The teaching and learning experience in the Medical College in Pakistan has taken another leap forward with the introduction of the one45 educational management application.
Paper-based processes have been replaced by one45’s online system which provides real-time access to academic evaluations of students, faculty and postgraduate (PGME) trainees; course schedules and curriculum management functions enhancing the experience of students and faculty alike.
First piloted in October 2015 with
One45's spider web plots show how students are performing against the class average. The graphic shows a student who is above average on all seven criteria.
a small group, today over 1,500 people have been trained to use one45, which used in over 50 medical schools globally. Specially designed for medical and allied health programmes, the system allows users to complete all course administration and evaluation through just a few quick clicks. The time-saving application is now live in 35 undergraduate modules, 64 postgraduate programmes as well as the Master of Health Professions Education and the PHd in Health Sciences.
All data about clinical rotations, patient logbooks, and continuous assessment scores are now easily and securely accessible to students, teaching faculty, academic heads and course administrators. Course evaluations and administrative tasks can now be completed by computer from anywhere in the world and one45’s reminder system helps all users stay on top of their tasks, removing the need for follow-up.
Commenting on the overall benefits of the system, Dr Jehangir Farmanali, chief resident in General Surgery, 2015, said: “I was the first amongst the General Surgery team to be introduced to One45. I think it is a great way to communicate in a team of residents, especially regarding their feedback, rotation rosters, leave schedules, academic sessions. Most of all it looks great and this helps chief residents manage administrative tasks.”
Since the system generates analytics in real-time, it also enables students and faculty to regularly track their performance and to promptly act on feedback about teaching and learning. For example, one45 offers academic and programme managers the opportunity to visualise competence by plotting the grades of a student or PGME trainee against his/her peers on a range of criteria (such as communications skills, professionalism and medical expertise) through spider web plots. If needed, faculty can then schedule additional teaching sessions to improve learning.
"One45 has immensely improved the evaluation process,” said Dr Saniya Sabzwari, an associate professor in Family Medicine. A fifth-year MBBS student in the Medical College, Muhammad Mustafa added that “one45 has eased the process of filling out evaluations; it has also enabled us to view our continuous assessment results with just the click of a button.”
Dr Sonia Zain, project manager for the one45 implementation said: “Implementing one45 across AKU’s academic programmes wouldn’t have been possible without the valuable contribution and assistance of department chairs, faculty champions, faculty, students, residents, departmental managers and administrative staff, IT services and of course the core one45 team. Colleagues across the AKU have been trained to use the system and we’re glad that it is helping inform steps to enhance academic standards in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education programmes.”
Project sponsor Dr Farhat Abbas, dean of the Medical College, Chris Handley, consultant to the information technology department, and faculty leads Dr Kulsoom Ghias, Dr Mughis Sheerani and Dr Muneer Amanullah led efforts to adopt the system across the medical college.
In May 2017, one45 will be available across the Medical College in Pakistan’s undergraduate and postgraduate programmes as it is extended to the MSc in Epidemiology and Biostatistics and the Masters in Health Policy and Management.
