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Assessing Unperceived Learning Needs in Continuing Medical Education for Primary Care Physicians: A Scoping Review
Heather Armson1, Laure Perrier, Stefanie Roder
1Dr. Armson: Assistant Dean, Continuing Medical Education and Professional Development and Professor, Department of Family Medicine, University of Calgary; Research Director, The Foundation for Medical Practice Education, McMaster University. Dr. Perrier: Research Data Management Librarian, University of Toronto Libraries, University of Toronto. Dr. Roder: Research Program Coordinator, The Foundation for Medical Practice Education, McMaster University. Dr. Shommu: Research Coordinator, Department of Medicine, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary. Dr. Wakefield: Professor Emeritus, Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University; Senior Editor, Module Development, The Foundation for Medical Practice Education, McMaster University. Dr. Shaw: Professor; Associate Chair of Education, Department of Family Medicine; Director, Module Development, The Foundation for Medical Practice Education, McMaster University. Ms. Zahorka: Education Coordinator, The Foundation for Medical Practice Education, McMaster University. Dr. Elmslie: Professor Emeritus, Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa; Executive Director, The Foundation for Medical Practice Education, McMaster University. Ms. Lofft: Research Assistant, The Foundation for Medical Practice Education, McMaster University.
This review highlights gaps in assessing physicians' unperceived learning needs for continuing medical education (CME/CPD). Performance-based assessments and secondary data analysis are underutilized, suggesting areas for future research and improved program development.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education Research
- Continuing Professional Development
Background:
- Assessing learning needs is critical for effective Continuing Medical Education/Continuing Professional Development (CME/CPD).
- Previous reviews noted a lack of objective evaluation for learning needs assessments in primary care physicians.
- This scoping review updates the literature on objective evaluations for physicians' unperceived learning needs in CME/CPD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To scope the literature on approaches to identifying physicians' unperceived learning needs in CME/CPD since 1999.
- To identify and summarize innovative tools and approaches for assessing unperceived learning needs.
- To classify identified approaches and map literature gaps for future research.
Main Methods:
- A scoping review methodology was employed.
- The review mapped existing literature on approaches to unperceived needs assessment in CME/CPD.
- Conceptual frameworks for planning and assessing CME/CPD activities were utilized.
Main Results:
- A significant gap exists between recommended performance-based assessment strategies and their implementation in published CME/CPD studies.
- Grey literature emphasizes secondary data analysis (patient input, environmental scanning) more than peer-reviewed articles.
- Low implementation of performance-based assessments and underutilization of secondary data analysis were identified.
Conclusions:
- Future CME/CPD evaluations should integrate multiple assessment strategies.
- Focusing on actionable unperceived needs assessments, including resource management, is recommended.
- Further research is needed to address identified gaps in assessing physicians' unperceived learning needs.
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