Biomedical subjects

Anne K Wong

Publications and source records attributed to Anne K Wong.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Curriculum development in anesthesia: basic theoretical principles.

PURPOSE: Educational theories provide a guiding basis for coherent medical curriculum development and instruction in a similar way that evidence-based medicine provides a rational basis for medical treatment. The purpose of this review is to provide general organizational, theoretical and educational principles for developing or modifying an anesthesia curriculum. SOURCE: This paper draws from the general educational and cognitive psychology literature, the medical educational literature from the period 1996-2006, as well as our experience in renewing the anesthesia clerkship curriculum at McMaster University. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Successful curriculum development includes the consideration of stakeholder needs, organizational issues, funding and sustainability, curriculum design, implementation and evaluation. Curriculum design includes the development of curricular goals and objectives, determination of the content and its organization, instructional methods and strategies, and assessment of the learners. Curriculum evaluation is used to judge the curriculum's merit and worth. The findings and recommendations from these evaluations feed back into the curriculum development cycle for further curricular improvements or modifications. CONCLUSION: The current medical environment requires a responsive and efficacious curriculum that is able to keep up with its rapid pace of change. By providing a discussion of the educational and theoretical principles which underpin coherent curriculum development, this paper advocates a rational, theory-based approach to curriculum development.

Anesthesiology↗

PubMed2004

Full scale computer simulators in anesthesia training and evaluation.

PURPOSE: With the advent of competency-based curriculum, technology such as full scale computer simulators have acquired an increasingly important role in anesthesia both in training and evaluation. This article reviews the current role of full scale computer simulators in teaching and evaluation in anesthesia. SOURCE: This review draws from existing anesthesia and medical education literature in order to examine and assess the current role of full scale computer simulators in anesthesia education today. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The last decade has witnessed a major increase in the use of full scale computer simulators in anesthesia. Many applications have been found for these simulators including teaching and training, evaluation and research. Despite the increasing use and application of full scale computers in anesthesia in the area of teaching and training, definitive studies evaluating its cost effectiveness, its efficacy compared to traditional training methods or its impact on patient outcome are still pending. Although there is some preliminary evidence of reliability and validity in using the simulator to evaluate clinical competence, development in this area has not progressed enough to justify its use in formal, summative evaluation of competence in anesthesia at this time. CONCLUSIONS: As technology acquires an increasingly important role in medical education, full scale computer simulators represent an exciting potential in anesthesia. However, the full potential and role of simulators in anesthesia is still in development and will require a dovetailing of clinical theory and practice with current research in medical education.

Anesthesiology↗