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The course's methodology and resources make it enjoyable and entertaining as well as accessible

DR. JAVIER KORTA MURUA

President of the Pediatric Society of the Basque Country and Navarra

Dr. Korta is the president of the Pediatric Society of the Basque Country and Navarra. A specialist in pediatrics and pediatric pulmonology, he is the chief of the Pediatric Pulmonology Department at Donostia University Hospital, where he also tutors pediatric residents. He is also an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of the Basque Country.

You have participated as a clinical case auditor for the current edition of the Practicum Script Pediatrics course—what has this experience meant for your professionally?

Basically, it has afforded me the opportunity to (re)familiarize myself with an educational model that is a great improvement over others that I assessed before. Aspects like the careful selection of cases, a model centered on decision making, and the options of contrasting the decisions you make with those chosen by various experts bring added value that deserves to be stressed.

Thanks to your participation, you know the Practicum Script online case simulator well. What do you think sets it apart from other training activities?

The fact that it revolves around decision making to resolve cases, the possibility of continuous self-assessment, and, above all, the opportunity to evaluate the decisions you make by comparing them with the opinion of the experts (as well as with the scientific evidence). Personalized tutoring is another very important aspect.

As president of the Pediatric Society of the Basque Country and Navarra, what led you to sign the academic agreement with the Practicum Foundation in June 2016?

One of the functions of the Pediatric Society of the Basque Country and Navarra is to facilitate access to training for all our members, especially for residents. In our society, we really care for our residents, awarding grants and other help for training purposes. Practicum Script’s goals fit very well with our mission, so it was easy for us to reach an agreement. We really want to thank the Practicum Foundation and all of the members of our society who participated as experts for all the work they put into making this program successful.

Since the agreement was signed, both residents and their tutors have been using Practicum Script. What are the main benefits for their training?

Faced with real problems, they can assess their own reasoning and acts (decisions), and by doing that they can improve their skills and competences. The possibility of reviewing facilitates learning. Likewise, the opportunity to discuss items in the forum opens the door to self-assessment even wider, improving training and clinical judgment even more.

As a tutor of residents, what kind of feedback have you received from the residents who are already using the online case simulator?

So far, the general impression is very favorable. Since the program is so accessible, they can work with it anywhere anytime. The course’s methodology and resources make it enjoyable and entertaining as well as accessible.

Many of the clinical cases that are presented are controversial, in other words, there is more than one valid solution for the same patient. What do you think about this from a teaching perspective?

This situation reflects the effort that has gone into making the platform lifelike. Difficult or controversial cases that allow for different viewpoints add depth to training. The effort that has gone into keeping the differential diagnosis and different treatment options open undoubtedly makes for a better educational product.

Testimonies

For me, the program is very interesting, since it allows me to sharpen my interrogation and direct it more towards a specific pathology and to have more knowledge of laboratory and cabinet exams. I think it is very important that we keep our medical sagacity throughout our practice and that in the few minutes it takes to answer any of the cases that Practicum Script presents, you acquire more knowledge.

Dr. Miguel Olivares Alcocer

Pediatrician in Guanajuato (Mexico)

I would like to express my gratitude to the Practicum Institute of Health Sciences Research for the opportunity given to Latin American physicians  to access and take different courses of our specialty for the benefit of our dear patients, in my case in Mexico. It has encouraged me to improve myself and keep abreast of the advances in Pediatrics and put into practice the knowledge acquired in the hospital where I work. Thanks friends and congratulations to this valuable team of Practicum Script Education.

Dr. Heriberto Fuentes García

Pediatrician in Sonora (Mexico)

I am grateful for this study tool that, through Nestlé and with this method, allows us to review different issues with cases that confront us in decision-making and serve us in the daily consultation.

Dr. Josué Refugio de León Padilla

Pediatrician in Jalisco (Mexico)

It is an excellent educational support platform for the pediatrician, offers very specific clinical challenges with alternatives for diagnosis and differential diagnoses, with the support of experts, a bibliography and a forum to share opinions. It's easy to navigate and it's fun, a tool that's worth using and making the most of it.

Dr. Guillermo Yanowsky-Reyes

Surgery Pediatrician in Guadalajara (Mexico)
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