Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Changes In Medical Education To Help Physicians Meet Future Health Care Needs, Judith N. Hudson, Kathryn M. Weston, Elizabeth Farmer

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Health care needs are changing due to the rapidly ageing population and the increasing number of patients with long term conditions and comorbidities.1 This has occurred at a time of continuing maldistribution of the medical workforce in Australia and increased specialisation and subspecialisation within the medical profession and the medical education system. As the next generation of doctors will need to serve an older population and those with more than one condition, a more useful focus would be "much less on narrow disease silos and . more on the breadth of possible permutations of co-morbidity". 1 Long periods of training …

History As Reflective Practice: A Model For Integrating Historical Studies Into Nurse Education, Kylie M. Smith, Angela M. Brown, Patrick A. Crookes

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

The role of history in developing professional identity in nursing is well known, and the discipline of nursing history research continues to flourish. Yet this work often struggles to find its way into undergraduate university nurse education courses. We put forward a model for "history as reflective practice" in which we suggest that historical studies can be used as a form of evidence to develop critical thinking and clinical reasoning, as well as situate nursing practice within its social and political context. In this model, we draw on historical scholarship related to the profession, practice and person, focusing on work …

Evaluation Of Assessment In The Context Of Work-Based Learning: Qualitative Perspectives Of New Graduates, Claire Palermo, Alexandra Chung, Eleanor Beck, Susan Ash, Sandra Capra, Helen Truby, Brian Jolly

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Aim Evaluation or assessment of competence is an important step to ensure the safety and efficacy of health professionals, including dietitians. Most competency-based assessment studies are focused on valid and reliable methods of assessment for the preparation of entry-level dietitians, few papers have explored student dietitians' perceptions of these evaluations. The present study aimed to explore the perceptions of recent graduates from accredited nutrition and dietetics training programs in Australia. It also aimed to establish the relevance of competency-based assessment to adequately prepare them for entry-level work roles. Methods A purposive sample of newly graduated dietitians with a range of …

Defining Professionalism In Medical Education: A Systematic Review, Hudson Birden, Nel Glass, Ian Wilson, Michelle Harrison, Tim Usherwood, Duncan Nass

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Introduction: We undertook a systematic review and narrative synthesis of the literature to identify how professionalism is defined in the medical education literature. Methods: Eligible studies included any articles published between 1999 and 2009 inclusive presenting viewpoints, opinions, or empirical research on defining medical professionalism. Results: We identified 195 papers on the topic of definition of professionalism in medicine. Of these, we rated 26 as high quality and included these in the narrative synthesis. Conclusion: As yet there is no overarching conceptual context of medical professionalism that is universally agreed upon. The continually shifting nature of the organizational and social …

Mature Aged "Baby Boomer" Students' Contributions To Understanding Nursing Education, Sandra Walker, Trudy Dwyer, Teresa Sander, Lorna Moxham, Marc Broadbent, Kristin Edwards

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Background: Mature aged nursing students of the 'Baby Boomer' generation are important for health workforce retention and planning because once graduated, they are viewed as being more loyal to the profession and consequently likely to remain in the nursing workforce. A challenge though, related to this group is providing them with a fulfilling and worthwhile work integrated learning experience that enables them to engage with their new profession. Methods: An exploratory study was conducted using an online survey with open-ended questions to explore the supports for and barriers to the learning opportunities of "baby boomer" aged undergraduate-nursing students (n = …

Work-Based Assessment: Qualitative Perspectives Of Novice Nutrition And Dietetics Educators, Claire Palermo, Eleanor Beck, A Chung, S Ash, Sandra Capra, Helen Truby, B Jolly

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Background The assessment of competence for health professionals including nutrition and dietetics professionals in work-based settings is challenging. The present study aimed to explore the experiences of educators involved in the assessment of nutrition and dietetics students in the practice setting and to identify barriers and enablers to effective assessment. Methods A qualitative research approach using in-depth interviews was employed with a convenience sample of inexperienced dietitian assessors. Interviews explored assessment practices and challenges. Data were analysed using a thematic approach within a phenomenological framework. Twelve relatively inexperienced practice educators were purposefully sampled to take part in the present study. …

Implementing A Virtual Community Of Practice For Family Physician Training: A Mixed-Methods Case Study, Stephen Barnett, Sandra C. Jones, Tim Caton, Donald C. Iverson, Sue Bennett, Laura Robinson

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Background: GP training in Australia can be professionally isolating, with trainees spread across large geographic areas, leading to problems with rural workforce retention. Virtual communities of practice (VCoPs) may provide a way of improving knowledge sharing and thus reducing professional isolation. Objective: The goal of our study was to review the usefulness of a 7-step framework for implementing a VCoP for general practitioner (GP) training and then evaluated the usefulness of the resulting VCoP in facilitating knowledge sharing and reducing professional isolation. Methods: The case was set in an Australian general practice training region involving 55 first-term trainees (GPT1s), from …

Early Integration Of The Individual Student In Academic Activities: A Novel Classroom Concept For Graduate Education In Molecular Biophysics And Structural Biology, Sanford H. Leuba, Sean M. Carney, Elizabeth M. Dahlburg, Rebecca J. Eells, Harshad Ghodke, Naveena Yanamala, Grant Schauer, Judith Klein-Seetharaman

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Background: A key challenge in interdisciplinary research is choosing the best approach from a large number of techniques derived from different disciplines and their interfaces.

Results: To address this challenge in the area of Biophysics and Structural Biology, we have designed a graduate level course to teach students insightful use of experimental biophysical approaches in relationship to addressing biological questions related to biomolecular interactions and dynamics. A weekly seminar and data and literature club are used to compliment the training in class. The course contains wet-laboratory experimental demonstration and real-data analysis as well as lectures, grant proposal preparation and assessment, …

Professional Identity In Medical Students: Pedagogical Challenges To Medical Education, Ian Wilson, Leanne S. Cowin, Maree Johnson, Helen Young

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Background: Professional identity, or how a doctor thinks of himself or herself as a doctor, is considered to be as critical to medical education as the acquisition of skills and knowledge relevant to patient care. Summary: This article examines contemporary literature on the development of professional identity within medicine. Relevant theories of identity construction are explored and their application to medical education and pedagogical approaches to enhancing students' professional identity are proposed. The influence of communities of practice, role models, and narrative reflection within curricula are examined. Conclusions: Medical education needs to be responsive to changes in professional identity being …

Simulation In Dietetic Education In Australia, Peter Williams, Eleanor Beck

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

In 2011 the Dietitians Association of Australia conducted a survey of simulated learning experiences in all universities offering dietetic course in Australia. A total of 35 SLEs currently used were identified: 14 paper-based, 15 physical-based and 6 computer or video based.

The Challenges And Opportunities For Professional Societies In Higher Education In Australasia: A Pest Analysis, Iain Doherty, Caroline Steel, Dominique Parrish

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Professional societies, established to support academic and professional staff in higher education, need to be vigilant of regional and international trends that affect their core business. In this paper, we provide an analysis of political, economic, social and technological factors that are impacting upon the Australasian higher education environment through considering the case of the Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education (ascilite). Drawing on two ascilite membership surveys along with the relevant literature we identify significant challenges for professional societies and offer some strategic insights for similar regional societies and their executive teams.

The Relevance Of Emotional Intelligence For Effective Leadership Practice In A Higher Education Context, Dominique Parrish

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

No abstract provided.

How Does An Awareness Of Emotional Intelligence Impact On Practice: Developing Emotional Intelligence In An Education Setting, Dominique Parrish

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

No abstract provided.

Paving Pathways: Shaping The Public Health Workforce Through Tertiary Education, Catherine M. Bennett, Kathleen Lilley, Heather Yeatman, Elizabeth Parker, Elizabeth Geelhoed, Liz Hanna, Priscilla Robinson

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Public health educational pathways in Australia have traditionally been the province of Universities, with the Master of Public Health (MPH) recognised as the flagship professional entry program. Public health education also occurs within the fellowship training of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine, but this remains confined to medical graduates within Australia. In recent years, however, we have seen a proliferation of undergraduate degrees as well as an increasing public health presence in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector. Following the 2007 Australian Federal election, the new Labour government brought with it a refreshing commitment to a more inclusive …

Education Improves Bra Knowledge And Fit, And Level Of Breast Support In Adolesent Female Athletes: A Cluster-Randomised Trial, Deirdre Mcghee, Julie R. Steele, Bridget J. Munro

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Questions: Can an education booklet handed out by a physiotherapist improve bra knowledge and fit, and level of breast support, of bras worn by adolescent female athletes? Design: Cluster-randomised trial with intention-to-treat analysis. Participants: 115 adolescent females from four regional sporting academies aged 16 yr (SD 1) and with an average Australian bra size of 12B. Intervention: The experimental group received an education booklet on bra fit and breast support from a sports physiotherapist. The control group received no intervention. Outcome measures: The primary outcome was bra knowledge measured by a questionnaire. Secondary outcomes were a pass on the Bra …

Building Capacity In Medical Education Research In Australia, Ian G. Wilson

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

ANZAME (the Australian and New Zealand Association for Medical Education) shares two significant concerns about medical education in Australia that were raised in articles published recently in the Journal.

Casualisation Of The Teaching Workforce: Implications For Nursing Education, Elizabeth J. Halcomb, Sharon Andrew, Kath Peters, Yenna Salamonson, Debra Jackson

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Internationally, nursing faculty shortages have been reported and there is a potential for them to worsen into the next decade as existing faculty age. To, in part, address this issue, across disciplines there is clearly an international trend towards the increasing casualisation of the higher education workforce. Despite the potential impact of this two-tiered workforce structure, there has been limited examination of the discipline specific issues related to the employment of a growing number of sessional nursing staff. This paper provides a critical review of the literature related to the employment of sessional teachers in higher education. The paper advances …

Transforming Higher Education Through Learning-Oriented Assessment, Mike Keppell, Dominique Parrish

Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A

Outcomes By the completion of the workshop participants will be able to: • Recognise the distinct characteristics of a learning-oriented assessment task • Determine the appropriateness of learning-oriented assessment for their own context • Design a learning-oriented assessment task for a subject they are currently teaching • Examine a model for transforming and leading change in higher education through learning-oriented assessment • Explore potential avenues for transforming and leading change in assessment in the university setting.

Mental Health Education For Nurses In General Practice, Kathryn Godwin

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Over the last seven years practice nurse numbers have grown across Australia to over 7,824 (est.) in 2007, with at least 60% of general practices now employing a practice nurse (APNA 2008). Nurses hav~ helped many GPs with overwhelming workloads which include dealing with complex mental health complaints, such as depression and anxiety related to chronic disease conditions. Practice nurses are a key component in primary health care with one nurse to every 2.3 GPs in 2007 (APNA 2008

Western Australians' Perceptions Of The Survivability Of Different Cancers: Implications For Public Education Campaigns, Robert J Donovan, Owen Bj Carter, Geoffrey Jalleh, Sandra C. Jones

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.