PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R D Fox

Publications and source records attributed to R D Fox.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Using theory and research to shape the practice of continuing professional development.

As research has expanded in scope and diversity, application of new ideas to the programs that facilitate learning and change should have grown accordingly. However, the gap between the theories of how and why physicians learn and change their practices and the practical application of these theories appears to be wider. The research component of research and development in continuing professional development appears to be strong, but the development function appears to be weak. This presentation will describe some of the factors that have led to this gap between theory and practice and suggest some actions that may be taken to reduce this gap. Among the factors leading to the gap are the different perspectives of practitioners and scholars as to the purposes of research, the appropriate foci of studies, and the attributes of quality of studies related to continuing professional development. A traditional model of research is discussed and analyzed for its strengths and weaknesses as they relate to writing research that is relevant to practitioners. The role and function of the research problem and the conclusions of studies are described in terms of how these two parts of a research report can assist in the translation of theory and evidence into the practice. In order to illustrate how theory may be translated into practical tools and procedures, the application of the theory of change and learning to the assessment of readiness to change is reviewed briefly. Implications of this experience are described and steps that may be helpful in bridging the gap between theory and practice will be proposed. Finally, a system of research and development that can ensure a tighter link between research and practice is proposed. The next steps to achieve this kind of system are suggested in the conclusions.

Diffusion of Innovation↗
PubMed1997

How Canadian radiologists adopt innovations: a survey.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Innovations and practice changes occur frequently in modern radiologic practice. In this study the authors sought to understand the process of adopting an innovation and to define the characteristics of some innovations and the effect of these characteristics on innovation adoption. METHODS: An anonymous mail survey of the membership of the Canadian Association of Radiologists was undertaken to obtain details about the process of adopting an innovation. Information on the perceived characteristics of the innovation was obtained, as well as the perception of change in practice. RESULTS: The survey was sent to 1005 radiologists and was returned by 372 (37.0%), of whom 278 gave information on an innovation adopted in the preceding year. The respondents reported heavy use of textual and other material resources throughout the process of innovation adoption, as well as consultation with colleagues. Continuing medical education (CME) events, in comparison, were little used as information sources. Compatibility of the innovation with current practice and a relative clinical advantage over existing practices were the most important characteristics of the innovations adopted. The complexity, relative financial gain and ability to try the innovation were all less important. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms a high rate of change in radiologic practice and documents the number and variety of learning resources used in the adoption of change. It is important for CME providers and educators to recognize the relatively low use of CME events in the process of change. Characterization of the innovations indicates concern with the clinical impact of the change and the individual physician's ability to accomplish the change within his or her practice.

Canada↗
PubMed1994

Physicians Innovation Awareness Program: helping radiologists learn about innovations.

The Physicians Innovation Awareness Program (PIAP) was designed to study the strategies of Canadian radiologists implementing innovations into their practices and to use the information to design an educational program to help radiologists learn about innovations. Canadian radiologists were asked, by means of a mail survey, for information about innovations in practice adopted in the previous 2 years and planned for the next 2 years. Surveys were sent to the 1077 practising radiologists registered in the Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) as of Sept. 30, 1991; 325 (30.2%) responded. Most (281) of the responding radiologists were practising in communities with a population of 50,000 or more; 103 of the 188 respondents for whom faculty status was known were affiliated with a university. Most of the respondents reported that they spent up to 25% of their working time in at least one subspecialty pursuit. From the information in the surveys, an educational strategy was designed to help radiologists in learning about innovations. This program involved special sessions on six selected topics presented at two annual meetings of the CAR, as well as publications, mailings and other lectures. The authors conclude that a specialty society can obtain adequate information from its members to design an educational program to help practitioners in adopting innovations.

Canada↗
PubMed1994

Adoption of innovations by Canadian radiologists.

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that help or hinder the adoption of new procedures and practices by Canadian radiologists. Canadian radiologists were asked, by means of a mail survey, for information about innovations in practice adopted during the previous 2 years or planned for the next 2 years. Surveys were sent to the 1077 practising radiologists registered in the Canadian Association of Radiologists as of Sept. 30, 1991; 325 responded (30.2%). The responses were correlated with demographic information obtained in the same survey and through the Maintenance of Competence Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was more likely to be adopted in larger communities (those with a population of more than 500,000), computed tomography in medium-sized and larger communities (more than 100,000), mammography in medium-sized and smaller communities (500,000 or less) and ultrasonography (US) in smaller communities (100,000 or less). Radiologists with a faculty appointment at a university were more likely to adopt MRI and digital imaging, whereas those with no faculty status were more likely to adopt US and structural changes to a practice. The authors conclude that the size of the community in which a practice is located and the practitioner's faculty status both play a role in the adoption of innovations.

Canada↗
PubMed1990

New horizons for research in continuing medical education.

Research must investigate the three overlapping areas of continuing medical education: it must discover and document what, how, and why physicians learn and change; how better programs of education can be designed to fit into this process; and in what ways the organizations that provide CME can or should differ in their policies, procedures, and resources. In terms of physician learning, for example, the basic assumption must be that physicians are like other adults in the general ways they learn in voluntary settings, yet have specific differences from other professional groups and from their physician colleagues in other specialties. Making the changes necessary for informed medical practice depends on understanding the role of learning in changes--which in turn depends on CME research. But barriers hinder much-needed research: conducting CME research is seldom rewarded in medical centers; CME is usually not a highly valued component of the institution; funding sources are few and support is limited; and persistent debate over the relative merits of qualitative and quantitative methods diverts energy that should be going into productive, cooperative research. The urgency of needed changes in medical practice and organization may give the necessary impetus for interdisciplinary, collaborative CME research projects that will take a longer-term view of the effect of learning on physician change.

Education, Medical, Continuing↗
PubMed1984

Self-assessment of need, relevance and motivation to learn as indicators of participation in continuing medical education.

This study examined the validity of using physicians' self-assessed needs, relevance and motivation to learn about clinical topics as a means for setting objectives and priorities for continuing medical education (CME) programmes. In an initial survey family doctors were asked to rate their need, relevance and motivation to learn about 120 different clinical topics. Eight months later, the same population was sent a second mail survey asking respondents to indicate if they had learned about a set of sixteen topics taken from the initial survey and, if so, in what kind of learning activities. Eight of the sixteen topics were highly rated and eight were low rated in the initial survey. In terms of actual participation of family doctors, self-assessed motivation to learn exhibited a strong positive relationship with actual participation. Both self-assessed need and relevance were negative to only moderately positive in their association with actual participation. This evidence contributed to the value of using self-assessed motivation as an indicator of future participation of family doctors in CME and questioned the value of using self-assessed need and relevance as indicators of future patterns of participation.

Education, Medical, Continuing↗
PubMed1983

Developing medical student competence in lifelong learning: the contract learning approach.

How contract learning may be used in the introduction to clinical medicine is described, with the goal to develop and enhance self-directed learning skills and attitudes of first- and second-year medical students. Essential tasks associated with successful self-directed learning are cited, and the contract method is described as a means for providing medical students with the opportunity to practice these tasks in the study of gerontology. The procedures followed in the implementation of the contract learning method are described, and its impact on both need and to continue learning about ageing and skills in directing independent learning projects are analysed and discussed. In addition, the implications of early preparation for doctor's lifelong learning are discussed.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of fan-pattern spray nozzle wear using scanning electron microscopy.

Worn nozzles on spray equipment severely affect the efficiency of crop management systems while causing unnecessary pesticide contamination of non target areas. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) that has been applied for direct measurement of pesticide deposition, was used to observe worn and unused brass and stainless steel fan-pattern spray nozzles. Wear and other changes were observed in both nozzle materials. Scanning electron microscopy can provide nozzle manufacturers with greater insight and needed information on nozzle mechanics to improve performance. More reliable delivery of pesticide spray should enhance integrated pest and disease management and crop protection for growers.

Journal Article↗