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In response to the competitive examination culture that pervaded medical education in the 1940s and 1950s the founders of McMaster University's new MD Programme created an assessment system based on group functioning within the tutorial. While the tutorial has served the educational process well, 30 years of experience has highlighted its deficiencies as an assessment tool. This paper describes the accumulation of evidence that led to the awareness of the weakness of tutorial assessment and the attempts to provide reliable assessment by the reintroduction of examinations, but in novel formats which would not alter the goals of the curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CURATA is a multifaceted continuing medical education (CME) intervention, developed with input from 12 healthcare organizations to address the gap between current and recommended osteoarthritis (OA) treatment of general practitioners in Québec, Canada. Focusing on appropriate prescription of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, including cyclooxygenase-2 selective inhibitors (coxibs), the intervention comprised small-group, case-based workshops modelled after the Script Concordance test, and a decision tool reflecting current evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. A self-reported questionnaire measured knowledge of recommended OA treatment on an eight-point scale. Participants ( n = 381) showed a mean 10.1% improvement in questionnaire score immediately following the workshop (15.2% improvement relative to mean pre-workshop score). Knowledge was maintained for three months post-workshop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College is in the fourth year of implementing a new four-year Integrative Curriculum. In order to determine how the students experienced the educational environment generated by the new curriculum, the Dundee Ready Education Environment (DREEM) Inventory was administered on the same day to 148 (96%) first-year, 131 (87%) second-year, and 128 (84%) third-year students ( n = 407). Resultant scores indicated many areas of concern. However, bimodal and large numbers of 'uncertain' responses also occurred. In order to establish and compare areas of most concern between the three year groups, responses were calculated as percentages indicating for each item those who agree, disagree or are uncertain. This result clearly indicated areas of joint concern for each of the five domains addressed by the DREEM Inventory. Analysis of these concerns formed the basis of strategic planning in order to institute remedial action, and on which to focus institutional resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For over 20 years the occupational therapy programmes offered by McMaster University and Mohawk College, Hamilton, Ontario have used small-group, problem-based learning tutorials as a major component of their curriculum. These programmes were among the first occupational therapy programmes in the world to use a problem-based tutorial format. The inclusion as tutors of both full-time faculty and clinicians, from all clinical practice areas, was central to the design of the problem-based learning courses. A survey of all tutors from the last 20 years collected information about why health professionals are motivated to tutor and what they see as challenges to maintaining this educational role. Three primary themes emerged from the data: being an educator; being a learner and present and future challenges to continuing with the tutoring role. Within the educator theme there was a secondary theme of professional duty or obligation. In addition, the participants identified suggestions for enhanced support and continuing education for tutors. This article summarizes the findings of the survey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]