IADR Abstract Archives
Building capacity for the development of interprofessional skills in undergraduate dental curricula
Objectives: Oral healthcare has evolved in recent decades. Along with recognition that oral health is integral to general health, there is increased understanding amongst the dental profession of the importance of bringing the oral healthcare team into overall healthcare planning for an individual for effective patient-centred care. Acknowledging this, in 2016 the Australian Dental Council published a revised set of Professional Competencies of the Newly Qualified Dentist. The new standards include explicit competencies related to teamwork skills and interprofessional (IP) approaches to health care.
To ensure students achieve these competencies by graduation, dental education has to be reformed to include meaningful learning opportunities for students to develop the knowledge and skills related to IP education and practice. This presentation will report on the development of an authentic video-based tool for formative and summative assessment of observable IP behaviours in a clinic-based setting. Use of the developed tool can assist dental schools to embed authentic assessment of IP competencies into their curriculum, and therefore meet accreditation requirements.
Methods: A review of literature was undertaken in the areas of competencies required for IP practice and IP assessment tools. In addition, an audit of profession-specific IP assessment requirements within physiotherapy, occupational therapy, audiology, speech pathology and dentistry was completed. The outcomes of these reviews led to the development of the Video Observation Tool for Interprofessional Skills (VOTIS). This tool allows students and clinical educators to generate ratings of students’ skills in eight specific competency areas and an overall rating.
Results: The tool was trialled and validated within a range of interprofessional clinics, including peer-clinic learning activities in UQ’s Bachelor of Dental Science (Honours). Student and clinical educator perceptions of the tool will inform future development.
Conclusions: While clinic-based learning activities in undergraduate dental curricula have traditionally focussed on student acquisition of technical skills, there is now a need to expand the focus to include development of teamwork and communication skills.
To ensure students achieve these competencies by graduation, dental education has to be reformed to include meaningful learning opportunities for students to develop the knowledge and skills related to IP education and practice. This presentation will report on the development of an authentic video-based tool for formative and summative assessment of observable IP behaviours in a clinic-based setting. Use of the developed tool can assist dental schools to embed authentic assessment of IP competencies into their curriculum, and therefore meet accreditation requirements.
Methods: A review of literature was undertaken in the areas of competencies required for IP practice and IP assessment tools. In addition, an audit of profession-specific IP assessment requirements within physiotherapy, occupational therapy, audiology, speech pathology and dentistry was completed. The outcomes of these reviews led to the development of the Video Observation Tool for Interprofessional Skills (VOTIS). This tool allows students and clinical educators to generate ratings of students’ skills in eight specific competency areas and an overall rating.
Results: The tool was trialled and validated within a range of interprofessional clinics, including peer-clinic learning activities in UQ’s Bachelor of Dental Science (Honours). Student and clinical educator perceptions of the tool will inform future development.
Conclusions: While clinic-based learning activities in undergraduate dental curricula have traditionally focussed on student acquisition of technical skills, there is now a need to expand the focus to include development of teamwork and communication skills.