Led by:

H. Carrie Chen, MD, PhD

Senior Associate Dean of Assessment and Educational Scholarship, Professor of Pediatrics, Georgetown University School of Medicine

Unauthorized collaborations among medical students, including the unauthorized provision of assistance and sharing of curricular and assessment materials, is a reported problem. While many faculty view such sharing as academic dishonesty, students do not always perceive these behaviors as problematic. With the trend toward more small-group and team-based learning and the proliferation of resource-sharing and online study aids, collaboration and sharing may have become a student norm. In examining faculty and student perceptions of and student motivations for unauthorized collaboration across three institutions, we found variation in perceptions among faculty and among students, but little variation between faculty and students. Both faculty and students identified the same three areas of tension/themes: faculty/curriculum goals vs student goals, inherent character traits vs modifiable behavioral states, and student relationships with their peer group vs their relationships with the medical education system. Student behaviors were perceived to be influenced by their environment and motivated by the desire to help peers. We will discuss the various tensions and positive motivations behind unauthorized collaborations, how the study findings relate to what we know about the impact of the learning environment on students, and how institutions might consider mitigation strategies that address the environment and its interactions with students.

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Explain the role of the learning environment in driving learner behaviors
Describe how faculty teaching interactions with learners, program culture, and organizational processes and policies inhibit or facilitate learner trust in the educational system
Discuss strategies educators can implement to encourage trust and improve interactions between learners and the educational system

Dr. Chen is the Senior Associate Dean of Assessment and Educational Scholarship and Professor of Pediatrics at Georgetown University School of Medicine, and Adjunct Professor of Medicine at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. She received her Master of Science in Education from the University of Southern California Rossier School of Education and her Doctorate in Health Professions Education from Utrecht University in the Netherlands. She has developed curricula and assessment programs and provided leadership for medical student, resident, and fellow education as well as continuing medical education and faculty development. Her research interests include workplace learning, workplace-based assessments including the use of entrustable professional activities (EPAs), and faculty skill development and support.

UCSF is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

UCSF designates this live activity for a maximum of 50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

The above credit is inclusive of all UCSF Educational Skills Workshops and the Teaching Scholars Program. Credit available for this event only is 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.

For the purpose of recertification, the American Nurses Credentialing Center accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ issued by organizations accredited by the ACCME.

The California Board of Pharmacy accepts as continuing professional education those courses that meet the standard of relevance to pharmacy practice and have been approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.

UCSF Educational Skills Workshops and Med Ed Grand Rounds have been approved by UCSF Rehabilitative Services for up to 7 continuing education hours per year total. Questions regarding this approval should be directed to (415) 514-6779.

Psychology: This educational activity is recognized by the California Board of Psychology as meeting the continuing education requirements toward license renewal for California psychologists. Psychologists are responsible for reporting their own attendance to the California Board of Psychology. Psychologists from other states should check with their respective licensing boards.

Course No. MGR23075.