The GP tests of competence assessment: which part best predicts fitness to practise decisions?

Relationship of Emotional Intelligence with academic scores and gender in students of Masters in Health Professions Education (MHPE) at a Public Sector University

Objective

To determine the correlation between Emotional Intelligence (EI) scores and academic scores and identify other factors that have a relationship with EI.

Methods

Cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in the year 2021 on 52 students enrolled in three batches of the MHPE program of a public sector university in Karachi. Data was collected by using Sterrett's Emotional Quotient Self-Assessment Checklist along with a self-constructed form for obtaining demographic profile information. Descriptive analysis was done by calculating percentage, mean and standard deviation. The correlation was done by using Spearman rho and association was tested by Chi-square.

Results

Data from forty-one participants showed that the majority need to improve their EI. Females and married participants had higher EI scores. There was a significant positive correlation between EI scores and academic performance but no significant association was found between EI and gender of the participants.

Conclusion

The study showed that EI competencies have a strong positive correlation with the academic performance of MHPE students. Hence, it emphasizes the need for including development of EI in the outcomes and curricula of the existing MHPE program.

Does clinical experience with dental traumatology impact 2D and 3D radiodiagnostic performance in paediatric dentists? An exploratory study

Background

The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of experience with traumatic dental injuries (TDI) on paediatric dentists’ performance and self-assessed confidence when radiodiagnosing traumatic dental injuries (TDI) and to explore whether this is influenced by the imaging technique used (2D versus 3D).

Materials and methods

Both 2D and 3D radiological images of young anterior permanent teeth having experienced dental trauma were assessed randomly by a panel of paediatric dentists using structured scoring sheets. The impact of level of experience with dental traumatology on radiological detection, identification and interpretation of lesions and on observer’s self-assessed confidence was evaluated. Findings were compared to benchmark data deriving from expert consensus of an experienced paediatric endodontologist and dentomaxillofacial radiologist. Results were analysed using generalized linear mixed modelling.

Results

Overall, observers performed moderately to poor, irrespective of their level of TDI experience and imaging modality used. No proof could be yielded that paediatric dentists with high TDI experience performed better than those with low experience, for any of the outcomes and irrespective of the imaging modality used. When comparing the use of 3D images with 2D images, significantly higher sensitivities for the detection and correct identification of anomalies were observed in the low experienced group (P < 0.05). This was not the case regarding interpretation of the findings. Self-assessed confidence was significantly higher in more experienced dentists, both when using 2D and 3D images (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

There was no proof that paediatric dentist’s higher experience with TDI is associated with better radiodiagnostic performance. Neither could it be proven that the use of Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) contributes to an improved interpretation of findings, for any experience level. More experienced dentists feel more confident, irrespective of the imaging modality used, but this does not correlate with improved performance. The overall poor performance in image interpretation highlights the importance of teaching and training in both dental radiology and dental traumatology.

Strategies for the assessment of competences during rheumatology training across Europe: results of a qualitative study

OBJECTIVES

To gain insight into current methods and practices for the assessment of competences during rheumatology training, and to explore the underlying priorities and rationales for competence assessment.

METHODS

We used a qualitative approach through online focus groups (FGs) of rheumatology trainers and trainees, separately. The study included five countries-Denmark, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Spain and the United Kingdom. A summary of current practices of assessment of competences was developed, modified and validated by the FGs based on an independent response to a questionnaire. A prioritising method (9 Diamond technique) was then used to identify and justify key assessment priorities.

RESULTS

Overall, 26 participants (12 trainers, 14 trainees) participated in nine online FGs (2 per country, Slovenia 1 joint), totalling 12 hours of online discussion. Strong nationally (the Netherlands, UK) or institutionally (Spain, Slovenia, Denmark) standardised approaches were described. Most groups identified providing frequent formative feedback to trainees for developmental purposes as the highest priority. Most discussions identified a need for improvement, particularly in developing streamlined approaches to portfolios that remain close to clinical practice, protecting time for quality observation and feedback, and adopting systematic approaches to incorporating teamwork and professionalism into assessment systems.

CONCLUSION

This paper presents a clearer picture of the current practice on the assessment of competences in rheumatology in five European countries and the underlying rationale of trainers' and trainees' priorities. This work will inform EULAR Points-to-Consider for the assessment of competences in rheumatology training across Europe.

Topic Analysis of UK Fitness to Practise Cases: What Lessons Can Be Learnt?

Background: Fitness to practise (FtP) impairment (failure of a healthcare professional to demonstrate skills, knowledge, character and/or health required for their job) can compromise patient safety, the profession's reputation, and an individual's career. In the United Kingdom (UK), various healthcare professionals' FtP cases (documents about the panel hearing(s) and outcome(s) relating to the alleged FtP impairment) are publicly available, yet reviewing these to learn lessons may be time-consuming given the number of cases across the professions and amount of text in each. We aimed to demonstrate how machine learning facilitated the examination of such cases (at uni- and multi-professional level), involving UK dental, medical, nursing and pharmacy professionals. Methods: Cases dating from August 2017 to June 2019 were downloaded (577 dental, 481 medical, 2199 nursing and 63 pharmacy) and converted to text files. A topic analysis method (non-negative matrix factorization; machine learning) was employed for data analysis. Results: Identified topics were criminal offences; dishonesty (fraud and theft); drug possession/supply; English language; indemnity insurance; patient care (including incompetence) and personal behavior (aggression, sexual conduct and substance misuse). The most frequently identified topic for dental, medical and nursing professions was patient care whereas for pharmacy, it was criminal offences. Conclusions: While commonalities exist, each has different priorities which professional and educational organizations should strive to address.

Training Surgical Residents for Ultrasound-Guided Assessment and Management of Unstable Patients

OBJECTIVE

Proficiency in the use of ultrasound is presently not an ACGME required core competency for accredited surgical training. There should be a basic unified ultrasound curriculum for surgical trainees. We developed a multimodal ultrasound-training program to ensure baseline proficiency and readiness for clinical performance without impacting trainee duty hours.

DESIGN

We developed and implemented a multimodal curriculum for ultrasound education and its use as a supplement to clinical evaluation of unstable patients.

SETTING

A single-center study was completed in a hospital setting.

PARTICIPANTS

Post-graduate year-1 surgical residents at our institution were invited to participate in a multimodal perioperative course.

RESULTS

51 residents attended the course over the three sessions. The vignette exam as a whole demonstrated a Cronbach's alpha of 0.819 indicating good internal reliability of the entire test. There was significant improvement in their knowledge in clinical vignettes (55% ± 12.4 on pre-test vs. 83% ± 13.2% on post-test, p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

It is feasible to incorporate a focused ultrasound curriculum to assess clinically unstable patients. The multimodal nature of the course aid in the development of preclinical proficiency and decreased the orientation phase of ultrasound use.

Sex differences in fitness to practise test scores: a cohort study of GPs

BACKGROUND

Tests of competence are written and clinical assessments taken by doctors under investigation by the General Medical Council (GMC) who have significant performance concerns. Male doctors on average perform more poorly in clinical assessments than female doctors, and are more likely to be sanctioned. It is unclear why.

AIM

To examine sex differences in the tests of competence assessment scores of GPs under investigation by the GMC, compared with GPs not under investigation, and whether scores mediate any relationship between sex and sanction likelihood.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Retrospective cohort study of GPs' administrative tests of competence data.

METHOD

Analysis of variance was undertaken to compare written and clinical tests of competence performance by sex and GP group (under investigation versus volunteers). Path analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between sex, written and clinical tests of competence performance, and investigation outcome.

RESULTS

On the written test, female GPs under investigation outperformed male GPs under investigation (Cohen's d = 0.28, P = 0.01); there was no sex difference in the volunteer group (Cohen's d = 0.02, P = 0.93). On the clinical assessment, female GPs outperformed male GPs in both groups (Cohen's d = 0.61, P<0.0001). A higher clinical score predicted remaining on the UK medical register without a warning or sanction, with no independent effect of sex controlling for assessment performance.

CONCLUSION

Female GPs outperform male GPs on clinical assessments, even among GPs with generally very poor performance. Male GPs under investigation may have particularly poor knowledge. Further research is required to understand potential sex differences in doctors who take tests of competence and how these impact on sex differences in investigation outcomes.