Continuing Professional Development Activities Research Articles

There is no place for Tobacco Industry sponsorship in Continuing Professional Development

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) plays a key role in ensuring that health professionals maintain competence in their professional roles. The delivery of CPD requires provision of education and information that is independent of vested interests. Recent efforts by the Tobacco Industry to move into provision and sponsorship of CPD for doctors represents an ethical challenge and potentially contravenes South Africa’s obligations under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The College of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA) has taken the position that there is no place for tobacco company sponsorship of CPD activities in light of its mandate to promote the highest degree of skill and efficiency in medical and dental practice and to advance the highest ethical standards and professional conduct in the profession. This position is in line with the CMSA’s position on sponsorship of its own CPD activities and we urge other health institutions to adopt a similar approach. The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) should issue guidelines to CPD accreditors to exclude tobacco company-sponsored activities from HPCSA-accredited CPD. This is particularly important at this point while South Africa’s parliament is considering further legislation to control tobacco-related harms.

Physician-scientists’ perspectives on key factors, emotions and feelings about selecting and attending continuous professional development events: a mixed-method study

BackgroundAlmost 40% of the Nobel-Prize-winning discoveries in medicine are made by physician-scientists, who are a driving force in the evolving medical, academic and research landscape. However, their training has few defined milestones. To be effective clinicians, educators and researchers, they need to maintain and hone skills, often via continuous professional development (CPD) activities covering different domains. They have recurrently been described as an endangered species. Yet, warnings and recommendations across several decades did not stop the declining number of physician-scientists, which is now a chronic issue. This is further exacerbated by a lack of resources and support, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsWe administered a questionnaire called Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS-GEN) to get an initial emotional snapshot before performing individual semi-structured interviews with five physician-scientists in neurology working in the United Kingdom. We explored the key factors they balance before selecting CPD activities, along with their views on compulsory CPD events and assessments. We investigated their general feelings towards compulsory and non-compulsory CPD, how they felt the night before and the morning of the events, and the perceived consequences attending these have on their learning.ResultsIn our study, physician-scientists tend to choose training in their area of expertise but would enjoy exploring more if they had more time. The CPD choice was chiefly driven by speakers and topics, followed by learning needs. They disputed the utility of the current assessments, which are often seen as box-ticking exercises. While frustration, hostility and negative feelings were voiced for the compulsory ones, other CPD activities were welcomed with excitement, curiosity and a sense of adventure. Enthusiasm and excitement were felt the night before and the morning of the non-compulsory ones. CPD events were perceived to positively affect further learning, with the most immediate consequences being reading an article, networking or interacting with the speakers.DiscussionThis is the first study exploring the key factors driving a group of physician-scientists while selecting CPD activities and investigating their feelings and emotions related to CPD attendance. More engaging and less box-ticking CPD should be on the cards, along with an adequate evaluation of these activities. It is essential to increase enthusiasm, which can facilitate engagement, and decrease frustration surrounding compulsory CPD activities. We still know too little about the role of emotions in learning, especially about CPD. Future studies should investigate the emotional side of learning across different career stages to restore the leaky pipeline and create a tailored environment with benefits for each of the three sides of the physician-scientist’s identity: the clinical, the research, and the academic.

Turnover intention and continuing professional development of rural doctors from targeted admission medical education program in China: a cross-sectional study in the post-COVID-19 era

BackgroundTurnover intention (TI) indicates an employee’s intention to depart from their current role within a defined timeframe. In China, the Targeted Admission Medical Education (TAME) program, initiated in 2010, offers tuition-free education to cultivate rural doctors. Despite continuous professional development (CPD) being considered a viable retention strategy, TI of alumni doctors from the TAME program remains high in recent years. This study aims to describe the prevalence of “turnover intention” among alumni doctors of the TAME program doctors in rural placements, and associated factors that predict high turnover intention.MethodsA snowball sampling method was adopted to collect survey responses from 1,369 alumni doctors of the TAME program in Jiangxi Province, China. Based on the survey data, a binary variable was constructed to measure the turnover intention, and multivariate binary logistic regression models were used to investigate the relationship between doctors’ turnover intention and demographic characteristics, work environment characteristics, and CPD activities. Results were presented using adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals.ResultsAmong the 1,369 alumni doctors of the TAME program surveyed in this study, 392 (28.6%) expressed intentions to leave their current positions. Of the respondents, 620 (45.3%) were female, and 930 (67.9%) were married. Additionally, 1,232 respondents (90%) indicated that their fathers were engaged in farm work. Strong associations with turnover intention were notably found among individuals who had undergone training at a higher-level healthcare institution for more than three months (aOR = 6.810, 95% CI: 3.333 to 13.909, p-value < 0.001), particularly those who had participated in CPD through a graduate degree program (aOR = 1.818, 95% CI: 1.272 to 2.597, p-value < 0.001).ConclusionRural doctors in China from the tuition-free medical education program exhibit high turnover intention, especially those in graduate degree programs as CPD. To retain these highly qualified rural doctors, it is vital to offer competitive efficiency wages aligned with their skills and provide ample long-term career growth opportunities within the rural healthcare system.

Assessing global access to continuing professional development for rehabilitation professionals: a mixed methods study of current practices and perceived needs

ObjectivesThis study aimed to understand the current state of continuing professional development (CPD) for rehabilitation professionals globally and identify perceived requirements to enhance education to guide efforts to develop internationally...

A Systematic Investigation of Assessment Scores, Self-Efficacy, and Clinical Practice: Are They Related?

ABSTRACT A considerable amount of continuing professional development (CPD) for health professionals is online and voluntary. There is evidence that some CPD activities impact clinical practice outcomes from self-reported and objective, administrative data. Some studies have shown that there is a potential mediating effect of knowledge/competency and/or self-efficacy between participation in CPD activities and the outcomes of that participation, specifically clinical practice. However, because clinical practice in those studies has been self-report, little is known about how this relationship impacts real world clinical practice. The purpose of the current study is to examine the relationship between knowledge/competency, self-efficacy, and real-world clinical practice so that we can begin to understand whether our focus on knowledge/competency and self-efficacy to change real-world clinical practice is empirically supported. We employed secondary data analysis from pre-participation questionnaire and medical and pharmacy claims data originally collected in three evaluations of online CPD interventions to examine if the relationship between knowledge/competency and self-efficacy contributed to physicians’ real-world clinical practice. Results show an association between knowledge/competency scores and ratings of self-efficacy and suggest unique contributions of knowledge/competency and self-efficacy to clinical practice. Study results support the value of knowledge/competency scores and self-efficacy ratings as predictors of clinical practice. The effect size was larger for self-efficacy suggesting it may be a more practical indicator of clinical practice for CPD evaluators because its process of question development is simpler than the process for knowledge and case-based decision-making questions. However, it is important to conduct thorough need assessments which may include knowledge/competency assessments to identify topics to cover in CPD activities that are more likely to increase self-efficacy and ultimately, clinical practice.

Analysis on the Impact of English Teachers' Continuing Professional Development (CPD) on Teaching Ability: A Case Study of Applied Undergraduate Colleges in Henan Province

Background and purpose: With the rapid development of higher education in China and the rise of applied undergraduate colleges, the continuing professional development (CPD) of English teachers is becoming increasingly important. This study aims to explore in depth the impact of CPD on the teaching ability of English teachers in applied undergraduate colleges in Henan Province, analyse teachers' attitudes towards and participation in CPD and its effectiveness, and examine the role of demographic characteristics and teacher creativity in this process. Method: A mixed research method was used, combining quantitative and qualitative analysis. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 294 English teachers (with a 85.5% response rate) from 10 applied undergraduate colleges in Henan Province. The questionnaire included aspects such as teachers' background information, frequency of CPD participation, attitudes towards CPD, and perceived teaching ability. In addition, 20 semi-structured interviews and four focus group discussions (24 participants in total) were conducted to obtain more in-depth qualitative data. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were performed using SPSS software, and Hayes' PROCESS macro was used to analyse moderated effects. Main results: Teachers had a generally positive attitude towards CPD (mean score 4.587/5), but institutional support was lower (mean score 3.326/5). There were significant differences in the frequency of participation in CPD activities: professional reading had the highest participation rate (65.9% participated frequently or very frequently), while industry-university cooperation had the lowest (only 22.8%). CPD had a positive impact on all aspects of teaching ability, especially technology integration (72.5% reported a significant or transformative impact). Multiple regression analysis showed that the frequency of CPD participation was the strongest predictor of perceived teaching ability (β = 0.458, p &lt; 0.001), followed by attitude towards CPD (β = 0.265, p &lt; 0.001). Teacher creativity significantly moderated the relationship between CPD participation and teaching competence (B = 0.087, p = 0.026), indicating that teachers with higher creativity are better able to translate their CPD experiences into teaching practice. Heavy workload (65.6%) and insufficient time (59.5%) were the main barriers to CPD participation. Technical training (64.9%) and reflective practice groups (59.2%) were the most popular types of CPD activities. Conclusions and recommendations: The findings of this study highlight the important role of CPD in improving the teaching capacity of English teachers in applied undergraduate institutions, while also revealing the challenges in the current implementation of CPD. Recommendations for educational institutions are as follows: Increase institutional support for CPD to create more time and resources for teachers to participate in CPD. Design a diversified CPD programme with a balanced mix of activities, with a particular focus on industry-university collaboration and action research. Focus on technical training and reflective practice to improve teachers' digital literacy and innovation capabilities. Develop personalised CPD pathways that take into account teachers' career stages, educational backgrounds and career aspirations. Explore more flexible CPD formats, such as microlearning modules or blended learning approaches, to overcome time and workload barriers. This study provides an empirical basis and practical guidance for the CPD of English teachers in applied undergraduate colleges in Henan Province and even in China, which is of great significance for improving teaching quality and student learning outcomes.

The Experiences of and Attitudes Towards Continuing Professional Development: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of UK paramedics (EAT CPD).

Background: Paramedics are allied health professionals, registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). Part of this registration is the responsibility to conduct and record continuing professional development (CPD). A sample of UK paramedics have their CPD audited ever two years as part of their re-registration process. Compared to other allied health professionals very little is known about paramedics’ engagement with CPD. Methods: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) methodology was undertaken to understand the lived experiences of the participants attitudes towards and experiences of CPD. Audio-recorded semi-structured interviews using a piloted topic guide took place with registered paramedics who worked in a variety of roles for several different healthcare employers. Interviews were professionally transcribed and analysed via thematic analysis related to IPA research. Results: Seven interviews were conducted; one overarching domain of Paramedics experiences of and attitudes towards CPD was created from four themes shaped by a variety of subthemes. The four themes were: personal factors (attributed to areas of individual motivations to conduct CPD), professional accountability (factors relating to how CPD improves oneself and the profession), employer investment and support (how employers play their part in CPD facilitation), and Covid-19 (the impact Covid-19 had on CPD). Novel subthemes included CPD is a personal responsibility and Covid-19 factors. Conclusions: Paramedics are faced with a plethora of factors that impact on how and why they engage with CPD. These combinations of factors are individual and personal to each paramedic. A more structured and integrated collaboration between paramedics, employers, regulators, and CPD providers could provide improved education on professional responsibilities and requirements whist also delivering focused CPD activities that have improved access for the paramedic profession.

Assessing the Responsiveness of Moulay Ismail University to Teachers' Continuous Professional Development Needs: A Mixed-Methods Analysis

This study investigates the responsiveness of Moulay Ismail University (UMI) to the continuous professional development (CPD) needs of its teaching staff. The study integrates both quantitative and qualitative methods to gain a comprehensive understanding of teachers' perspectives. The quantitative phase involved administering a structured questionnaire to 214 teachers, focusing on their perceptions of the university's CPD offerings, including availability, relevance, accessibility, and institutional support. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze this data, revealing a predominantly negative attitude among teachers towards their university's ability to meet their CPD needs. The qualitative phase involved semi-structured interviews with 21 teachers. These interviews provided deeper insights into teachers' barriers, such as the lack of relevant CPD activities, the irrelevance between CPD content and pedagogical needs, and the overwhelming workload that limits their capacity for professional growth. Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts identified key themes that aligned with the quantitative findings, offering a more nuanced perspective on the challenges associated with CPD at the UMI. The study concludes that the teachers at the UMI perceive the institution as largely unresponsive to their CPD needs. This sentiment echoes broader concerns within the literature about the neglect of university teachers' professional development in Morocco. The findings underscore the need for more relevant and accessible CPD programs tailored to the specific needs of faculty and institutional reforms that alleviate the workload pressures that hinder professional growth.

Development and Implementation of a Geriatric Oncology Interdisciplinary Case-Based Educational Intervention for Cancer Care Providers.

To develop and implement a continuing professional development (CPD) activity focused on geriatric assessment (GA) in oncology for oncologists and geriatricians. We evaluated the impact of this activity on knowledge, skills, and performance regarding GA in oncology, as well as its feasibility and acceptability. We included teams composed of an oncologist and a geriatrician working in Mexico. Curriculum content was selected from geriatric oncology guidelines. We used Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcome (ECHO)'s model to create a 12-week online course. A one-group pretest post-test quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate the intervention's effectiveness. At baseline, participants answered a multiple-choice knowledge assessment, a survey on self-perceived competence in GA, and an adaptation of the Association for Community Cancer Centers Geriatric Oncology Gap Assessment Tool, evaluating self-perceived performance in conducting geriatric interventions. These assessments and a satisfaction questionnaire were also completed postintervention. Baseline and postintervention scores were compared using paired t-tests. We included 40 participants (20 oncologists and 20 geriatricians). Median attendance was 10 sessions (range 2-12). Thirty-eight participants completed the satisfaction questionnaire, with a median score of 10/10 (range 8-10). The mean baseline and postintervention knowledge scores were 59.5 ± 12.8 and 74.4 ± 9.7, respectively (P < .001, effect size 1.14). The mean baseline and postintervention competence scores were 6.42 ± 2.5 and 9.02 ± 0.8, respectively (P < .001, effect size 1.03). The mean baseline and postintervention performance scores were 2.58 ± 0.65 and 3.29 ± 0.5, respectively (P < .001, effect size 1.64). A CPD activity for oncologists and geriatricians on the basis of the Project ECHO model was feasible and acceptable, leading to increased knowledge, competence, and performance in geriatric oncology. This could represent a novel method for increasing the geriatric competence of the cancer care workforce in Latin America and globally.

Australian medical regulations and strengthened continuing professional development (CPD): A policy implementation gap analysis with the specialist medical colleges

Introduction: Starting from 2023, Australian medical practitioners must meet new mandatory continuing professional development (CPD) requirements for registration renewal. In particular, each year they must complete 12.5 hours of educational activities and 25 hours of CPD activities related to reviewing performance and measuring outcomes, with a minimum of 5 hours each for reviewing performance and measuring outcomes activities, and they are encouraged to use patient health data and large eHealth datasets for better insights. Despite concerns regarding data accessibility and outcome measurement, specialist medical colleges are implementing these requirements. This study aims to explore factors influencing colleges’ efforts and provide recommendations for future research and action to enable data-driven CPD practices. Methods: A policy implementation gap analysis employing semi-structured interviews as a standalone method was conducted with participating colleges. Four colleges agreed to participate, with a total of 18 participants recruited from either the colleges’ staff who are responsible for interpreting and implementing CPD regulatory policies or the colleges’ CPD committees. Interviews were analysed using inductive and deductive thematic analysis. Data collection, data analysis and final results were reported using the COREQ checklist. Results: Three themes were identified from the interview analysis: (1) colleges' organisational structure and their roles and responsibilities within the Australasian CPD ecosystem, (2) challenges and enablers for policy implementation and (3) organisational needs and future actions at college level and necessary pre-conditions at ecosystemic level for strengthened CPD. Conclusions: Internal and external organisational factors are hindering colleges’ efforts to implement policy. More research, a reassessment of colleges’ roles, responsibilities and structure, and collaboration among colleges and data holders are necessary to enable full policy implementation and strengthened CPD practices.

Implementing learning into practice from continuous professional development activities: a scoping review of health professionals’ views and experiences

PurposeContinuing professional development (CPD) is an approach for health professionals to preserve and expand their knowledge, skills, and performance, and can contribute to improving delivery of care. However, evidence indicates that simply delivering CPD activities to health professionals does not lead to a change in practice.This review aimed to collate, summarize, and categorize the literature that reported the views and experiences of health professionals on implementing into practice their learning from CPD activities.MethodsThis review was guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewers’ Manual methodology for scoping reviews. Three databases, PubMed, Embase and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), were systematically searched in February 2023 for articles published since inception. Two independent reviewers screened the articles against the inclusion criteria, and completed the data extraction. Data were summarized quantitatively, and the findings relating to views and experiences were categorized into challenges and facilitators.ResultsThirteen articles were included. Implementation of learning was not the primary focus in the majority of studies. Studies were published between 2008-2022; the majority were conducted in North America and nurses were the most common stakeholder group among Healthcare Professionals (HCPs). Five studies adopted qualitative methods, four quantitative studies, and four mixed-methods studies. The reported barriers of implementation included lack of time and human resource; the facilitators included the nature of the training, course content and opportunity for communal learning.ConclusionThis review highlights a gap in the literature. Available studies indicate some barriers for health professionals to implement their learning from CPD activities into their practice. Further studies, underpinned with appropriate theory and including all relevent stakeholders are required to investigate strategies that may facilitate the integration of learning from CPD into routine practice.

Perceived Needs, Barriers, and Challenges to Continuing Professional Development (CPD): A Qualitative Exploration among Hospital Pharmacists.

Continuing professional development (CPD) is an essential tool for healthcare professionals to remain up-to-date with the latest advancements in their field. In Saudi Arabia, pharmacists are officially registered healthcare professionals by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS). To uphold their licensure, they must complete 40 h of CPD every two years. This qualitative study aimed to explore hospital pharmacists' perceptions, barriers, and challenges of CPD, as well as their recommendations for improving CPD activities. A qualitative descriptive approach with semi-structured face-to-face interviews was employed. Using purposive sampling, 12 hospital pharmacists were interviewed. The recorded data were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Pharmacists generally showed positive perceptions of CPD, recognizing its importance for their professional development and the provision of high-quality patient care. However, some pharmacists expressed dissatisfaction with the current system. Several barriers to participation such as heavy workloads, lack of time, and limited financial support were highlighted. The primary motivations for engaging in CPD included fulfilling regulatory requirements. Workshops were the most beneficial CPD activities among others. Additionally, importance of more specialized, practice-oriented programs was highlighted. The study provides valuable insights into the needs and challenges faced by hospital pharmacists in Saudi Arabia regarding CPD. The insights gained can inform theory, policy, and practice relating to pharmacists' CPD at both professional and governmental levels.

Jordanian community pharmacists' perceptions andexperiences with continuing professional development-Acomprehensive analysis.

Continuing professional development (CPD) is a process by which healthcare professionals, including pharmacists, can be engaged in life-long learning and development. In 2018, the Jordanian government issued Regulation No. 46, which addresses the CPD and relicensing cycle requirements. This study aims to investigate Jordanian community pharmacists' experiences and perceptions toward CPDs. The study also discussed factors influencing pharmacists' engagement in CPD activities. An online self-administered questionnaire was distributed between August and October of 2022 using a range of participant identification and recruitment strategies. The questionnaire was designed for community pharmacists who are currently in practice. Descriptive data analysis was carried out. Of the 425 participating community pharmacists, 270 (63.5%) had a positive attitude toward CPD in terms of considering CPD to be a professional responsibility for all practising pharmacists. Almost 50% of recruited community pharmacists had no preference between theoretical and practical activities. Moreover, carrying out research projects and participating in research groups were the least preferred CPD activities. Evidence indicates that the most influencing factors were feasibility and capacity-related issues such as time, cost, work burden and requirements and the logistics related to CPD activities. Regulators, professional associations, and legislators are responsible for planning and implementing actions that reduce obstacles and increase facilitators. CPD activities should also be made available through various delivery methods and strategies to guarantee relevance, prevent duplication, and promote pharmacists' involvement.

Factors Influencing Teachers’ Engagement in Continuous Professional Development (CPD): A Case Study

Teachers in modern education face significant work challenges and must commit to continuous learning. Disruptive technological advancements require teachers to be digitally nimble and adaptive to constant changes. Educational institutions and schools must provide teachers with relevant resources for continuing professional development (CPD). Numerous past studies have shown that CPD is related to improved teaching practices and student learning outcomes. However, the success of CPD programs lies in teachers' engagement in the process. This case study explores the types of CPD activities available and investigates the factors influencing a Malaysian teacher's engagement in CPD. Malaysian teachers can access various CPD activities, including workshops, seminars, reading, and informal conversations with colleagues. The study also found that contextual and personal factors contribute to teachers' decision to participate in CPD activities. Contextual factors include available CPD opportunities, administrative and collegial support, and barriers to participation. Personal factors include teachers' preferences in learning approaches and their interest in particular topics. The features of CPD activities will affect teachers' perceptions of CPD and influence their engagement levels. These findings suggest redesigning CPD activities that promote a favourable perception of CPD and encourage engagement.

Institutional Barriers to Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Programs

Abstract BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Programs aim to support the career progression of faculty members by leveraging their professional experiences, theoretical knowledge, research, and professionalism with colleagues. These programs enhance skills, knowledge, and competencies throughout a faculty career. However, institutional barriers such as heavy workloads and limited resources can hinder the effectiveness of CPD programs. Faculty training enables them to address concerns, be aware of their teaching assumptions, and foster a positive educational environment. It requires reflection, openness to new ideas, and intellectual work for professional growth. This study’s objective was to determine the frequencies of Institutional Barriers faced by faculty to Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Programs. METHODOLOGY: In this research, we used an observational study design. Purposive sampling was employed to collect the responses. A total of 229 participants responded. Data were entered and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 26 software. A pilot study was conducted to measure reliability. Frequencies were measured, and associations between categorical variables were determined using the Pearson Chi-Square Test. RESULTS: Significant associations of almost all the identified institutional barriers were observed with academic positions whereas the majority of the barriers demonstrated no association with gender and specialty. CONCLUSION: Academic position is the most important factor identified in our study, showing strong associations with almost all the institutional barriers studied. By creating a supportive environment and promoting continuous learning, institutions can empower faculty members to engage in CPD activities and enhance their professional development.

Continuing professional development barriers and recommendations: Perspectives of audiologists.

Continuing professional development (CPD), a compulsory requirement of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA), is undertaken by healthcare professionals (HCPs), including audiologists, to remain up-to-date with the latest developments, technology and best practices within their discipline. However, the low compliance rates of audiologists engaging in CPD need to be investigated to establish the barriers that audiologists encounter as well as possible interventions to improve their participation. This study aimed to explore the barriers that audiologists encounter when participating in CPD activities and to highlight their suggestions for improving its uptake. The descriptive qualitative research design entailed the use of semi-structured online interviews with 11 audiologists practising within the private sector in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, their responses being thematically analysed. Three barriers were identified, namely: (1) personal, (2) financial and (3) structural barriers, with eight subthemes and nine recommendations provided by participants. It is anticipated that implementing the proposed strategies will address the barriers and allow active engagement of audiologists in their continued education.Contribution:Limited literature has been documented on the barriers that young, private sector audiologists encounter within the South African context while also providing suggestions to address these barriers.

Technical Quality of Contemporary Endoscopic Sinus Surgery: An Assessment by Study of Anatomical Features Needing Attention at Revision Surgery

Although technical causes of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) failure have long been reported, we were curious about the quality of contemporary sinus surgery. The electronic health database of Mayo Clinic, Arizona was scrutinized to identify adult patients with diffuse chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) who underwent revision ESS between January 2019 and September 2023 with a history of bilateral full-house ESS. Anatomical features on preoperative radiology and intraoperative endoscopy were cataloged: residual uncinate tissue, maxillary antrostomy with a non-incorporated natural os, residual ethmoidal septations (three septations &gt; 3 mm), and inadequate sphenoid osteotomy (os size &lt; 6 mm). Sixty-nine subjects were identified. A deviated nasal septum was present in 53.6%. Residual uncinate tissue was noted in 50.7% of patients associated with missed natural maxillary os in 39.13% of antrostomies. An inadequate os diameter was noted in 63.8% of sphenoidotomies. Significant residual septations were seen in posterior ethmoidal cells in 66.7% and anterior ethmoidal cells in 62.3% of patients. Residual frontoethmoidal cells were noted in 72.4% of patients. Although the extent of ESS must be individualized, a high prevalence of features reflecting suboptimal surgery that could limit the success of ESS was identified. These findings merit further consideration for focused training during residency and continuous professional development activities.

Impact of COVID-19 on continuing professional development: Perspectives of audiologists.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic triggered unprecedented disruptions to continuing professional development (CPD) activities, which are essential for healthcare professionals (HCPs) to stay abreast on best practices, current knowledge and emerging technologies, ultimately enhancing patient care. Audiologists encountered multiple challenges during the pandemic, necessitating adaptations and innovations in their CPD practices. While literature was published during the pandemic on shifting education systems to online platforms, little is known about its impact on the CPD of young audiologists working in the private sector. A descriptive, qualitative research design was adopted to collect rich data from 11 audiologists using online semi-structured interviews which were thematically analysed using Braun and Clark's steps. COVID-19 brought about both positive adaptations and negative disruptions to the CPD activities of young audiologists. Eight major themes were identified in this study. These include (1) the adoption of online learning, (2) improved flexibility, (3) cost-effectiveness, (4) diverse learning opportunities, (5) keeping current, (6) isolation and networking, (7) limited interactivity and (8) uncertain quality assurance. The COVID-19 pandemic had a considerable influence on the CPD activities of young audiologists in the private sector. While presenting significant challenges, including disruptions to traditional learning modalities, the pandemic also catalysed innovation and adaptation within the profession.Contribution:This study highlights the resilience exhibited by young audiologists towards their CPD and also provides actionable insights for informing professional development initiatives, tailored to the evolving needs of audiologists in the post-COVID-19 era.

Certification of Ukrainian Doctors of All Eight Stomatological Specialties: Analysis of Certification Sheet, Personal Educational Portfolio with Continuing Professional Development Results, and Certificate

Certification of doctors-stomatologists (i.e., dentists) in Ukraine is a procedure that is not sufficiently covered in English-language articles. Understanding Ukrainian legislation in in matters of сertification is extremely important both for foreing colleagues and for stomatologists in Ukraine. The purpose of this paper is to present the original and translation of three main documents of the Procedure for Certification of Doctors of the Order of the Ministry of Healthcare of Ukraine dated February 22, 2019, No. 446 (as amended by the Order of the Ministry of Healthcare of Ukraine dated August 18, 2021, No. 1753). Namely, certification sheet, personal educational portfolio with continuing professional development (CPD) results, and certificate. Each of the documents is detailed. Document templates can be found in Appendices 1, 2, and 3 to the Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine No. 446, freely available on the official website of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Personal educational portfolio deserves special attention, in which the doctor who is undergoing certification must chronologically indicate the CPD activities for the past year, the place of their implementation, the duration or/and bibliographic reference and the number of accrued CPD points. Also, this document requires to indicate the number of medical services provided by doctor during the reporting period (except for the specialties specified in Appendix 5 to the Procedure for the Certification of Doctors and the specialty “Organization and Management of Health Care”). Another purpose of this article was to provide samples of certificates on the assignment and confirmation of qualification categories to doctors-stomatologists- surgeons. The presented certificates were issued by certification commissions at various health care bodies of Ukraine. Namely, at (1) the Department of Healthcare of the Kyiv Regional State Administration and (2) the Ministry of Healthcare of Ukraine. All three certificates were issued in 2021.

Validation of the Learner Engagement Instrument for Continuing Professional Development.

Learner engagement is the energy learners exert to remain focused and motivated to learn. The Learner Engagement Instrument (LEI) was developed to measure learner engagement in a short continuing professional development (CPD) activity. The authors validated LEI scores using validity evidence of internal structure and relationships with other variables. Participants attended 1 of 4 CPD courses (1 in-person, 2 online livestreamed, and 1 either in-person or livestreamed) in 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2022. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine model fit for several alternative structural models, separately for each course. The authors also conducted a generalizability study to estimate score reliability. Associations were evaluated between LEI scores and Continuing Medical Education Teaching Effectiveness (CMETE) scores and participant demographics. Statistical methods accounted for repeated measures by participants. Four hundred fifteen unique participants attended 203 different CPD presentations and completed the LEI 11,567 times. The originally hypothesized 4-domain model of learner engagement (domains: emotional, behavioral, cognitive in-class, cognitive out-of-class) demonstrated best model fit in all 4 courses, with comparative fit index ≥ 0.99, standardized root mean square residual ≤ 0.031, and root mean square error of approximation ≤ 0.047. The reliability for overall scores and domain scores were all acceptable (50-rater G-coefficient ≥ 0.74) except for the cognitive in-class domain (50-rater G-coefficient of 0.55 to 0.66). Findings were similar for both in-person and online delivery modalities. Correlation of LEI scores with teaching effectiveness was confirmed (rho=0.58), and a small correlation was found with participant age (rho=0.19); other associations were small and not statistically significant. Using these findings, we generated a shortened 4-item instrument, the LEI Short Form. This study confirms a 4-domain model of learner engagement and provides validity evidence that supports using LEI scores to measure learner engagement in both in-person and livestreamed CPD activities.