This document summarizes a presentation on using deliberate practice theory to develop self-assessment skills. It discusses how deliberate practice involves focusing practice on tasks at one's maximum level of ability, self-monitoring to identify weaknesses, and repeating tasks to improve performance. Research found that high-achieving medical students used more deliberate practice techniques than low-achieving students. Attendees were asked to brainstorm ways to develop lifelong habits of self-monitoring and one idea would be selected to try and report back on. The goal is to help residents develop effective self-assessment through deliberate practice.

1. Deirdre Bonnycastle
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Resident Retreat
July 2014
Puzzling Over Self Assessment

2. Prerequisite Knowledge
Motivation

3. Extrinsic Motivation

4. Intrinsic Motivation

5. Objective
Upon completing this session, you will be
able to use Deliberate Practice Theory to
develop a process of self assessment

6. Task
At your table discuss
why self assessment is difficult.

7. Why Deliberate Practice?
Expert performance is
the end result of
individuals‘ prolonged
efforts to improve
performance while
negotiating motivational
and external
constraints.
-Anders Ericsson, 1993

8. Deliberate Practice Process
1. Practice problems in medicine at the upper
level of your ability
2. Develop a livelong habit of self monitoring
(seek out blind spots/cognitive errors)
3. Repeat tasks to level of automaticity to
improve performance.
-Guest 2008

9. Why Deliberate Practice?
High achieving medical
students showed more
characteristics of deliberate
practice than low achieving
students.
-Moulaert 2004
WHY?

10. Develop a livelong
habit of self monitoring
At your table,
brainstorm as many
ideas as possible about
how this might be done.
Table with the largest
number of ideas, gets a
prize.
(Extrinsic Motivation!)

11. Making it Explicit
 pick one of the items from the brainstorming
that you would be willing to try
 write it down and pass it to the person on your
left
 read what was on the paper and pass it on.
Comments!

12. Thank You
Resources
The Role of Deliberate Practice in the Acquisition of Expert Performance
The definitive article from K.A. Ericsson who initially proposed the concept although not
specifically medical
The Effects of Deliberate Practice in Undergraduate Medical Education
The present study investigated the relationship between several aspects of deliberate
practice and study achievements among undergraduate medical students
The Rigorous Application of Deliberate Practice Methods in Skills Courses
Prepared for: UCLA/IALS Sixth International Clinical Conference Enriching Clinical
Education
Clinical Skills Training – practice makes perfect Research in instructional science
demonstrates that the acquisition and maintenance of skills expertise in clinical medicine
depend upon the learner’s engagement in deliberate practice of desired educational
outcomes
The Lifelong Challenge of Expertise
(Guest article) The development and maintenance of expertise requires extensive time
dedicated specifically to the improvement of skills, an activity termed deliberate practice

13. Developing Clinical Reasoning: The role of deliberate practice, reflection and analogical
mapping
Research indicated that practice, reflection, and cognitive processes are necessary for
effective clinical reasoning ability but do not adequately answer the question of how they
are related
The Structure of Reflective Practice in Medicine The capability to reflect consciously
upon one’s professional practice is generally considered important for the development
of expertise and, hence, for education
Deliberate Practice and CPD in Psychiatry
This editorial outlines the philosophy of deliberate practice and potential difficulties in
making use of it in psychiatry
Mastery Learning Of Advanced Cardiac Life Support Skills
Our objective was to use a medical simulator to assess PGY-2 medical residents'
baseline proficiency in six ACLS scenarios and evaluate the impact of an educational
intervention grounded in deliberate practice on skill development to mastery standards
Reflection, perception and the acquisition of wisdom Medical Education 2008
Rewards and Punishment
http://medicaleducation.wikifoundry.com/page/Rewards+and+Punishment