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An Approach to Interdisciplinary Training in Postgraduate Education
Author(s) -
Brodin P,
Espeland L,
Stenvik A
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
european journal of dental education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.583
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1600-0579
pISSN - 1396-5883
DOI - 10.1111/j.1396-5883.2006.00407_14.x
Subject(s) - medical education , specialty , curriculum , general partnership , core competency , competence (human resources) , perspective (graphical) , psychology , medicine , pedagogy , computer science , social psychology , business , marketing , artificial intelligence , psychiatry , finance , economics
Aims A primary goal for clinical graduate training is to provide the student with the expertise required for specialist treatment in the actual discipline. At the same time there is an increasing need for a broader perspective on specialist care and the students should be aware of the limitations inherent in own specialty. In order to plan treatment in the best interest of the patient, and to be prepared to take part in treatments involving other specialties, the students should be exposed to interdisciplinary cooperation throughout the training. An approach to joint academic and clinical training with the purpose of providing graduate students with a broader perspective on specialist care is described and discussed. Material and methods During their first year graduate students in the 7 different disciplines complete a joint Core Curriculum consisting of 8 different courses to stimulate a scientific approach to their profession and understanding of basic biologic mechanisms. To create a learning environment focusing on the development of interdisciplinary competence, a joint clinic has been established. Teams of students from different disciplines have been organized in order to establish ‘partnership’ for the treatment of patients with complex problems. The students also take part in the sessions held by a faculty Team of experts for assessment and treatment planning of referred patients with complex problems. Furthermore, faculty members conduct courses and seminars for students from other disciplines and students also participate in selected parts of the regular program in other disciplines. Results Formal evaluation has so far been conducted for the Core Curriculum. Most students respond that they are satisfied with the courses, and the curriculum has also been adjusted based on the comments. The students report that treatment of patients in need of interdisciplinary treatment has been facilitated by having ‘partners’ in other disciplines. Participation in the Team of expert's sessions has been appreciated, and the attendance at interdisciplinary courses and seminars has been good. Conclusions Based on the experience over the last 5 years, the interdisciplinary aspects of graduate training should be expanded to stimulate a holistic approach also to specialist treatment.