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The ability of health professionals to collaborate effectively has significant potential impact on patient safety and quality-care outcomes, especially given the increasingly complex and dynamic clinical practice environments of today. Educators of the health professions are faced with an immediate challenge to adapt curricula and traditional teaching methods to ensure graduates are equipped with the necessary interprofessional competencies and (inter)professional values for their future practice. The World Health Organization’s “Framework for action in interprofessional education (IPE) and collaborative practice” promotes IPE as a key strategy to enhance patient outcomes by preparing a “collaborative practice-ready health workforce.” Logistical and attitudinal barriers can hinder integration of IPE into curricula. Lessons learned through the implementation of a planned change to establish four interprofessional seminars (team communication, medical error communication, healthcare English, and small business management) at Heidelberg University Medical Faculty, Germany, are described. A key factor in successfully anchoring IPE seminars in the undergraduate curricula was the structured approach drawing on change management concepts. © 2017 Taylor & Francis.

Sub-Saharan Africa suffers an inordinate burden of disease and does not have the numbers of suitably trained health care workers to address this challenge. New concepts in health sciences education are needed to offer alternatives to current training approaches. A perspective of integrated training in population health for undergraduate medical and nursing education is advanced, rather than continuing to take separate approaches for clinical and public health education. Population health science educates students in the social and environmental origins of disease, thus complementing disease-specific training and providing opportunities for learners to take the perspective of the community as a critical part of their education. Many of the recent initiatives in health science education in sub-Saharan Africa are reviewed, and two case studies of innovative change in undergraduate medical education are presented that begin to incorporate such population health thinking. The focus is on East Africa, one of the most rapidly growing economies in sub-Saharan Africa where opportunities for change in health science education are opening. The authors conclude that a focus on population health is a timely and effective way for enhancing training of health care professionals to reduce the burden of disease in sub-Saharan Africa. © 2017 by the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Objective To assess the level of nutrition-sensitive agriculture competencies of graduating midlevel animal and plant sciences students in Ethiopia and identify factors associated with the attainment of competencies. Design A cross-sectional study design using structured skills observation checklists, objective written questions, and structured questionnaires was employed. Setting Two agriculture technical vocational education and training colleges in the 2 regions of Ethiopia. Participants A total of 145 students were selected using stratified random sampling techniques from a population of 808 students with the response rate of 93%. Main Outcome Measures Nutrition-sensitive agriculture competency (knowledge and skills attributes) of graduating students. Analysis Bivariate and multivariable statistical analyses were used to examine the association between the variables of students’ gender, age, department, institutional ownership, and perception of learning environment and their performance in nutrition competency. Results Combined scores showed that 49% of students demonstrated mastery of nutrition competencies. Gender and institutional ownership were associated with the performance of students (P < .001); male students and students at a federal institution performed better. Conclusions and Implications The study showed low performance of students in nutrition competency and suggested the need for strengthening the curriculum, building tutors’ capacity, and providing additional support to female students and regional colleges. © 2016 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior

Background: Historically it has been challenging to recruit and retain an appropriately trained medical workforce to care for rural and remote Australians. This paper describes the Queensland North West Hospital and Health Service (NWHHS) workforce redesign, developing education strategies and pathways to practice, thereby improving service provision, recruitment and retention of staff. Concept: The Mount Isa-based Medical Education Unit sought accreditation for a Rural Generalist (RG) training pathway from Internship to Fellowship with the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) and the Regional Training Provider (RTP). This approach enhanced the James Cook University (JCU) undergraduate pathway for rurally committed students while improving recruitment and retention of RMOs/Registrars. Achievements: Accreditation was achieved through collaboration with training providers, accreditation agencies, ACRRM and a local general practice. The whole pathway from ignore Internship to Fellowship is offered with the RG Intern intake as a primary allocation site beginning in 2016. Comprehensive supervision and excellent clinical exposure provide an interesting and rewarding experience – for staff at all levels. Results: Since 2013 RMO locum rates have been <1%. Registrars on the ACRRM pathway and Interns increased from 0 to 7 positions each in 2015, with similar achievements in SMO staffing. Three RMOs expressed interest in a Registrar position,. Conclusions: Appropriate governance is needed to develop and advertise the program. This includes the NWHHS, the RG Pathway and JCU. © 2016 National Rural Health Alliance Inc.

Regulatory frameworks around the world mandate that health and social care professional education programs graduate practitioners who have the competence and capability to practice effectively in interprofessional collaborative teams. Academic institutions are responding by offering interprofessional education (IPE); however, there is as yet no consensus regarding optimal strategies for the assessment of interprofessional learning (IPL). The Program Committee for the 17th Ottawa Conference in Perth, Australia in March, 2016, invited IPE champions to debate and discuss the current status of the assessment of IPL. A draft statement from this workshop was further discussed at the global All Together Better Health VIII conference in Oxford, UK in September, 2016. The outcomes of these deliberations and a final round of electronic consultation informed the work of a core group of international IPE leaders to develop this document. The consensus statement we present here is the result of the synthesized views of experts and global colleagues. It outlines the challenges and difficulties but endorses a set of desired learning outcome categories and methods of assessment that can be adapted to individual contexts and resources. The points of consensus focus on pre-qualification (pre-licensure) health professional students but may be transferable into post-qualification arenas. © 2016 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

This paper brings together concepts drawn from Actor Network Theory and data generated in a research project that was conducted across the island of Ireland. Using surveys and interviews with school staff, that research explored the limits and possibilities for workplace learning as a valued component of the senior school curriculum. The current paper works with the data from the Republic of Ireland only and brings into focus the full range of actors–both human and nonhuman–that generate, or constrain, productive workplace learning opportunities for students. In the wake of the Great Recession, it is suggested that such opportunities have gained increased importance. The analysis suggests attention to the full range of actors highlights areas for intervention, and the possibilities for alliances that may be beneficial for students and their schools, for employers who provide workplace learning placements, and for vocational learning itself. © 2017 The Vocational Aspect of Education Ltd.

Objective To investigate the usage and perceived usefulness of new media for educating urology residents in Canada and Germany. Design We designed an 11-item online survey to assess the use and perceived usefulness of new media for education. We performed a comparative analysis. Setting The survey was distributed via e-mail to 143 Canadian and 721 German urology residents. Participants The survey included 58 urology residents from Canada and 170 from Germany. Results A total of 58 residents from Canada (41% response rate) and 170 from Germany (24% response rate) responded to this survey. Residents spent 45% of their education time on new media. The Internet was used by 91% (n = 208) of the residents for professional education purposes, with a median time of 270 minutes (interquartile range [IQR]: 114-540) per month. Apps were used by 54% (n = 118) of the residents, with a median time of 101 minutes (IQR: 45-293) per month. A total of 23% (n = 47) of the residents used social media (SoMe) for education, with a median time of 90 minutes (IQR: 53-80) per month. In all, 100% (n = 228) rated the Internet, 76% (n = 173) apps, and 43% (n = 97) SoMe as being useful for professional education purposes. A total of 90% (n = 205) watched medical videos for education, and 89% (n = 203) of these videos were on surgical procedures. Canadian urology residents used more new media sources for professional education than did the Germans (58% vs. 41%, p < 0.001). The time spent for education on new media was higher among Canadian residents for the Internet (p < 0.001), apps (p < 0.001), and SoMe (p = 0.033). Canadian residents reported more privacy concerns (p < 0.001). Conclusions New media play a dominant role in the education of urology residents. The primary source for personal education in urology is the Internet. Future studies and technological developments should investigate and improve new media tools to optimize education during residency. © 2017 Association of Program Directors in Surgery

This study proposes that reaching applicants through more diagnostic recruitment sources earlier in their educational development (e.g., in high school) can lead them to invest more in their occupation-specific human capital (OSHC), thereby making them higher quality candidates. Using a sample of 78,157 applicants applying for jobs within a desirable professional occupation in the public sector, results indicate that applicants who report hearing about the occupation earlier, and applicants who report hearing about the occupation through more diagnostic sources, have higher levels of OSHC upon application. Additionally, source timing and diagnosticity affect the likelihood of candidates applying for jobs symbolic of the occupation, selecting relevant majors, and attending educational institutions with top programs related to the occupation. These findings suggest a firm's recruiting efforts may influence applicants' OSHC investment strategies. © 2017 American Psychological Association.

Demand for physical therapists in the United States (U.S.) is currently robust and expected to grow further. There are currently 228 physical therapy programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), and 30 more are in development in the U.S.; 29,246 students are currently enrolled in these programs (2014–2015 data). A shortage of physical therapy faculty with an advanced doctoral degree (i.e., PhD, EdD, DSc) is a primary concern for these programs. Specialized residency and fellowship training in physical therapy continue to expand, preparing professionals to deliver advanced clinical care. The American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE) reports that there are currently 179 accredited residency programs and 35 accredited fellowship programs in the U.S. A number of academic physical therapy programs also currently operate a clinical faculty practice. Currently, these aspects and trends in physical therapy education, advanced training, and clinical practice, for the most part, lack synergy and connectivity, in both planning and implementation amongst the various components. This professional theoretical article describes a novel model for academic physical therapy, with potential transformative implications for entry-level physical therapy education, advanced clinical training, and academic preparation. © 2017 Taylor & Francis.

The persistence of undergraduate students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines is a national issue based on STEM workforce projections. We implemented a weeklong pre–college engagement STEM Academy (SA) program aimed at addressing several areas related to STEM retention. We validated an instrument that was developed based on existing, validated measures and examined several psychosocial constructs related to STEM (science identity, self-efficacy, sense of belonging to the university and to STEM, career expectancies, and intention to leave STEM majors) before and after the program. We also compared students in the SA program with a matched comparison group of first-year students. Results show that SA students significantly increased in science identity and sense of belonging to STEM and to the university, all predictive of increased STEM retention and a primary aim of the program. Relative to the matched comparison group, SA students began their first semester with higher STEM self-efficacy, sense of belonging, and science identity, positive career expectancies, and lower intention to leave STEM. The SA cohort showed 98% first-year retention and 92% STEM major retention. The SA program serves as a model of a scalable, first-level, cocurricular engagement experience to enhance psychosocial factors that impact undergraduate persistence in STEM. © 2017 D. Fiedler et al.