Problems No One Looked For: Philosophical Expeditions into Medical Education

Issue: Medical education has “muddy zones of practice,” areas of complexity and uncertainty that frustrate the achievement of our intended educational outcomes. Slowing down to consider context and reflect on practice are now seen as essential to medical education as we are called upon to examine carefully what we are doing to care for learners and improve their performance, professionalism, and well-being. Philosophy can be seen as the fundamental approach to pausing at times of complexity and uncertainty to ask basic questions about seemingly obvious practices so that we can see (and do) things in new ways. Evidence: Philosophy and medical education have long been related; many of our basic concepts can be traced to philosophical ideas. Philosophy is a problem-creation approach, and its method is analysis; it is a constant process of shifting frames and turning into objects of analysis the lenses through which we see the world. However, philosophy is not about constant questioning for the sake of questioning. Progression in medical education practice involves recognizing when to switch from a philosophical to a practical perspective, and when to switch back. Implications: In medical education, a philosophical approach empowers us to “slow down when we should,” thereby engaging us more directly with our subjects of study, revealing our assumptions, and helping us address vexing problems from a new angle. Doing philosophy involves thinking like a beginner, getting back to basics, and disrupting frames of reference. Being philosophical is about wonder and intense, childlike curiosity, human qualities we all share. Taking a philosophical approach to medical education need not be an unguided endeavor, but can be a dialog through which medical educators and philosophers learn together

Use of a Simulator to Objectively Distinguish Behaviors Between Low-Risk and High-Risk Drivers

The objective of this study was to validate behavioral differences between two groups of drivers through the use of a driving simulator. Controlled experiments in a driving simulator were used to gather objective and subjective evidence on how drivers reacted to roadway objects and handled various hazardous situations. Low-risk, more experienced drivers were more aware of the mental demands of having to remember and later recall a list of items when compared to high-risk, less experienced drivers. Outcomes of the study may potentially serve as the foundation for a training program that will aim to transfer risk assessment strategies from low-risk drivers to high-risk drivers

“Yes, and …” Exploring the Future of Learning Analytics in Medical Education

This Conversations Starter article presents a selected research abstract from the 2017 Association of American Medical Colleges Northeastern Region Group on Educational Affairs annual spring meeting. The abstract is paired with the integrative commentary of three experts who shared their thoughts stimulated by the study. Commentators brainstormed “what\u27s next” with learning analytics in medical education, including advancements in interaction metrics and the use of interactivity analysis to deepen understanding of perceptual, cognitive, and social learning and transfer processes

Unitary or differentiated ability constructs for describing performance? : investigating individual differences and task characteristics

Ph.D.Phillip L. Ackerso

A Systematic Approach to Provide Feedback to Presenters at Virtual and Face-to-Face Professional Meetings

Introduction To promote their personal and professional growth, medical educators need practical, actionable feedback on their scholarship, as well as guidance for documenting their scholarship in educator portfolios. We offer a framework and resources to provide formative and summative feedback to faculty, administrators, and/or learners delivering an oral presentation at a face-to-face or virtual health professions education meeting. Methods In 2014, the leadership of the Central Group on Educational Affairs (CGEA) meeting planning committee developed and piloted a process to provide individuals with formative and summative feedback on their oral CGEA research presentations at face-to-face meetings and create a transparent process for determining the Best Presentation Award. The feedback process was implemented for 7 years until revised in 2021 for the CGEA's first virtual meeting. Past and present meeting organizers conducted four focus groups in 2021 with presenters and peer reviewers via Zoom. Transcripts were analyzed for major themes using conventional content analysis. Results To date, 102 presentation assessments have been conducted, including formative and summative assessments. Sixty-two volunteer assessors have participated, 19 (31%) of whom served for more than 2 years. Focus groups identified best practices and suggestions to improve the feedback process. Discussion This resource offers a feasible, systematic process to provide individuals with formative feedback on presentations at professional conferences, promote a community of practice for personal and professional development, and create a transparent process for determining a Best Presentation Award. Participants valued providing and receiving feedback and recommended implementation at other professional meetings