PLAY A LEAD ROLE IN EDUCATIONAL DESIGN THAT DRIVES RESEARCH TO PRACTICE

Being a leader in education isn’t just about delivering programs. It is about challenging existing models and developing new ways to educate health professionals, influencing both practice changes and the adoption of new technologies. Michener leads by exploring and applying new educational theory and knowledge to integrate education, applied research and clinical practice.

Dr. Brian Hodges is Executive Vice-President of Education at University Health Network and the Michener Institute of Education at UHN. He notes how Michener continues to apply leading-edge educational technologies to simulate in-class workshops in online learning environments.

Second-year Respiratory Therapy student Eliza Ung appreciates how Michener’s leadership in simulation learning is preparing her for a successful career.

Two projects in particular over the past year illustrate how Michener is applying its education design expertise to reduce medical error. In one, Toronto area radiation therapists, radiation oncologists and medical physicists used Michener’s simulation suite and expertise to explore cases modeled on actual incidents that have occurred in the past at cancer centres in the Greater Toronto Area.

Another pilot project between Michener and UHN’s Joint Department of Medical Imaging is exploring the relationship between image quality and patient safety, with the goal of training medical imaging technologists in methods that reduce the need for repeated images, and reduces a patient’s exposure to radiation.

Dr. Brian Hodges is Executive Vice-President of Education at University Health Network and the Michener Institute of Education at UHN. He notes how Michener continues to apply leading-edge educational technologies to simulate in-class workshops in online learning environments.

BE A SYSTEM LEADER FOR HUMAN RESOURCE SOLUTIONS FOR OUR health care SYSTEM

Michener’s success is rooted in aligning our programs so that we graduate the health care professionals our system needs, and ensuring our graduates and practicing professionals have the latest, most relevant and contemporary practice skills.

This means proactively identifying emerging health system trends and needs, and establishing first-mover programs that are responsive to health care trends.

• Whether training emerging health professionals or helping current health professionals grow their careers, Michener continues to design and deliver curriculum that addresses high-priority chronic illnesses and supports the needs of our aging population. Over the past year, this has included expanding the reach and scope of our Working with Seniors and Diabetes Education programs, and beginning to develop a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Asthma Educator program.
• By improving our recruitment and retention tactics for Michener’s Medical Laboratory and Medical Radiation Science Bridging Programs, we are increasing opportunities for internationally educated health professionals and increasing capacity in Ontario’s health system.

Cliff Nordal reflects on how Michener’s integration with University Health Network over the past year has also cemented the importance of education at all levels of health care as a way to anticipate and meet future health human resource needs.

Since Michener’s beginnings in the basement of Toronto General Hospital in 1958, we have pioneered training methods for health technologists that match the consistent trend of evolving health professions.

Be a network mobilizer to support system quality and transformation

Michener’s extensive network of partnerships allows us a unique role, bringing together technology experts and manufacturers, with clinical and academic experts to act as a hub that can enable the rapid development and application of new technologies, new practices and new models that will advance health system priorities in new and exciting ways.

We facilitate networks to address urgent and critical system requirements, leveraging our partners’ strengths to maximize the quality of the educational experience.

• Michener continues to build relationships and partnerships with other colleges and universities to address system issues and responsibilities, and to expand clinical partnerships.
• We have forged strong connections with Ontario’s long term care community, including patient advocacy and professional organizations, to ensure our curriculum is responsive to evolving and emerging patient needs.
• Throughout the process of integrating with UHN, Michener sought the guidance of the Toronto Area Local Health Integration Network LHIN to ensure benefits of this integration extended to and beyond the Greater Toronto Area, and we participated in the Ontario Hospital Association consultations on health care system change.

As a clinical coordinator in his workplace, Genetic Technologist Wes Morrison is part of the broader network of partners across the health system who help inform curriculum. This in turn produces students who are job-ready the day they graduate.

As a student getting ready to put her education to work in the clinical setting, second-year Respiratory Therapy student Eliza Ung appreciates how Michener prepares students to be part of the broader health care network through inter-professional education and modeling.