training in the full range of behavioural and social sciences should be involved in the development of BSS curriculum content at both national and school levels.     

Assessment of the quality of interaction in distance learning programmes utilising the Internet (WebCT) or interactive television (ITV)

INTRODUCTION: This study focuses on the quality of interaction in interactive TV (ITV), WebCT bulletin boards (BBs) and chat rooms (CRs) and addresses the question of how effectively new collaborative electronic technologies have been married with new pedagogical ideas to create effective learning for distance education students. METHODS: Fifteen (out of 68) BB, 14 (out of 32) CR and 13 (out of 25) ITV conversations were randomly selected for coding using a modified exchange structure analysis. The roles that students and lecturers took in the conversations were determined from this. RESULTS: The percentage of turns made by lecturers as opposed to students was 51% in CRs, 14% in BBs and 68% in ITV. The percentage of turns spent on actual coursework was 73% in CRs, 89% in BBs and 82% in ITV. Comparisons between tutors' and students' roles within as well as between ITV, BBs and CRs were all statistically significant with P < 0.05. In CRs the main roles of both students and lecturers were those of elaborators, inquirers and explainers. In BBs the main roles of students and lecturers were those of explainers and evaluators. In ITV sessions students' main roles were those of elaborators and explainers, whereas lecturers' main roles were those of lecturers, elaborators, inquirers and evaluators. CONCLUSION: In terms of creating a constructivist and active learning community that can operate within a distance learning paradigm, WebCT appears superior to ITV.     

Views, behaviours and perceived staff development needs of doctors and surgeons regarding learners in outpatient clinics

INTRODUCTION: The need to use outpatient clinics as a major learning environment in hospitals for students and doctors-in-training is clear. However, consultant supervisors perceive major barriers to this and continue to rely heavily on traditional inpatient learning. This quantitative study examines what approaches consultant supervisors employ in outpatient learning, together with what they perceive themselves to use and what they would value in further training. METHODS: We observed learning episodes for students and doctors-in-training in medical and surgical clinics. A questionnaire on outpatient teaching was also sent to consultant doctors and surgeons. This was based on these observations and focus groups with students and doctors-in-training. RESULTS: There was an overall survey response rate of 62% (194/311). The dominant forms of learning we observed were 'arms-length' supervision for doctors-in-training and 'modelling' for students. Only 7% of learning episodes involved a doctor-in-training doing something under direct supervision. In contrast to the observation results, consultants considered that students and doctors-in-training received a lot of direct supervision and interaction. For example, 45% considered that doctors-in-training 'may see patients with me in a joint consultation'. Only 30% of respondents would be interested in staff development in learning in outpatient clinics. CONCLUSIONS: Although consultants reported that they frequently used an active approach to learning in outpatient clinics, modelling was used predominantly for students and arms-length supervision was used for doctors-in-training.     

Self-planned experimentation (SPEX) practical classes in physiology

A new form of undergraduate physiology practical experience is described. Students make their acquaintance with the physiological apparatus in the usual manner. At the end of the afternoon each group of four students is allocated an item of equipment with which to perform a true investigative experiment of their own choice, in their own time, the results of which are to be presented 2 weeks later by a randomly chosen member of the group. Students may investigate any question that can be answered using the resources available to them without endangering themselves or their subjects. Marks are awarded for the planning of the experiment (i.e. choice of controls, etc.), the correctness of graphical presentation of the results, the appropriateness of the statistical analysis, and for the discussion. There are no penalties for negative or unexpected results.     

Testing learning theories: the NUL hypothesis

INTRODUCTION: In the spirit of Scrooge and the Grinch, I describe the nasty unpalatable learning (NUL) hypothesis as a new theory of learning. This is an exercise to explore how difficult it would be to develop a new learning theory by reversing the social and altruistic tenets of most existing learning theories. THE NUL HYPOTHESIS: The NUL hypothesis has four propositions. These are: (1) the value of rote learning; (2) the usefulness of authority figures in teaching within a clear hierarchy; (3) the use of fear in teaching, and (4) the value of internal consistency without any necessary connection to the outside world. CONCLUSIONS: The NUL hypothesis may promote reflection not only on the construction of learning theories, but also on the design of critical experiments. It also seems to imply that efficiency may be a better measure of learning success than effectiveness.