Online Platform as a Tool to Support Postgraduate Training in General Practice - A Case Report

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• General Practice Training
• Digital Health Platforms

Background:

• Physicians in postgraduate training (PPT) in General Practice (GP) experience limited peer interaction due to solitary training environments.
• This isolation necessitates innovative solutions to facilitate collaborative learning and professional development in GP training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate KOLEGEA, an online platform designed to enhance postgraduate training in general practice (PT in GP) in Germany.
• To assess the platform's utility in fostering virtual interaction, problem-based learning, and case discussions among GP trainees and mentors.

Main Methods:

• Development of the KOLEGEA online platform, offering free access to registered physicians in PT in GP using their continuous education number (EFN).
• Implementation of problem-based learning modules and anonymized patient case discussions facilitated by experienced GP mentors in virtual groups.
• An anonymous online survey in 2014 to evaluate platform acceptance and usage patterns, followed by platform development in 2015-2016 including gamification.

Main Results:

• The KOLEGEA platform demonstrated good acceptance among physicians in PT in GP across all German federal states.
• Time constraints were identified as a significant barrier to platform utilization.
• Predominantly passive usage patterns (90%) were observed, with initial trends indicating its role as a supplementary tool for structuring PT in GP.

Conclusions:

• KOLEGEA is perceived as a valuable supplement for structuring postgraduate training in general practice.
• Further evaluation is needed due to limitations in survey response rates and preliminary usage data.
• The platform's gamification elements and activity monitor represent ongoing development efforts.