Continuous Built-in Evaluation of Participants’ Motivation in PME and CME

Summary

The new regulations for 3-year vocational training in general practice in Germany require 240 hours of accompanying courses of postgraduate medical education in general practice. For the participants it has the character of an expensive obligation, with possibly negative effects on intrinsic motivation, engagement and demands. The realization of the detailed curriculum sets a high value on seminar work in small groups following the idea of problem-based teaching and learning. The evaluation builds on written interviews with participants and moderators, complemented by participatory observation and small and large group discussions. In the State of Hesse in Germany we survey data from 20 weekend seminars from 5/94 to 3/96 with 60 to 181 participants, altogether about 2000, with a response rate of 40 to 90%. By analysing the motivation, expectations and criticism of the participants, evaluating the seminars, and feeding the results immediately back into the courses, the educational structure was changed quickly following the demands of the participants. This continuous built-in evaluation led to a constantly rising overall satisfaction of the trainees, to a much higher motivation for active cooperation, and to a rising subjective impression of having learned something. The findings can be generalized into continuing medical education.