Realist evaluation of faculty development for medical educators: What works for whom and why in the long-term.

PURPOSE: Realism is a perspective in which entities exist independently of being perceived or independently of our theories about them. The realist framework with its principle of explanatory causation was used for an in-depth exploration of faculty development (FD) since, despite the widespread investment in FD, the evidence that it enhances the effectiveness of teaching in the long-term is still limited. The study aimed to develop realist theories that explain the connections between contexts (C), mechanisms (M) and outcomes (O) to find out what works for whom and why in FD. METHODS: Purposive sampling was used to select two medical schools from each of the four UK regions (total 8 of the 33 UK medical schools) for interview of a faculty development coordinator and a medical educator at each school. Sixteen interviews were carried out. Data were coded and summarized under contexts, mechanisms, and outcomes (CMO) to derive realist theories. RESULTS: We identified contexts that facilitated FD mechanisms of engagement, motivation, positive perception and professionalization, which led to educators' outcomes of improved confidence, competence, credibility and career progression. CONCLUSION: Four realist theories, which support the effectiveness of FD in the long-term, were derived, enabling recommendations for FD stakeholders.

Faculty development for educators: a realist evaluation.

The effectiveness of faculty development (FD) activities for educators in UK medical schools remains underexplored. This study used a realist approach to evaluate FD and to test the hypothesis that motivation, engagement and perception are key mechanisms of effective FD activities. The authors observed and interviewed 33 course participants at one UK medical school in 2012. An observed engagement scale scored participants' engagement while interviews explored motivation for attendance, engagement during the course and perception of relevance/usefulness. Six months later, using the realist framework, 12 interviews explored impact on learning outcomes/behavioural changes, the mechanisms that led to the changes and the context that facilitated those mechanisms. The authors derived bi-axial constructs for motivation, engagement and perception from two data-sources. The predominant motivation was individualistic rather than altruistic with no difference between external and internal motives. Realist evaluation showed engagement to be the key mechanism influencing learning; the contextual factor was participatory learning during the course. Six months later, engagement remained the key mechanism influencing learning/behavioural changes; the context was reflective practice. The main outcome reported was increased confidence in teaching and empowerment to utilise previously unrecognised teaching opportunities. Individual motivation drives FD participation; however engagement is the key causal mechanism underpinning learning as it induces deeper learning with different facilitating contexts at various time points. The metrics of motivation, engagement and perception, combined with the realist framework offers FD developers the potential to understand 'what works for whom, in what context and why'.

Evidence-based medicine and values-based medicine: partners in clinical education as well as in clinical practice.

The best clinical decisions are based on both evidence and values in what is known as the 'two-feet principle'. Anecdotally, educationalists find teaching clinicians to become more evidence based is relatively simple in comparison to encouraging them to become more values based. One reason is likely to be the importance of values awareness. As values-based practice is premised on a mutual respect for the diversity of values, clinicians need to develop the skills to ascertain patient values and to get in touch with their own beliefs and preferences in order to understand those at play in any consultation. Only then can shared decision-making processes take place within a shared framework of values. In a research article published in BMC Medicine, Altamirano-Bustamante and colleagues highlight difficulties that clinicians face in getting in touch with their own values. Despite finding that healthcare personnel's core values were honesty and respect, autonomy was initially low ranked by participants. One significant aspect of this work is that this group has demonstrated that the extent to which clinicians value 'autonomy' and 'openness to change' can both be positively influenced by well designed education.

Doctor role modelling in medical education: BEME Guide No. 27.

AIM: The aim of this review is to summarise the evidence currently available on role modelling by doctors in medical education. METHODS: A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted (PubMed, Psyc- Info, Embase, Education Research Complete, Web of Knowledge, ERIC and British Education Index) from January 1990 to February 2012. Data extraction was completed by two independent reviewers and included a quality assessment of each paper. A thematic analysis was conducted on all the included papers. RESULTS: Thirty-nine studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria for the review. Six main themes emerged from the content of high and medium quality papers: 1) the attributes of positive doctor role models; 2) the personality profiles of positive role models; 3) the influence of positive role models on students' career choice; 4) the process of positive role modelling; 5) the influence of negative role modelling; 6) the influence of culture, diversity and gender in the choice of role model. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review highlights role modelling as an important process for the professional development of learners. Excellence in role modelling involves demonstration of high standards of clinical competence, excellence in clinical teaching skills and humanistic personal qualities. Positive role models not only help to shape the professional development of our future physicians, they also influence their career choices. This review has highlighted two main challenges in doctor role modelling: the first challenge lies in our lack of understanding of the complex phenomenon of role modelling. Second, the literature draws attention to negative role modelling and this negative influence requires deeper exploration to identify ways to mitigate adverse effects. This BEME review offers a preliminary guide to future discovery and progress in the area of doctor role modelling.

Perceptions of UK medical graduates' preparedness for practice: a multi-centre qualitative study reflecting the importance of learning on the job.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence that graduates of different medical schools vary in their preparedness for their first post. In 2003 Goldacre et al. reported that over 40% of UK medical graduates did not feel prepared and found large differences between graduates of different schools. A follow-up survey showed that levels of preparedness had increased yet there was still wide variation. This study aimed to examine whether medical graduates from three diverse UK medical schools were prepared for practice. METHODS: This was a qualitative study using a constructivist grounded theory approach. Prospective and cross-sectional data were collected from the three medical schools.A sample of 60 medical graduates (20 from each school) was targeted. They were interviewed three times: at the end of medical school (n = 65) and after four (n = 55) and 12 months (n = 46) as a Year 1 Foundation Programme doctor. Triangulated data were collected from clinicians via interviews across the three sites (n = 92). In addition three focus groups were conducted with senior clinicians who assess learning portfolios. The focus was on identifying areas of preparedness for practice and any areas of lack of preparedness. RESULTS: Although selected for being diverse, we did not find substantial differences between the schools. The same themes were identified at each site. Junior doctors felt prepared in terms of communication skills, clinical and practical skills and team working. They felt less prepared for areas of practice that are based on experiential learning in clinical practice: ward work, being on call, management of acute clinical situations, prescribing, clinical prioritisation and time management and dealing with paperwork. CONCLUSIONS: Our data highlighted the importance of students learning on the job, having a role in the team in supervised practice to enable them to learn about the duties and responsibilities of a new doctor in advance of starting work.

Newly qualified doctors' perceptions of informal learning from nurses: implications for interprofessional education and practice.

Newly qualified doctors spend much of their time with nurses, but little research has considered informal learning during that formative contact. This article reports findings from a multiple case study that explored what newly qualified doctors felt they learned from nurses in the workplace. Analysis of interviews conducted with UK doctors in their first year of practice identified four overarching themes: attitudes towards working with nurses, learning about roles, professional hierarchies and learning skills. Informal learning was found to contribute to the newly qualified doctors' knowledge of their own and others' roles. A dynamic hierarchy was identified: one in which a "pragmatic hierarchy" recognising nurses' expertise was superseded by a "normative structural hierarchy" that reinforced the notion of medical dominance. Alongside the implicit learning of roles, nurses contributed to the explicit learning of skills and captured doctors' errors, with implications for patient safety. The findings are discussed in relation to professional socialisation. Issues of power between the professions are also considered. It is concluded that increasing both medical and nursing professions' awareness of informal workplace learning may improve the efficiency of education in restricted working hours. A culture in which informal learning is embedded may also have benefits for patient safety.

Junior doctors prescribing: enhancing their learning in practice.

AIM: This aim of this paper was to explore new doctors' preparedness for prescribing. METHODS: This was a multiple methods study including face-to-face and telephone interviews, questionnaires and secondary data from a safe prescribing assessment (n= 284). Three medical schools with differing curricula and cohorts were included: Newcastle (systems-based, integrated curriculum); Warwick (graduate entry) and Glasgow [problem-based learning (PBL)], with graduates entering F1 in their local deanery. The primary sample consisted of final year medical students, stratified by academic quartile (n= 65) from each of the three UK medical schools. In addition an anonymous cohort questionnaire was distributed at each site (n= 480), triangulating interviews were conducted with 92 clinicians and questionnaire data were collected from 80 clinicians who had worked with F1s. RESULTS: Data from the primary sample and cohort data highlighted that graduates entering F1 felt under-prepared for prescribing. However there was improvement over the F1 year through practical experience and support. Triangulating data reinforced the primary sample findings. Participants reported that learning in an applied setting would be helpful and increase confidence in prescribing. No clear differences were found in preparedness to prescribe between graduates of the three medical schools. CONCLUSION: The results form part of a larger study 'Are medical graduates fully prepared for practice?'. Prescribing was found to be the weakest area of practice in all sources of data. There is a need for more applied learning to develop skill-based, applied aspects of prescribing which would help to improve preparedness for prescribing.

Prioritizing areas for quality marker development in children in UK general practice: extending the use of the nominal group technique.

BACKGROUND: There is a deficiency in the ability to measure the quality of care of children in primary care and there is no professional consensus in UK general practice regarding which quality markers should be used. OBJECTIVES: To prioritize clinical areas on which to focus quality marker development in paediatric primary care and to describe the challenges in generating professional consensus. METHODS: We convened an expert panel of GPs with a special interest in child health and using the nominal group technique (NGT), a well-established structured, multistep facilitated group meeting technique, we generated consensus around the key clinical areas to focus quality marker development. RESULTS: Twelve GPs participated in the expert panel. The eight items agreed by panellists as most important were early recognition of serious illness, whole practice involvement in safeguarding, health promotion, mental health, evidence-based management of common conditions, child and carer friendliness and safe and cost-effective prescribing. Panel members struggled to balance the broad clinical areas while attempting to focus on specific areas that are important. The main challenges included managing panel uncertainty, effective organization, presentation of items for review and group inclination to 'include everything'. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first consensus study of UK GPs to identify key areas to target quality marker development in children. By using the NGT, we have highlighted front-line health care professionals' priorities to improve the quality of care of children and identified the benefits and challenges of developing consensus in a broad topic area.

Predicting success in graduate entry medical students undertaking a graduate entry medical program.

BACKGROUND: Success in undergraduate medical courses in the UK can be predicted by school exit examination (A level) grades. There are no documented predictors of success in UK graduate entry medicine (GEM) courses. This study looks at the examination performance of GEM students to identify factors which may predict success; of particular interest was A level score. METHODS: Data was collected for students graduating in 2004, 2005 and 2006, including demographic details (age and gender), details of previous academic achievement (A level total score and prior degree) and examination results at several points during the degree course. RESULTS: Study group comprised 285 students. Statistical analyses identified no significant variables when looking at clinical examinations. Analysis of pass/fail data for written examinations showed no relationship with A level score. However, both percentage data for the final written examination and the analysis of the award of honours showed A level scores of AAB or higher were associated with better performance (p<0.001). DISCUSSION: A prime objective of introducing GEM programs was to diversify admissions to medical school. In trying to achieve this, medical schools have changed selection criteria. The findings in this study justify this by proving that A level score was not associated with success in either clinical examinations or passing written examinations. Despite this, very high achievements at A level do predict high achievement during medical school. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that selecting graduate medical students with the basic requirement of an upper-second class honours degree is justifiable and does not disadvantage students who may not have achieved high scores in school leaver examinations.

Preparedness for practice: the perceptions of medical graduates and clinical teams.

BACKGROUND: Earlier research indicated that medical graduates feel unprepared to start work, and that this varies with medical school. AIMS: To examine the extent to which graduates from different UK medical schools differed in their perceptions of preparedness for practice, and compare their perceptions with those of clinical team members. METHOD: An anonymous questionnaire assessing perceptions of 53 aspects of preparedness was devised, and administered to the graduating cohorts of three medical schools: Newcastle (systems-based, integrated curriculum); Warwick (graduate-entry) and Glasgow (problem-based learning). In addition, a triangulating questionnaire was cascaded via ward managers to doctors, nurses and pharmacists who worked with new graduates in their first posts. RESULTS: The response rate for the cohort questionnaire was 69% (479/698). The overall mean preparedness score was 3.5 (on a five-point scale), with no significant difference between schools. On individual items, there were large differences within each site, but smaller differences between sites. Graduates felt most prepared for aspects of working with patients and colleagues, history taking and examination. They felt least prepared for completing a cremation form, some aspects of prescribing, complex practical procedures and for applying knowledge of alternative and complementary therapies, and of the NHS. A total of 80 clinical team questionnaires were completed, similarly showing substantial variation within each site, but smaller differences between sites. CONCLUSIONS: New doctors feel relatively unprepared for a number of aspects of practice, a perception shared by their colleagues. Although medical school has some effect on preparedness, greater differences are common across sites. Differences may reflect hidden influences common to all the schools, unintended consequences of national curriculum guidance or common traits in the graduate populations sampled. Further research is needed to identify the causes.

Is it time to reconsider prophylactic antimicrobial use for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation? a narrative review of antimicrobials in stem cell transplantation.

INTRODUCTION: Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) is a life-saving procedure for multiple types of hematological cancer, autoimmune diseases, and genetic-linked metabolic diseases in humans. Recipients of HSCT transplant are at high risk of microbial infections that significantly correlate with the presence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and the degree of immunosuppression. Infection in HSCT patients is a leading cause of life-threatening complications and mortality. AREAS COVERED: This review covers issues pertinent to infection in the HSCT patient, including bacterial and viral infection; strategies to reduce GVHD; infection patterns; resistance and treatment options; adverse drug reactions to antimicrobials, problems of antimicrobial resistance; perturbation of the microbiome; the role of prebiotics, probiotics, and antimicrobial peptides. We highlight potential strategies to minimize the use of antimicrobials. EXPERT OPINION: Measures to control infection and its transmission remain significant HSCT management policy and planning issues. Transplant centers need to consider carefully prophylactic use of antimicrobials for neutropenic patients. The judicious use of appropriate antimicrobials remains a crucial part of the treatment protocol. However, antimicrobials' adverse effects cause microbiome diversity and dysbiosis and have been shown to increase morbidity and mortality.

Final year medical students' views on simulation-based teaching: a comparison with the Best Evidence Medical Education Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Simulation is being increasingly used in medical education. AIM: The aim of this study was to explore in more depth the features of simulation-based teaching that undergraduate medical students value using the Best Evidence Medical Education (BEME) Systematic Review features that lead to effective learning as a framework. METHOD: Thematic analysis of four semi-structured focus groups with final year medical students who had been taught acute care skills using a medium-fidelity whole-body simulator manikin (SimMan). RESULTS: Twelve key themes were identified, namely, feedback, integration into curriculum, learning style, learning environment, realism, teamwork, communication skills, confidence/increased self-efficacy, anxiety, performance, perceptions of foundation year 1 (FY1) and SimMan as a resource. Each theme is described with supporting quotes. CONCLUSION: Six of the ten features listed in the BEME review appeared to be of particular value to the medical students. This study provides a richer understanding of these features. In addition, new insights into the effect of simulation on confidence, anxiety and self-efficacy are discussed which may be affected by the 'performance' nature of simulation role-play. Students also contribute critical thought about the use of SimMan as a resource and provide novel ideas for reducing 'downtime'.

Design, validation and dissemination of an undergraduate assessment tool using SimMan in simulated medical emergencies.

BACKGROUND: Increasingly, medical students are being taught acute medicine using whole-body simulator manikins. AIM: We aimed to design, validate and make widely available two simple assessment tools to be used with Laerdal SimMan for final year students. METHODS: We designed two scenarios with criterion-based checklists focused on assessment and management of two medical emergencies. Members of faculty critiqued the assessments for face validity and checklists revised. We assessed three groups of different experience levels: Foundation Year 2 doctors, third and final year medical students. Differences between groups were analysed, and internal consistency and interrater reliability calculated. A generalisability analysis was conducted using scenario and rater as facets in design. RESULTS: A maximum of two items were removed from either checklist following the initial survey. Significantly different scores for three groups of experience for both scenarios were reported (p < 0.001). Interrater reliability was excellent (r > 0.90). Internal consistency was poor (alpha < 0.5). Generalizability study results suggest that four cases would provide reliable discrimination between final year students. CONCLUSIONS: These assessments proved easy to administer and we have gone some way to demonstrating construct validity and reliability. We have made the material available on a simulator website to enable others to reproduce these assessments.

Microbial Resistance Movements: An Overview of Global Public Health Threats Posed by Antimicrobial Resistance, and How Best to Counter.

Antibiotics changed medical practice by significantly decreasing the morbidity and mortality associated with bacterial infection. However, infectious diseases remain the leading cause of death in the world. There is global concern about the rise in antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which affects both developed and developing countries. AMR is a public health challenge with extensive health, economic, and societal implications. This paper sets AMR in context, starting with the history of antibiotics, including the discovery of penicillin and the golden era of antibiotics, before exploring the problems and challenges we now face due to AMR. Among the factors discussed is the low level of development of new antimicrobials and the irrational prescribing of antibiotics in developed and developing countries. A fundamental problem is the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding antibiotics among medical practitioners, and we explore this aspect in some depth, including a discussion on the KAP among medical students. We conclude with suggestions on how to address this public health threat, including recommendations on training medical students about antibiotics, and strategies to overcome the problems of irrational antibiotic prescribing and AMR.

Meta-analysis of short sleep duration and obesity in children and adults.

BACKGROUND: Recent epidemiological studies suggest that short sleep duration may be associated with the development of obesity from childhood to adulthood. OBJECTIVES: To assess whether the evidence supports the presence of a relationship between short sleep duration and obesity at different ages, and to obtain an estimate of the risk. METHODS: We performed a systematic search of publications using MEDLINE (1996-2007 wk 40), EMBASE (from 1988), AMED (from 1985), CINHAL (from 1982) and PsycINFO (from 1985) and manual searches without language restrictions. When necessary, authors were contacted. Criteria for inclusion were: report of duration of sleep as exposure, BMI as continuous outcome and prevalence of obesity as categorical outcome, number of participants, age, and gender. Results were pooled using a random effect model. Sensitivity analysis was performed, heterogeneity and publication bias were also checked. Results are expressed as pooled odds ratios (OR [95% confidence intervals, CIs]) and as pooled regression coefficients (beta; 95% CIs). RESULTS: Of 696 studies identified, 45 met the inclusion criteria (19 in children and 26 in adults) and 30 (12 and 18, respectively) were pooled in the meta-analysis for a total of 36 population samples. They included 634,511 participants (30,002 children and 604,509 adults) from around the world. Age ranged from 2 to 102 years and included boys, girls, men and women. In children the pooled OR for short duration of sleep and obesity was 1.89 (1.46 to 2.43; P < 0.0001). In adults the pooled OR was 1.55 (1.43 to 1.68; P < 0.0001). There was no evidence of publication bias. In adults, the pooled beta for short sleep duration was -0.35 (-0.57 to -0.12) unit change in BMI per hour of sleep change. CONCLUSIONS: Cross-sectional studies from around the world show a consistent increased risk of obesity amongst short sleepers in children and adults. Causal inference is difficult due to lack of control for important confounders and inconsistent evidence of temporal sequence in prospective studies.

The do's, don't and don't knows of supporting transition to more independent practice.

INTRODUCTION: Transitions are traditionally viewed as challenging for clinicians. Throughout medical career pathways, clinicians need to successfully navigate successive transitions as they become progressively more independent practitioners. In these guidelines, we aim to synthesize the evidence from the literature to provide guidance for supporting clinicians in their development of independence, and highlight areas for further research. METHODS: Drawing upon D3 method guidance, four key themes universal to medical career transitions and progressive independence were identified by all authors through discussion and consensus from our own experience and expertise: workplace learning, independence and responsibility, mentoring and coaching, and patient perspectives. A scoping review of the literature was conducted using Medline database searches in addition to the authors' personal archives and reference snowballing searches. RESULTS: 387 articles were identified and screened. 210 were excluded as not relevant to medical transitions (50 at title screen; 160 at abstract screen). 177 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility; a further 107 were rejected (97 did not include career transitions in their study design; 10 were review articles; the primary references of these were screened for inclusion). 70 articles were included of which 60 provided extractable data for the final qualitative synthesis. Across the four key themes, seven do's, two don'ts and seven don't knows were identified, and the strength of evidence was graded for each of these recommendations. CONCLUSION: The two strongest messages arising from current literature are first, transitions should not be viewed as one moment in time: career trajectories are a continuum with valuable opportunities for personal and professional development throughout. Second, learning needs to be embedded in practice and learners provided with authentic and meaningful learning opportunities. In this paper, we propose evidence-based guidelines aimed at facilitating such transitions through the fostering of progressive independence.

Graduate entry medicine: curriculum considerations.

Graduates entering medicine need to achieve the same learning outcomes as school leaver medical students in less time. Time is not the only consideration, and rather than just compress five-year courses into a four-year time-frame, curriculum planners have often taken the opportunity to introduce innovations for small cohorts as schools begin these new programmes. This article considers how the particular needs of graduate entrants can be met by UK medical curricula and reviews accumulating evidence around the design considerations, especially that of problem-based learning. Graduate entry courses have been at the forefront of curriculum planning for new professionalism in doctors.

Graduate entry medicine: high aspirations at birth.

Four-year fast-track courses for graduates started in the UK in 2000, and are now offered at 14 UK medical schools. Graduate entry medicine (GEM) started five years earlier in Australia, and of course in the USA it has been the norm for students to begin studying medicine after university graduation. This paper reviews the aspirations for GEM and looks at the early evidence on delivery against those aspirations. Particular reference is made to the experience at Warwick Medical School which was one of the two pioneers of GEM in the UK, has the largest GEM intake and continues to admit only graduates.