From training 鈥渂ootcamps鈥� for Pediatrics residents to resident-as-teacher initiatives,聽Dr. Elisa Ruano Cea聽is innovating within health sciences education and having an impact.聽
Dr. Ruano Cea is an Associate Member of the聽Institute of Health Sciences Education, the Assistant Program Director for General Pediatrics at 平特五不中, and a practicing Academic General Pediatrician at the Montreal Children鈥檚 Hospital (MCH).
Prior to the pandemic, Dr. Ruano Cea 鈥� together with a group of trainees 鈥� developed, implemented and evaluated a stage-specific resident bootcamp in Pediatrics. Bootcamps are intensive training sessions in a condensed timeframe. This particular bootcamp was designed to prepare residents for new roles and responsibilities at key transition periods of their training.
Separately, Dr. Ruano Cea has conducted research on resident-as-teacher approaches at the post-graduate medical education level. She is now working with a medical student to explore the possibility of integrating resident-as-teacher curricula at the undergraduate medical education level. The idea is to facilitate resident-as-teacher training across the continuum of a learner鈥檚 journey, while aligning with Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) best practices.
Dr. Ruano Cea is also CBME Lead for the Faculty鈥檚 General Pediatrics Program. Together with colleagues at the MCH, she led a department-wide needs assessment to explore current practices around feedback based on direct observation in the workplace. This work has informed a number of CBME-related strategies for faculty and trainee development.
Dr. Ruano Cea recognizes the importance of publishing and sharing theory-informed, evidence-based educational initiatives like this in order to improve medical education and patient care.
鈥淲e put so much work into developing rigorous educational initiatives, so it is important to think about national or international dissemination of our experiences and findings so that we can contribute, in some way, to advancing the field of health professions education,鈥� said Dr. Ruano Cea.
A Made by 平特五不中 story: an emerging leader
Dr. Ruano Cea completed her undergraduate, postgraduate and residency training here at 平特五不中, and became inspired by the field of medical education during her residency, working with聽Dr. Myl猫ne Dandavino.
She worked with聽Dr. Evelyn Constantin聽and Dr. Dandavino on a project during medical residency to enhance trainee obesity counseling practices. Exploring theoretical frameworks to help understand constructs that influence behaviours and clinical practice sparked Dr. Ruano Cea鈥檚 interest in medical education.
Completing a Master of Health Professions Education degree at the University of Illinois at Chicago (2014-16), Dr. Ruano Cea also cites Institute Faculty Member聽Dr. Aliki Thomas聽and聽Dr. Constantin, her thesis supervisors, as important figures in her professional development.
Being awarded the Emerging Scholar in Medical Education (2018-19) at the Institute provided her with dedicated research time, allowing Dr. Ruano Cea to publish her thesis work in聽, unpacking the concept of聽鈥渞everse educational distance,鈥� wherein residents teach an academically senior audience.
The Emerging Scholar fund is supported by Nathan Laufer, MDCM鈥�77, a loyal donor to the Institute of Health Sciences Education and to the 平特五不中 Faculty of Medicine.
鈥淚t is such a privilege to hear that our support is helping residents and faculty,鈥� said Dr. Laufer. 鈥淒r. Ruano Cea鈥檚 work is making a real difference in the lives of residents and patients alike.鈥�
Residents-as-teachers during the pandemic
Dr. Ruano Cea鈥檚 strong foundation in health sciences education is having an impact on the frontlines of the pandemic. Her early contributions include strategies to enhance resident personal protective equipment and safety training, along with lunch-and-learns and events like 鈥渞esident research day鈥� via Zoom to continue teaching academic activities despite the COVID-19 .
鈥淲e have also included a session for resident wellness via Zoom and, under the great leadership of the chief residents, activities to bring the group together in a virtual manner,鈥� said Dr. Ruano Cea.
She has also supported a Pediatrics department-wide faculty development initiative around protective personal equipment training, participated in protocol developments, and interdisciplinary simulations.聽
From bootcamps to knowledge translation: what鈥檚 next?
Going forward, Dr. Ruano Cea intends to continue developing health sciences education research skills, conduct further education research, and continue pushing the envelope on curriculum design, implementation and evaluation.
鈥淲orking with trainees and colleagues, we want to develop, implement and evaluate novel educational strategies to make our curriculum as strong as it can be,鈥� said Dr. Ruano Cea. 鈥淚t has kept us quite busy!鈥�
She stresses the importance of health sciences education research through the Institute of Health Sciences Education.
鈥淭he health sciences education field is a very interesting and exciting community to be part of because it keeps us on our tip-toes,鈥� said Dr. Ruano Cea. 鈥淚t challenges us to rethink, question and explore the way we teach and learn on a day-to-day basis.鈥�