The What, Why, How, When, Where, and Who of CTMs

Introduction

Here at USask Health Sciences we like to build on successes and streamline our processes by building on what works. If you have read The What, Why, When, Where, Who, and How of SITEs, you may have noticed that we have taken the same approach for this post. 😏 We also used the same approach to develop and run CTMs as we have for IPE events over the past five years–we have used the development team approach and the combination of synchronous and asynchronous event structures with IPE and adopted this approach for CMTs.

What is a “CTM”?

“CTM” is the acronym for “Common Topic Module”. CTMs are a particular style of learning event that is centrally coordinated and facilitated through USask Health Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan.

Why CTMs?

At the moment, all health science programs focus on their own educational paths. However, there is sometimes overlap in content and topic areas that are taught across the health sciences. So far, several key common areas have been identified, developed, and are available to all health science programs: professionalism, ethics, communications, and EDI.

In addition to introducing health science learners to the same language through exposure to the same content and learning experiences, the benefits of CTMs also positively impact instructors, programs, and the University of Saskatchewan as a whole. By reducing duplication–for example all programs teach communication–the CTM approach saves on time, space, and cost.

In summary, CTMs provide opportunities for:

• learners from across the health sciences to have additional shared experiences through common topic modules.  
• practicing durable skills with future colleagues.
• meeting accreditation requirements related specifically to teamwork and communication skills more generally.

How are CTMs developed?

CTMs are developed collaboratively by interprofessional teams, ensuring that content is relevant to all health science programs. As a result learners that participate in these events may either have an interprofessional or intra-professional team experience. Each member of a Development Team brings a unique perspective. Not only do development teams have members with different ‘professional’ lenses, but team members also bring different perspectives from their roles in the university community. Instructors, faculty, learners, and staff join together to create CTMs.

Each CTM also has a Review Team. The Review Team takes learner feedback, questions, and anonymized submissions–plus continuous quality improvement survey results–to make recommendations for subsequent offerings. (For more on continuous quality improvement (CQI) check out another one of our posts 😏)

And behind the scenes, making sure everything is up-to-date and running smoothly, we have a dedicated person who wears many hats: facilitator, coordinator, content developer, and first point of contact for supporting learners and instructors involved in a CTM event.

How do CTMs differ from IPE?

Although CTMs are offered as IPECT-facilitated events, they are different from IPE events in a few key ways. CTMs are:

• Topic-focused rather than interprofessional team-focused → although they can be run with interprofessional team experiences. 
• Programs choose IPE events because they require learners from other programs to make an event “IPE” whereas individual programs can choose CTMs independent of other programs.
• Run over a longer period of time → IPE events require the commitment of 90 minutes to 6 hours vs the 10 hour commitment of CTM events.  (although instructors can request portions of CTMs that are most relevant to their courses).
• CTMs replace content in existing courses whereas IPE events supplement existing courses.

How are CTMs organized?

In CTMs, learners have the opportunity to work in small teams of three or four and get to know about health professions working with team members, through activities, and/ or the resources provided.

CTM events are activity-focused. In a CTM, learners complete individual and team activities over approximately 10 hours. Learners can expect to spend approximately one hour per activity when they are involved in a CTM event. An activity can include:

• 1 hour of independent work, 
• 1 hour of team activities, or 
• 1 hour of independent work (30 minutes) and team activities (30 minutes).

Although the emphasis is on topics and content common to all health science programs in CTMs, learners participating in CTM events discuss and practice team and communication skills in small teams (interprofessional or intra-professional) as they work through content-related activities.

CTMs follow a predictable rhythm:

1. Preparation. Learners get ready by becoming familiar with the resources that will help them be successful in the activities they do with their colleagues. Resources highlight communication strategies, teamwork practices, reflective tools, conceptual frameworks, and content to be discussed. Step 1 establishes a common language.
2. Participation. Small teams of three to four learners from the same or different professional programs meet to address their team tasks together. Tasks have included the following:
   - team-focused skill practice (negotiating meeting time, posting to Padlet boards),
   - discussions (completing activities), communication approaches that are beneficial to teamwork (active listening), and 
   - strategies that contribute to team effectiveness (being open, team rules).
   
3. Team reflection. Teams are provided with reflective questions to guide the debrief of their shared learning experience.
4. Individual reflective practice. This component is essential for the development of team and communication skills. Learners are guided through a reflective practice framework to complete the event; an event cannot be completed without completing the individual reflective practice activities.

When are CTMs offered?

CTMs are currently offered throughout the Fall, Winter, and Spring academic terms. USask Health Sciences supports modules throughout the academic year–based on interest and need. We are flexible. 😉

Where are CTMs offered?

CTMs are currently offered virtually through our online platform, IPECT. This makes CTMs easily accessible and flexible to all learners regardless of location.

Who are CTMs for?

Health science learners participate in CTMs as per course requirements.

Wrapping up

Common topic modules are a great way for programs to share content and for learners to interact inter- and intra-professionally in a cost effective and administratively streamlined way. By working with instructors/faculty from all programs we have been able to develop resources that address all program needs without the usual process of course approval because CMTs are incorporated into already approved courses as resources. 

If you are interested in getting involved in the development of new CTMs or review of current CTMs, please reach out to the USask Health Sciences team. It truly does take a team!