Continuing expert advancement in occupational medicine for universal practitioners
Background The Health and Work Reporting (THOR) network for regular practitioners (GPs) offers unpaid online continuing competent evolvement (CPD) to contributing GPs. Employ of this resource by members is relatively low. Non-uptake is most often attributed to depletion of time.
Aims The meaningful speck was to assess the tool of changes fictional to educational material, available online to GPs participating in THOR-GP, 1 year after a needs assessment which informed the changes.
The secondary aim, developed from the findings of the embryonic study, was to compare contributing GPs who undertake functioning in occupational medicine, with those who arrange not, in terms of uptake of the educational counsel and of educational need.
Methods GPs participating in THOR-GP, who responded to a questionaire to assess their utilize of THOR-GP's website for CPD, were sent a follow-up questionnaire 1 year after the aboriginal survey. Both questionnaires comprised scales derived from the syllabus for the Diploma of the School of Occupational Medicine and questions approximately attitudes to CPD in occupational medicine.
Results No spending money was construct in uptake of or adjudjing of components of the website, later modification. Responders worked on principles seven sessions per week in typical participation and 1.5 sessions in occupational medicine. GPs working in occupational medicine reported more advantageous confidence in some passage areas than GPs not currently working in occupational medicine and were further besides possible to engage in CPD movement within the speciality of occupational medicine.
Conclusions Undertaking endeavor in occupational medicine increases confidence in the workman and stimulates the bag of related educational facilities.
Added: July 22, 2009