Related Experiment Videos
Hidden curriculum in continuing medical education
Nancy Bennett1, Jocelyn Lockyer, Karen Mann
1Department of Continuing Education, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02117-0825, USA.
The Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions
|October 20, 2004
Summary
The hidden curriculum in medical practice significantly influences physician actions post-graduation. Understanding this informal learning is crucial for improving patient care and aligning it with formal continuing medical education (CME).
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Physician Performance
- Healthcare Policy
Background:
- Educators recognize the interplay of formal, informal, and hidden curricula in medical training.
- Limited research exists on the hidden curriculum influencing physicians after graduation and certification.
- This curriculum impacts physician decision-making and patient care actions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To initiate a discussion on the hidden curriculum in medical practice.
- To explore how the hidden curriculum influences physician behavior in patient care.
- To identify potential conflicts between the hidden curriculum and formal continuing medical education (CME).
Main Methods:
- Utilizes Hafferty's framework (institutional policies, evaluation, resource allocation, slang).
- Integrates insights from health services research.
- Draws upon the continuing medical education (CME) research literature.
Main Results:
- A powerful hidden curriculum exists in medical practice, affecting physician performance.
- This curriculum operates through institutional factors beyond formal training.
- Potential exists for misalignment between hidden curriculum messages and formal CME.
Conclusions:
- The hidden curriculum in medical practice warrants further investigation.
- Addressing the hidden curriculum may enhance the effectiveness of CME.
- Aligning formal and informal learning is key to improving physician performance and patient outcomes.