Introducing Skills-Based Teaching to Mongolia

Background: In Mongolia, the maternal and infant mortality rate is relatively high compared to countries with similar service coverage. As part of a curriculum review of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Neonatology for the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, six senior Mongolian delegates, sponsored by the United Nations Population Fund, attended a one week program at Sydney Medical School, Australia. The purpose of the program was to demonstrate best practice in medical education, and in particular, to highlight student-centred approaches to learning and teaching. The SCORPIO (Structured, Clinical, Objective, Referenced, Problem-oriented, integrated and Organised) system of teaching was demonstrated, with the Mongolian delegates participating.

Methods: At the end of the SCORPIO session, the Mongolian delegates were asked to complete a questionnaire regarding their perceptions of the SCORPIO learning experience. Both closed items and open-ended questions were included.

Results: All participants (n=6) found SCORPIO as a method of teaching to be highly acceptable. All felt that SCORPIO enabled the provision of an excellent method of teaching from multidisciplinary professionals, immediate feedback, and small group active learning within an authentic context. While there were no negative aspects reported of the experience by the participants, they did anticipate logistical difficulties to implementation in their own country.

Conclusion: Participants appreciated the value of the SCORPIO method of skills training and appreciated the role of active participation and the provision of immediate feedback on performance. In-country roll-out of the method may be limited by lack of academic staff, space and the persistence of a culture of didactic, rather than interactive teaching.