MONITORING DEVELOPMENT OF PROFESSIONAL SKILLS IN HEALTH SCIENCES EDUCATION

When developing curricula it is interesting to know how students’ progression through education towards final competencies. In health sciences education there is reason to understand more about development towards the future... [ view full abstract ]

When developing curricula it is interesting to know how students’ progression through education towards final competencies. In health sciences education there is reason to understand more about development towards the future professional role, clinical reasoning and professional decisions.

We used the case method to monitor progression. Students were recruited from, first, second and third year. The authentic case chosen for the purpose of the study had a high complexity and was developed in order to challenge students. Preparation of the room and whiteboard with headings was arranged in advance. Students discussions and interactions were observed by three academic teachers..

We found clear differences in how the students discussed the case. The students in the first year did not use a professional language. However, they used an occupation-focused approach. The students in the second year used a mature professional language and tried to use correct terminology. They identified key roles of families, peers, and communities as factors impacting on occupational performance. Students in the third year identified the key problem by using a mature and flexible teamwork and a broader context such as autonomy, ethics and human rights.

Professional cases could be used to evaluate progression in a health sciences education program, and for multiple purposes including quality assurance.

Our result shows how monitoring and stimulating learning and development of professional skills in Occupational Therapy may be used in higher education. We have described a qualitative form of progress testing based on the case method in a problem-solving situation.