The learning needs of physicians: should it be formal or informal assessment?

Abstract

Purpose

The objective of this paper is to explore how learning needs of physicians are best achieved when planning for appropriate continuing medical education activities.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper examines the informal types of needs‐assessment as opposed to formal types when identifying the learning needs of physicians.

Findings

This paper projects how informal types of needs‐assessment probe more deeply into the opinions and perceptions of physicians, thus complementing with formal methods when planning appropriate academic activities.

Research limitations/implications

Informal types of needs‐assessment show promise in deriving a physician's individual learning needs, but has limitations as the educational activities proposed and undertaken would not necessarily benefit a larger group and, as they are usually unshared, would result in unimpressive utilization of educational resources.

Practical implications

Although the method of informal needs‐assessment is noteworthy, when planning academic activities on a larger scale and for wider gain, the formal methods of needs‐assessment are to be preferred.

Originality/value

This paper establishes that the informal method of needs‐assessment is significant in obtaining the true learning needs of the physicians but should always be complemented by formal methods.

Citation

Vakani, F. and Sheerani, M. (2011), "The learning needs of physicians: should it be formal or informal assessment?", Development and Learning in Organizations, Vol. 25 No. 6, pp. 10-12. https://doi.org/10.1108/14777281111173333