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Introduction: Effective intra- and interprofessional collaboration abilities are necessary for safe and effective medical care, however such roles are often informally taught in postgraduate medical education, with lack of opportunity for practice and feedback. The objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is a common approach in medical education. Adaptations of the OSCE have been found useful in the assessment of collaborator competencies amongst interprofessional student groups and in the assessment of intrinsic roles, such as collaboration. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a collaborator objective structured clinical examination (COSCE) as a method of formative assessment of collaborator competencies for postgraduate trainees. Methods: This study involved a one-group pretest-posttest evaluation conducted in 2018. Postgraduate year-1 (PGY1) residents completed a team skills scale immediately before and after COSCE participation and an evaluation survey to report satisfaction, and were assessed by facilitators and peer assessors using a COSCE rubric. Results: Residents reported significant improvement in their pre (n = 35) to post (n = 37) team skills scores and an overall positive level of satisfaction with the COSCE experience (n = 37/39, 94.9% response rate). The lowest performance scores across all COSCE stations were transfer of care skills (e.g., handover). Peer assessor (n = 204) and facilitator (n = 47) scores indicated a moderate level of interrelatedness. Conclusion: A COSCE is a feasible method of formative assessment, fostering role understanding of other health professions and providing feedback on collaborator skills early in postgraduate medical education. Peer assessment may also hold promise as a formative assessment method for intra- and interprofessional collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Interprofessional education (IPE) has emerged as an essential component of training for students in the health and social care professions. Standardised patients (SPs) have also been developed as an important simulation-based learning modality in health and social care curricula due to the authenticity and realism of the patient or client encounter that may be replicated. Reports evaluating the use of SPs across an IPE curriculum in the health and social care professions are limited. Methods: This evaluation study used a causal-comparative research design to examine the effect of SPs as an instructional method in an IPE curriculum. Evaluative outcomes of the educational experiences of students attending 37 IPE learning modules offered between Autumn 2006 and Winter 2012 were analysed. Results: A total of 6,561 students from seven health and social care professions rated the usefulness of the instructional methods used in each module through postmodule surveys. Students consistently rated SPs as significantly more useful than other instructional methods, and overall mean satisfaction scores were significantly higher for IPE modules that incorporated SPs. Conclusions: This study's findings demonstrate the positive effect that SPs can have on the learning experiences of health and social care students. By Using SPs in IPE curricula, the authenticity of classroom-based interprofessional learning experiences can be enhanced and lead to more positive IPE learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: International medical graduates (IMGs) play an important role in physician resource planning in many countries and are heavily relied on to fill vacancies in underserved communities. New IMGs may experience difficulty with understanding how medicine is organized in new countries. Effective orientation processes can assist new IMGs in making successful transitions to medical practice in their new countries, reducing professional isolation and enhancing the integration of IMGs and their families within their new communities. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore perceptions of, and experiences with, orientation processes for new IMGs. Methods: A stratified sample of IMGs and senior administrators of medical services from each of the regional health authorities in Newfoundland and Labrador was invited to participate in semistructured telephone interviews. Results: Thirteen general practitioners/family physicians, 6 specialists and 4 administrators were interviewed. New IMGs need to learn about the health care system and the peculiarities of the specific practice context in which they will be working. Orientation needs to include opportunities for reflecting on one's own cultural biases and for learning about the cultural background and beliefs of a new patient population. Mentoring and effective integration within the community also emerged as important components of effective orientation processes. Discussion: Our findings suggest that orientation processes for new IMGs must be attentive to both professional and personal needs, comprehensive, multifaceted and sustained. Orientation that is responsive to the various needs of new IMGs and their families may contribute to enhanced retention. Conclusion: Effective orientation processes are an important means of reducing professional isolation and supporting new IMGs in the transition to medical practice in their new communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: In May 2003, a survey questionnaire was distributed to all licensed primary care physicians in Newfoundland and Labrador. The objective was to examine the attitudes, self-reported practices, and continuing medical education (CME) preferences of primary care physicians as they pertain to prostate cancer screening. METHODS: Data was obtained from 485 primary care physicians using self-reports of prostate cancer screening practices, attitudes towards prostate cancer screening, and CME preferences. Respondents' characteristics were also collected (eg, gender, years of experience). RESULTS: A majority of respondents screen asymptomatic male patients for prostate cancer. Screening behaviour was related to high volume practice settings, fee-for-service and increased with patient age. Most common reasons for screening were family history, age of patient, and patient request. Majority of physicians agreed that prostate screening should be routinely performed on all men beginning at age 50, however half of physicians believe there is lack of evidence to support digital rectal examination (DRE) and one-third of physicians do not believe the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) nor DRE are accurate screening tests. Areas of greatest interest for CME included topics related to prostate cancer screening effectiveness, strategies for prevention, sexual dysfunction, available treatments and their side effects, and management options. CONCLUSION: Physicians are supportive of the value of screening, however the reliability of and evidence to support DRE and PSA as prostate cancer screening tests are in question. CME which addresses issues surrounding prostate screening and areas related to patient education and counselling are of greatest need. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of breast cancer on the emotional and social health of women and their families is an important issue for the cancer field. Nevertheless, many patients do not avail themselves of support programmes. In rural communities there is often a lack of services, which, for many, leads to a perception of 'being alone' in the struggle to become better. This paper reports an evaluation of a pilot project to facilitate a self-help peer support group network: an extensive provincial audio teleconferencing network for rural breast cancer survivors, established by the Telemedicine Centre of the Memorial University of Newfoundland. A satisfaction questionnaire was distributed to participants in the pilot programme. Responses suggested that they were very satisfied with the use of audio teleconferencing for the facilitation of a social support programme. The programme appeared to help bridge the isolation gap that rural women with breast cancer often experience. The results have implications for the provision of self-help social support services through audio teleconferencing, as well as for the quality of life and wellbeing of rural women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]