ABSTRACT
Child abuse is a particularly difficult subject to teach at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Most doctors are dissatisfied with their training in child abuse recognition and management. We developed an interactive video based Virtual Patient to provide formal training for paediatric Basic Specialist Trainees in the recognition of suspected child abuse. The Virtual Patient case revolves around the management of suspected physical abuse in a seven month old child, who initially presents to the Emergency Department with viral upper respiratory tract symptoms. This Virtual Patient was used to facilitate a case discussion with Basic Specialist Trainees. A questionnaire was developed to determine their perception of the value of the Virtual Patient as an educational tool. Twenty five Basic Specialist Trainees completed the questionnaire. Upon completion of the case, 23/25 (92%) participants reported greater self confidence in their ability to recognize cases of suspected child abuse and 24/25 (96%) of participants reported greater self confidence in their ability to report cases of suspected child abuse. Basic Specialist Trainees perceived the Virtual Patient to be a useful educational tool. Virtual Patients may have a role to play in enhancing postgraduate training in the recognition of suspected child abuse.
Subject(s)
Child Abuse/diagnosis , Education, Medical, Graduate/methods , Patient Simulation , Pediatrics/education , Clinical Competence , Curriculum , Educational Measurement , Humans , Infant , Pilot Projects , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Preparing a medical school for institutional review of all aspects of a medical school's programs requires an understanding of the international standards being used and adequate preparation and planning (MacCarrick et al. in Med Teach 32 (5):e227, 2010). This series examines each of the nine standards developed by the World Federation for Medical Education (World Federation for Medical Education Basic Medical Education WFME Global Standards for Quality Improvement. WFME Office: University of Copenhagen, Denmark, 2003) with practical advice on their use in both self-review and independent accreditation processes. CONCLUSION: The WFME Standard 3 (Assessment of Students) examines in detail the manner in which student learning is assessed. Evidence of alignment between stated learning outcomes, methods of delivery and assessment is critical. Assessment methods should be regularly evaluated to ensure reliability and validity. Investment in faculty development will ensure necessary technical expertise which is maintained within the school.
Subject(s)
Education, Medical, Undergraduate/standards , Educational Measurement/standards , Educational Measurement/methods , HumansABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Preparing a medical school for institutional review of all aspects of the school's programs requires an understanding of the international standards being used and adequate preparation and planning (MacCarrick et al. in Med Teach 32(5):e227, 2010; MacCarrick in Ir J Med Sci, 2010). This series examines each of the nine standards developed by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) (World Federation for Medical Education in Basic medical education WFME global standards for quality improvement, WFME Office, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, 2003) with practical advice on their use in both self-review and independent accreditation processes. CONCLUSION: The WFME standard 2 (Educational Program) examines in detail the program offered by the medical school, the instructional methods used to deliver the program, how the program is managed and how the program is linked with subsequent stages of the medical education continuum. Evidence of a strong nexus between the research activities of the medical school and the school's teaching mission is vital. Accrediting teams will examine carefully the school's resource allocation model and seek evidence of effective consultation by the school's central curriculum committee.
Subject(s)
Education, Medical, Undergraduate/standards , Quality Improvement/standards , Accreditation , Clinical Competence , Curriculum , Humans , Quality Assurance, Health CareABSTRACT
Preparing a medical school for institutional review can be a challenging undertaking for any institution requiring an understanding of the international standards being used and adequate preparation and planning (MacCarrick et al. in Med Teach 32(5):e227-e232, 2010). This series examines each of the nine standards developed by the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME in Basic Medical Education: Global Standards for Quality Improvement, University of Copenhagen Denmark, 2003) with practical advice on their use in both self-review and independent accreditation processes. The WFME standards and their purpose are described and the use of these standards to 'drive' the quality improvement agenda in undergraduate medical education is also discussed.
