Building expertise using the deliberate practice curriculum-planning model.

This article reviews critical shortcomings of the current system for the education of physicians. The authors propose and describe a deliberate practice curriculum-planning model for educating healthcare professionals to respond to the demands of modern healthcare. The model integrates contemporary educational philosophies, creating the curricular framework outlined as follows: (1) determine the overall competencies expected of learners at graduation from the program; (2) for program components, develop outcome-based objectives that stem from the overall competencies; (3) to fulfill the objectives, design appropriate content using a variety of learner-centered instructional methods; (4) stimulate acquisition of knowledge, skills, and attitudes through practice accompanied by formative assessment, reflection, and mentoring; (5) establish milestones for summative assessment accompanied by feedback, reflection, and mentoring.

Can there be a single system for peer assessment of professionalism among medical students? A multi-institutional study.

PURPOSE: Peer assessment is a valuable source of information about medical students' professionalism. How best to facilitate peer assessment of students' professional behavior remains to be answered, however. This report extends previous research through a multi-institutional study of students' perspectives about system characteristics for peer assessment of professionalism. It examines whether students from different schools and year levels prefer different characteristics of peer assessment to assess each other candidly, or whether a single system can be designed. It then identifies the characteristics of the resulting preferred system(s). METHOD: At the beginning of academic year 2004-2005, students (1,661 of 2,115; 78%) in years one through four at four schools replied to a survey about which peer assessment characteristics - related to, for example, who receives the assessment, its anonymity, and timing - would prevent or encourage their participation. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to detect differences among institutions and students from each year level. RESULTS: Students across year levels and schools generally agreed about the characteristics of peer assessment. They prefer a system that is 100% anonymous, provides immediate feedback, focuses on both unprofessional and professional behaviors, and uses peer assessment formatively while rewarding exemplary behavior and addressing serious repetitive professional lapses. The system, they emphasize, must be embedded in a supportive environment. CONCLUSIONS: Students' agreement about peer-assessment characteristics suggests that one system can be created to meet the majority of students' preferences. Once implemented, the system should be monitored for student acceptability to maximize participation and to determine the formative and summative value of the process.

Providing support to families considering the option of organ donation: an innovative training method.

Families must make decisions about organ donation for a loved one during intensely emotional circumstances in the hospital, where support from others is crucial to their coping. Research about families' experiences during the decision-making process regarding donating their loved ones' organs has shown that quality of hospital care and receiving psychosocial support are important factors influencing their decision. Typically, a donation coordinator from the local organ procurement organization approaches the family about the option of donation, whereas the role of medical and nursing staff is to convey diagnostic and prognostic information to the family. Currently, no requirement is in place for training of professional staff in communication skills for approaching and interacting with families about organ donation. This article discusses a simulated training method in empathic communication used for supporting families who are approached about organ donation. This innovative method can be adapted to and should be tested with professional audiences.

Creating a learning environment to produce competent residents: the roles of culture and context.

Six core competencies have been developed for use by residency programs in assessing individual resident training outcomes. The authors propose that it is important to consider the role of residency culture and work context in helping residents achieve the required competencies. Specifically, the development of a learning-oriented culture and favorable work conditions that facilitate the presence of that culture should be a high priority for residency programs and the organizations (e.g., hospitals) in which they are housed. This places formal accountability at the doorstep of these programs and organizations in helping to create a "competent" resident. Using ideas from management theory, the authors identify specific attitudes, behaviors, and interactions that define a learning culture and show their usefulness when applied to residents' achievement of the competencies. They assert that current features of everyday resident work life decrease the chances that such attitudes, behaviors, and interactions will occur. Identifying and prioritizing the components of desired work environments for promoting a learning-oriented culture, in addition to assessing the presence or absence of both the components and learning best practices within residency programs, should become normal activities that complement the process of assessing competencies.