Seminars and Other Education Activities
Seminars on topics relevant to the goals of the fellowship are provided weekly by the training committee and allied providers. Seminars are organized in areas of emphasis to assist the fellow in their integration into clinical services as part of their program. Sequence to the seminar emphases is typically: Orientation; Assessment; Treatment; Professional Issues; Special Topics. Fellows participate in construction of the seminar series via completion of a needs assessment, construction of their Individualized Fellowship Plans and participation in a seminar to construct the seminar schedule. Fellows are expected to actively participate in the seminars providing didactic material from their prior training and experience, raising questions related to clinical practice, and discussing theoretical considerations. In addition there is a monthly leadership seminar and a monthly professionalism seminar. These seminars are disctict from the weekly seminars as they focus specifically upon the competencies of professionalism, reflective practice/self-assessment/self-care, ethical/legal standards/plicies, management-administration, leadership and advocacy. Emphasis in these seminars is on use of best practice discussions, readings and informal case presentations.
Seminars are an integral part of a fellow's training as reflected in the Program Mission Statement and in the APPIC membership criteria. Fellows are expected to attend at least 80% of seminars presented per training year and 100% of the seminars during the first quarter of training. Absence from seminar is permitted due to illness, to address a patient care crisis if approved by the supervisor, and for vacations or conferences if requested and approved at least one month in advance of the planned absence. Fellows are expected to plan their absences taking into account the need to attend a minimum of 80% of scheduled seminars. The fellows will notify a supervisor or the program director as soon as possible regarding unplanned absences.
An essential component to fellowship training is the acquisition of knowledge. This occurs in part through directed readings by program faculty and training director. Directed readings are provided to each fellow by each supervisor via a directed readings list and via specific materials provided throughout the year. Faculty may also provide directed readings in conjunction with seminars. Fellows are expected to read assigned materials and be prepared to review, discuss and demonstrate incorporation of relevant materials in patient care. Performance in this area is assessed by supervisors in the OPA assessments and the Clinical Competency Committee's semiannual review.
