insights

Online learning is one of the fastest growing trends in education¹ and is projected to triple by 2025². This format has played an increasing role in educating healthcare professionals for more than a decade³ and shows no signs of slowing down.

IFM has been offering AFMCP Online, the online, on-demand version of IFM’s foundational course Applying Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice, since early 2018, and hundreds of clinicians have already taken advantage of the opportunity to attend this course virtually. AFMCP online provides the same educational content as the in-person course along with an enriching, engaging online experience. The course creates opportunities for interaction among attendees and between attendees and educators, and best of all, allows you to work at your own pace, with no associated travel time or costs.

AFMCP Online capitalizes on the fact that distance learning is practical, accessible, and may alleviate some of the time pressures placed upon busy practitioners.³ Additionally, this type of education has been shown to be effective for improving a range of professional competencies, including attitude, knowledge, skills, and behavior.⁴  A 2015 study by the World Health Organization found that students in the health professions acquire knowledge and skills through online learning as well as or better than they do through traditional learning,⁴ similar to findings from an earlier JAMA metanalysis.⁵ A Cochrane review found no difference between online health education and traditional methods.⁶

Another study reports that the online environment has opened up enormous opportunities for interaction between students and educators, bringing collaborative learning to center stage in distance education.³ Social interaction is vital to building community in an online environment, which supports learning and helps learners develop problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.

Educational technology experts point to several trends to watch for in the future, like microlearning, social learning, mobile learning, and video.⁷  Kalutra, an open source developer, found that video can change the way students learn, boost attendance, increase the chance for success, and influence learning outcomes.⁸ Their 2014 report, “State of Video in Education,” found that 81% of respondents agree that online learning will grow in prominence.⁸

Recent reports note that online education seems particularly well suited for medical content, especially post-graduate medical content, as clinicians need to keep up with new medical information but face special challenges regularly attending in person conferences.⁹ In light of the time constraints under which health professionals operate, online learning has increasingly become the “new norm.” Clearly, the vast majority of the world is embracing tech-enabled learning for its ease of use, interactive properties, practicality, and accessibility. For clinicians who want to practice Functional Medicine, AFMCP Online offers a socially engaging environment where learners and peers can share knowledge, collaborate, and learn effectively.

References

1. Means B, Toyama Y, Murphy R, Bakia M, Jones K. Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies. US Department of Education; 2010. Accessed August 28, 2019. https://www2.ed.gov/rschstat/eval/tech/evidence-based-practices/finalreport.pdf
2. Global E-Learning Market Analysis & Trends – Industry Forecast to 2027. Published February 2019. Accessed August 27, 2019. https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/pg2wc5/global_elearning?w=5
3. Reeves S, Fletcher S, McLoughlin C, Yim A, Patel KD. Interprofessional online learning for primary healthcare: findings from a scoping review. BMJ Open. 2017;7(8):e016872. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016872
4. Al-Shorbaji N, Atun R, Car J, Majeed A, Wheeler E, eds. eLearning for Undergraduate Health Professional Education: A Systematic Review Informing a Radical Transformation of Health Workforce Development. World Health Organization; 2015. Accessed August 26, 2019. http://www.who.int/hrh/documents/14126-eLearningReport.pdf
5. Cook DA, Levinson AJ, Garside S, Dupras DM, Erwin PJ, Montori VM. Internet-based learning in the health professions: a meta-analysis. JAMA. 2008;300(10):1181-1196. doi:10.1001/jama.300.10.1181
6. Vaona A, Banzi R, Kwag KH, et al. E-learning for health professionals. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;1:CD011736. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD011736.pub2
7. Penfold S. Top 10 elearning trends to watch in 2017. eLearning Industry. Published December 13, 2016. Accessed August 25, 2019. https://elearningindustry.com/top-10-elearning-trends-to-watch-in-2017
8. Tsur M. Research confirms video improves learning results. HuffPost. Published June 1, 2014. Accessed August 28, 2019. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/michal-tsur/research-confirms-video-i_b_5064181.html
9. Guze PA. Using technology to meet the challenges of medical education. Trans Am Clin Climatol Assoc. 2015;126:260-270.

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