The Impact of Hidden Curriculum in Wilderness-Based Educational Events on Interprofessional Competencies: A Mixed-Method Study

Authors

  • Maurianne Reade Northern Ontario School of Medicine
  • Marion Maar Northern Ontario School of Medicine
  • Nicole Cardinal Northern Ontario School of Medicine
  • Lisa Boesch Northern Ontario School of Medicine
  • Sara Lacarte Laurentian University
  • Tara Rollins Northern Ontario School of Medicine
  • Nicholas Jeeves Northern Ontario School of Medicine

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22230/jripe.2017v6n2a235

Keywords:

Interprofessional education, Informal curriculum, Hidden curriculum, Austere medicine, Mixed methods

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine if interprofessional skills, attitudes, and behaviours could be learned during an austere medicine educational activity where interprofessionalism remained within the informal and hidden curriculum.

Methods and Findings: We used a mixed-methods approach to examine the potential acquisition of interprofessional competencies during wilderness medicine educational events. Thirty-four participants, over two events, completed interprofessional learner contracts, audio diary entries between patient scenarios, and the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey (ICCAS) using a retrospective pre-test/post-test design. Audio diary entries showed the reflection that took place between scenarios during the orienteering portion of the event and the adjustments toward interprofessionalism that took place. Both the survey and audio diaries confirmed that participants perceived an improvement of their interprofessional competencies after the WildER Med event.

Conclusions: The outcomes confirm that interprofessional competencies can be developed during a learning event such as WildER Med, where the interprofessional curriculum is hidden. Austere medicine, which is at the base of this learning event, represents an opportunity for the further understanding and exploration of interprofessional education.

Author Biographies

Maurianne Reade, Northern Ontario School of Medicine

Maurianne Reade, M.D., C.C.F.P. (EM), F.C.F.P., is an Associate Professor in the Clinical Sciences Division of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.  She is rural family physician in Mindemoya on Manitoulin Island.  Dr. Reade is a clinical preceptor interested in medical education, interprofessional learning, and emergency medicine.  She has additional interests in bedside ultrasound, wilderness medicine, in health equity and in the intersection of theatre arts and medicine.

Marion Maar, Northern Ontario School of Medicine

Dr. Marion Maar is Associate Professor of Medical Anthropology and founding faculty at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. She conducts research on Northern and Rural health with an emphasis on Aboriginal health, culturally competent care, health services development and medical education.

Lisa Boesch, Northern Ontario School of Medicine

Lisa Boesch obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology at Laurentian University in 2007. Since then, she has been a Research Assistant at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, where she works on a variety of qualitative, community-based health research projects centred on Aboriginal health and culturally safe care.

Sara Lacarte, Laurentian University

Sara Lacarte is a Research Associate at the Centre for Rural and Northern Health Research, Laurentian University. Her work involves health systems research in northern, rural, remote, and First Nations communities.

Tara Rollins, Northern Ontario School of Medicine

Tara Rollins is an Acute Care/Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner, working in a rural practice setting.  Tara is actively involved in Emergency and Wilderness Medicine and is a Lecturer with the Northern School of Medicine in the Clinical Sciences Division.

 

Nicholas Jeeves, Northern Ontario School of Medicine

Nicholas Jeeves, B.Sc., M.D., C.C.F.P. is an Assistant Professor in the Clinical Sciences Division at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine. Since completing his medical degree at McMaster University, he has spent much of his career as a rural physician on Manitoulin Island. In recent years, Nick also works in the ER in remote northern communities and as an urban hospitalist. His interests include wilderness medicine, interprofessional education, and remote and northern small hospital emergency and hospitalist medicine.

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Published

2017-05-10

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 2 (2017)

Section

Articles: Empirical Research

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