PURPOSE: Medical professionals from Korea and Laos have been working together to develop a continuing professional development training program covering the major clinical fields of primary care. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the program from 2013 to 2014 using the Kirkpatrick model. METHODS: A questionnaire was used to evaluate the reaction of the trainees, and the trainers assessed the level of trainees' performance at the beginning and the end of each clinical section. The transfer (behavioral change) of the trainees was evaluated through the review of medical records written by the trainees before and after the training program. RESULTS: The trainees were satisfied with the training program, for which the average score was 4.48 out of 5.0. The average score of the trainees' performance at the beginning was 2.39 out of 5.0, and rose to 3.88 at the end of each section. The average score of the medical records written before the training was 2.92 out of 5.0, and it rose to 3.34 after the training. The number of patient visits to the district hospitals increased. CONCLUSION: The continuing professional development training program, which was planned and implemented with the full engagement and responsibility of Lao health professionals, proved to be effective.
Education* ; Health Occupations ; Hospitals, District ; Humans ; Korea ; Laos* ; Medical Records ; Physician Assistants* ; Primary Health Care ; Program Evaluation

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the formative program evaluation on the continuous improvement of a clinical training program for Lao health professionals. The training program was conducted 4 times consecutively for total 48 health professionals, and the formative program evaluation was carried out during the whole process. To evaluate the satisfaction and the transfer of the trainees, the questionnaire survey, the focus group interview, and the trainees' medical records were used. After the end of each batch of the program, the evaluation data were analyzed, and its results were shared with the training management committee and the trainers, who, based on the results, reached a consensus on how to improve the program. The evaluation results and the comparison of them among the four batches of the program showed that there was a continuous increase of the satisfaction and the transfer of the trainees, especially in the early period of the program. The formative program evaluation which was conducted during the whole process of the clinical training program had a positive effect on the improvement of the program, especially in the early phase, by increasing the satisfaction and transfer of the trainees.
Education, Continuing ; Health Personnel/*education ; Humans ; Laos ; *Program Evaluation