The Education versus Training and the Skills versus Competency debate

The essence of modern medical education lies in the ability of defining and developing its terminology, which all too often is used in a less than thoughtful and inappropriate manner. Educationalists place emphasis upon the concept of learning rather than teaching; learning which is specifically student centred and student directed learning rather than teacher centred didactic teaching. However within this change environment we still prefer to use the word training, as in vocational training, to describe a specific programme and aspire to levels of competency that hopefully match the learning outcomes of the programme. This article opens the debate on whether the satisfactory completion of a learning programme is sufficient ( cf completion of vocational training) or whether we should be assessing the learner through levels of defined competency relevant to their professional career.SA Fam Pract 2004;46(10): 5-

Feedback: The educational process of giving and receiving

The report of the Standing Committee on Postgraduate Medical Education in the United Kingdom stated in 1995 1 that “all those involved in teaching can contribute by creating a positive educational environment, helping learners to achieve their goals by providing support and constructive feedback… They need to understand more about the need for, and the ways of achieving feedback, appraisal, openness and trust.” Over a number of years, many surveys have shown that a lack of feedback is the most common complaint students, interns and registrars make about their teaching and training. In many ways it is the most serious, for feedback is essential to progression in learning. The purpose of this article is to describe the concept of feedback, its triangulation with effective teaching and learning and to demonstrate its potential in maximising any teaching activity that is encountered within practice. It will also explore how, because of its close proximity to appraisal, feedback may provide personal drive and motivation

The education versus training and the skills versus competency debate

The essence of modern medical education lies in the ability of defining and developing its terminology, which all too often is used in a less than thoughtful and inappropriate manner. Educationalists place emphasis upon the concept of learning rather than teaching; learning which is specifically student centred and student directed learning rather than teacher centred didactic teaching. However within this change environment we still prefer to use the word training, as in vocational training, to describe a specific programme and aspire to levels of competency that hopefully match the learning outcomes of the programme. This article opens the debate on whether the satisfactory completion of a learning programme is sufficient (cf completion of vocational training) or whether we should be assessing the learner through levels of defined competency relevant to their professional career

Continuing professional development

It would be unlikely that many of today\'s practicing family doctors have not been involved in Continuing Medical Education (CME) activities. It would be equally unlikely, however, that these activities were part of any contextually structured educational plan towards professional development. Often driven by external need towards a reaccredidation procedure, CME can be seen as a burden upon the average practitioners working day, or more usually evening. The concept of Continuing Professional Development takes the practitioner away from these short-term goals and moves them into a planned educational environment. Using the principles of adult education, this article supports the concept of Continuing Professional Development and demonstrates the value to the practitioner of an educational activity that is both relevant and purposeful towards daily practice, hopefully equally beneficial to the practitioner and patient alike. This article considers some of the theory that underlies the change from Continuing Medical Education (CME) to Continuing Professional Development (CPD), the evidence for its effectiveness, and the ways in which CPD interacts with the processes of appraisal and assessment of medical practitioners.South African Family Practice Vol. 47(3) 2005: 5-

Encouraging reflective practice

As busy practitioners it becomes commonplace to look back over the day\'s professional activities. All too often, and despite a preponderance of positive interactions, the reflective eye reviews the negative aspects of daily activity and interrupts the intended social relaxation. Hence reflection in medical care is often seen as a negative act, without purpose and rarely connected to any true educational outcome. In this article, the authors\' present a positive picture of reflective practice and open the discussion of how it can become standard professional practice, leading to high quality care and encourage future learning. South African Family Practice Vol. 47(7) 2005: 5-

Mentoring in medical practice

Previous articles in this series have defined words and concepts that guide our thinking in the areas of teaching and learning, set in the greater world of education; but what happens in the quiet and often lonely world of individual practice? As we reflect upon our pasts, many of us recognise that we have at some point in time engaged with a significant figure who has had a long term and positive influence on our personal development; someone who has the unusual and valuable qualities that mean that whatever else is happening to them personally, they maintain a genuine interest in at least one other person's development. All too frequently, this becomes an isolated event; a lost activity from which there is limited gain. This article explores how, as busy practitioners, we may think of using the principles implied in this experience and build upon them to facilitate a powerful and cost effective method that encourages personal development

Effective teaching through active learning

There can be very few practitioners whose daily working life is not involved someway in teaching or learning. Used in its broadest sense, we engage teaching everyday in our advice to patients, and conversely we learn from each of our patients. As we move inexorably towards compulsory reaccredidation for all practitioners, purposeful and effective continuing professional development takes over from the previously passive continuing medical education model. As Universities and Medical Schools recognise where most healthcare occurs and see the benefits of community-based education, increasing numbers of undergraduate and postgraduate students pass daily through our surgery doors. No doubt, the majority of busy practitioners see these activities as an increased workload rather than an opportunity, a stress factor rather than a possibility to develop in their personal lives. In this article, we wish to suggest how some of our daily practice activities can be seen as opportunities to teach and learn; how by using the principles of being an effective teacher, we can create learning situations for all. "Learning and teaching should not stand on opposite banks and just watch the river flow by; instead, they should embark together on a journey down the water. Through an active, reciprocal exchange, teaching can strengthen learning how to learn". Loris Malaguzz

The importance of life long learning

The concepts of evidence-based practice and clinical governance are slowly becoming commonplace in practitioners' everyday terminology. The concepts of accreditation, re-accreditation and external appraisal and validation loom in the not too distant future. However, are these terms so frighteningly divorced from the reality of standard family practice? Are practitioners life long learners by default, driven by an ability to maintain general health care? Or is life long learning something that practitioners must develop post graduation? In an attempt to answer these questions, this paper briefly discusses the historical development of life long learning and poses questions as to its applicability into daily practice