Introduction and BackgroundThe UK higher education sector produces graduates with a high level of knowledge in both theoretical and practical chemistry. In contrast, communication skills development has traditionally been less well advanced in the chemistry curriculum. However, it has been argued for some time and there is a growing acceptance that there is a need for structured guidance on communications (1). Educational researchers and teachers of chemistry alike have argued that knowledge of chemistry in itself is not enough; it is now well established in the literature on chemistry education that skills relevant to chemistry should be developed in the undergraduate degree. In fact, there is evidence that developing these skills can enhance the cognitive development and performance of chemists (2). Additionally, it is our experience that students have begun to realize the value of developing what have been called "transferable skills". Employers have also begun explicitly to value communication skills. All of this evidence provides a foundation for the wide range of communication skills courses that have evolved in the past decade to meet this perceived need (3). For educators in chemistry the question is how best to develop effective communication skills training.The descriptive papers in the literature offer a variety of purposes, modes of delivery, and assessment or non-assessment. The research papers show that claims for the effects of these courses can be supported by evidence of skills development and improved learning of chemistry. There has also been recognition by chemistry educators of the need to integrate communication skills in the curriculum, even at the expense of other subjects (it should be noted that, in most cases, the UK undergraduate chemistry curriculum is fixed, with only a few elective classes) (1).At Strathclyde the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry collaborated with the university's Centre for Academic Practice (center for staff and educational development) to develop a communications skills course which, by drawing on different strands of research and practice, would be both educationally sound and relevant to chemists and would have a firm theoretical basis. Advice was also taken from industrial contacts. The result is a range of communications skills activities that run over three years of the four-year undergraduate degree. The Strathclyde course is an integrated course, not only in the sense that all its components are interrelated, but also in the sense that the communications activities are related to other course work. This paper outlines each of the three units, providing the practical guidelines and, more briefly, the theoretical underpinning that chemistry lecturers can use in their teaching.
CASES, an audit and continuing education programme, evaluated aspects of current orthodontic practice and allowed orthodontists to identify areas where their practice differed from regional and national results. Evaluation of the CASES programme verified its value in audit and continuing education and the authors hope it will encourage similar projects in other disciplines too.
A regional approach to a national clinical audit programme in orthodontics in the UK is described and evaluated. The programme was designed using the CRISIS criteria for effective continuing education. Programme participants completed duplicate questionnaires on 6 simulated patient scenarios, chosen for their relevance to everyday practice while posing important clinical dilemmas. The participation rate was 77% from hospital-based practitioners and 29% from specialist practitioners. Feedback to programme participants was given in the form of histograms, and provided a snapshot of national approaches to patient investigation, treatment and expected outcomes. A commentary on the data and references to appropriate articles in the literature were included. Evaluation of the programme by questionnaire survey showed that it was extensively used by hospital-based practitioners. It is concluded that the model used provided an effective and efficient framework for conducting clinical audit and delivering continuing education to the hospital-based group.
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