Continuous Adult Learning Robert K. Schneider, MD Departments of Psychiatry, Internal Medicine and Family Practice The Medical College of Virginia at the Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, Virginia

Continuous Adult Learning Continuous – Information that influences regular behaviors – NOT short term learning ( c ramming for tests) – Half-life of information is short Adult – “Can’t teach old dogs new tricks” – Windows of learning Learning – Information and Evidence – Skills and Behaviors

UNCONSCIOUS COMPETENCE CONSCIOUS COMPETENCE CONSCIOUS INCOMPETENCE UNCONSCIOUS INCOMPETENCE

Active Learning Uncomfortable Self Assessment Individual Learning Plan Multimodal/Multisensory Learning Passive Learning Comfortable External Assessment External Requirements Lectures/Highly Structured CME

Passive Learning

Active Learning

Why bother? You’re going to spend the time anyway? It’s good for your patients It’s fun …well most of the time

Goals for this morning Don’t drool Individualized Learning Plan Teachers –YODAs –Coach-Mentors Personal Libraries

Individualized Learning Plan Self Assessment –Conscious Incompetence –Unconscious Incompetence Resource Assessment –Written (paper vs eletronic) –Conferences

Self Assessment Conscious Incompetence –Patient question –Clinical problem Unconscious Incompetence –Written assessment: MKSAP –Evaluations –Observed examinations

Resource Assessment Written (paper vs eletronic) –Paper: textbooks, journals –Electronic: Internet, CD ROMs Conferences –Local, State, National –General vs. Specialized

Teachers YODAs Coach-Mentors

Your Own Data Analyst YODAs –Evidence in the literature is complex –Filtering through it is difficult –Find someone who has already done this –Usually a specialist or someone with that area of interest

Coach-Mentors

Peers/Colleagues –Journal Clubs –“Peer supervision” Senior Leaders –Senior partner in a group –Author of an article Teacher/Educators –Program directors –Supervisors –Project partners

Personal Libraries Organizational Matrix –Needs –Use of information –Type of information Format –Paper –Electronic

Schneider’s Library