Follow-up in train-the-trainer continuing medical education events

The purpose of train-the-trainer (TTT) programs within the context of continuing medical education (CME) is to help facilitators acquire and/or enhance their skills at leading CME sessions. The provision of follow-up is one feature of successful CME workshops over which CME providers have some control. Follow-up is defined as any encounter between participants and workshop leaders, following an initial workshop or other development session, and is designed to enhance, maintain, reinforce, transfer, extend, or support the learning from the original workshop. In this article, we elaborate on the use of audio teleconferences to provide follow-up for a TTT workshop in Saskatchewan, a largely rural province in western Canada.

The teleconferences began 6 weeks after the workshop and were held at approximately 6-week intervals, with five conference calls in total. Each lasted about 45 minutes. Participants were interviewed to determine their view of the value of the teleconferences.

Participants reported learning from the teleconferences and feeling more prepared to conduct CME sessions due to their participation in the teleconferences. Participants missed teleconferences only for extenuating circumstances (e.g., emergency deliveries).

We have found that audio teleconferences allow for and encourage professional discussion that is crucial to changing practices. They are an effective way to incorporate follow-up to TTT workshops when participants travel great distances to attend.