Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges
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Comment
Procedural Competence Among Faculty in Academic Health Centers: Challenges and Future Directions.
Increasingly, faculty are taking on more direct responsibilities in patient care because of reductions in resident work hours, increasing admissions, and an endless push for efficiency. Furthermore, the rise of different career tracks in academia (i.e., patient care, research, education, or administration) and a drive for efficiency and subspecialization have placed additional strains on academic health centers. Combined, these factors have led to faculty increasingly being placed in the position of supervising bedside procedures that they may have not performed in years or with tools they have never trained with at all. ⋯ The authors then suggest several strategies to delineate and resolve this problem. To delineate the problem, they suggest single-center surveys to address the current paucity of data. To resolve the problem, they suggest the consideration of some modest, low-cost interventions such as having backup systems in place for procedure supervision (e.g., procedural service teams or interventional radiologists) and providing faculty with opportunities to retrain.
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Contemporary theories of clinical reasoning espouse a dual processing model, which consists of a rapid, intuitive component (Type 1) and a slower, logical and analytical component (Type 2). Although the general consensus is that this dual processing model is a valid representation of clinical reasoning, the causes of diagnostic errors remain unclear. Cognitive theories about human memory propose that such errors may arise from both Type 1 and Type 2 reasoning. ⋯ In this article, the authors review the medical literature to answer two substantial questions that arise from this work: (1) To what extent do diagnostic errors originate in Type 1 (intuitive) processes versus in Type 2 (analytical) processes? (2) To what extent are errors a consequence of cognitive biases versus a consequence of knowledge deficits?The literature suggests that both Type 1 and Type 2 processes contribute to errors. Although it is possible to experimentally induce cognitive biases, particularly availability bias, the extent to which these biases actually contribute to diagnostic errors is not well established. Educational strategies directed at the recognition of biases are ineffective in reducing errors; conversely, strategies focused on the reorganization of knowledge to reduce errors have small but consistent benefits.
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Comparative Study
Creating a Cadre of Fellowship-Trained Medical Educators: A Qualitative Study of Faculty Development Program Leaders' Perspectives and Advice.
Well-trained educators fill essential roles across the medical education continuum. Some medical schools offer programs for existing faculty to enhance teaching and scholarship. No standard postgraduate training model exists for residency graduates to attain competency as faculty members before their first academic appointment. The objective of this study is to inform the development of postgraduate medical education fellowships by exploring perceptions of educational leaders who direct well-established faculty development programs. ⋯ Medical education fellowships cultivate leaders and communities of trained educators but require participants to balance faculty responsibilities with professional development. Advice of current directors can inform the development of postgraduate programs modeled after accredited clinical specialty fellowships. Programs with the support of strategic partners, financial stability, and well-defined goals may allow new faculty to begin their careers with existing competency in medical education skills.
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Medical education academies play an important role in the recognition and career advancement of educators. However, hospital-based clinical faculty have unique professional development needs that may not be met by medical-school-based academies. ⋯ A hospital-based academy provides opportunities for interprofessional faculty development. Next steps include increasing interprofessional membership, wider dissemination of members' successes, better integration with the hospital's mission, specifically regarding graduate medical education and patient safety, and additional evaluation of the academy's impact on project completion and members' accomplishments.
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To describe the prevalence and effects on applicants of being asked potentially illegal questions during the residency interview process by surveying all residency applicants to all specialties. ⋯ Two-thirds of applicants reported being asked potentially illegal questions. More women than men reported receiving questions about marital status or family planning. Potentially illegal questions negatively influence how applicants perceive and rank programs. A formal interview code of conduct or interviewer training could help to address these issues.