Special theme issue on advances in education in anesthesiology

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to provide the rationale for,and an overview of, this special theme issue, which hasbeen dedicated to exploring recent advances in medicaleducation. A series of eight narrative review articles withexpert opinion relate important concepts and developmentsin medical education theory and research to the specialty ofanesthesiology. There is indeed ‘‘something for everyone’’in this issue of the Journal.Over the years, medical school curricula have evolvedfrom traditional lecture-based content delivery towardsmore interactive problem-based learning modules thatfocus on self-directed learning strategies. In theory, theyprovide essential ‘‘tools’’ and critical thinking to fosterbetter lifelong learning. Medical education experts haveguided a paradigm shift in undergraduate curriculumdevelopment with an overriding goal of fostering studentsto evolve into practicing physicians who remain abreast ofa rapidly expanding knowledge base and skill set in med-icine, which is said to double approximately every six toeight years. When considering postgraduate medical cur-ricula and continuing professional developmentopportunities in the context of traditional lectures, rounds,and seminars, we identify opportunities to align modernmedical education theory and science increasingly withenhanced pedagogy and improved learner experience.Appreciating the extent of excellence in teaching andscholarship in medical education that currently existswithin our specialty, we also recognize that advances inmedical education challenge us to review, update, andcontinually develop our education strategies. The issuesimpact all of us, not just ‘‘the academics’’. There is a largecohort of practicing clinical anesthesiologists in academichealth science centres worldwide who spend countlesshours teaching and training medical students, residents, andfellows. Further, with the expansion of medical schools,there has been a partial shift of the undergraduate andpostgraduate teaching burden to satellite campuses andprograms in large and small community settings. Adownstream effect is that nowadays few clinical anesthe-siologists are not involved in some aspect of teaching andeducation, so we all have a vested interest.Therefore, in our roles as clinician teachers and clinicianeducators, how are we best poised to meet these challengesto ensure that we are optimizing opportunities to furtherenhancement of learning for the current and next genera-tion of anesthesiologists? Why has the uptake of newmethods in medical education lagged behind some areas ofsolid evidence that show the approaches which have andhave not worked in the past? In an effort to place bridgesacross some of these information and knowledge gaps, wehave invited a number medical and non-medical educationexperts from across North America to write narrativereviews on key topics which, in our view, will enhanceone’s understanding and appreciation of recent develop-ments in medical education theory.In the first article of the series, ‘‘New directions inmedical education related to anesthesiology and perioper-ative medicine’’, Bould et al.