EurOP2E – the European Open Platform for Prescribing Education, a consensus study among clinical pharmacology and therapeutics teachers
Authors: Bakkum Michiel J. , Richir Milan C. , Papaioannidou Paraskevi , Likic Robert , Sanz Emilio J. , Christiaens Thierry , Costa João N. , Mačiulaitis Romaldas , Dima Lorena , Coleman Jamie , Tichelaar Jelle , van Agtmael Michiel A. ,   for the Education Working Group of the European Association for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (EACPT) and its affiliated Network of Teachers in Pharmacotherapy (NOTIP), Atanasova Ivanka , Ganeva Maria , Gatchev Emil , Kostadinova I.I. , Matanovic S. Mimica , Vitezic D. , Wozniak Greta , Kmonickova E. , Urbanek Karel , Damkier P. , Huupponen R. K. , Auffret Marine , Bejan-Angoulvant T. , Chouchana Laurent , Cracowski Jean-Luc , Drici M. D. , Faillie J. L. , Geniaux Hélène , Molimard M. , Orlikowski D. , Palin Karine , Pers Y-M , Picard Nicolas , Simon N. , Toussirot E. , Boger R. H. , Cascorbi I. , Mueller S. C. , Regenthal R. , Schwab M. , Schwaninger M. S. , Thuermann P. A. , Wojnowski L. , Kouvelas D. , Riba P. , Kerins David M. , Williams David J. , Cosentino M. , De Ponti Fabrizio , Filippelli Amelia , Leone R. , Locatelli Vittorio , Jansone Baiba , Gulbinovic Romaldas , Mifsud Janet , Braszko Jan J. , Kocic I. , Breitenfeld Luiza , Castelo-Branco M. , Conea Simona , Magyar Ioan , Bevc S. , Krzan Mojca , Bernal M. L. , Capellà D. , Carcas A. , De Abajo F. J. , Lopez-Rico M. , Lucena M. I. , Pontes C. , Sanz E. J. , Böttiger Y. , Le Grevès Madeleine , de Waard-Siebinga I. , Janssen Ben J. A. , Knol Wilma , Pandit Rahul , van Rosse F. , Dent G. , Ferro Albert , Hitchings A. W. , Kapil V. , Linton K. D. , Loke Y. K. , Okorie Michael , Plumb Richard David , Pontefract Sarah , Ranmuthu S. , Sampson A. P. , Thanacoody H. K. R. , Whitfield Jonathan P. , Wilson Kurt 
Published: February 2021

Purpose

Sharing and developing digital educational resources and open educational resources has been proposed as a way to harmonize and improve clinical pharmacology and therapeutics (CPT) education in European medical schools. Previous research, however, has shown that there are barriers to the adoption and implementation of open educational resources. The aim of this study was to determine perceived opportunities and barriers to the use and creation of open educational resources among European CPT teachers and possible solutions for these barriers.

Methods

CPT teachers of British and EU medical schools completed an online survey. Opportunities and challenges were identified by thematic analyses and subsequently discussed in an international consensus meeting.

Results

Data from 99 CPT teachers from 95 medical schools were analysed. Thirty teachers (30.3%) shared or collaboratively produced digital educational resources. All teachers foresaw opportunities in the more active use of open educational resources, including improving the quality of their teaching. The challenges reported were language barriers, local differences, lack of time, technological issues, difficulties with quality management, and copyright restrictions. Practical solutions for these challenges were discussed and include a peer review system, clear indexing, and use of copyright licenses that permit adaptation of resources.

Conclusion

Key challenges to making greater use of CPT open educational resources are a limited applicability of such resources due to language and local differences and quality concerns. These challenges may be resolved by relatively simple measures, such as allowing adaptation and translation of resources and a peer review system.