Presidential Lecture 2023, Professor George Shorten, Thursday, 23rd November, 2023 at 18:30pm

23/11/2023 in Lecture Theatre, College of Anaesthesiologists, 22, Merrion Square North, Dublin 2

“Are we good at what we do?

      – the future of medical training with specific reference to anaesthesiology”.

Speaker:  Professor George Shorten, FRCA, FFARCS(I), DABA, MD, PhD

President College of Anaesthesiologists

Professor of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, UCC

Foundation Director of the ASSERT Centre, UCC

Lecture followed by Buffet and Drinks Reception.

Summary.

The value of Medical Training Programme (TP)  outcomes derives exclusively from predefined purposes related to doctors’ professional performance(s) and wellbeing, and resultant benefits to the health of patients, populations and society. The training “system” that achieves these outcomes must be sustainable and adaptive. This lecture describes the need for a systems-based approach across health and education (The Lancet. 2010;376(9756):1923–1958; European Journal of Anaesthesiology 40(8):p 596-607, August 2023.). Special emphasis is placed on the measurement of clinical performance, the application of learning analytics and meaningful reflective practice.

Based on implementation science principles, the consistent achievement of predetermined outcomes will depend on accessing data streams from the programme and from clinical sites. The manner in which each programme operates needs to take account of context-specific resources and local health needs. Barriers to implementation of programme changes made to achieve specific outcomes, need to be identified and addressed.

Stakeholder collaboration is vital for the development and validation of TP outcomes and for optimizing systems thinking. The collaboration should be based on a shared vision for societal benefit through improved healthcare and a shared set of values. This will require meaningful input from patients and carers. In the future, the priority areas for the creation of new knowledge related to the training of medical doctors include measurement of technical and non-technical skills, skill attrition, the relationships between professional performance and patient outcome, and advances in learning analytics.