Abstract
Lifelong learning is an essential trait that is expected of every physician. The CanMeds 2005 Physician Competency Framework emphasizes lifelong learning as a key competency that physicians must achieve in becoming better physicians. However, many physicians are not competent at engaging in lifelong learning. The current medical education system is deficient in preparing medical students to develop and carry out their own lifelong learning curriculum upon graduation. Despite understanding how physicians learn at work, medical students are not trained to learn while working. Similarly, although barriers to lifelong learning are known, medical students are not adequately skilled in overcoming these barriers. Learning to learn is just as important, if not more, as acquiring the skills and knowledge required of a physician. The medical undergraduate curriculum lacks a specific learning strategy to prepare medical students in becoming an adept lifelong learner. In this article, we propose a learning strategy for lifelong learning at the undergraduate level. In developing this novel strategy, we paid particular attention to two parameters. First, this strategy should be grounded on literature describing a physician’s lifelong learning process. Second, the framework for implementing this strategy must be based on existing undergraduate learning strategies to obviate the need for additional resources, learner burden, and faculty time. In this paper, we propose a Problem, Analysis, Independent Research Reporting, Experimentation Debriefing (PAIRED) framework that follows the learning process of a physician and serves to synergize the components of problem-based learning and simulation-based learning in specifically targeting the barriers to lifelong learning.
Highlights
Lifelong learning has emerged as one of the major challenges that physicians face
Equipping medical students with skills to overcome these barriers to lifelong learning and inculcating a learning strategy at the undergraduate level that is similar to the learning process of a physician may promote lifelong learning [6,7]
Lifelong learning skills are expected of every physician and, should be addressed at the undergraduate level
Summary
Lifelong learning has emerged as one of the major challenges that physicians face. Accreditation organizations, certification boards, employers, educators, and the general public view the drive for lifelong learning as an essential trait of physicians. The “Independent Research” phase and “Reporting” phase for the PAIRED approach are similar to the research and reporting steps of PBL These phases correspond to Stage 2 of Slotnick’s theory (Table 1) where students search the literature and read independently, in addition to learning through discussions with peers and experts. In contrast to PBL, the “Independent Research” phase includes learning clinical skills that learners have identified as deficiencies It is in this phase that SBL falls short in self-directed learning as it does not incorporate any elements of independent research and reporting, other than consultation with experts and peers during debriefing. Students will be able to learn by reflecting on their actions or inactions as well as from the performances of their peers during the debrief, an important concluding step in Slotnick’s theory that is lacking in PBL
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
