We intend to develop, implement and evaluate longitudinal educational initiatives in Sleep Medicine for medical students, graduate physicians, and important target groups in the community utilizing the principles of adult learning, especially those of actively involving the learner at times of high motivation (the """"""""teachable moment""""""""), use of multiple reinforcements, and establishing specific learning objectives. The proposed program capitalizes on the experience of the PI, the Office of Educational Development, and the Educational Technology Group at UNC and utilizes established collaborations with colleagues and with Sleep Academic Awardees at other institutions. An Advisory Committee will provide guidance. Major objectives of the program include 1) to produce effective and practical educational interventions including both written and electronic media based materials which can be easily adapted and integrated into programs at other institutions and settings, 2) to integrate these materials broadly throughout the medical school curriculum and graduate physician training program at UNC through collaboration with a large number of faculty colleagues, 3) to document whether the interventions have resulted in significant improvement in overall competence (knowledge, skills, and attitudes) in Sleep Medicine of our medical school graduates and physicians in training using simulated patients in Objective Structured Clinical Exams and Clinical Practice Exams and other objective outcome measures including a Test Item Management System, 4) to implement and evaluate educational interventions for clinical teaching faculty at UNC and throughout the state of North Carolina using the resources of the Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Program, 5) to increase the frequency of a sleep history being taken by health care providers at UNC and throughout the State by a """"""""Vital Signs = Very Sleepy?"""""""" educational campaign. Evaluation of initial interventions will identify those which are most effective. The later years of the plan will refine and expand these interventions to promote sustainability at UNC and use elsewhere.
| Boehlecke, B (2001) Controversies in monitoring and testing for sleep-disordered breathing. Curr Opin Pulm Med 7:372-80 |
