Conceptualizing Educational Comparability in Distributed Health Professions Education: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Educational Policy
• Distributed Learning

Background:

• Educational comparability is crucial for accreditation and quality assurance in distributed health professions education.
• Existing literature lacks clear definitions and discussions on the meaning of educational comparability.
• North American medical education programs dominate research on this topic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To clarify the current understanding of educational comparability in distributed settings.
• To develop a model for applying educational comparability principles in practice.
• To inform future research and policy in health professions education.

Main Methods:

• A structured scoping review of 9 online databases was conducted.
• Articles published before August 2021 and updated in May 2023 were included.
• A program logic model framework was used to synthesize findings.

Main Results:

• Twenty-four articles (1987-2021) met inclusion criteria, primarily in medical education.
• Accreditation was the main driver for discussing comparability.
• Practices for comparability were synthesized across inputs, activities, and outcomes.

Conclusions:

• A more complex understanding of educational processes is needed for effective comparability in distributed programs.
• Developing an accepted definition of educational comparability is essential.
• Further research on the dynamics between inputs, activities, and outcomes is required to guide educational change.