Dr. Williams workshops at the Ottawa Conference
Dr. Williams and Dr. Turco with Wolters Kluwer representative at Ottawa Conference 2018
Dr. Williams recently returned from Abu Dhabi where she attended the Ottawa Conference. This conference addresses the continuum (undergraduate, post graduate, and continuing education) of health care professions’ education and assessment. The conference focused on developments in the assessment of competence in medical students, residents, practicing doctors, and other healthcare professionals. Dr. Williams presented two workshops at the conference.
She presented the first workshop with Dr. Mary Turco and Dr. Dave Davis. Content from the first workshop was drawn from chapter 25 (Olson, C., and Williams, B. Principles of Effective Research in Continuing Professional Development in the Health Professions) of the book, Continuing Professional Development in Medicine and Health Care: Better Education Better Patient Outcomes .
Continuing Professional Development in Medicine and Health Care
Turco, M. (organizer), Davis, D, and Williams, B. W. The Importance of Assessment in Promoting Effective Education Outcomes Research in Health Professions Continuing Professional Development. Workshop presented at the Ottawa Conference. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, March 13, 2018.
Williams, M.V (organizer) and Williams, B. W. Competency, Environmental Validity, and Capability – Developing Professional Identity: How to approach integrated assessment independent of medical setting. Workshop presented at the Ottawa Conference. Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, March 13, 2018.
Dr. Williams presents on medical students’, residents’, and doctors’ mental health
Dr. Betsy W Williams discussed the high rates of depression, burnout, and suicidal ideation in medical students, residents, and doctors at a recent state medical board meeting. Dr. Williams also discussed other mental health issues that are prominent in physicians across the educational continuum. She reviewed the mission of state medical boards which includes to protect the public by ensuring the quality, integrity and safety of health care provided by physicians.(FSMB) The question then is how is this balanced with getting physicians who have medical and/or mental health issues potentially impacting their workplace performance the help that they need?
She reviewed the many barriers to medical students, residents, and doctors getting the treatment they need. These include but are not limited to, stigmas, the fallacy of invincibility, shame, embarrassment, lack of time, lack of knowledge of resources, worry about consequences at work and worry about licensing board. There are significant attitudinal barriers to mental health help seeking. Males demonstrate less positive attitudes toward seeking help in order to avoid talking about stressful events and painful feelings because of masculine norms and stigma. This stigma is particularly pronounced in doctors and was even discussed recently by Dr. Adam Hill in a news article http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/media/93278043-132.html.
She reviewed recent papers that looked at the relationship between how questions about medical and mental health are asked on licensing board applications and how these relate to attitudes and help seeking behaviors. (link)
At the end Dr. Williams and the board discussed potential methods to allow doctors to get the help they need. This was discussed at the individual level (medical student, resident, doctor) as well as at the organizational level (medical school, residency programs, hospitals, regulatory authorizes).
For more information or further discussion please reach out to Dr. Williams. Contact Us
Dr. Flanders gives talk about sexual harassment
Dr. Flanders recently presented a talk on sexual harassment, disruptive behavior and distressed doctors at a medical staff meeting with doctors and nurse practitioners at a hospital in the greater Kansas City area. The talk reviewed the definition of sexual harassment and how it falls within the category of disruptive behavior as outlined by the Joint Commission in Sentinel Event 40. The presentation also discussed types of behaviors that could be perceived as sexual harassment regardless of the doctor’s intent. Finally he reviewed the role of doctors as team leaders and their responsibilities as team leaders address behaviors that could be perceived as sexual harassment.
Dr. Flanders is a key part of the PRC® clinical team who helps with both assessment and treatment of doctors at PRC®. If you have questions about Dr. Flanders’ talk, or any of PRC®’s assessment or treatment services please click the link to get more information.