An Equal Opportunity University

Integrating Live and Online Activities: An innovative approach to Continuing Education

(CE)James C. Norton, PhD

Seth Anderson, BSMaggie Luoma, BS

An Equal Opportunity University

Overview

• About CECentral• Rationale• Family Medicine Review• Methods• Results• Discussion

An Equal Opportunity University

UKHC CECentral

• Administrative unit within UKHC• Accreditation for Pharmacy and Medicine• Live and Online content• 600 activities last year

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Rationale I

• Adult learning literature suggests limited retention of lecture content

• Regarding CE, traditional lecture format has limited role in helping physicians assimilate new information (Bloom, 2005)

• Literature suggests that active learning is more effective

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Rationale II

• Live events should be interactive• Interaction is easier if basic knowledge is

already shared• Online prerequisites for live events allow that• Natural fit for CECentral

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Family Medicine Review

• Family Medicine Review: a traditional live event lasting a week

• Lecture format• Innovation: Provide online prerequisites for

case based, small group evening seminars• Eight sessions to date, discussing the first four

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Methods I

• 2011 session of FMR: three existing online activities identified as prerequisites– Nephrology– Over the counter drugs– ADHD/ADD

• FMR registrants recruited

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Methods II

• Participants limited to 12 per session• Sessions in evening • Faculty facilitated case discussions• Participants encouraged to bring cases• Faculty had cases as back-up

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Results I

• Significant difference between mean evaluation scores of OTC course when compared to the two other topics, Nephro and ADD.

• Significant difference between the mean first attempt scores between two topics, Nephrology and OTC.

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Results II

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Results III

• 4+ ratings on 5 point scale• “Outstanding forum/discussion which clarified

many nephrology issues for me in treating my renal patients … Keep this session available to others.”

• “The webinars were good, but what really, “made,” this course was Dr. Sawaya, who made sure we understood the material.”

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Discussion I

• Long day for participants• Difficult to assure prerequisites completed• Participants rarely brought cases

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Discussion II

• FMR: making seminars a regular element• Considering alternative time• Plan to expand format to other live meetings

An Equal Opportunity University