Abstract
Rationale
Small group learning is commonly used in general practice (GP) postgraduate training and continuing medical education. Several previous systematic reviews have looked at the effectiveness of small group learning in continuing medical education and found mixed results. A review of the literature did not reveal any previous systematic reviews looking specifically at the effectiveness of small group learning in general practice postgraduate education
Methods
Search Strategy: Ovid Medline, EMBASE and ERIC were searched from inception until July 2015. Reference lists of included studies were examined to identify further potential studies for inclusion.
Selection Criteria: Experimental, quasi experimental and observational evaluation studies that reported an objective measure of participants’ knowledge, professional practice or patients’ health.
Data collection and analysis: Predefined relevant data was extracted from the included
studies. Quality assessment was performed on the included studies using a quality
assessment tool. A narrative synthesis was performed.
Findings
One hundred and sixteen studies were identified from the original electronic search: 17 studies were included. Fourteen studies reported at least one positive finding in favour of small group learning, however there was considerable heterogeneity between many aspects of the studies.
Discussion/conclusion
The results of the included studies would suggest that small group teaching is effective in postgraduate GP education, however synthesis of the results in this review was limited by the amount of information contained in the published reports of the included studies, particularly in relation to study quality.
Small group learning is commonly used in general practice (GP) postgraduate training and continuing medical education. Several previous systematic reviews have looked at the effectiveness of small group learning in continuing medical education and found mixed results. A review of the literature did not reveal any previous systematic reviews looking specifically at the effectiveness of small group learning in general practice postgraduate education
Methods
Search Strategy: Ovid Medline, EMBASE and ERIC were searched from inception until July 2015. Reference lists of included studies were examined to identify further potential studies for inclusion.
Selection Criteria: Experimental, quasi experimental and observational evaluation studies that reported an objective measure of participants’ knowledge, professional practice or patients’ health.
Data collection and analysis: Predefined relevant data was extracted from the included
studies. Quality assessment was performed on the included studies using a quality
assessment tool. A narrative synthesis was performed.
Findings
One hundred and sixteen studies were identified from the original electronic search: 17 studies were included. Fourteen studies reported at least one positive finding in favour of small group learning, however there was considerable heterogeneity between many aspects of the studies.
Discussion/conclusion
The results of the included studies would suggest that small group teaching is effective in postgraduate GP education, however synthesis of the results in this review was limited by the amount of information contained in the published reports of the included studies, particularly in relation to study quality.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication status | Published - 27 Feb 2017 |
| Event | Irish Network of Medical Educators, Annual Scientific meeting: INMED - Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin, Ireland Duration: 28 Feb 2017 → 01 Mar 2017 |
Conference
| Conference | Irish Network of Medical Educators, Annual Scientific meeting |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | Ireland |
| City | Dublin |
| Period | 28/02/2017 → 01/03/2017 |