National Center for Medical Education Research and Policy at Jefferson

No abstract available

Emerging Opportunities in the Healthcare Environment: The UME21 Program

No abstract available

Development of an Instrument to Measure Lifelong Learning Among Physicians

No abstract available

An operational measure of physician lifelong learning: its development, components and preliminary psychometric data

Despite the emphasis placed on physicians’ lifelong learning, no psychometrically sound instrument has been developed to provide an operational measure of the concept and its components among physicians. The authors designed this study to develop a tool for measuring physician lifelong learning, to identify its underlying components and to assess its psychometric properties. A 37-item questionnaire was developed, based on a review of literature and the results of two pilot studies. Psychometric analyses of the responses of 160 physicians identified 19 items that were included in the Jefferson Scale of Physician Lifelong Learning. Factor analysis of the 19 items showed five meaningful factors that were consistent with the definition and major features of lifelong learning. They were ‘need recognition’, ‘research endeavor’, ‘self-initiation’, ‘technical skills’ and ‘personal motivation’. The method of contrasted groups provided evidence in support of the validity of the five factors. The factors’ reliability was assessed by coefficient alpha. It is concluded that lifelong learning is a multifaceted concept, and its operational measure is feasible for evaluating different educational programs and for studying group differences among physicians

Replacement for the 10 page paper? A pilot project using blogs and wikis for a collaborative EBM assignment in a 3rd year internal medical clerkship

Objective Pilot a group assignment using blogs and wikis to develop evidence-based medicine skills in third year medical students on an internal medicine clerkship. Instead of the clerkship’s previous individual ten-page paper assignment, the students were divided into four groups of sixteen. During the clerkship, students are on geographically dispersed rotations. The earlier ten-page paper had required the students to complete a patient history and physical write-up. With the pilot project, each group was assigned a librarian and a physician faculty mentor. Each student recorded on the blog a clinical scenario and question they encountered. They were encouraged to communicate with the librarian to construct a well formed clinical question. Each student group then came to consensus on which question to pursue and collaborated on a wiki including a list of citations to the best available evidence, a critique of the studies, and implications for the patient

Evaluation of the UME-21 initiative at 18 medical schools between 1999 and 2001

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the processes of curricular change and the initial outcomes of the Undergraduate Medical Education for the 21st Century (UME-21) project at 18 schools. METHODS: Site visits were conducted at eight partner schools in 1999 and 2001. Written proposals, progress reports, and final reports of 18 schools were reviewed. Senior medical students\u27 responses to questionnaires, including the annual Association of American Medical Colleges Graduation Questionnaire and a UME-21 supplemental graduation questionnaire, were analyzed. RESULTS: There was variation among the schools in the curriculum at baseline, in the structure of the UME-21 innovation that was introduced, and in the process of implementation. There was an increase in seniors\u27 ratings of instruction in the newer areas of evidencebased medicine, quality assurance, and cost-effectiveness in relation to national norms between 1999 and 2001. There was less impact on the more traditional content areas of ethics, patient communications, prevention, and leadership skills. CONCLUSIONS: The circumstances of the national evaluation introduced many methodological complexities, some of which could have been avoided if planning for evaluation had started earlier. However, the evaluation revealed that even modest funding directed toward specific curricular goals can produce measurable change and can have effects that extend beyond the initial scope of the project