A modified Delphi approach to enhance nurturing of professionalism in postgraduate medical education in Singapore

Introduction: Nurturing professional identities instils behavioural standards of physicians, in turn facilitating consistent professional attitudes, practice, and patient care. Identities are socioculturally constructed efforts, thus we must account for the social, cultural, and local healthcare factors that shape physicians’ roles, responsibilities and expectations. This study aims to forward a program to nurture professionalism amongst physicians in Singapore. Methods: A 3-phased-evidenced-based-approach was used. First, a systematic scoping review (SSR) was conducted to identify professionalism elements. Second, a questionnaire was created drawing from the SS’s findings. Third, a modified Delphi involving local experts identifying socioculturally appropriate elements to nurture professionalism was conducted. Results: The 124 included articles in the SSR revealed definitions, knowledge, skills, and approaches to nurturing professionalism. The modified Delphi identified professional traits, virtues, communication, ethical, self-care, teaching and assessment methods, and support mechanisms. Conclusion: Results formed the basis to a holistic and longitudinal program focused on instilling professional traits and competencies over time through personalised and holistic support of physicians. Findings will be of interest to medical communities in the region and beyond.

Why Keep It If You Can’t See It!: an Investigation into Public and Professional Attitudes Towards Collection Care, Access and Utilisation in New Zealand Museums

<p>Increasingly museums throughout the world are seeking to work more closely with their communities so that their values, needs and expectations can be better understood. However, problems arise when professional and public understanding is out of step, as can be seen with the frequent popular controversies about museums supposedly ‘locking up their treasures’ in their basements. There is a perceived notion in current museum practice that stored museum collections need to become more accessible and utilised to a greater degree, without jeopardising the care of the collection. The access and utilisation of collections is addressed by museums in the name of public need, yet little research is done on what the public know or think about it. Within museum studies a small amount of literature has skirted around this topic but few have discussed it directly, or conducted research into public and professional attitudes to this issue. This dissertation addresses this gap by conducting original research which canvassed both the museum visiting public and museum professionals for their opinions. The research design was based on both qualitative and quantitative methods: namely surveys, interviews, a review of current museum policy and practice and an analysis of new initiatives in collection development, access and use Internationally and in New Zealand. The data generated revealed a much clearer idea of public understanding from a sample of visitors, and more detailed individual opinions from key professional informants in two local museums in Rotorua and Hamilton. This research will contribute to the literature on museum practice in New Zealand, help the museum sector to approach this often emotionally charged discussion with more information, and also encourage an important debate allowing the visiting public to have a greater say in what they think about the current access to and care of their local stored collections. The dissertation concludes by suggesting that the complexities and commonalities that arose out of all the opinions canvassed offer a framework for future solutions and strategies. There is an urgent need for further research on the thoughts and feelings of the public about collection care, access and utilisation so that New Zealand museums can embark on a journey that will take their stored collections out into the full light of the public realm.</p>

Why Keep It If You Can’t See It!: an Investigation into Public and Professional Attitudes Towards Collection Care, Access and Utilisation in New Zealand Museums

<p>Increasingly museums throughout the world are seeking to work more closely with their communities so that their values, needs and expectations can be better understood. However, problems arise when professional and public understanding is out of step, as can be seen with the frequent popular controversies about museums supposedly ‘locking up their treasures’ in their basements. There is a perceived notion in current museum practice that stored museum collections need to become more accessible and utilised to a greater degree, without jeopardising the care of the collection. The access and utilisation of collections is addressed by museums in the name of public need, yet little research is done on what the public know or think about it. Within museum studies a small amount of literature has skirted around this topic but few have discussed it directly, or conducted research into public and professional attitudes to this issue. This dissertation addresses this gap by conducting original research which canvassed both the museum visiting public and museum professionals for their opinions. The research design was based on both qualitative and quantitative methods: namely surveys, interviews, a review of current museum policy and practice and an analysis of new initiatives in collection development, access and use Internationally and in New Zealand. The data generated revealed a much clearer idea of public understanding from a sample of visitors, and more detailed individual opinions from key professional informants in two local museums in Rotorua and Hamilton. This research will contribute to the literature on museum practice in New Zealand, help the museum sector to approach this often emotionally charged discussion with more information, and also encourage an important debate allowing the visiting public to have a greater say in what they think about the current access to and care of their local stored collections. The dissertation concludes by suggesting that the complexities and commonalities that arose out of all the opinions canvassed offer a framework for future solutions and strategies. There is an urgent need for further research on the thoughts and feelings of the public about collection care, access and utilisation so that New Zealand museums can embark on a journey that will take their stored collections out into the full light of the public realm.</p>

The Conceptual and Methodological Construction of a ‘Global’ Teacher Identity through TALIS

The present article investigates the construction of a ‘global’ teacher identity by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) since the introduction of the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) in 2008. We critically examine TALIS-related conceptual frameworks, survey questionnaires and statistically driven scales of teachers’ professional attitudes internationally. A theoretical, education-based framing of didaktik and curriculum pedagogical traditions is used to discuss conceptual bias in TALIS conceptual frameworks as well as the sociologically based idea of TALIS as a pedagogic device used as a technology to gain symbolic power for making the teachers of tomorrow. Methodologically relying on document analysis, we examine TALIS 2008, 2013 and 2018 background documents to highlight the ideologically driven construction of a certain model of effective teachers, and refer to associated TALIS technical reports to examine validity issues in scales that are methodologically and statistically driven in order to increase the robustness of the results. The article identifies biases in the OECD’s construction of a ‘global’ teacher identity that are reflected in TALIS conceptual frameworks and survey questions and statistically justified through associated scales.

Formation of Professional and Value Orientations of Future Psychologists of Professional Activity at the Stage of Professional Training at the University

The purpose of the article is a theoretical understanding of the problem of the formation of professional and value orientations of future psychologists of professional activity at the stage of university training. Probably, these factors themselves can be considered «the same» for all universities, however, the goals and objectives of training specialists, the content of educational programs in «departmental» and «civil» universities will differ, setting the «vector» of personal and professional formation of students. Methods – theoretical analysis and generalization of approaches to the consideration of this problem. It is shown that professional value orientations are understood in modern psychological literature as an integrative personal structure that determines the professional consciousness of a specialist, characterizes his attitude to the profession, reflects the content side of the personality's orientation to the values of professional activity, including in the aspect of the value of education and profession. The cognitive, emotional and behavioral components are distinguished in the structure of the PCE, while the content features of the PCE of the future psychologist of professional activity can be revealed through the study of professional attitudes, professional motives and professional values. The main functions of the PCE are semantic, evaluative-regulatory and socially-oriented. As a result of the study the model for studying and forming professional value orientations of future psychologists of professional activity, which can be used as the basis for both empirical research and recommendations for the formation and correction of professional value orientations of future psychologists of professional activity in different training conditions has been developed.

P–047 Knowledge, professional attitudes and training of health professionals on male contraceptive methods

Study question Among health professionals involved in contraceptive prescribing, what are the knowledge, professional attitudes and training on male contraceptive methods? Summary answer The health professionals involved in prescribing contraception are not sufficiently trained in male contraception and almost all of them want more. What is known already The most recent large-scale studies show that 70% of couple contraception is provided by women and that the majority of men and women would be willing to adopt male contraception as couple contraception. The medicalization of contraception places the medical profession at the forefront of the acceptability of and information regarding a contraceptive method. However, only one study have evaluated health professionals’ knowledge of the various methods of male contraception (MC), including male hormonal contraception (MHC) and male thermal contraception (MTC). Study design, size, duration Between April 2020 and June 2020, we carried out a descriptive prospective multicentre study in a medical population of 2243 prescribers of couple contraception in France. Participants/materials, setting, methods The participants were obstetrician-gynaecologists, medical gynaecologists, general practitioners or midwives. They completed a three-part numerical questionnaire, including i) sociodemographic characteristics and personal experiences with contraception, ii) knowledge and professional attitudes about male contraception and iii) training on male contraception. Main results and the role of chance The overall participation rate was 19% (340/2243). Condoms and withdrawal were known by 98% and 89% of the population, respectively. Vasectomy was known by 75% of the population and significantly better known by obstetrician-gynaecologists than by medical gynaecologists and general practitioners (p = 0.026). Male hormonal contraception (MHC) and male thermal contraception (MTC) were known by 10% and 23% of the population, respectively, and were significantly better known by medical gynaecologists and general practitioners than by other specialties (p &lt; 0.001). More than half (55%) of the population never or infrequently offered MC during a couple’s contraceptive request consultation. Female practitioners offered MC significantly more often than male practitioners (48% vs. 26%; p = 0.033). Only 14% of the population had ever participated in training on MC, 96% wished to be better trained on MC, and 86% expressed a willingness to participate in such a training. Limitations, reasons for caution The population was mainly representative of medical health practitioners of southeastern France. There was an over-representation of women in all medical specialties, except for midwives. Wider implications of the findings: Our study shows that health professionals involved in contraception have limited knowledge about MC and are eager to have more information about it. To advance the acceptability and dissemination of such contraceptive methods, it seems imperative to provide health professionals with an adapted training program on male contraception. Trial registration number 2020–01–23–03