Is professional education in the social sciences and humanities obsolete

in a transdisciplinary world?Terrorism, New Militarisms, and Human Rights—

Transdisciplinary Approaches

Durban, South Africa11 September 2015

Prudence W. Dalrymple, PhD, MS, FMLApdalrymple@drexel.edu

Overview

• Today’s environment• Transdisciplinary research

• Health informatics as example• Framework for change• Implications for higher education & research• Application and action• Discussion and dialogue

SEPTEMBER 11, 2001AUGUST 6, 9 1945

We call one war, the other terrorism. Why?

September, 2015Migrants in search of a better life; how many will find one? Who will help?

An Endangered Planet

• As the world’s population increases, and expectations for a better life rise, will we have enough resources?

• How will they be distributed?

• Who will have? And have not?

6

• “Eds and meds,” high tech corridor, historical sites

• Poorest large U.S. city (28% below poverty level)-12% in deep poverty

• Unemployment = 11% (Detroit 18%, Boston, 6%)

• 15% of adults have no health insurance

• Significant health disparities

Philadelphia—My Town

| 7

SETPEMBER 26-27

Philadelphia welcomes Pope Francis to our city

We are hoping for a truly transformative experience!

Is Professional Education Still Relevant?

• In the face of such overwhelming challenges, how can we prepare professionals to practice meaningfully?– To promote understanding– To increase the knowledge base– To make a difference in the world?

9

A Framework for Change

• Transdisciplinary• Reflective• Engaged with the community• Results-oriented• Systems-based

Transdisciplinary Research

• Investigators from different disciplines working jointly to create new conceptual, theoretical, methodological, and translational innovations that integrate and move beyond discipline-specific approaches to address a common problem or goal

• Participatory, engaged, problem-oriented• Transformative!

Disciplines & Professions

• Comes from “disciple,” a believer who adheres to correct behavior– A system of rules for defining subject matter and

how it is to be studied

• Both productive and constraining• Professional education & practice is based on

disciplinary knowledge

Discipline-based Research

Disciplines develop theoretical models, conduct research, are constantly evolving—cannot “prove”, but constantly adding to the knowledge base –but in different ways

Economics Social Sciences

Quantitative Qualitative

Macro Micro’

Hard Scientific

Soft Journalism

Sampling Case Study

[John Harriss, The Case for Cross Disciplinary Approaches in International Development, London School of Economics, 2002 .]

Humanities & Social Science Research

• Humanities studies the human experience• includes studying language, literature,

philosophy, religion, culture• Social Science studies people and society,

multiple methods

Research in the Sciences• Empirical, based on scientific method• Hypothesis based• Quantitative• Hierarchy of evidence

Cross-, Multi-, Inter-….

• Cross- or multi-– Disciplines exist side by side

• Inter- – Integrates the disciplines to create a more holistic

view of a phenomenon

• May use “mixed methods”• Tries to preserve contextual factors

Health as Case Example• Medicine has its roots in pathology, the study of

disease and its treatment• Health is contextual, arising from multiple

factors• Health informatics grew from the recognition

that information—and information technology--forms a “connective tissue” in healthcare

• Learning Health System

18

. (

4 key(different) purposes: encyclopaedic understanding, holistic understanding, problem solving, and reflection-in-action.

Model of inter- and transdisciplinary research

Dynamic & Cyclical

Separate But Overlapping Approaches

21

Transdisciplinary Health

• Engaged in the world• Mentoring, guide at the side• Stakeholder involvement—research “with”,

not “researching on”• Collaborative• Multiple, diverse ways of knowing• Doing as well as knowing• Ecological

Transdisciplinary Professions

• Re-engagement with professional values• Culture of service• Ethics• Greater need for humanities & social science

approaches• [Perhaps] less insularity, greater flexibility

23

Funding Transdisciplinary Healthcare

• CBPR: Community-based participatory research – Combines community and academic knowledge to

promote social change Requires dialogue

• CER: Comparative Effectiveness Research– Which treatment works best for which group?

• PCORI: Patient centered outcomes research (institute)

Transformational Approaches

• Translational—bench to bedside• Transdisciplinary—teams working toward a

common goal• Transformational—community engagement,

participation, change• From bench to bedside to curbside….

| 24

25

Drivers to Change (U.S.)

• American Recovery Act• Electronic Health Record >data driven

decisions– Unintended consequences

• Health disparities persist• Patient empowerment• Information technology

26

√√

Inf

Knowledge

Data

Information

Informatics Pyramid

27

IT and Data

• Effect of EHR implementation created data, information and knowledge

• Big Data, data exchange• Patient data• Internet of things, quantified self• Informatics as a field, and a profession?

28

Electronic Health Records

• Enable data to be stored, organized, manipulated, exchanged, mined, visualized

• Platform for decision support, enhanced decision making

• Practice based evidence• “Levels the playing field”

29

Mobile Technology

• Ubiquitous computing, nearly universal access• Quantified self• Empowers patients• Pushes data to patients, pulls data from /about

patients

30

HI as a Profession

• Diverse experts learning together• Accreditation not associated with a specific

discipline/profession• Education programs can be located in many

colleges• Data doesn’t care!

31

Health Informatics (HI)

• HI intrinsically inter-disciplinary– Application of information and computer

technology to health/biomedicine

• Control, jurisdiction• Systems approach• Accreditation, quality control of education• Role of other professions (nursing,

information)

32

HI at Drexel

• Institute formed early 2000’s– Based in “neutral” territory, funding issues

• Cross college instruction (CNHP)• Differential development across campus • Inter-institutional collaboration (CHOP)• HI Jumpstart, leadership• University level civil engagement

33

MSHI at Drexel

• Online education• Practicum issues• Mixed student groups• Orienting faculty

34

Challenges

• Professions can be insular, protective narrow• Licensure can be intrusive• Accreditation can be helpful, but also costly

and burdensome• The term “profession” applies to everyone

from physicians to hairdressers• Emphasize the status quo and control

Elements of Change

• People—at all levels• Organization—inclusive governance, planning

and vision, persistence• Culture—respect for diversity, acceptance of

failure• Ecosystem—each part is essential to the whole

Fostering Transformation

• Social events, journal clubs, “brown bags,” “speed dating”

• Joint appointments, collaborative institutes, centres, champions

• Cross campus course enrollments• Develop experimental interdisciplinary courses• Fill gaps with inter-institutional collaboration t

37

Building Capacity

• Advocate for new funding mechanisms• Ensure peer reviewers understand, support

change• Review promotion & tenure guidelines• Review recruitment guidelines• Consider reflective practicum, online, flexible

learning

Is Professional Education Obsolete?

• Transdisciplinary research• Reflective practice• Commnity engagement• Transformative thinking

39

Next Steps

• Using this framework, address the problems addressed in this symposium?

• Using presenters’ expertise, attendees identify steps to take to move forward

• Create a vision and a plan to build capacity for transformation

40

Thank you and time for

dialogue…