Leah Bloomfield
University of New South Wales
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BMC Medical Education | 2012
Ova Emilia; Leah Bloomfield; Arie Rotem
BackgroundMany studies have explored approaches to learning in medical school, mostly in the classroom setting. In the clinical setting, students face different conditions that may affect their learning. Understanding students’ approaches to learning is important to improve learning in the clinical setting. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Study Process Questionnaire (SPQ) as an instrument for measuring clinical learning in medical education and also to show whether learning approaches vary between rotations.MethodsAll students involved in this survey were undergraduates in their clinical phase. The SPQ was adapted to the clinical setting and was distributed in the last week of the clerkship rotation. A longitudinal study was also conducted to explore changes in learning approaches.ResultsTwo hundred and nine students participated in this study (response rate 82.0%). The SPQ findings supported a two-factor solution involving deep and surface approaches. These two factors accounted for 45.1% and 22.5%, respectively, of the variance. The relationships between the two scales and their subscales showed the internal consistency and factorial validity of the SPQ to be comparable with previous studies. The clinical students in this study had higher scores for deep learning. The small longitudinal study showed small changes of approaches to learning with different rotation placement but not statistically significant.ConclusionsThe SPQ was found to be a valid instrument for measuring approaches to learning among clinical students. More students used a deep approach than a surface approach. Changes of approach not clearly occurred with different clinical rotations.
BMC Health Services Research | 2013
Anna Williams; Leah Bloomfield; Eloise Milthorpe; Diana Aspinall; Karen Filocamo; Therese Wellsmore; Nicholas Manolios; Upali W. Jayasinghe; Mark Harris
BackgroundThis paper presents the evaluation of “Moving On”, a generic self-management program for people with a chronic illness developed by Arthritis NSW. The program aims to help participants identify their need for behaviour change and acquire the knowledge and skills to implement changes that promote their health and quality of life.MethodA prospective pragmatic randomised controlled trial involving two group programs in community settings: the intervention program (Moving On) and a control program (light physical activity). Participants were recruited by primary health care providers across the north-west region of metropolitan Sydney, Australia between June 2009 and October 2010. Patient outcomes were self-reported via pre- and post-program surveys completed at the time of enrolment and sixteen weeks after program commencement. Primary outcomes were change in self-efficacy (Self-efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease 6-Item Scale), self-management knowledge and behaviour and perceived health status (Self-Rated Health Scale and the Health Distress Scale).ResultsA total of 388 patient referrals were received, of whom 250 (64.4%) enrolled in the study. Three patients withdrew prior to allocation. 25 block randomisations were performed by a statistician external to the research team: 123 patients were allocated to the intervention program and 124 were allocated to the control program.97 (78.9%) of the intervention participants commenced their program. The overall attrition rate of 40.5% included withdrawals from the study and both programs. 24.4% of participants withdrew from the intervention program but not the study and 22.6% withdrew from the control program but not the study. A total of 62 patients completed the intervention program and follow-up evaluation survey and 77 patients completed the control program and follow-up evaluation survey.At 16 weeks follow-up there was no significant difference between intervention and control groups in self-efficacy; however, there was an increase in self-efficacy from baseline to follow-up for the intervention participants (t=−1.948, p=0.028). There were no significant differences in self-rated health or health distress scores between groups at follow-up, with both groups reporting a significant decrease in health distress scores. There was no significant difference between or within groups in self-management knowledge and stage of change of behaviours at follow-up. Intervention group attenders had significantly higher physical activity (t=−4.053, p=0.000) and nutrition scores (t=2.315, p= 0.01) at follow-up; however, these did not remain significant after adjustment for covariates. At follow-up, significantly more participants in the control group (20.8%) indicated that they did not have a self-management plan compared to those in the intervention group (8.8%) (X2=4.671, p=0.031). There were no significant changes in other self-management knowledge areas and behaviours after adjusting for covariates at follow-up.ConclusionsThe study produced mixed findings. Differences between groups as allocated were diluted by the high proportion of patients not completing the program. Further monitoring and evaluation are needed of the impact and cost effectiveness of the program.Trial registrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12609000298213
Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology | 2008
Leah Bloomfield; Rm Subramaniam
A clinical learning environment survey instrument was developed that provided insights into diagnostic radiology trainees’ perceptions of the culture and context of the hospital‐based training programme. The survey was completed by trainees allocated to 37 important training hospitals in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore in 2006. The main findings were that most obvious strengths of the diagnostic radiology programme are the wide variety of work‐based learning opportunities and the social atmosphere. These were well regarded in all training sites. Work overload was seen as a significant problem in most hospitals and will probably remain a challenge. The areas that are most likely to repay efforts to bring about change are supervision and feedback. The study provides baseline data against which the influence of changes to the training programme may be evaluated.
Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology | 2008
T Holt; S Bydder; Leah Bloomfield
Trainee radiation oncologists must master a substantial body of skills and knowledge to become competent specialists. The resources available to support this are limited. We surveyed the 90 registrars enrolled in the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Surgeons (RANZCR) radiation oncology training programme to obtain a range of information about their learning activities (with a significant focus on part 1 teaching). Responses were received from 59 registrars (66% of those eligible). Trainees reported spending a median 2.5 h per week (range 0–10 h) in formal teaching activities. With regard to part 1 exam preparation, 83% reported having had physics teaching – the median quality was 5/7; 88% had radiobiology teaching – the median quality was 4/7; 52% had anatomy teaching – the median quality was 3/7. Registrars training within the RANZCR radiation oncologists training programme perceive their own clinical learning environment as generally good; however’ 50% of respondents felt that more teaching was needed for part 1 subjects. This compared with only 19% of respondents who felt that more teaching was required for part 2 exam preparation. Innovative solutions, such as centralized web‐based teaching, may help to address weaknesses in part 1 teaching. With increasing demands on radiation oncologists and trainees it will be important to monitor learning environments.
Food Policy | 1993
Leah Bloomfield
Abstract Food irradiation is promoted as a technique which enhances food security and contributes to the prevention of food-related diseases. It may be argued that irradiation may increase the availability of food sources of vitamin A and so support efforts to control and prevent vitamin A deficiency. Yet little is known about the vitamin A content of irradiated foods. This review finds that few relevant analytical studies have been undertaken and many of the available studies are marred by methodological shortcomings. More research is needed on the effects of commercial-scale irradiation on major food sources of vitamin A. There are also difficulties in identifying irradiated foods, monitoring their consumption and undertaking nutritional surveillance. Improved knowledge in these areas should be a precondition for the approval of widespread irradiation, particularly in countries with vitamin A deficiency.
Israel journal of medical sciences | 1996
Arie Rotem; Leah Bloomfield; Southon G
Medical Education | 2003
Leah Bloomfield; Peter Harris; Chris Hughes
International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics | 2004
Thomas P. Shakespeare; Michael Back; Jiade Jay Lu; Christopher J. Wynne; Leah Bloomfield
Medical Education | 2007
Leah Bloomfield; Alix Magney; Eva Segelov
Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology | 2007
Sean Bydder; Leah Bloomfield; Michael Dally; P. Harris; L. Dorset; James B. Semmens