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Introduction: The field of medical education is relatively new, and its boundaries are not firmly established. If we had a better understanding of the intricacies of the domain, we might be better equipped to navigate the ever‐changing demands we must address. To that end, we explore medical education as a world wherein leaders harness agency, improvisation, discourse, positionality and power to act. Methods: Using the constructivist theory of figured worlds (FW), we conducted a narrative analysis of the stories medical education senior leaders tell about their roles and experiences in the world of medical education (n = 9). Results: We identified four foundational premises about the world of medical education: (i) medical education stands at the intersection of three interrelated worlds of clinical medicine, hospital administration and university administration; (ii) medical education is shaped by and shapes the clinical learning environment at the local level; (iii) medical education experiences ubiquitous change which is a source of power; and (iv) medical education is energised by relationships between individuals. Discussion: Focusing on the FW theory's notions of agency, improvisation, discourse, positionality and power enabled us to describe the world of medical education as a complex domain existing in a space of conflicting power hierarchies, identities and discourses. Using FW allowed us to see the powerful affordances offered to medical education due to its position between worlds amid unceasing change. McOwen, Varpio, and Konopasky suggest foundational premises about the Figured World of medical education, where leaders harness powerful affordances in service of their mission to produce the next generation of capable physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Technology is being introduced, used and studied in almost all areas of health professions education (HPE), often with a claim of making HPE better in one way or another. However, it remains unclear if technology has driven real change in HPE. In this article, we seek to develop an understanding of the transformative capacity of learning technology in HPE. Methods and Outcomes: We first consider the wider scholarship highlighting the intersection between technology and pedagogy, articulating what is meant by transformation and the role of learning technology in driving educational transformation. We then undertake a synthesis of the current high visibility HPE‐focused research. We sampled the literature in two ways—for the five highest impact factor health professional education journals over the past decade and for all PubMed indexed journals for the last 3 years—and categorised the extant research against the Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, Redefinition model. We found that the majority of research we sampled focussed on substituting or augmenting learning through technology, with relatively few studies using technology to modify or redefine what HPE is through the use of technology. Of more concern was the lack of theoretical justification for pedagogical improvement, including transformation, underpinning the majority of studies. Conclusions: While all kinds of technology use in learning have their place, the next step for HPE is the robust use of technology aiming to lead transformation. This should be guided by transformational educational theory and aligned with pedagogical context. We challenge HPE practitioners and scholars to work thoughtfully and with intent to enable transformation in education for future health professionals. Can technology transform #HPE #MedEd? Only with thoughtful pedagogical intent, constructive alignment, and consideration of context, according to Grainger et al.'s guidance on achieving an (un)imagined future [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: The theory of whiteness in medical education has largely been ignored, yet its power continues to influence learners within our medical curricula and our patients and trainees within our health systems. Its influence is even more powerful given the fact that society maintains a 'possessive investment' in its presence. In combination, these (in)visible forces create environments that favour White individuals at the exclusion of all others, and as health professions educators and researchers, we have the responsibility to uncover how and why these influences continue to pervade medical education. Proposal To better understand how whiteness and the possessive investment in its presence create (in)visible hierarchies, we define and explore the origin of whiteness by examining whiteness studies and how we have come to have a possessive investment in its presence. Next, we provide ways in which whiteness can be studied in medical education so that it can be disruptive. Conclusion: We encourage health profession educators and researchers to collectively 'make strange' our current hierarchical system by not just recognising the privileges afforded to those who are White but also recognising how these privileges are invested in and maintained. As a community, we must develop and resist established power structures to transform the current hierarchy into a more equitable system that supports everyone, not just those who are White. @zareenmd et al. describe how whiteness theory allows researchers to interrogate the structures that produce white privilege and allow white perspectives to take hold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors encourage consideration of how medical education can enable "agency literate learners", those who are prepared to negotiate opportunities to improve the health system through clinical care, research, and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Programme evaluation is perpetually mandated in health professions education. Correspondingly, there has been an expansion in prescriptive methodological guides about 'how' to engage in various best practices in evaluation. However, what has gained less attention is an examination of the 'value' that different stakeholders seek to gain from programme evaluation. Evaluation utilisation theory and research can help us understand the diversity in both the driving forces for and the impact of programme evaluation. Awareness of the heterogeneity of evaluation utilisation priorities has implications for evaluation practices, including both methodological choices and understanding of the impact of programme evaluation in our field. Methods: In this article, I expound on the concept of evaluation utilisation by drawing on evaluation theory and research. 'Evaluation utilisation' refers to the application of programme evaluation processes and findings to influence thinking and action. Herein, different forms of 'evaluation utilisation' (including instrumental, conceptual, process and persuasive (symbolic and legitimative) utilisation) are discussed, as well as the related concept of 'evaluation misuse'. Furthermore, how the prioritisation of different forms of 'evaluation utilisation' can influence the scope and impact of evaluation scholarship are also discussed. Conclusions: Programme evaluation is a form of inquiry that requires more than the exercise of robust methodological techniques. Rather, it necessitates attention to the, sometimes divergent, priorities of different stakeholder groups. Although there is scant research on evaluation practices in health professions education, evaluation utilisation theory can inform critical examination of evaluation practices and impact in our field. Critically, understanding this body of work can help inform those engaged in evaluation about what they are (or should be) prioritising when they conduct programme evaluation, and better align evaluation methodologies with their scholarly, curricular and administrative intentions. Implications for future research and high‐quality, transparent evaluation scholarship are presented. Judgments about what is useful #evaluation create boundaries for evaluation's impact on #HPE #MedEd. Onyura outlines this argument by examining how utilization priorities influence evaluation scope and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Research has suggested beneficial effects of self‐regulated learning (SRL) for medical students' and residents' workplace‐based learning. Ideally, learners go through a cyclic process of setting learning goals, choosing learning strategies and assessing progress towards goals. A clear overview of medical students' and residents' successful key strategies, influential factors and effective interventions to stimulate SRL in the workplace is missing. This systematic review aims to provide an overview of and a theoretical base for effective SRL strategies of medical students and residents for their learning in the clinical context. Methods: This systematic review was conducted according to the guidelines of the Association for Medical Education in Europe. We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, PsycINFO, ERIC and the Cochrane Library from January 1992 to July 2016. Qualitative and quantitative studies were included. Two reviewers independently performed the review process and assessed the methodological quality of included studies. A total of 3341 publications were initially identified and 18 were included in the review. Results: We found diversity in the use of SRL strategies by medical students and residents, which is linked to individual (goal setting), contextual (time pressure, patient care and supervision) and social (supervisors and peers) factors. Three types of intervention were identified (coaching, learning plans and supportive tools). However, all interventions focused on goal setting and monitoring and none on supporting self‐evaluation. Conclusions: Self‐regulated learning in the clinical environment is a complex process that results from an interaction between person and context. Future research should focus on unravelling the process of SRL in the clinical context and specifically on how medical students and residents assess their progress towards goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than explanatory frameworks, Brown and Nestel argue that myths and theories create shared narratives that sustain particular values and political agendas. Understanding this, helps us know what values we prioritise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: A key concern for surgical educators is to prepare students to perform in the operating room while ensuring patient safety. Recent years have seen a renewed discussion of medical education through practice theoretical and sociomaterial lenses. These lenses are introduced to understand and prepare the learner to perform in the given context. This paper takes its point of departure from practice theory by introducing a lens through which to understand learning environments in surgery. Methods: Using a multi‐site ethnographic and practice‐based design, this study investigates how aspiring surgical students are stirred into surgical practices and learn to engage as surgeons. During 70 hours of observations of medical students’ participation in the operating room, we analysed how the phenomenon of surgical learning can be perceived as instances of transformation in and among social practices. Results: By applying an analytical perspective, this article highlights the use of practice theory in surgical education, which can help to establish a firmer understanding of the learning environment and thereby help educators to improve curricula and prepare students more effectively to enter surgical training. Conclusions: The use of a practice theory adds the perspective that the education of surgeons needs to take the sayings, doings and relatings that constitute a surgical practice into account when preparing students to perform in their future workplace. In this way, surgical training can be perceived as a process of being stirred into practice. This means that one learns by participating in the practice of providing high‐quality care, where the aim is to teach students to be surgeons instead of teaching them to perform surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context It has long been understood that assessment is an important driver for learning. However, recently, there has been growing recognition that this powerful driving force of assessment has the potential to undermine curricular efforts. When the focus of assessment is to categorise learners into competent or not (i.e. assessment of learning), rather than being a tool to promote continuous learning (i.e. assessment for learning), there may be unintended consequences that ultimately hinder learning. In response, there has been a movement toward constructing assessment not only as a measurement problem, but also as an instructional design problem, and exploring more programmatic models of assessment across the curriculum. Progress testing is one form of assessment that has been introduced, in part, to attempt to address these concerns. However, in order for any assessment tool to be successful in promoting learning, careful consideration must be given to its implementation. Objective The purpose of this paper is to consider the implications of implementing progress testing within practice, and how this might promote or impede learning in the three phases of assessment (pre-test, pure-test and post-test). Methods We will examine the literature on how assessment drives learning and how this might apply to progress testing. We will also explore the distinction between assessment of learning and assessment for learning, including ways in which they overlap and differ. We end by discussing how the properties of an assessment tool can be harnessed to optimise learning. Conclusions Progress tests are one potential solution to the problem of removing (or at least lessening) the sting associated with assessment. If implemented with careful thought and consideration, progress tests can be used to support the type of deep, meaningful and continuous learning that we are trying to instill in our learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses "Foundations of Problem-Based Learning: Some Explanatory Notes," an article by H.G. Schmidt originally published in volume 27 of the periodical in 1993. It looks at how the article framed problem-based learning (PBL) within cognitive psychology and explored its application to medical education. Particular attention is also given to the role of guiding tutors and small group work in PBL since 1993.

Context In problem-based learning ( PBL), students construct concept maps that integrate different concepts related to the PBL case and are guided by the learning needs generated in small-group tutorials. Although an instrument to measure students' concept maps in PBL programmes has been developed, the psychometric properties of this instrument have not yet been assessed. Objectives This study evaluated the generalisability of and sources of variance in medical students' concept map assessment scores in a PBL context. Methods Medical students (Year 4, n = 116) were asked to construct three integrated concept maps in which the content domain of each map was to be focused on a PBL clinical case. Concept maps were independently evaluated by four raters based on five criteria: valid selection of concepts; hierarchical arrangement of concepts; degree of integration; relationship to the context of the problem, and degree of student creativity. Generalisability theory was used to compute the reliability of the concept map scores. Results The dependability coefficient, which indicates the reliability of scores across the measured facets for making absolute decisions, was 0.814. Students' concept map scores (universe scores) accounted for the largest proportion of total variance (47%) across all score comparisons. Rater differences accounted for 10% of total variance, and the student × rater interaction accounted for 25% of total variance. The variance attributable to differences in the content domain of the maps was negligible (2%). The remaining 16% of the variance reflected unexplained sources of error. Results from the D study suggested that a dependability level of 0.80 can be achieved by using three raters who each score two concept map domains, or by using five raters who each score only one concept map domain. Conclusions This study demonstrated that concept mapping assessment scores of medical students in PBL have high reliability. Results suggested that greater improvements in dependability might be made by increasing the number of raters rather than by increasing the number of concept map domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context Interprofessional teamwork and collaboration have become important parts of health care practice and education. Most of the literature on interprofessional learning, however, assumes that learning is something acquired by individuals and readily transferred to other contexts. This assumption severely limits the ways in which interprofessional educators and researchers can conceptualise and support learning related to collaborative interprofessional health care. Socio-material theories provide an alternative to individualistic, acquisition-oriented notions by reconceiving learning in terms of collective dynamics, participation in social communities and active engagement with material contexts. Methods Socio-material literature and theories were reviewed to identify concepts relevant to interprofessional learning. After briefly summarising the origins and key principles of socio-material approaches, the authors draw upon specific socio-material theories - including complexity theory, cultural-historical activity theory and actor-network theory - in order to reconceive how learning happens in interprofessional contexts. This reframing of interprofessional learning focuses less on individuals and more on collective dynamics and the actual social and material relations involved in practice. Discussion The paper proposes five ways in which learning may be enacted in interprofessional teamwork and collaboration from a socio-material perspective: (i) diverse contributions; (ii) social interactions and relationships; (iii) synthesis of professional ideas; (iv) integration of material elements, and (v) connections to large-scale organisations. For each of these categories, the paper provides practical illustrations to assist educators and researchers who wish to identify and assess this learning. Conclusions Although more exploratory than comprehensive, this paper articulates many key aspects of socio-material learning theories and offers practical guidance for those who wish to employ and assess them in interprofessional contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context The development of clinical reasoning ( CR) in students has traditionally been left to clinical rotations, which, however, often offer limited practice and suboptimal supervision. Medical schools begin to address these limitations by organising pre-clinical CR courses. The purpose of this paper is to review the variety of approaches employed in the teaching of CR and to present a proposal to improve these practices. Methods We conducted a narrative review of the literature on teaching CR. To that end, we searched PubMed and Web of Science for papers published until June 2014. Additional publications were identified in the references cited in the initial papers. We used theoretical considerations to characterise approaches and noted empirical findings, when available. Results Of the 48 reviewed papers, only 24 reported empirical findings. The approaches to teaching CR were shown to vary on two dimensions. The first pertains to the way the case information is presented. The case is either unfolded to students gradually - the 'serial-cue' approach - or is presented in a 'whole-case' format. The second dimension concerns the purpose of the exercise: is its aim to help students acquire or apply knowledge, or is its purpose to teach students a way of thinking? The most prevalent approach is the serial-cue approach, perhaps because it tries to directly simulate the diagnostic activities of doctors. Evidence supporting its effectiveness is, however, lacking. There is some empirical evidence that whole-case, knowledge-oriented approaches contribute to the improvement of students' CR. However, thinking process-oriented approaches were shown to be largely ineffective. Conclusions Based on research on how expertise develops in medicine, we argue that students in different phases of their training may benefit from different approaches to the teaching of CR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of incorporating the Delphi process within the simplifying conditions method ( SCM) described in elaboration theory ( ET) to identify conditions impacting the complexity of procedural skills for novice learners. Methods We generated an initial list of conditions impacting the complexity of lumbar puncture ( LP) from key informant interviews ( n = 5) and a literature review. Eighteen clinician-educators from six different medical specialties were subsequently recruited as expert panellists. Over three Delphi rounds, these panellists rated: (i) their agreement with the inclusion of the simple version of the conditions in a representative ('epitome') training scenario, and (ii) how much the inverse (complex) version increases LP complexity for a novice. Cronbach's α-values were used to assess inter-rater agreement. Results All panellists completed Rounds 1 and 2 of the survey and 17 completed Round 3. In Round 1, Cronbach's α-values were 0.89 and 0.94 for conditions that simplify and increase LP complexity, respectively; both values increased to 0.98 in Rounds 2 and 3. With the exception of 'high CSF (cerebral spinal fluid) pressure', panellists agreed with the inclusion of all conditions in the simplest (epitome) training scenario. Panellists rated patient movement, spinal anatomy, patient cooperativeness, body habitus, and the presence or absence of an experienced assistant as having the greatest impact on the complexity of LP. Conclusions This study demonstrated the feasibility of using expert consensus to establish conditions impacting the complexity of procedural skills, and the benefits of incorporating the Delphi method into the SCM. These data can be used to develop and sequence simulation scenarios in a progressively challenging manner. If the theorised learning gains associated with ET are realised, the methods described in this study may be applied to the design of simulation training for other procedural and non-procedural skills, thereby advancing the agenda of theoretically based instruction design in health care simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context Reflection and reflective practice have become popular topics of scholarly dialogue in medical education. This popularity has given rise to checklists, portfolios and other tools to inspire and document reflection. We argue that some of the common ways in which reflection has been applied are influenced by broader discourses of assessment and evidence, and divorced from original theories of reflection and reflective practice. Methods This paper was developed using a critical narrative approach. First we present two theoretical lenses provided by theories of reflection. Next we present a summary of relevant literature, indexed in PubMed from 2004 to 2014, relating to the application of reflection or reflective practice to undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. We categorise these articles broadly by trends and problematise the trends relative to the two theoretical lenses of reflection. Results Two relevant theoretical orientations of reflection for medical education are: (i) reflection as epistemology of practice, and (ii) reflection as critical social inquiry. Three prevalent trends in the application of reflection to medical education are: (i) utilitarian applications of reflection; (ii) a focus on the self as the object of reflection, and (iii) reflection and assessment. These trends align with dominant epistemological positions in medicine, but not with those that underpin reflection. Conclusions We argue for continued theorising of and theoretically informed applications of reflection, drawing upon epistemologies of practice and critical reflection as critical social inquiry. These directions offer medical education research broad and deep potential in theories of reflection, particularly in relation to knowledge creation within uncertain and complex situations, and challenging of dominant discourses and structures. Future work could explore how dominant epistemological positions and discourses in medicine influence theories from other disciplines when these theories are deployed in medical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article the author discusses medical education research and the article "Deciding What to Teach Health Professionals: A Human-Centred Systems Engineering Perspective" by Anna T. Cianciolo. She is supportive of several points which are raised in Cianciolo's article and of using both hard and soft systems engineering approaches in medical education.

Context Recent calls propose the conceptualisation of medical education research as 'an improvement science for complex social interventions'. This involves developing principled, yet contextually grounded, descriptions of health care practice that increase the likelihood of successful intervention. Defining what health professionals should be taught using theoretical perspectives and analytical techniques borrowed from human-centred systems engineering ( HCSE) may acknowledge this call by allowing learning objectives and performance assessment criteria to be aligned with the demands of actual work. Discussion Human-centred systems engineering is a multidisciplinary endeavour that seeks to promote the safe, efficient and productive performance of socio-technological systems. Systems theories in HCSE explain how environmental conditions constrain and afford human goal-directed behaviour and are modified by such. Many of the techniques used in HCSE research that are applicable to examining health care practice should be familiar to medical education researchers. This method differs from other empirical approaches that have been applied to the study of health care practice in its emphasis on practical problem solving via intervention design. Conclusions Learning objectives and performance assessment criteria derived from an HCSE perspective target people's attunement to environmental conditions as they strive to enact goal-directed behaviour. Implementing educational interventions from an HCSE perspective should facilitate a sustained positive impact across contexts because theories of person-environment interaction enable principled adaptations of interventions to local circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context For nearly 40 years, outcome-based models have dominated programme evaluation in health professions education. However, there is increasing recognition that these models cannot address the complexities of the health professions context and studies employing alternative evaluation approaches that are appearing in the literature. A similar paradigm shift occurred over 50 years ago in the broader discipline of programme evaluation. Understanding the development of contemporary paradigms within this field provides important insights to support the evolution of programme evaluation in the health professions. Methods In this discussion paper, we review the historical roots of programme evaluation as a discipline, demonstrating parallels with the dominant approach to evaluation in the health professions. In tracing the evolution of contemporary paradigms within this field, we demonstrate how their aim is not only to judge a programme's merit or worth, but also to generate information for curriculum designers seeking to adapt programmes to evolving contexts, and researchers seeking to generate knowledge to inform the work of others. Discussion From this evolution, we distil seven essential elements of educational programmes that should be evaluated to achieve the stated goals. Our formulation is not a prescriptive method for conducting programme evaluation; rather, we use these elements as a guide for the development of a holistic 'programme of evaluation' that involves multiple stakeholders, uses a combination of available models and methods, and occurs throughout the life of a programme. Thus, these elements provide a roadmap for the programme evaluation process, which allows evaluators to move beyond asking whether a programme worked, to establishing how it worked, why it worked and what else happened. By engaging in this process, evaluators will generate a sound understanding of the relationships among programmes, the contexts in which they operate, and the outcomes that result from them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context Instructional animations play a prominent role in medical education, but the degree to which these teaching tools follow empirically established learning principles, such as those outlined in the cognitive theory of multimedia learning (CTML), is unknown. These principles provide guidelines for designing animations in a way that promotes optimal cognitive processing and facilitates learning, but the application of these learning principles in current animations has not yet been investigated. A large-scale review of existing educational tools in the context of this theoretical framework is necessary to examine if and how instructional medical animations adhere to these principles and where improvements can be made. Methods We conducted a comprehensive review of instructional animations in the health sciences domain and examined whether these animations met the three main goals of CTML: managing essential processing; minimising extraneous processing, and facilitating generative processing. We also identified areas for pedagogical improvement. Through Google keyword searches, we identified 4455 medical animations for review. After the application of exclusion criteria, 860 animations from 20 developers were retained. We randomly sampled and reviewed 50% of the identified animations. Results Many animations did not follow the recommended multimedia learning principles, particularly those that support the management of essential processing. We also noted an excess of extraneous visual and auditory elements and few opportunities for learner interactivity. Conclusions Many unrealised opportunities exist for improving the efficacy of animations as learning tools in medical education; instructors can look to effective examples to select or design animations that incorporate the established principles of CTML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives There is currently little theoretically informed exploration of how non-traditional clinical placement programmes that are longitudinal, immersive, based on community-engaged education principles and located in rural and remote settings may contribute to medical student learning. This paper aims to theoretically illustrate the pedagogical and socio-cultural underpinnings of student learning within a longitudinal, integrated, community-engaged rural placement. Methods Data collected using semi-structured interviews with medical students, their supervisors and other health clinicians participating in a longitudinal rural placement programme were analysed using framework analysis. Data interpretation was informed by the theory of social learning systems (SLSs). Results In a longitudinal, rural clinical placement students participate in an SLS with distinct yet interrelated learning spaces that contain embedded communities of practice (CoPs). These spaces are characterised by varying degrees of formality, membership and interaction, and different learning opportunities and experiences. They are situated within and shaped by a unique geography of place comprising the physical and social features of the placement setting. Within these learning spaces, students acquire clinical knowledge, skills and competencies, professional attitudes, behaviours and professional values. The process of connectivity helps explain how students access and cross the boundaries between these learning spaces and develop a more complex sense of professional identity. Conclusions Longitudinal, integrated clinical placement models can be understood as SLSs comprising synergistic and complementary learning spaces, in which students engage and participate in multiple CoPs. This occurs in a context shaped by unique influences of the geography of place. This engagement provides for a range of student learning experiences, which contribute to clinical learning and the development of a more sophisticated professional identity. A range of pedagogical and practical strategies can be embedded within this SLS to enhance student learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical Education 2012: 46: 58-70 Context Interprofessional education (IPE) is not a recent phenomenon and has been the subject of several World Health Organization reports. Its focus is on health professionals and students learning with, from and about one another to improve collaboration and the quality of patient care. The drivers for IPE include new models of health care delivery in the context of an ageing population and the increasing prevalence of long-term chronic disease, in addition to the patient safety agenda. The delivery of complex health care requires a team-based and collaborative approach, although teamwork and collaborative practice are not necessarily synonymous. The rationale for IPE is that learning together enhances future working together. Discussion Systematic reviews of IPE have shown some evidence that IPE fosters positive interaction among different professions and variable evidence that it improves attitudes towards other professionals. Generalisation across published papers is difficult because IPE initiatives are diverse and good evaluation methodology and data are lacking. In terms of constructive alignment from an education viewpoint, there is a need for educators to define learning outcomes and match these with learning activities to ensure that IPE demonstrates added value over uniprofessional learning. Assessment is difficult as pre-qualification professional education focuses on the individual and professional accreditation organisations mandate only for their own professions. Conclusions Interprofessional education draws from a number of education, sociology and psychology theories, and these are briefly discussed. The most pressing research questions for the IPE community are defined and the challenges for IPE explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical Education 2011: 45: 1174-1180 Objectives Political science offers a unique perspective from which to inform education leadership practice. This article views leadership in the health professions through the lens of political science research and offers suggestions for how theories derived from political science can be used to develop education leadership practice. Political Science Research Political science is rarely used in the health professions education literature. This article illuminates how this discipline can generate a more nuanced understanding of leadership in health professions education by offering a terminology, a conceptual framework and insights derived from more than 80 years of empirical work. Application To Health Professional Education Previous research supports the premise that successful leaders have a good understanding of political processes. Studies show current health professional education is characterised by the influence of interest groups. At the same time, the need for urgent reform of health professional education is evident. Terminology, concepts and analytical models from political science can be used to develop the political understanding of education leaders and to ultimately support the necessary changes. Conclusions The analytical concepts of interest and power are applicable to current health professional education. The model presented - analysing the policy process - provides us with a tool to fine-tune our understanding of leadership challenges and hence to communicate, analyse and create strategies that allow health professional education to better meet tomorrow's challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the significance of thoughtful and conceptual analysis in medical education research. It explains the approach needed in developing a scientific study in which serious conceptual analysis is essential to link the action and the outcome. It also outlines the need to understand the deeper impact of the study without limiting oneself on the narrow view of the scientific paradigm.

The author reflects on the challenges one may face in order to achieve the goal in medical education research and the importance of having some level of understanding on the nature of the problem that needs fixing. Topics discussed include a reference to Kolb's experiential learning theory, examples of articles within the issue that can be used in the service of explanatory theory, and the three properties to consider when analyzing whether an explanatory theory might be more or less true.

The article presents the author's commentary on the application of cognitive load theory (CLT) in medical education, initially referencing the featured article by L. M. Naismith included in the issue. Topics addressed include an overview of the intellectual background of CLT, additional discussion of the parallel concept of mental workload, and examples of beneficial medical education practices which are informed by both theories.

The authors discuss how the concept of "preparedness" has become increasingly popular in medical education and research, focusing on how the term can be problematic in academic discussion due to its broadness. Particular attention is given to how medical students typically respond to or interpret questions on their competency, confidence, and knowledge.

The authors discuss the learning style-based instruction for medical students. They relate their hypothetical study of the visual-verbal taxonomy as learning styles of students, in which visual learners will learn better with visual methods, and verbal learners will learn better with the methods used are verbal. They says tailored instruction among medical students will not make sense unless it has more benefits, since it is logistically demanding.

The author discusses the aspects of self-regulation in medical learning environment. She says that self-regulation aids in the recognition of flexibility in boundaries and roles, social and professional responsibilities and the management of unconscious and conscious bias. She notes that the concept is necessary to appreciate health professions interdependence in multiple layers of various factors including socio-cultural, environmental, and psychological.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to an article about measuring memory loads among clinical residents during procedural skills training.