Sullivan PB, Buckle A, Nicky G,
Atkinson SH. Peer observation of teaching as a faculty development tool. BMC Medical Education 2012, 12:26 doi:10.1186/1472-6920-12-26
Abstract
Background: Peer observation of
Teaching involves observers providing descriptive feedback to their peers on
learning and teaching practice as a means to improve quality of teaching. This
study employed and assessed peer observation as a constructive, developmental process
for members of a Pediatric Teaching Faculty.
Methods: This study describes how peer observation was
implemented as part of a teaching faculty development program and how it was
perceived by teachers. The PoT process was divided into 4 stages: pre-observation
meeting, observation, post-observation feedback and reflection. Particular care
was taken to ensure that teachers understood that the observation and feedback
was a developmental and not an evaluative process. Twenty teachers had their
teaching peer observed by trained Faculty members and gave an e-mail
'sound-bite' of their perceptions of the process. Teaching activities included
lectures, problem-based learning, small group teaching, case-based teaching and
ward-based teaching sessions.
Results: Teachers were given
detailed verbal and written feedback based on the observer's and students'
observations. Teachers' perceptions were that PoT was useful and relevant to
their teaching practice. Teachers valued receiving feedback and viewed PoT as
an opportunity for insight and reflection. The process of PoT was viewed as
non-threatening and teachers thought that PoT enhanced the quality of their
teaching, promoted professional development and was critical for Faculty
development.
Conclusions: This study demonstrated
that PoT can be used in a constructive way to improve course content and
delivery, to support and encourage medical teachers, and to reinforce good
teaching.
Guedert JM, Grosseman S. Ethical
problems in pediatrics: what does the setting of care and education show us? BMC Medical Ethics 2012, 13:2 doi:10.1186/1472-6939-13-2
Abstract
Background: Pediatrics ethics
education should enhance medical students' skills to deal with ethical problems
that may arise in the different settings of care. This study aimed to analyze
the ethical problems experienced by physicians who have medical education and pediatric
care responsibilities, and if those problems are associated to their workplace,
medical specialty and area of clinical practice.
Methods: A self-applied
semi-structured questionnaire was answered by 88 physicians with teaching and
pediatric care responsibilities. Content analysis was performed to analyze the
qualitative data. Poisson regression was used to explore the association of the
categories of ethical problems reported with workplace and professional
specialty and activity.
Results: 210 ethical problems were
reported, grouped into five areas: physician-patient relationship, end-of-life
care, health professional conducts, socioeconomic issues and health policies,
and pediatric teaching. Doctors who worked in hospitals as well as general and
subspecialist pediatricians reported fewer ethical problems related to
socioeconomic issues and health policies than those who worked in Basic Health
Units and who were family doctors.
Conclusions: Some ethical problems are
specific to certain settings: those related to end-of-life care are more
frequent in the hospital settings and those associated with socioeconomic
issues and public health policies are more frequent in Basic Health Units.
Other problems are present in all the setting of pediatric care and learning
and include ethical problems related to physician-patient relationship, health
professional conducts and the pediatric education process. These findings
should be taken into consideration when planning the teaching of ethics in
pediatrics.
Taylor JAM, Bussières A. Diagnostic imaging
for spinal disorders in the elderly: a narrative review. Chiropractic & Manual Therapies
2012, 20:16 doi:10.1186/2045-709X-20-16
The high
prevalence of neck and low back pain in the rapidly aging population is
associated with significant increases in health care expenditure. While spinal
imaging can be useful to identify less common causes of neck and back pain,
overuse and misuse of imaging services has been widely reported. This narrative
review aims to provide primary care providers with an overview of available
imaging studies with associated potential benefits, adverse effects, and costs
for the evaluation of neck and back pain disorders in the elderly population.
While the prevalence of arthritis and degenerative disk disease increase with
age, fracture, infection, and tumor remain uncommon. Prevalence of other
conditions such as spinal stenosis and abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) also
increase with age and demand special considerations. Radiography of the lumbar
spine is not recommended for the management of non-specific low back pain in
adults under the age of 65. Aside from conventional radiography for suspected
fracture or arthritis, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) offer better characterization of most musculoskeletal diseases. If
available, MRI is usually preferred over CT because it involves less radiation
exposure and has better soft-tissue visualization. Use of subspecialty
radiologists to interpret advanced imaging is recommended.
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