Professional Differences in Interprofessional Working. Baxter SK, Brumfitt SM. J Interprof Care. 2008; 22(3): 239-251.
Available online from the Baystate Health Sciences Library or from PubMed at your institution.
Quick game.. What do you think of when I say "Culture"?!
Now, close your eyes and visualize it.
If I close my eyes, I will have to stop reading your blog.
Don't do that. Just close your eyes, make note of what image pops into your head, and then continue reading.
If you are one of our friends from microbiology, you may have imagined a Petri dish. Otherwise, you may have visualized a group of people. Were those people in scrubs?
Baxter and Brumfitt, in this article, note that "culture" can refer to physicians and nurses and PCTs and OTs and PTs and PAs, etc..
Crediting the word "tribalism" to Beattie (1995), Baxter and Brumfitt write "Professional differences [between health care professions] have been described as "tribalism," developed as a result of professions evolving separately, with deeply rooted boundaries between them."
So, all of us in healthcare developed - through our educational experiences and our association with our own professional groups - a professional identity.
But, if we want to work as effective teams for our patients, we have to include in that professional identity, a secure understanding of what we bring to the team and an appreciation for the skills brought by our colleagues.
This article takes us through a multiple-case study, exploring "the nature of joint working practice" among health care providers. In other words, they looked at how different professions were able to work together.
And?
And, they found a lot to suggest that some of us closely see our "team" as being a multi-professional group that cares for a patient and others who see their "team" as the colleagues in their same profession.
Ultimately, it's complex. Way too complex for a blog post.
Well, you tried.
But not too complex that we shouldn't all read this article to get a sense of how to better create effective interprofessional care teams. We need to start defining our "team" the same way that our patients do - as an interprofessional group of providers, each responsible for a different and essential element of their care.
Bottom Line:
Interprofessional practice requires the acknowledgement of our skills in concert with the skills of other practitioners. Read this article and reflect on how you can contribute to your TEAM.
Adult learning theories: Implications for learning and teaching in medical education: AMEE Guide No. 83. Taylor DCM, Hamdy H. Med Teach. 2013; 35:e1561-e1572.
Available online from the Baystate Health Sciences Library or from PubMed at your institution.
For all the work you, as clinical teachers, do for your patients, your students, and your colleagues, it's nice to know that there are awesome resources just for you, isn't it? What? No. I'm not talking about this blog. This blog is for me. See, I'm talking about something much more serious - the AMEE Guides.
Who's AMEE? All you need to know about AMEE (Association for Medical Education in Europe) is that they are an international group of powerhouse brains in medical education that hold their annual conference in places like Vienna, Austria; Prague, Czech Republic; and Milan, Italy. Their membership represents some 90 countries and many of the top dogs of medical education research.
Not impressed yet? Fine, well how about some of the workshops that were offered at their most recent gathering:
Through the eyes of experts: What do "rich pictures" add to the understanding of surgical judgment?
The elephant in the room: Benchmarking the assessment of clinical competence
Influence of music on the teaching, learning processes in medical students
And my personal favorite:
Where is the line between sloppy and scientifically irresponsible? A discussion to promote excellence in medical education research
AMEE is no joke. And, for those of us who can't quite make it to Milan, Italy, to learn about effective feedback and music and elephants, at least we can benefit from the work of this powerhouse organization while on break, right in the comfort of our very own Danskos: we can read the AMEE Guides.
AMEE Guides provide "information, practical guidance, and support." They are written for teachers and staff, and while AMEE is a group focused on medical education, their principles extend well into all health professions. Think of them like maps specifically designed for all of us teachers.
And the best part? There's all kinds. Top rate information, packed into a delicious, short paper, and available online. And in this format, AMEE teaches us about scholarship, teaching, feedback, research, learning theories, etc. Hungry for more? Chances are, there's a map for that, too.
Bottom Line:
Health professions education can be an overwhelming gig. Good to know that AMEE's got your back. Use the AMEE Guides like maps towards best practice. And advance your role as a teacher toward success.
Looking back to the future: A message for a new generation of medical educators. Harden RM. Med Educ. 2011; 45:777-784.
Available online from the Baystate Health Sciences Library or from PubMed at your institution.
Ah, July... A new crop of students or residents for many of us educators and, even if your academic year is different, July is a fantastic time to make professional resolutions. You might remember I tried to encroach on your resolutions last year, and I enjoyed invading your personal goal-setting so much, that I decided to make it an annual event.
SO, that brings me to Ronald Harden. Harden brings us "back to the future" in this article by reflecting on his career in medical education in order to offer his list of Lessons Learned.
I know it's tempting, but try NOT to jump straight to the Lessons Learned. "But, Rebecca!" you'll say, "It's a list with short paragraphs and bolded headings!" I know, I know. But trust me when I pull out my inner qualitative researcher to tell you that "context matters." Read where he has been to recognize the value in his words.
And the value is great. Harden was an endocrinologist in Glasgow when he started as junior doctor. His passion for medical education grew and his perception of the influence of his colleagues, students, and his environment are palpable. His reflection is part medical education history, part UK medical education yearbook, and part graduation speech, balancing a determination to improve education with the good fortune to be in a position to do it.
But let's be honest. The Lessons Learned in this article are what you're going to read on the elevator.
And here's where your resolutions will evolve. Take heed that you, as a clinical educator, regardless of your profession, can be just a bit more awesome than you already are by reflecting on what Harden's lessons mean for you. Innovation. Nudges. Practicality. Collaborators. Funding. Publishing. Fun. These are not a menu of choices for educators: they are priorities for success. Make a resolution for each of these. For example.
Lesson 3: Nudges are important. What small, powerful innovation can you promote in your area?
Lesson 6: There is always something to learn outside of your practice. Too true. Go to a lecture or talk that is NOT given by your profession or your department. Crash someone else's grand rounds.
Lesson 10: Have fun! Well, I do not condone this one, BUT if you must enjoy what you do, take your work, not yourself, very seriously.
Ron Harden has a successful, international career based on advancing medical education. He's been senior editor of journals, keynote speaker at international conferences, and has held several leadership roles professionally. But Ron Harden started one July, many years ago, as a junior clinician. Like you.
So Happy New Year! Read this article and make some resolutions for your own career. Then write about your path, and I'll link to it. Promise.
Bottom Line:
It's the New Year for someone right now, which means resolutions are ripe for the making. Grab a glass of champagne, your educational enthusiasm, and this article by Ron Harden. Then set some resolutions to make yourself a better teacher, a better scholar, a better clinician. Your students and your patients will benefit.
