The Haiti Medical Education Project: development and analysis of a competency based continuing medical education course in Haiti through distance learning

Abstract

BackgroundRecent calls for reform in healthcare training emphasize using competency-based curricula and information technology-empowered learning. Continuing Medical Education programs are essential in maintaining physician accreditation. Haitian physicians have expressed a lack access to these activities. The Haiti Medical Education Project works in alliance with Haitian medical leadership, faculty and students to support the Country’s medical education system. We present the creation, delivery and evaluation of a competency-based continuing medical education curriculum for physicians in rural Haiti.MethodsReal time lectures from local and international institutions were teleconferenced to physicians in remote Haitian sites using VidyoConferencing™ technology. With American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and College of Family Physicians Canada (CFPC) guidelines as references, a competency-derived syllabus was created for a Haitian continuing medical education program. The resulting educational goals were reviewed by a committee of Haitian and North American physician/medical education practitioners to reflect local needs. All authors reviewed lectures and then conferred to establish agreement on competencies presented for each lecture.ResultsSixty-seven lectures were delivered. Human immunodeficiency virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, ophthalmologic, infectious diseases, renal and endocrine competencies were well-represented, with more than 50 % of the joint AAFP and CFPC recommended competencies outlined. Areas under-represented included allergy and immunology, cardiology, surgery, pain management, gastroenterology, neurology, pulmonology, men’s health and rheumatology; these topics accounted for less than 25 % of AAFP/CFPC recommended competencies. Areas not covered included geriatrics, nutrition, occupational health and women’s health. Within practice-based lectures, only disaster medicine, health promotion and information management were included, but only partially covered.ConclusionsWe identified teaching goals covered and competencies that were missing from a CME program for rural Haitian physicians. We aim to use this analysis to provide a competency-based CME lecture series that proportionally meets local needs while following recommendations of recognized national family medicine organizations.

Innovations in Education—The Development of a New Pedagogical Technology of a Combinational Type, Focused on the Development of Personality of Students

“…Teleconferences with trainees at remote sites using VideoConferencing technology [37]; • An innovative model of Virtual Business Projects (VBP) based on teamwork [38]; • Remote online lessons based on technologies of synchronous and asynchronous remote communication [39]; • Model of intelligent learning "Monitoring the environmental parameters in a Smart City", which, among other things, provides the creation of remote laboratories for students and so forth [40]; • Creation of breakthrough technologies using virtual reality (VR) environment, games and educational programs, leading to a creative result [41,42].…”

Face-to-Face and Distance Education Modalities in the Training of Healthcare Professionals: A Quasi-Experimental Study

“…Finally, while the DE modality carries new learning opportunities, it is still a study field that lacks further investigation. In medical education, research has already indicated that the use of technologies and mixed learning methods, or syllabi with complementary activities online, enhance learning ( Boye et al, 2012 ; Heiman et al, 2012 ; Van Doorn and Van Doorn, 2014 ; Battat et al, 2016 ). Positive results using the online space for inter-professional education and collaborative cooperative learning were also observed by students ( Solomon et al, 2010 ; Shendell et al, 2016 ; Wang et al, 2016 ).…”

Web-Based Undergraduate Medical Education in a Virtual Learning Environment Using an Original Pedagogical Approach: an Observational Longitudinal Study

“…É necessário um método instrutivo robusto, com características pedagógicas positivas. Assim, propomos um método pedagogicamente estruturado para AVA, que inclui uma leitura inicial motivadora (Crônica Médica -CM) e um programa de construção de conhecimento, utilizando casos reais juntamente com recursos audiovisuais (Oficina Diagnóstica -OD Recently, there has been evidence of increased investment in Web-Based Medical Education (WBME) worldwide, following the globalization promoted by the Internet and the numerous teaching-learning opportunities available 3,4,5 . WBME is gaining increasing acceptance through activities and courses offered by Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs).…”