Health Professions Education Research Articles

Team science in interdisciplinary health professions education research: a multi-institutional case study.

The interdisciplinary nature of health professions education requires exploration of problems by interdisciplinary research teams. Drawing on the Dynamics of Cross-disciplinary Research Development conceptual framework, this study explores the processes and experiences of an interdisciplinary research team, identifying elements of successful collaboration. Case study data were collected from a team of nine researchers from six universities. Data included meeting minutes and researcher reflections. Researcher reflection and meeting minute themes converged within the framework constructs: Contexts and inputs, social learning processes, social capital outcomes, and knowledge and human capital outcomes. This study provides a blueprint for interdisciplinary researchers indicating that successful collaboration starts with transparent, distributed leadership. The convergence of data illustrates how social learning processes, social capital outcomes, and knowledge and human capital outcomes facilitate research team outcomes.

Enhancing Yoga Awareness Among Future Healthcare Practitioners: A Study on MBBS Students' Knowledge and Perceptions

Background: Yoga, and art and science rooted in ancient Indian culture, is increasingly recognized for its holistic benefits, contributing to physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Despite its global popularity, knowledge and awareness of yoga amongst medical students, particularly within Health Professions Education, remain underexplored. This study aimed to assess the understanding of yoga and yoga therapy among MBBS students to help integrate these concepts into future medical practice. Aim and Objective: The study sought to evaluate the general awareness of yoga among medical students, particularly focusing on misconceptions, technical terminology, and therapeutic applications, aiming to enhance their ability to utilize yoga in a healthcare context. Materials and Methods: Conducted at the School of Yoga Therapy, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, this study involved 221 MBBS students participating in a yoga orientation program. The Yoga Awareness Questionnaire (YAQ), a 10-item pre-validated tool, was administered both before and after a single 60-minute yoga session. Paired t-tests were used to analyze changes in awareness with statistical significance set at p<0.05. Results: The average YAQ score increased significantly from 5 to 7 post-intervention, indicating improved awareness. Increases were noted across understanding holistic yoga, Ashtanga Yoga concepts, and dispelling misconceptions. However, some variability persisted in technical terminology understanding. Conclusion: A single yoga awareness session effectively enhanced medical students' understanding of yoga, promoting a more uniform baseline knowledge. These findings suggest that integrating yoga education in healthcare curricula could prepare future practitioners to incorporate holistic practices into patient care. As the Government of India and the National Medical Commission are advocating integration of Ayush systems within modern medicine, the results of this study have several important implications.

Building the OAChangeMap to Improve the Service Delivery of the New South Wales Osteoarthritis Chronic Care Program: A Worked Example of Using a Codesign Framework.

The Osteoarthritis Chronic Care Program (OACCP) has been implemented in Australian public hospitals to deliver best evidence osteoarthritis (OA) care. It is important to ensure that the OACCP continues to deliver evidence-based OA care as intended. We aimed to identify barriers and enablers to delivering the OACCP, prioritize the barriers, and generate strategies to address them. This study provides a worked example of a seven-step theory-informed codesign framework. We invited OACCP coordinators to participate in semistructured interviews (analyzed thematically) and complete a questionnaire to identify barriers and enablers to delivery of the OACCP. We then invited a broader group of stakeholders (OACCP coordinators, health managers, policy makers, consumers, and researchers) to prioritize the barriers via a short survey (survey 2). We held five codesign workshops in which we mapped the priority barriers to the Theoretical Domains Framework and developed strategies to address them. Sixteen coordinators were interviewed, and the main barriers identified were as follows: (1) patients often have beliefs that are inconsistent with best evidence care, (2) there are aspects of clinical care that are not delivered optimally, and (3) system-level factors are a barrier to optimal patient care and sustainability of the OACCP. We codesigned a plan for action with patient educational materials, shared decision-making tools, and health professional education and training. Our worked example of codesign used a theory-based, data-driven approach with key stakeholders, identified and prioritized barriers to the delivery of the OACCP, acknowledged enablers, and generated a plan for feasible strategies to improve the program.

Characterizing Research Teams

Abstract Research in health professions education (HPE) is often executed by teams—groups of individuals working together to solve a problem, reconceptualize an issue, or conduct a study. Teams frequently involve individuals from different disciplinary backgrounds or professions1,2 who work collaboratively to accomplish specific scholarly goals. Matching team composition to research goals is critical for ensuring the team has the skills and perspectives necessary to generate, integrate, and mobilize the desired knowledge. Drawing on literature,3,4 we describe the who, what, how, and when of 4 types of research teams.

Familiarity and Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Health Professions Education: Perspectives of Students in a Community-Oriented Medical School

Familiarity and Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Health Professions Education: Perspectives of Students in a Community-Oriented Medical School

Balancing the voices of the Global South and North in shaping health professions education.

Balancing the voices of the Global South and North in shaping health professions education.

Undergraduate general medicine education in Japan: A nationwide cross‐sectional survey of medical trainees' perspectives

AbstractBackgroundThe 2022 revised version of the Model Core Curriculum (MCC) for Medical Education in Japan includes “generalism” as a new expertise quality and ability, based on the results of surveys of experts in health professions education. However, the perspectives of medical trainees under the pre‐2022 MCC revision were under‐examined. Here, we investigated what these trainees felt they had learned about general medicine (GM)‐related topics.MethodsWe performed a nationwide cross‐sectional study using an anonymous online questionnaire, which was developed with reference to the 2022 revised MCC. The questionnaire consisted of 14 items. For all items, we asked, “Did you learn enough during medical school?” Respondents were asked to respond on a 5‐point Likert scale (from 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree).ResultsThree hundred and eighty‐six participants (response rate 55.4%) were included in the analysis. For the item “Behavioral science,” the number of participants who chose “3 = neither agree nor disagree” was highest, at 171 (44.3%) and with an average of 3.28, indicating that this item was perceived as insufficiently studied. Approximately half of the participants chose “4 = agree” for all items other than “Behavioral science.”ConclusionsThe study suggested that behavioral science may be underlearned among medical trainees of the pre‐2022 MCC generation. Medical educators in Japan should formulate curricula in accordance with the 2022 revision MCC and improve curricula regarding behavioral science. Future research should survey the generation of trainees who receive 2022 revision MCC‐compliant medical education; comparison of results with those of this study would be valuable in examining the effects of the revised guideline and inform international medical educators.

Readiness for professional practice among health professions education graduates: a systematic review

Readiness to practice is the state of being prepared and capable of engaging in professional activities in a specific field. Graduates of healthcare professions require a diverse set of skills, knowledge and attitudes to meet the demands of complex healthcare settings. This systematic review provides a comprehensive analysis of readiness for professional practice among graduates of health professions education. It encompasses a wide range of articles published between 2013 and 2024, incorporating various health professions and utilizing a combination of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods designs. The review identified 93 studies from 32 diverse countries. The review revealed that factors influencing readiness to practice, include individual capabilities, the workplace context, and educational provision. It also explored strategies to enhance readiness to practice. The findings underscore the significance of addressing challenges such as lack of confidence, stress, communication, time management, job satisfaction, clinical experience, academic workload, teaching quality, mentorship and curriculum design. This comprehensive analysis serves as a valuable resource for healthcare educators, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to optimize the preparedness of graduates for the complexities of contemporary healthcare environments. Future studies should explore the interactions between readiness to practice stakeholders’ perception of the educational curriculum, and the quality of support in the professional practice environment.

Development of a Generalist Competency Framework for Medical Education Leaders in Longitudinal Integrated Curricula (LILIC)

AbstractRecent shifts in health professions education have prompted significant curriculum reforms toward multidisciplinary, longitudinally integrated courses during the pre-clinical and clinical years of medical school curricula. Faculty who are accustomed to managing discipline-specific courses must now be trained to meet the challenges of implementing new integrated courses. Skills and competencies for Leaders in Longitudinal Integrated Curricula (LILIC) must be identified for faculty development efforts and to assist administrators in recognizing the attributes of well-qualified course/curriculum directors for their appointment/hiring decisions. Drawing on the collective expertise of faculty from multiple medical schools, we developed a framework to meet this new need. Herein, we present a shared mental model, a framework, and higher-level attributes important for the development of these curricular leaders. A proposed development process and future directions for this framework are also presented, underscoring its potential impact on faculty development and the broader educational landscape in health professions.

What can a journal editorial team do to strive for equity in health professions education publishing? Leading by example

What was the Educational Challenge? Representation gaps in medical education publishing are widely recognized and may be attributed to epistemic injustice, defined as ‘wrong done to someone in their capacity as a knower.’ Although peer review is meant to ensure ‘rigor,’ some quality assurance practices can inadvertently silence entire populations and impede understanding of a field’s foundational concepts. What was the Proposed Solution? To honor our journal’s commitment to equitable knowledge production, a diversity, equity, and inclusion working group at Teaching and Learning in Medicine (TLM) reimagined rigor to include striving for a ‘more equitable, diverse, and inclusive research system.’ How was the Proposed Solution Implemented? We implemented structural peer review reform at TLM by adapting Hogan et al.’s Dimensionality and R4P framework for health equity, prioritizing change in our communication with contributors. What Lessons Learned are Relevant to a Wider Audience? Since implementation, our journal has received feedback expressing appreciation for humanity and personal connection in our peer review, and we have observed increased publications from geographically marginalized authors. We believe our outcomes result from respecting marginalized authors’ authority to pursue their own interests, concerns, and successes with respect to knowledge production. What are the Next Steps? We believe our approach can be adopted by other peer-reviewed journals. We invite application and critique of our framework to advance community development in creating relevant, accessible, and equitable knowledge production for all people.

The impact of the educational environment on student engagement and academic performance in health professions education

BackgroundThis research explores the relationships between the educational environment, student engagement, and academic achievement in Health Professions Education (HPE) , specifically examining the mediating role of engagement.MethodsThe study used cross-sectional design, and data were collected from 554 HPE students via self-report questionnaires. The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) assessed the educational environment while the University Student Engagement Inventory measured learning engagement across the behavioral, emotional, and cognitive dimensions. Academic achievement was measured using cumulative GPA. Relationships between study variables were analyzed using path analysis.ResultsPath analysis demonstrated that four educational environment subscales directly affected emotional engagement (48% variance explained). Students’ perception of learning and academic self-perceptions influenced behavioral engagement (28% variance explained), while cognitive engagement was influenced by academic self-perceptions (39% variance explained). GPA was positively influenced by behavioral and cognitive engagement but negatively by emotional engagement. Cognitive and behavioral engagement mediated the relationship between students’ academic self-perceptions and academic achievement.ConclusionsStudents’ perceptions of the educational environment significantly influenced emotional engagement, followed by cognitive and behavioral engagement. Cognitive and behavioral engagement directly affected academic achievement and mediated the relationship between the educational environment and academic achievement.

Understanding simulation-based learning for health professions students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds: a scoping review.

Simulation-based learning (SBL) is an important component in health professions education and serves as effective preparation or a substitution for clinical placements. Despite their widely accepted benefits, students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds may not experience the same learning outcomes from engaging in SBL as their local peers due to complex factors. Supporting students from CALD backgrounds in SBL is vital, not only to optimise their learning experiences and outcomes, but also ensure inclusive health professions education. While the literature on the participation of students from CALD backgrounds in SBL activities is emerging, this scoping review was conducted to (1) map the evidence on how SBL impacts the learning outcomes of health professions students from CALD backgrounds; and (2) understand how students from CALD backgrounds perceive their SBL experiences. Following Arskey and O'Malley's framework and Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews, a search was conducted in January 2024 using PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, PsycINFO, and ERIC. Ten papers met the inclusion criteria. This review highlighted three themes: (1) diverse learning outcomes of SBL; (2) facing linguistic and cultural challenges that are inherent to SBL; and (3) preparation, reflection, and support to actively participate in SBL activities. This review indicates that SBL could enhance clinical skills and confidence in students from CALD backgrounds. However, well-designed SBL activities to meet the learning needs of students from CALD backgrounds are currently lacking and further research across broader health professions fields is needed.

Validation of the blended learning usability evaluation – questionnaire (BLUE-Q) through an innovative Bayesian questionnaire validation approach: a methodological study

The primary aim of this study is to validate the Blended Learning Usability Evaluation - Questionnaire (BLUE-Q) for use in the field of health professions education through a Bayesian approach. As Bayesian questionnaire validation remains elusive, a secondary aim of this article is to serve as a simplified tutorial for engaging in such validation practices in health professions education. A total of 10 health education-based experts in blended learning were recruited to participate in a 30-minute interviewer-administered survey. On a 5-point Likert scale, experts rated how well they perceived each item of the BLUE-Q to reflect its underlying usability domain (i.e., effectiveness, efficiency, satisfaction, accessibility, organization, and learner experience). Ratings were descriptively analyzed and converted into beta prior distributions. Participants were also given the option to provide qualitative comments for each item. After reviewing the computed expert prior distributions, 31 quantitative items were identified as having a probability of 'low endorsement' and were thus removed from the questionnaire. Additionally, qualitative comments were used to revise the phrasing and order of items to ensure clarity and logical flow. The BLUE-Q's final version comprises 23 Likert-scale items and 6 open-ended items. Questionnaire validation can generally be a complex, time-consuming, and costly process, inhibiting many from engaging in proper validation practices. In this study, we demonstrate that a Bayesian questionnaire validation approach can be a simple, resource-efficient, yet rigorous solution to validating a tool for content and item-domain correlation through the elicitation of domain expert endorsement ratings.

Natural stupidity versus artificial intelligence: Where Is health professions education headed?

Natural stupidity versus artificial intelligence: Where Is health professions education headed?

How to … navigate specialised programmes for early-career doctors in medical education.

Investing in early-career medical education programmes for aspiring clinician-educators, scholars and leaders offers a strategic approach to shaping the future of health professions education internationally. This paper explores the design and impact of a nationally funded Specialised Foundation Programme (SFP) within the United Kingdom. Drawing on existing literature and insights from local trainees, we provide practical guidance for early-career doctors navigating entry into the field of health professions education. Additionally, we discuss the programme's potential to enhance professional development through structured mentorship, formal qualifications and active participation in scholarly activities, while also addressing the challenges inherent in navigating clinical and academic identities. This paper will be valuable to doctors embarking on early-career medical education pathways, programme leaders and international stakeholders seeking to establish similar initiatives to support the next generation of health care educators and scholars.

Comparative Education in the Health Professions

As the academe in health professions institutions pursue educational reforms that anchors on the systems approach to healthcare, collaborative efforts are essential to establish more responsive and dynamic professional education systems. This paper highlights comparative education as a tool to strengthen health professions education around the world by reviewing previous and the most recent studies done, and showcase how this can improve the current pedagogical landscape. Through comparative education, a holistic approach to health professions education ensures that the learner’s training is not only comprehensive but also responsive to the dynamic needs of the country, the region, and the rest of the world by the sharing of best practices, challenges, and opportunities for collaboration. The opportunities that international comparative education provide to the health professions education include the sharing of best practices and difficulties encountered, and the enhanced viewpoint from considering different perspectives. On the other hand, the main challenges include ethnocentrism and the limited resources that majority of institutions face globally especially those from the low- and middle-income countries. Truly, once the lessons learned from comparative educational engagements are integrated into the philosophical and educational foundations in our medical schools, then we are one step closer to becoming responsive to the call for a more holistic and systems – centered health professions education.

Increasing the uptake of advance care directives through staff education and one-on-one support for people facing end-of-life.

An advance care plan outlines a patient's wishes regarding medical treatment or goals of care in the case that they become unable to communicate or to make decisions. An advance care directive (ACD) is an advance care plan that has been formally recorded and has legal status. Despite ACDs playing an important role in person-centred end-of-life care, an earlier retrospective medical records audit demonstrated that only 11% (58/531) of people who died due to a terminal illness had an ACD.The aim of this project was to increase the proportion of patients with a terminal illness completing an ACD. A secondary outcome was to measure the impact of ACDs on hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions in the last 6 months of life.This multifaceted project comprised (1) education for health professionals and the public; (2) individual support for patients on request; (3) development of online resources for health professionals and the general public; and (4) monthly team meetings. The proportion of ACDs completed and hospital and ICU admissions during the last 6 months of life, were extracted via medical record audits.Written consent was required for patients to participate, including being contacted by the project team and accessing their medical records. 112 patients consented to participate in the project and 109 (97%) completed an ACD. There was no reduction in the average number of hospital admissions, while ICU admissions reduced from 14% (n=74) to 0%. The targeted, multifaceted approach to education and support for completion of ACDs, resulted in a significant increase in ACD completion and a major reduction in ICU admissions.

Gamification, Serious Games, and Simulation in Health Professions Education.

Health care educators may enhance learning with thoughtful incorporation of game elements. Gamification has shown success across various fields in medical education. It has demonstrated deeper engagement by leveraging both intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors. While beneficial, gamification requires thoughtful implementation to increase active learning and avoid potential negative effects, such as unhealthy competition. Serious games integrate learning objectives directly within their framework, making the educational experience an intrinsic part of gameplay. These games are specifically designed to enhance knowledge and skills while promoting decision making, teamwork, and communication. The immersive nature of serious games requires players to actively engage and apply their knowledge to solve complex problems. Serious games and simulation represent transformative educational approaches that not only enhance learning and retention but also develop essential competencies crucial for health care professionals. These strategies, when combined with effective debriefing, provide a robust framework to enrich education and training in health care. [Pediatr Ann. 2024;53(11):e401-e407.].

Using Music to Teach Health Professions Students to Listen Closely and Promote Peace.

Promoting peace with patients requires clinicians to be skilled in helping patients feel safe, respected, and heard. Close listening is a teachable skill set that enables clinicians to focus sensory attention on a patient and to cultivate space for reflection before speaking. While communication skills are taught in health professions education, close listening is rarely formally emphasized as an equally important skill. This article draws on musical arts education methods to suggest strategies for teaching close listening that can be applied to peace promotion in patient care.

Resilience in Oral Health Professional Education: A Scoping Review.

Resilience is defined as an individual's capacity to effectively adapt in the face of challenges without detrimental effects on their health and well-being. This scoping review identifies and rationalises the published concepts that underpin resilience in oral health professional (OHP) education. It provides recommendations for the development of evidence-based strategies for promoting resilience in OHP education. The PRISMA and Arksey and O'Malley methodological frameworks for scoping reviews were used to determine the methodology and answer the question 'What concepts contribute to resilience in OHP Education?'. The search strategy included published literature searches and internet searches. In total, 744 articles on resilience and coping were identified, and 59 were included after excluding irrelevant records. Most studies used surveys as their study design and focused on undergraduate dental students in North America and Asia. Three main themes were identified: factors that contribute to resilience, measurement tools and scales and enhancing resilience. This review highlights a positive correlation between increased resilience and improved outcomes for dental students. Resilience and its related factors are not well understood. There is insufficient evidence to support interventions for building resilience due to inconsistent measuring methods and limited research validating resilience scales in OHP education. Investigators should accurately understand the terminology for clarity and consistency. Validated outcome measures and student feedback should be used to determine the effectiveness of interventions. It is important to teach students coping strategies to manage stressors, and digital applications for building resilience should be developed and tested in OHP student populations.