Objective: This study aimed to identify the instructional preferences and barriers to continuing education (CE) participation and completion among healthcare professionals caring for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Background: CE is a requirement for many licensed healthcare professionals working with individuals with PD and movement disorders, yet there is limited research on their preferred learning methods that influence their decisions to participate in online CE activities.

Method: A 16-question online survey was developed by a team of Parkinson’s Foundation staff and healthcare professionals and then distributed to inpatient and community-based healthcare providers via convenience sampling over three weeks. Descriptive statistics and regression analyses (simple and multivariable) were used to characterize the sample and examine interactions between learner demographics and preferences. The study and its methods were approved by John Hopkins University Institutional Review Board (IRB) IRB00373495.

Results: A total of 4,947 healthcare professionals, primarily from the US, completed the survey and were included in our analyses. Most were between 31–40 years old (46%), and 55.7% identified as women. Most identified as White (65.6%); Black (21.5 %); Hispanic/Latino (45.7%). Live webinars were the most preferred online CE format (62%), followed by recorded webinars (54%) and journal articles (53%). Half favored 1–2 hours for course length (50.5%). Relevance to practice was a primary indicator of CE selection (61%). Institutional funding support was reported by 46%; 37.5% paid out of pocket. Nearly half (48.2%) preferred CE courses priced between $100–$500. Interactive simulations (37.5%) and case studies (36.1%) were preferred formats. Most (55.3%) use the Movement Disorder Society as a source for online CE. Time (40.1%) and financial constraints (34.5%) were the largest barriers. Course workload (28.5%) and toggle speed of audio/video (20.2%) were the largest barriers to starting, but not completing, CE.

Conclusion: Clinically relevant, synchronous, interactive, and applied learning experiences are preferred instructional methods. Time and financial constraints are barriers. Course workload and media playback speed affect completion rates.  These findings will inform future online CE development for healthcare professionals.

References: Campos-Zamora M, Gilbert H, Esparza-Perez RI, Sanchez-Mendiola M, Gardner R, Richards JB, Lumbreras-Marquez MI, Dobiesz VA. Continuing professional development challenges in a rural setting: A mixed-methods study. Perspect Med Educ. 2022 Oct;11(5):273-280. doi: 10.1007/s40037-022-00718-8. Epub 2022 Aug 9. PMID: 35943696; PMCID: PMC9360663.
Bower, Elizabeth A. MD, MPH1; Girard, Donald E. MD1; Wessel, Kristen PhD2; Becker, Thomas M. MD, PhD3; Choi, Dongseok PhD3. Barriers to innovation in continuing medical education. Journal of Continuing Education in the Health Professions 28(3):p 148-156, Summer 2008. | DOI: 10.1002/chp.176
Cain FE, Benjamin RM, Thompson JN. Obstacles to maintaining licensure in the United States. BMJ. 2005 Jun 18;330(7505):1443-5. doi: 10.1136/bmj.330.7505.1443. PMID: 15961820; PMCID: PMC558387.

Smorynski, H. W. & Parochka, J. (1979) Providing Continuing Education Opportunities in the Allied Health Professions. Journal of Allied Health, Vol. 8, No. 1 (February 1979), pp. 47-54.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/online-learning-preferences-of-healthcare-providers-caring-for-people-with-parkinsons-disease/