Keep Learning Alive in Healthcare
Boosting skills gets easier when tech, time and mentorship align
Healthcare moves fast — and staying current isn’t optional. Yet many professionals still struggle to keep up with new protocols, tools and treatments.
A national survey of clinicians found that 68 percent cited expense and 57 percent cited travel time as the biggest barriers to continuing medical education.
Additionally, a study on emergency physicians highlighted that state CME requirements can sometimes lack relevancy and place an undue burden on practitioners.
Harsh Words Tear Lives Apart
But fostering a culture of lifelong learning isn’t just about carving out more hours. It means rethinking how institutions use technology, build mentorship and support their teams.
When done right, continuous development helps providers deliver better care, boosts morale and keeps staff engaged in a fast-changing field.
Challenges are universal, especially in the Philippines where Dr. Remo Aguilar serves as an orthopedic surgeon, healthcare administrator and educator.
“In our medical association’s meeting, a colleague asked how we are progressing in cultivating a culture of continuous learning in our specialty’s training institution,” Aguilar said. “He expressed concerns about rumors that the current generation of would-be doctors lacks the same commitment to learning as their predecessors.”
Most worrisome was the sense that upcoming physicians have a different notion of continuous learning and work habits. This is despite the availability of huge amounts of medical information.
“My colleague added that most physicians in practice now would jump at opportunities for ongoing education,” Aguilar said. “As a student practitioner of distance education, this made me reflect on how we’re progressing.
“In the dynamic field of healthcare, continuous education is paramount,” he said. “For medical professionals, fostering a culture of lifelong learning is essential to stay abreast of medical advancements and provide the highest quality of patient care.”
Helpful Technology
Naturally, in the modern world, professional development of any kind is increasingly embedded with artificial intelligence. Doctors commonly use AI to save time and improve care.
“AI has helped me outline and improve on my posts with many competing ideas that I have in mind and from experience,” Aguilar said. “Still, AI can’t locate or support the kind of learning initiatives we really need here in the Philippines.
“We took most of the actionable steps during and immediately after the pandemic,” he said. “I rarely see them now, though, and overwhelming challenges seem to emerge.”
In his view, ongoing education is “hitting a wall,” even generating calls to abolish continuing professional development.
Honest and open conversations build strong bonds of trust
“CPD units have been used for money-making, sadly,” said Dr. Helen Madamba. “There should be an impact assessment if CPD activities have really improved our professionals. That should be done before revising the law.”
Madamba is an obstetrician gynecologist, infectious disease specialist and executive director of the Share A Child Movement.
Dr. Stephanie Eloisa D. Miaco, a psychiatrist from Dumaguete City, the Philippines, would be stricken if ongoing education and professional development ground to a halt.
“I attended a webinar on evidence-based psychodynamic psychotherapy by a leading researcher and author in that field,” she said. “It was so invigorating. I love these lectures that are made available to us.”
Full Integration
If programs like that are to continue, institutions must effectively integrate technology to enhance continuous learning among healthcare professionals.
“In our hospital, we have the electronic learning development system,” Madamba said. “It lists all the training offerings and the healthcare workers who have successfully completed these training sessions. It’s one of the best practices of our in-house developers.
“This is centralized to the Training Institute for the whole hospital,” she said. “I’m writing a research paper about it for the Department of Health research presentation.”
Doctors Use AI to Save Time — And Patients
Madamba benefits from AI as it handles the repetitive aspects of workflow. Embedding tech into workflows — like microlearning apps, on-demand CME, and AI-curated content — makes skill-building seamless, relevant and routine.
“I believe accessibility via strong internet connections, library resources and audio resources to healthcare professionals is very important,” Miaco said. “I want to see working libraries for everyone.”
As Aguilar pointed out, workflows structure continuous learning, making it into habits and routine. That structure also provides a way to evaluate the impact of ongoing education.
“Our educational council took steps to integrate professional development through various technologies,” he said. “We incorporated it into our training curriculum. Of course, the very first step is conducting a needs assessment and evaluation metrics. That’s really important.”
Rewarding Partnerships
Mentors also play a big role in fostering a culture of continuous education. Their success depends on how effectively they’re implemented in institutions.
“Mentorship allows for more condensed, profound learning in terms of life experience,” Miaco said. “Pair-ups should be encouraged.”
Mentoring turns lifelong growth into a shared habit, not just a solo task. For instance, pair seasoned pros with juniors, reward knowledge-sharing and make it part of the culture.
Reach for That Extra Edge
“Mentors can point where you need to go,” Madamba said. “They can remind and lead by example. Encouraging staff to pursue master’s degrees adds credibility and professionalism to the hospital.”
Part of the ongoing education cycle, the mentor prepares the mentee to one day guide others.
“Mentorship offers structure and direction for residents seeking to grow beyond their current training,” Aguilar said.
“Another important function of mentoring is balancing professional development activities with the current workload of trainees or physicians,” he said. “This should prevent or minimize burnout that might discourage a physician’s educational pursuits.”
Backing From Leaders
Money and time invariably affect the ability of healthcare professionals to pursue ongoing education.
“Economically, it’s very expensive holding face-to-face ongoing education activities nowadays,” Aguilar said. “The waxing and waning industry support is taking its toll.
“Use another learning platform, but make sure it’s well designed to have its desired impact,” he said. “That is the way to go with our current tech.”
Leadership backing — both financial and structural — is key.
“You really need to integrate into your organization or institution’s learning and development program to be successful,” Aguilar said.
Empower People with the Gift of Skills-Based Learning
Aim to make learning bite-sized, flexible and funded. Offer micro-courses, paid study time and employer-backed programs to ease the cost in both money and minutes.
“First, leaders have to perceive and accept that there is a problem before they act on anything,” Aguilar said. “It’s kind of hard to find a leader who believes in learning and development before problems get into crisis level. That’s because its return on investment is long-term and hard to measure.”
Operating in such a continual crisis mode is a sure way to race to self-fulfilling burnout.
“Hybrid conventions give us the option of online availability and access,” Miaco said. “That will go a long way.”
To thrive, a culture of continuous learning needs long-term commitment — from new physicians and seasoned leaders alike — as an investment in care quality, team strength and professional resilience.