title: Residents' views of the role of classroom-based learning in graduate medical education through the lens of academic half days.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the role of classroom-based learning in graduate medical education through the lens of academic half days (AHDs) by exploring residents' perceptions of AHDs' purpose and relevance and the effectiveness of teaching and learning in AHDs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors invited a total of 186 residents in three programs (internal medicine, orthopedic surgery, and hematology) at the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine to participate in semistructured focus groups from October 2010 to February 2011. Verbatim transcripts of the interviews underwent inductive analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-seven residents across the three programs volunteered to participate. Two major findings emerged. Purpose and relevance of AHDs: Residents believed that AHDs are primarily for knowledge acquisition and should complement clinical learning. Classroom learning facilitated consolidation of clinical experiences with expert clinical reasoning. Social aspects of AHDs were highly valued as an important secondary purpose. Perceived effectiveness of teaching and learning: Case-based teaching engaged residents in critical thinking; active learning was valued. Knowledge retention was considered suboptimal. Perspectives on the concept of AHDs as "protected time" varied in the three programs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings suggest that (1) engagement in classroom learning occurs through participation in clinically oriented discussions that highlight expert reasoning processes; (2) formal classroom teaching, which focuses on knowledge acquisition, can enhance informal learning occurring during clinical activity; and (3) social aspects of AHDs, including their role in creating communities of practice in residency programs and in professional identity formation, are an important, underappreciated asset for residency programs.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Chen is clinical assistant professor, Department of Medicine and Centre for Health Education Scholarship, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Dr. McDonald is tutor for medical education, Centre for Medical Education, University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland. Dr. Pratt is professor, Department of Educational Studies, and senior scholar, Centre for Health Education Scholarship, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Ms. Wisener is research coordinator, eHealth Strategy Office, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Dr. Jarvis-Selinger is associate professor, Department of Surgery, assistant dean for faculty development, and director of curriculum, MD Undergraduate Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Luke Y C
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: Daniel D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Pratt
authors.forename: Katherine M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Wisener
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jarvis-Selinger
mesh_terms: D001955:British Columbia; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D017144:Focus Groups; D007396:Internship and Residency; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007858:Learning; D012380:Role