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Continuing professional development evaluation: two rapid review courses in nephrology and rheumatology.

ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVES: Continuing professional development (CPD) is a novel approach to increase professional knowledge and skills. The aim of this study is to explore participants' characteristics and to understand participants' views on two rapid review courses (RRCs) as part of CPD program, and to assess healthcare providers' views about the use of internet for accessing medical information. METHODS: Data were collected from 150 participants who attended an RRC in Nephrology and Rheumatology as part of an ongoing CME program. RESULTS: Participants' response rate was 92% and 84.4% in Nephrology and Rheumatology RRCs, respectively. Participants' Mean Age±SD were 39±2.1 and 41±2.1 years in the Nephrology and Rheumatology courses, respectively. Demographic variables, i.e., age, gender, and specialization showed a significant (p<0.01) impact on the learning objectives of the program. Further, participants reported that the course material had a significant (p<0.02) impact on their knowledge. Finding new medical information was the primary motive to search the internet among all participants. About half of the subjects reported knowledge of their preferred medical education sites and had access at their clinical setup. Barriers to internet use included lack of specific information, difficulty to download contents, and excessive material. Professional association websites, online journals, and CME programs were the most frequently searched sources of information. Most of the subjects reported significant (p<0.02) barriers to find medical resources on the internet and to adequately utilize the currently available medical search engines available in the healthcare system. CONCLUSION: A discipline specific and integrated CPD program may have provided dual benefit such as accredited CME hours and a significant change in the participants' knowledge. There is a need to increase Internet accessibility and capacity in the current healthcare facilities. Future CPD studies should include measuring participants' knowledge and skills "pre and post" course delivery, and a detailed evaluation of the course program.

SUBMITTER: Shehab A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3472572 | biostudies-other | 2012 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Project description:BackgroundWeb-based continuing professional development (CPD) is a convenient and low-cost way for physicians to update their knowledge. However, little is known about the factors that influence their intention to put this new knowledge into practice.ObjectiveWe aimed to identify sociocognitive factors associated with physicians' intention to adopt new behaviors as well as indications of Bloom's learning levels following their participation in 5 web-based CPD courses.MethodsWe performed a cross-sectional study of specialist physicians who had completed 1 of 5 web-based CPD courses offered by the Federation of Medical Specialists of Quebec. The participants then completed CPD-Reaction, a questionnaire based on Godin's integrated model for health professional behavior change and with evidence of validity that measures behavioral intention (dependent variable) and psychosocial factors influencing intention (n=4). We also assessed variables related to sociodemographics (n=5), course content (n=9), and course format (eg, graphic features and duration) (n=8). Content variables were derived from CanMEDS competencies, Bloom's learning levels, and Godin's integrated model. We conducted ANOVA single-factor analysis, calculated the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and performed bivariate and multivariate analyses.ResultsA total of 400 physicians participated in the courses (range: 38-135 physicians per course). Average age was 50 (SD 12) years; 56% (n=223) were female, and 44% (n=177) were male. Among the 259 who completed CPD-Reaction, behavioral intention scores ranged from 5.37 (SD 1.17) to 6.60 (SD 0.88) out of 7 and differed significantly from one course to another (P<.001). The ICC indicated that 17% of the total variation in the outcome of interest, the behavioral intention of physicians, could be explained at the level of the CPD course (ICC=0.17). In bivariate analyses, social influences (P<.001), beliefs about capabilities (P<.001), moral norm (P<.001), beliefs about consequences (P<.001), and psychomotor learning (P=.04) were significantly correlated with physicians' intention to adopt new behaviors. Multivariate analysis showed the same factors, except for social influences and psychomotor learning, as significantly correlated with intention.ConclusionsWe observed average to high behavioral intention scores after all 5 web-based courses, with some variations by course taken. Factors affecting physicians' intention were beliefs about their capabilities and about the consequences of adopting new clinical behaviors, as well as doubts about whether the new behavior aligned with their moral values. Our results will inform design of future web-based CPD courses to ensure they contribute to clinical behavior change.

Project description:BackgroundAccess to continuing professional development (CPD) for health care workers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is severely limited. Digital technology serves as a promising platform for supporting CPD for health care workers by providing educational content virtually and enabling virtual peer-to-peer and mentor interaction for enhanced learning. Digital strategies for CPD that foster virtual interaction can increase workforce retention and bolster the health workforce in LMICs.ObjectiveThe objective of this integrative review was to evaluate the evidence on which digital platforms were used to provide CPD to health care workers and clinical students in LMICs, which was complemented with virtual peer-to-peer or mentor interaction. We phrased this intersection of virtual learning and virtual interaction as mobile-social learning.MethodsA comprehensive database and gray literature search was conducted to identify qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies, along with empirical evidence, that used digital technology to provide CPD and virtual interaction with peers or mentors. The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines were followed. Eligible articles were written in English, conducted in an LMIC, and used a mobile device to provide CPD and facilitate virtual peer-to-peer or mentor interaction. Titles, abstracts, and full texts were screened, followed by an assessment of the quality of evidence and an appraisal of the articles. A content analysis was then used to deductively code the data into emerging themes.ResultsA total of 750 articles were identified, and 31 (4.1%) were included in the review. SMS text messaging and mobile instant messaging were the most common methods used to provide continuing education and virtual interaction between peers and mentors (25/31, 81%). Across the included articles, participants had high acceptability for using digital platforms for learning and interaction. Virtual peer interaction and mentorship were found to contribute to positive learning outcomes in most studies (27/31, 87%) through increased knowledge sharing, knowledge gains, improved clinical skills, and improved service delivery. Peer-to-peer and mentor interaction were found to improve social support and reduce feelings of isolation (9/31, 29%). There were several challenges in the implementation and use of digital technology for mobile-social learning, including limited access to resources (eg, internet coverage and stable electricity), flexibility in scheduling to participate in CPD, and sociobehavioral challenges among students.ConclusionsThe summary suggests that mobile-social learning is a useful modality for curriculum dissemination and skill training and that the interface of mobile and social learning serves as a catalyst for improved learning outcomes coupled with increased social capital.

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Continuing professional development evaluation: two rapid review courses in nephrology and rheumatology.

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