Reviewer: David M. Mumford, MD (Baylor College of Medicine)
Description: This new book from two Scottish authors reviews modern thought on postgraduate medical education of general practitioners.
Purpose: The purpose is to emphasize that permanent medical knowledge and competence is no longer possible. Continuing medical education, ongoing self-assessment, and periodic practice evaluation are newly established norms. These require profound changes in physicians' motivation, attitudes, knowledge, and behavior. In particular, the new era calls for different roles by individual physicians, medical education centers, other overseers, and society in general. Such an understanding necessitates use of new education technologies such as informatics, interactive learning, and learning by doing.
Audience: The book addresses healthcare managers, students, residents, and most particularly, general practitioners. Although speaking from a United Kingdom base, the authors are aware of many U.S. trends.
Features: The paperback is attractive to read or to peruse. Most tables, graphs, and diagrams are helpful, although a few could be better detailed and others, better sourced. For instance, one table of learning styles is not adequately referenced even in the suggested reading list. Most references are relevant and reasonably current. However, some major American issues are inadequately cited, especially the evolving prominence (justified or not) of education-based on cognitive learning theory. The table of contents is sufficient, but non-British readers could benefit from a structured overview of the U.K. medical education system (and its organizational components). A more extensive index, plus glossary of terms/acronyms, would be a user-friendly gesture to American readers.
Assessment: I found the book of good quality, enjoyed it, and would recommend it to anyone interested in understanding how, why, and in what form postgraduate medical education is faring in the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, the book is likely to be of limited interest in the U.S.
3 Stars from Doody
This new book from two Scottish authors reviews modern thought on postgraduate medical education of general practitioners. The purpose is to emphasize that permanent medical knowledge and competence is no longer possible. Continuing medical education, ongoing self-assessment, and periodic practice evaluation are newly established norms. These require profound changes in physicians' motivation, attitudes, knowledge, and behavior. In particular, the new era calls for different roles by individual physicians, medical education centers, other overseers, and society in general. Such an understanding necessitates use of new education technologies such as informatics, interactive learning, and learning by doing. The book addresses healthcare managers, students, residents, and most particularly, general practitioners. Although speaking from a United Kingdom base, the authors are aware of many U.S. trends. The paperback is attractive to read or to peruse. Most tables, graphs, and diagrams are helpful, although a few could be better detailed and others, better sourced. For instance, one table of learning styles is not adequately referenced even in the suggested reading list. Most references are relevant and reasonably current. However, some major American issues are inadequately cited, especially the evolving prominence (justified or not) of education-based on cognitive learning theory. The table of contents is sufficient, but non-British readers could benefit from a structured overview of the U.K. medical education system (and its organizational components). A more extensive index, plus glossary of terms/acronyms, would be a user-friendly gesture to American readers. I found the bookof good quality, enjoyed it, and would recommend it to anyone interested in understanding how, why, and in what form postgraduate medical education is faring in the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, the book is likely to be of limited interest in the U.S.
