Q and A: Training Difficult People in the Medical Field

Asked and Answered: Training in the Medical Field

I conducted a training class last week, the first since the Boot Camp course I attended. I spent a great amount of time devising the class. In the past it was merely a class that consisted of "I will show you how to do it and then you will do it". Anyone who was a product expert could do this, no actual training skills were necessary. After attending the Boot Camp, I revised the course substantially.

Overall, I think that the users went out with a better understanding of the application than previous classes have. I also did an evaluation for the class. Overall they were fairly positive. I did get some comments on the class being 'childish' comparing it to a first grade teacher. Others did not like the goal setting and the activities. The attendees were all medical doctors or physician assistants, with a mix of attendings and residents. I think that some of them felt too "educated" to do some of the activities I had planned. They just wanted to come in, sit down, have me show them the application and then let them use it.

However, they also are NOT good listeners. They are notorious for wanting to move ahead, and then not pay attention to what was being presented. Inevitably, they would have a question that I had covered, but because they weren't paying attention, they missed it.   

Do you have any suggestions on how to better tailor this to my particular audience? Is it typical for a certain percentage of highly educated adult learners to NOT like this type of participative format? If so, what percentage should I expect that might get disgruntled by being asked to do things outside of their comfort zone?

Answered:

Physicians and medical professionals can be a tough group, Why? Because they were conditioned in school that classes, lectures and seminars are not where you "learn" it; they are content dumps. Then you go to the real world to "learn" it. Part of our role in Organizational America is to recondition and train them differently so that retention and transfer happen to some degree. That way behavior really changes.

Surgeons have responded well to the following with me: have ground rules and your agenda scrolling in PowerPoint as they come in. Have participants do a quick table share of why they are here and where they did their training with a question they want answered on the back of name tent, which also is duplicated on a keynote. Then as a group, they share their questions and post them on an Expectations poster or say “Ditto” if it’s a duplicate—then it is safe if someone doesn't have one. A good closer is to check back and have the small groups answer the questions on the back of their table’s name tents. Then choose one to share with the large group.

Other strategies which have worked well include:

• page flagging and sharing what and why,
• human line up of comfort with topic (honor those who know),
• counting up years and explaining that you will be tapping into the expertise of group, 
• teachbacks,
• Ask3B4Me—on the bottom of the name tent, at your request, they make a traffic light with red, yellow and green. When they are working on the exercise you just modeled, the tent is horizontal. When they get stuck, they turn the name tent vertical with the red light on top. Those who have already finished can then begin teaching those with red lights. This helps them learn the material better, and they don't get bored and start unrelated conversations; it is the next best thing to cloning. When they’re done with the exercise, the green light is on top.

Find and fix challenges work with highly educated. I like to say, "Put the learner in a hole and ask them to dig their way out. As you need to, feed them information to help them." Often this results in better transfer and retention. Struggle leads to learning; spoon feeding doesn't.

You implemented quite a bit all at once which is not usually received well. Think about what is in it for them and that they will need to know the relevance loud and clear to play. I still say do what they don't expect, just make sure it is sophisticated and relevant.

Even, if you have done what is right for the audience and learner, you can depend on 5-7% not liking it or you for whatever reason. Beyond that, keep what worked and slowly try other ideas. Physicians have been trained to learn on their own time. They need to be retrained which is a baby step process.