A clinical supervision and peer consultation application on Problem based learning: The example of Akdeniz University, Faculty of Medicine

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the competency of the faculty members assigned to serve as tutors in Problem Based Learning (PBL) applications using clinical supervision and peer consultation methods and determine the opinions of the faculty members about these evaluation methods.The study, which aimed at evaluating the performance of the faculty members working in Akdeniz University Medical School in PBL courses via clinical supervision and examining their opinions about the evaluation method, was designed as a cross-sectional study combining quantitative and qualitative methods.Clinical supervison and peer consultation methods were used to evaluate the performance of the faculty members who took charge in Problem Based Learning modules during the 2008-2009 academic year.The study group consists of the 34 lecturers chosen by the ?PBL Coordination Board? among the faculty members who completed the course on PBL. The number of first and second year students was 200 and 180, respectively. The students, the faculty members themselves, the clinical supervisor and the peer consultants participated in the evaluation. The peer consultants were chosen among the faculty members who had completed the PBL training and volunteered to be observers. Clinical supervisors consisted of the faculty members who had previously lectured in PBL courses and were assigned as tutors in PBL modules for at least 10 times.A data collection tool was developed to assess the efficiency of the faculty members. The development of the tool was based on the steps of PBL. The data collection tool was rearranged according to the requirements of the students, the peer consultants and the supervisor. The forms submitted to all evaluators included the same questions. ?Clinical Supervision Evaluation Form? is a 22 (twenty-two) item questionnaire form. The five-point Likert scale includes the following answers: ?I totally agree (5), I agree (4), I am not sure (3), I do not agree (2), I totally disagree (1)?. The qualitative data were gathered via observation and oral interview methods.The present study demonstrated both quantitative and qualitative effects of peer consultation and clinical supervision applications. According to the results, the satisfactory and underdeveloped skills of the faculty members, which they need throughout the implementation steps of PBL, were determined. Overall, the faculty members included in the study were found to be successful. As for the quantitative results, they indicate the faculty members? opinion that the method may ensure standardization and improve the quality of the education. However, there are also some faculty members who are dissatisfied with the method and think that it is time-consuming.The obtained data suggest that peer consultation and clinical supervision can be applied in medical schools and may help faculty members develop their professional skills.