surgical education research: tips, skills and opportunities
DESCRIPTION
In this interactive workshop we aim to familiarise participants with ways in which surgical educational research is carried out, especially highlighting how it differs from more familiar biomedical approaches. In doing so we will: - Provide exemplars of educational research carried out by surgeon educators - Discuss challenges and identify opportunities for developing oneself as a researcher in surgical education.TRANSCRIPT
Educational ResearchTips, skills, opportunities
April 30, 2014
Rola Ajjawi, University of DundeeKirsten Dalrymple, Imperial College London
What brings you here this morning?
What we hope to address
• Compare & contrast different ways of doing research, raising awareness of issues particular to educational research
• Consider skills needed and challenges of doing educational research
• Highlight examples of educational research done by surgeons
• Consider opportunities for developing yourself as an educational researcher
Biomedical & Educational Research
• What are the main features of biomedical research?
• And of educational research?
• Similarities?
• Differences?
Case studies…
• Please read the case study and discuss with those at your table…
– What you think about the: • Research questions?• Methods used? • Explanation?• Relevance to own context?• Impact on policy, practice and education
• We’ll share points after…
Evaluation of the construct validity of the objectivestructured assessment of technical skills (OSATS) tool for subcuticular suturing tasks- Mark Schaverien (2010)
Example projects
How does the intersection of gendered identities within narratives of learning experiences influence healthcare students’ retention and success within healthcare and/or its speciality? Arun Verma (PhD current)
Developing Self-Regulated Learning in Surgical Training: Learning from Expert Musicians- Hannah Winter (2011)
An exploration of reasons for dissatisfaction amongst newly qualified doctors in surgical
training posts; a phenomenological study- Stephen Boyce (2012)
Deeper than tips and tricks: An evaluation of a surgical Training the Trainers course- Tamzin Cuming (2012)
Surgical Trainees’ Experiences of Reflection on Practice. Kathryn Thomas
(MMedEd 2014)
Development of a Tool to Measure the Educational Environment in Surgical Outpatient Clinics. James Alexander Milburn (MMedEd 2012)
Educational research…
• ‘Real world’- ideological/political/value-laden?
• Influence between researcher and research subject?
• Difficulty in generalising/replicating?
• Often addresses the ‘why’ it works (versus ‘does it work’?)
• Methodological rigour comes from additional angles
• Requires (almost) a different language
(Wellington, 2000)
“The educational and health care advantages of mastery learning are unequivocal. However, educational inertia grounded in Osler’s natural method of teaching, now known as the ‘apprenticeship model’ of clinical education, is a key reason why mastery learning is not yet prominent in medical education.” (McGaghie, 2014)
“the most critical act in producing high-quality research is to ask a good question” (Shea et al. 2004, p.932)
Good questions must be generalisable, original, of importance• Imperative of proof vs imperative of understanding
(Regehr 2010)
The altruistic purpose of research in medical education is to deepen the knowledge and understanding of learning and education by studying phenomena, relations and how and why and what works for whom (Ringsted et al 2011, p.696)
Social Sciences
Art & Craft
Science
Becoming a researcher in surgical education
EducationSurgery
Developing new ways of thinking and doing things…
(Riley 2013)
What are the challenges for surgeons/trainees in doing educational research?
http://nicomachus.net/2011/02/sisyphus-gets-a-desk-job/
What are the opportunities?
• Filling a 'new' niche • Joining new communities • Influencing the education of
(future) surgeons• Greater satisfaction in own
teaching• Contributing new knowledge to
the field• Creative endeavour
Tips for developing yourself as an educational researcher…
• Read medical, surgical and general education literature
• Tap into existing communities e.g. ASME, AMEE, FST, ASPiH
• & existing resources e.g. KeyLIME podcasts, meded podcasts
• Go to meetings (like this one!)
• Get training, particularly in education research methods
• Apprentice with someone who has been successful doing educational research
• Apply for educational research grant e.g. FST
• Think carefully about the make up of the research team – interdisciplinarity is very valuable
• Twitter #meded and #ukmeded
CUT! The Practice of
Surgery by David Alderson
Photo
by M
att
Harr
ison
Contacts
Rola [email protected]@r_ajjawi
Kirsten [email protected]
Link to resources for this workshop: http://blogs.cmdn.dundee.ac.uk/meded-research/2014/04/surgical-education-research/
References
• Regehr, G. (2010). It’s NOT rocket science: rethinking our metaphors for research in health professions education. Medical Education, 44(1), 31-39.
• Ringsted, C., Hodges, B., & Scherpbier, A. (2011). ‘The research compass’: An introduction to research in medical education: AMEE Guide No. 56. Medical Teacher, 33(9), 695-709
• Shea JA, Arnold L, Mann KV. A RIME perspective on the quality and relevance of current and future medical education research. Academic Medicine 2004;79(10):931-938
• Wellington, J. (2000). Educational Research: Contemporary Issues and Practical Approaches. Bloomsbury Publishing, pg. 180