Physiotherapy, F ebruary 1986, vol 4 2 no 1 Education an d Research 25 N ow th a t th e E d u c a tio n C o m m itte e o f th e S o u th A frican S o ciety o f P h y s io th e ra p y is c o n sid e rin g p r o p o sals f o r ch an g es to th e b asic p h y sio th e ra p y degree c u rric u lu m , it m ay be o f in te re st to n o te re c o m m e n d a tio n s co n c e rn in g th e b asic m edical cu rric u lu m w hich w ere m a d e a t th e C o n g ress o f th e S o u th A frican A sso c ia tio n fo r M edical E d u c a tio n , held in M ay 1985. A t th e C o n g ress, five w o rk in g g ro u p s discussed p re viously id en tified n a tio n a l p ro b lem s. 1. T h e en d -p ro d u c t T h e te rm “c o r e ” d o c to r w as p re fe rre d to th a t o f “b a sic ” d o c to r. “ C o re im plies th a t th e new ly g ra d u a te d d o c to r req u ires fu r th e r v o c a tio n a l tra in in g fo r w hatever field he w ishes to e n te r, in c lu d in g th a t o f gen eral p ractice. E m p h asis w as p lace d u p o n c o m m u n ic a tio n skills, holistic m an ag e m en t, ack n o w led g em en t o f lim ita tio n s, aw aren ess o f th e n eed fo r c o n tin u in g m edical e d u c a tio n , th e ro le o f th e d o c to r as a n e d u c a to r, and co m m itm en t to all th e in h a b ita n ts o f S o u th e rn A frica. R e c o m m e n d a tio n s • All m edical sch o o ls in S o u th A frica sh o u ld aim at tra in in g sim ila r core d o c to rs. • T ra in in g objectives sh o u ld be stru c tu re d to m eet th e h e a lth needs o f the c o m m u n ity . ' • All m edical schools and all tra in in g facilities m u st be open and every e ffo rt sh o u ld be m ade to elim inate b arriers. • V o c a tio n a l tra in in g is e ssen tial fo r th e core d o c to r — he is n o t re a d y fo r in d e p e n d e n t p ractice. • T h e re is m e rit in a n in te rm e d ia te d egree; v a ria tio n in co u rse tim e an d s tre a m in g o th e r th a n th a t is co n sid ered highly u n d esirab le . 2. S e le c tio n o f s tu d e n ts _ It was felt th a t re s e a rc h w as n ecessary in to th e election process, and re c o m m e n d a tio n s c o n cern in g this were m ad e as w e i r as re c o m m e n d a tio n s c o n cern in g im m ediate a c tio n to be ta k e n by th e M edical S chools. R ecom m endations — • R esearch is needed in to — 1. th e h e a lth m a n p o w e r needs o f th e S o u th A frican c o m m u n ity 2. factors w hich d eterm ine career choice and lo catio n o f su b se q u e n t m edical p ractice 3. th e p o te n tia l use o f p sy c h o m e tric tests in th e selection o f m edical stu d e n ts 4. th e p o ssib ility o f ta k in g a b a c h e lo r’s degree in m edical science p rio r to en try to m edical school. • A ctio n needed by m edical sch o o ls — 1. a n in c r e a s e in th e n u m b e r o f A fric a n an d C o lo u re d e n tr a n ts to all S o u th A fric a n m edical schools 2. th e selectio n o f s tu d e n ts sh o u ld be a d y n am ic process, n o t a static p ro ced u re. 3. The curriculum T h e te rm c u rric u lu m w as ta k e n to in clu d e th e en tire ra n g e o f le a rn in g activities p la n n e d fo r th e stu d e n t. D iscussion centred u p o n the relevance o f the cu rricu lu m to c o m m u n ity needs, p ro b le m s o f o v e rlo a d , w ho sho u ld d e te rm in e th e cu rric u lu m an d w ho sh o u ld teach. R ecom m endations — • T h e b a la n c e b etw een c u ra tiv e m edicine an d te rtia ry c are o n th e o n e h a n d , an d p rev en tiv e care and p rim a ry h e a lth c are b ased o n the holistic a p p ro a c h to th e p a tie n t an d c o m m u n ity o n th e o th e r h a n d , m u st be re s tru c tu re d to becom e co m m u n ity o rien ted , c o m p reh en siv e h e a lth care. • T h e c u rric u lu m m u st be p ro b le m -b a se d , n o t subject- b ased , an d s h o u ld p ro v id e ex p erien ce in p ro b le m solving. • T h e c u rric u lu m sh o u ld be in te g ra te d and learn er- based. • S tu d e n t assessm en t m u st be m odified to be c o m p a tib le w ith this ty p e o f ed u c a tio n . • T h e co re k n o w led g e th a t th e s tu d e n t is ex p ected to know m u st be clearly d efined. • P o s t-g ra d u a te v o c a tio n a l tra in in g m u st be used to p re p a re th e co re d o c to r fo r fu tu re careers, in clu d in g gen eral practice. • T e a c h e rs m u st be tra in e d in th e re q u ire d te ac h in g m eth o d s; M ed ical F a c u ltie s m u st m ake p ro v isio n fo r te a c h e r tr a in in g geared to in d iv id u a l needs and should pro v id e facilities fo r sta ff dev elo p m en t; H eads o f D e p a rtm e n t are re sp o n sib le f o r e n su rin g sta ff d ev elo p m en t. 4. M edical educators R ecom m en dations — • M ed ical facu lties sh o u ld be a p p ro a c h e d to recognise t h a t th e te a c h in g an d le a rn in g fu n c tio n is o f e q u a l im p o rta n c e w ith research an d service. • F a c u ltie s and th e M R C sh o u ld be req u ested to reco g n ise re se a rc h an d d e v e lo p m e n t in m ed ical e d u ca tio n as valid fields fo r research and fu n d in g . A p p li c a tio n s f o r th e use o f such fu n d s sh o u ld be screened b y a c o m m itte e w ith sp e c ific e x p e rtis e in th e m eth o d o lo g y o f e d u c a tio n a l research an d d ev elo p m ent. • E d u c a tio n a l ex p ertise, d ev elo p m en t an d p u b lic a tio n s s h o u ld be given e q u a l w eig h t w ith clinical research e x p e rtise an d p u b lic a tio n s in a p p o in tm e n ts and p ro m o tio n s. • D u e to th e u n iq u e p ro b le m s faced by m edical te a c h e rs a n d s tu d e n ts an d th e u n iq u e s tru c tu r e o f m edical e d u c a tio n , every m edical facu lty sh o u ld e sta b lish an d s u p p o r t logistically an d fin an cially an e d u c a tio n a l research an d d e v e lo p m e n t system . R ep ro du ce d by S ab in et G at ew ay u nd er li ce nc e gr an te d by th e P ub lis he r (d at ed 2 01 3. ) 26 F is io te ra p ie , F e b r u a r ie 19 86 , d e e l 4 2 n o 1 5. Self-directed, learning I t was re c o m m e n d e d th a t stu d e n t-d ire c te d le a rn in g be p ro m o te d in all facu lties at all levels since th e a d v a n ta g e s o f th is sy stem o f le a rn in g a p p e a r to be m u c h g re a te r th a n th o se o f th e tr a d itio n a l a p p ro a c h . S elf-directed learning: • L ead s to u n d e rs ta n d in g o f stu d y m a te ria l an d b e tte r recall o f principles. • E n co u rag es im p ro v ed stu d y h a b its an d b e tte r u tilisa tio n o f tim e. • In creases s tu d e n t m o tiv a tio n , w hich m ay reflect on te a c h e r p e rfo rm a n c e an d sa tisfactio n . • M ay c o n tr ib u te to w a rd s red u cin g th e risk o f c u r ricu lu m o v erlo ad . • H elp s stu d e n ts to ac q u ire p ro b lem -so lv in g skills w hich fo rm s a b asis fo r lifelong c o n tin u in g m edical ed u c a tio n . • E n a b le s s tu d e n ts to le a rn in th e ir ow n tim e a n d at a pace a p p ro p r ia te fo r th e ind iv id u al. • E n ab les s tu d e n ts to dev elo p c o m m u n ic a tio n an d te a c h in g skills. • E n ab les w eak stu d e n ts to be recognized earlier. T h is re p o r t is p u b lish ed w ith a c k n o w led g em en ts to th e B u re a u fo r M ed ical a n d D e n ta l E d u c a tio n , U n iv er sity o f S tellen b o sch . S.I-C . A t th e 1985 M eetin g o f th e C o u n cil o f th e S o u th A fric a n S o ciety o f P h y sio th e ra p y , C o u n cil a d o p te d in b ro a d o u tlin e a set o f lo n g -te rm o bjectives fo r th e g ro w th o f th e S ociety. O n e sectio n o f objectives w as c o n c e rn e d w ith re s e a rc h . C o u n c il a ls o p assed an A m e n d m e n t to th e C o n s titu tio n p ro v id in g fo r m em bers o f th e N a tio n a l E x ecu tiv e C o m m itte e to be n o m in a te d an d elected to re p re se n t c e rta in ca te g o rie s o f in terest. O n e o f th ese c o v ers R esearch . A lth o u g h th is A m e n d m e n t will o n ly b eco m e effective at th e 1987 C ouncil M eetin g , m em b ers o f th e p re s e n t N a tio n a l E xecutive C o m m itte e h av e been allo cated specific p o rtfo lio s. T he h o ld e r o f th e R e se a rc h p o rtfo lio is also a m e m b e r o f th e E d u c a tio n C o m m itte e , a S ta n d in g C o m m itte e o f th e S. A. Society o f P h y sio th e ra p y . T h e p u rp o s e o f th is r e p o r t is to o u tlin e th e detailed objectives w hich th e N a tio n a l E xecutive C o m m itee has a p p ro v e d w ith re g a rd to re se a rc h , an d to c o m m e n t o n pro g ress m ad e so far. T h e o v erall o bjective is to en co u rag e th e d e v elo p m en t o f o n -g o in g re s e a rc h p ro g ra m m e s w hich will p ro v id e th e scientific basis a n d a c ad em ic g ro u n d in g fo r fu tu re p h y s io th e ra p y e d u c a tio n a n d p ra c tic e . In o rd e r to achieve th is it is necessary — 1. T o e sta b lish a b o d y o f p h y sio th e ra p ists skilled in research m eth o d o lo g y a n d sta tistic a l analysis 2. T o e n c o u ra g e c o -o r d in a tio n an d in te ra c tio n betw een research ers 3. T o e stab lish a fu n d fo r research in p h y sio th e ra p y . F o r each o f th ese lo n g -te rm objectives, in te rm e d ia te objectives an d s h o rt-te rm goals have been fo rm u la te d . T h e re is o b v io u s ly som e o v erlap betw een objectives a n d several o f th e sh o rt-te rm goals will serve m o re th a n on e in te rm e d ia te objective. 1. T h e e sta b lish m e n t o f a b o d y o f p h y sio th e ra p ists sk ille d in re s e a rc h m e th o d o lo g y a n d s ta tis tic a l analysis. In te rm e d ia te objectives • to estab lish u n d e rg ra d u a te p ro g ra m m e s o n research m eth o d o lo g y an d scientific w riting T h e eig h t ex istin g u n iv ersities have been invited to s u b m it th e ir p re s e n t re s e a rc h m e th o d o lo g y c u r ricu lu m and th e ir ideas o n fu tu re d ev elo p m en t. M ost hav e a lre a d y d o n e so an d re c o m m e n d a tio n s will be d iscu ssed a t th e n e x t m eetin g o f th e E d u c a tio n C o m m ittee. M o st universities enco u rag e stu d e n t research projects in th e fin al year. T h e resu lts o f successful stu d e n t p ro je c ts are a lre a d y p u b lish e d in th e J o u r n a l, an d it h as b een p ro p o s e d th a t a tw o -y e a rly su p p le m e n t o f re p r in ts o f s tu d e n t re s e a rc h articles be published, w ith a prize fo r th e b est research article. • to en c o u ra g e research by qu alified p h y sio th erap ists • to id en tify p resen t an d fu tu re research areas • to p ro m o te p u b lic a tio n o f research findings. D u rin g 1986, tw o issues o f th e S o c ie ty ’s J o u r n a l will be d ev o ted to research . A m o n g st o th e rs, subjects covered will include in fo rm a tio n sources in phy sio th e ra p y , th e critical e v a lu a tio n o f research literatu re, th e choice o f research m e th o d s, p ro b le m s o f bias an d w riting fo r p u b licatio n . In a d d itio n , m a te ria l is being p rep ared fo r a one-day in tr o d u c to r y se m in a r on re se a rc h , w hich co u ld be given a t d iffe re n t cen tres in the R ep u b lic, as well as fo r m o re d e ta ile d fo llo w -u p w o rk sh o p s on d ifferen t aspects o f research . It is also h o p ed to estab lish a p a n e l w ho could screen articles an d give advice p r io r to su b m issio n fo r p u b lic a tio n , as well as act as a d j u d i c a t o r s f o r th e p r o p o s e d a w a rd f o r th e “ R esearch A rticle o f th e Y e a r”. • to create aw areness o f existing resources and advisory services available to research ers. T h e e x istin g facilities hav e been investigated and w ill be listed in o n e o f th e tw o issues d ev o ted to^ research . A b ib lio g ra p h y o f b o o k s an d articles orl^ research m e th o d o lo g y , in p a rtic u la r related to p h y sio th e ra p y , has also been com piled fo r p u b licatio n . • to in v estig ate o th e r m eans o f p ro m o tin g research T h e feasibility o f a w a rd s such as th e F ellow ships of th e C h a rte re d Society o f P h y sio th e ra p y an d the A u s tr a lia n C ollege o f P h y s io th e ra p is ts is being stu d ied w ithin th e S o u th A frican co n tex t. T h e re m a in in g tw o lo n g -te rm objectives related to re s e a rc h will be a n aly sed in a su b s e q u e n t issue o f the J o u r n a l. C opies o f th e d etailed objectives, and sh o rt te rm goals are av ailab le fro m th e N a tio n a l E xecutive C om m ittee and co m m ents w ould be w elcom ed. R equests an d co m m e n ts sh o u ld be ad d ressed to the R esearch P o rtfo lio , N a tio n a l E xecutive C o m m itte e , P .O . B ox 47238, P a rk la n d s , J o h a n n e s b u rg 2121. S. Irw in -C a rru th e rs R esearch P o rtfo lio R ep ro du ce d by S ab in et G at ew ay u nd er li ce nc e gr an te d by th e P ub lis he r (d at ed 2 01 3. )