Training activity information
Details
Plan and perform a validation study for a healthcare technology realisation.
Type
Developmental training activity (DTA)
Evidence requirements
Evidence the activity has been undertaken by the trainee.
Reflection on the activity at one or more time points after the event including learning from the activity and/or areas of the trainees practice for development.
An action plan to implement learning and/or to address skills or knowledge gaps identified.
Reflective practice guidance
The guidance below is provided to support reflection at different time points, providing you with questions to aid you to reflect for this training activity. They are provided for guidance and should not be considered as a mandatory checklist. Trainees should not be expected to provide answers to each of the guidance questions listed.
Before action
What are the intended outcomes of the training activity?
- How have you reviewed the specific learning outcomes to ensure you are prepared to engage in the translation pathway and assess whether the technology realisation truly meets the needs of the clinical service?
- How do you plan to demonstrate that your validation study critically evaluates the solution in the context of the wider healthcare system and its impact on patient care and safety?
- What essential clinical or technical information do you need to acquire regarding user requirements or clinical gold standards before you embark on this validation exercise?
What do you anticipate you will learn from the experience?
- What specific insights do you hope to gain regarding how a technical realisation performs in a real-world clinical environment compared to its initial functional specification?
- How does your existing knowledge of verification and validation (V&V) methodologies prepare you for the challenges of confirming that the right solution has been built for the intended users?
What actions will you take in preparation for the experience?
- What specific technical or clinical points have you prepared to discuss with your Training Officer to ensure your validation plan is robust and addresses the identified service needs?
- What possible challenges—such as securing representative user groups or managing clinical data variance—have you identified, and how do you plan to handle them?
- How have you identified your feelings about taking on the professional responsibility of validating a technology that will directly influence patient management?
In action
What are you doing?
- How are you currently approaching the execution of the validation tests, and why have you chosen this specific methodology to capture the user experience or clinical performance?
- What decisions are you making as the study progresses to ensure that the data being captured is representative of actual service conditions?
- Which parts of the validation process feel intuitive, and which aspects require more conscious effort to ensure patient safety remains the primary focus?
How are you progressing with the activity?
- How effective are your current actions in achieving a definitive conclusion regarding the technology’s clinical viability?
- What technical or logistical challenges are you facing as the study unfolds, and what are you learning about the complexities of technology translation?
- How is this live validation activity connecting to your existing skills in data analysis and system evaluation?
How are you adapting to the situation?
- Are there alternative analytical approaches or feedback mechanisms you should consider mid-process to ensure the solution is thoroughly critiqued?
- What immediate support or guidance might you need from a senior clinician or engineer right now to resolve an ambiguity in the validation results?
- How are you ensuring that your actions and interpretations remain strictly within your professional scope of practice while evaluating these healthcare solutions?
On action
What did you notice?
- How would you summarise the key points of the experience, specifically detailing whether the technology successfully validated against the identified clinical needs and safety benchmarks?
What did you learn from the activity?
- What specific skills or knowledge did you develop regarding the ability to plan and perform validation studies within the translation pathway?
- Were there any unexpected challenges or successes during the study, and what did you learn from these regarding the technology’s wider impact on the healthcare system?
- In what ways did your reflection-in-action—such as adjusting a test parameter due to user feedback—influence the final quality of your validation report?
- How does the experience of performing this validation relate to the requirements for your future post-programme practice as a Clinical Scientist?
What will you take from the experience moving forward?
- What areas for continued development in V&V methodologies or clinical risk appraisal have you identified as a result of this activity?
- How can you apply the learning from this validation study (e.g., more rigorous user-engagement strategies) to your routine practice in the department?
- What are the specific ‘next steps’ you will now take, such as mastering a new statistical analysis tool or presenting findings to stakeholders, to support the assimilation of what you have learned?
Beyond action
Have you revisited the experiences?
- How have you re-evaluated your initial validation conclusions in light of subsequent technical findings or feedback from the wider multidisciplinary team?
- Comparing this validation study with your Observed Training Activities (OTAs), what specific observable behaviours in clinical critique and technical precision have you now fully assimilated?
- In what ways have discussing with peers regarding your validation strategies changed your view on how to navigate complex technology translation challenges?
How have these experiences impacted upon your current practice?
- How has this validation activity supported your development in wider areas, such as writing interpretative technical reports or presenting safety cases for new technology?
- How have you applied this knowledge of the translation pathway since the original experience to support the safe and effective introduction of other solutions?
- In what ways has the cumulative learning from this activity supported your preparation for in-person assessments, such as Case-based Discussions where you must justify your technical evaluations?
How might these experiences contribute towards your future practice?
- What transferable skills in system exploration and digital innovation have you developed that will help you lead future technology realisations?
- What clear actions for continued development of your V&V skills have you identified to ensure your future practice remains safe and of high quality as technology evolves?
Relevant learning outcomes
| # | Outcome |
|---|---|
| # 1 |
Outcome
Engage in the translation pathway for healthcare technology developments. |
| # 4 |
Outcome
Plan and perform verification and validation of solutions. |
| # 5 |
Outcome
Critically evaluate changes and solutions to address service needs, considering the impact on patient care and safety and the wider healthcare system, |