Guidance for Improving the Effectiveness and Quality of Continuing Education Activities

With the dramatic explosion of the sheer volume biomedical information and technology coupled with the rapid acceleration of changes in the delivery and policies of healthcare delivery, improvement in the effectiveness and quality of instruction is urgent.  It is essential that faculties consider carefully how their performance maybe improved in their roles as instructors and subject matter experts. 

This illustration summarizes the major goals to consider in faculty performance improvement:

1. Traditionally the focus of instruction has been the transfer of knowledge and information.  The direction of educational development is to strive towards clinical application towards an impact of changes in practice behaviors.  The concern of continuing education needs to be presentation of activities designed to close the gaps in practice behaviors to standards of “best practices.”  A question for faculty to reflect upon from a position of a specialty leader is, “What are the apparent gaps in practice behaviors there need to be addressed?”

2. Again the traditional role of the participant in continuing education has been passive, --sitting, and hopefully listening.  Frequently passively listening and unengaged to a lecture that is rendered like a paper presentation at a scientific session.  The direction of needed development is towards a more active role bi-directional communication for the learner, engaging the learner in the process of instruction linking the content of instruction to the learners’ clinical practice experience and problems.

3. Traditionally much of the energy and investment of continuing education has been on the instructor and not on the learner.  The direction of development is away from the “sage on the stage” and towards the wise expert at the side of the learner assisting in solving the problems of concern to the learner.  Marketing and promotional practices has promoted the concept of the “Key Opinion Leader” (KOL).  The KOI is vital to marketing of products and services.  The separation of promotion and education, however, allows for distinguishing the vital difference between the role of KOL and subject matter expert in the learning enterprise. Marketing focus on and cater to the stature of the KOL to influence the clinicians’ choice for products and services.  Effective faculties understand the focus of continuing education needs to on the learner.

In summary, effective continuing education activities place the learner at the center, seek methods of engaging the learner in an active role in the activity, and aim beyond the simply transfer of facts to applications to practice and new practice behaviors and skills.

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