Kathy Biernat

Outcomes Results From the Evaluation of the APA/HRSA Faculty Scholars Program

BACKGROUND The goal of the Ambulatory Pediatric Association/Health Resources and Services Administration National Faculty Development Scholars Program was to improve primary care education in the pediatric setting. The program evaluation focused on four stake-holder objectives: 1) increase the educational skills of community and generalist faculty; 2) create pediatric leadership focused on changing the culture within the medical community to support primary care education; 3) develop an infrastructure that supports sustained faculty development efforts at the local, regional, and national level; and 4) include content areas consistent with Health Resources and Services Administration contract requirements. METHODS A multimethod evaluation plan, focused on the 107 completing scholars, was implemented utilizing six evaluation instruments. RESULTS Key outcomes from both quantitative and qualitative outcome measures reveal that all evaluation objectives were achieved. Scholars presented 438 local workshops and 161 regional/national workshops focused on pediatric education with a combined attendance of 7939 participants. More than half of the scholars have now assumed a leadership position in education associated with program participation. Ninety-three percent of the scholars reported organizational/infrastructure changes associated with their program participation ranging from increased numbers of community teaching sites to specific resource allocations to support of faculty development. CONCLUSIONS The outcomes of this evaluation reveal that the faculty development program achieved its objectives, with participants leading workshops, impacting faculty development infrastructure, advancing their own careers, and being strategically positioned in leadership roles with the skills to improve primary care education in the ambulatory setting.

Problem‐based learning in a third‐year pediatric clerkship

A randomized treatment‐control study of third‐year clerks during their pediatrics rotation was performed to assess whether a problem‐based learning (PBL) curriculum assures adequate exposure to pediatric concepts while enhancing the quality of students’ experience. Forty‐five out of 202 medical students were randomly selected to participate in the PBL track. These students attended PBL rounds covering predesigned cases, whereas the control group attended traditional rounds. Curricular content, exam performance, and student satisfaction were evaluated. Correlation of learning issues and essential course objectives was greater than 90%. There was no difference between groups on standardized exam performance. PBL students were more satisfied with the amount of observation by attendings and with evaluations by residents and attendings. We conclude that the PBL curriculum was successfully introduced, curricular content controlled, whereas test performance was preserved and satisfaction with evaluation increased.

THE WISCONSIN APPROACH TO FACULTY DEVELOPMENT IN GERIATRIC DENTISTRY

Demographic and dental trends in late 20th century America have resulted in a great demand for expertise in geriatric dentistry. In schools of dentistry, this expertise has translated into increased focus on the needs and management of the older dental patient. The goal of the dental component of the Medical College of Wisconsin Faculty Training Project in Geriatrics for Physicians and Dentists was to recruit dentists committed to the health issues of the elderly and help them to acquire the clinical, research, education, and administrative skills and knowledge necessary for careers in academic dentistry. Each trainee received advanced training in dentistry; was under the mentorship of a fellowship‐trained dentist and geriatrics‐boarded physician; and shared numerous training experiences with a physician geriatric fellow, to the enrichment of trainees of both disciplines. Clinical experiences involved lecture and seminar‐based didactics and treatment of a variety of populations in several care settings. R...