Jonathan Foo1,2, Dragan Ilic2,3, George Rivers2,4, Darrell J R Evans5, Kieran Walsh2,6, Terry P Haines1,7, Sophie Paynter1, Prue Morgan1, Stephen Maloney1,2,3. 1. a School of Primary and Allied Health Care , Monash University , Melbourne , Australia. 2. b Society for Cost and Value in Health Professions Education. 3. c Medical Education Research & Quality Unit, School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine , Monash University , Melbourne , Australia. 4. d Faculty of Business and Economics , Monash University , Melbourne , Australia. 5. e Academic Division , University of Newcastle Australia , Newcastle , Australia. 6. f BMJ Learning , BMJ, BMA House , London , UK. 7. g Allied Health Research Unit , Monash Health , Melbourne , Australia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Student failure creates additional economic costs. Knowing the cost of failure helps to frame its economic burden relative to other educational issues, providing an evidence-base to guide priority setting and allocation of resources. The Ingredients Method is a cost-analysis approach which has been previously applied to health professions education research. In this study, the Ingredients Method is introduced, and applied to a case study, investigating the cost of pre-clinical student failure. METHODS: The four step Ingredients Method was introduced and applied: (1) identify and specify resource items, (2) measure volume of resources in natural units, (3) assign monetary prices to resource items, and (4) analyze and report costs. Calculations were based on a physiotherapy program at an Australian university. RESULTS: The cost of failure was £5991 per failing student, distributed across students (70%), the government (21%), and the university (8%). If the cost of failure and attrition is distributed among the remaining continuing cohort, the cost per continuing student educated increases from £9923 to £11,391 per semester. CONCLUSIONS: The economics of health professions education is complex. Researchers should consider both accuracy and feasibility in their costing approach, toward the goal of better informing cost-conscious decision-making.
BACKGROUND: Student failure creates additional economic costs. Knowing the cost of failure helps to frame its economic burden relative to other educational issues, providing an evidence-base to guide priority setting and allocation of resources. The Ingredients Method is a cost-analysis approach which has been previously applied to health professions education research. In this study, the Ingredients Method is introduced, and applied to a case study, investigating the cost of pre-clinical student failure. METHODS: The four step Ingredients Method was introduced and applied: (1) identify and specify resource items, (2) measure volume of resources in natural units, (3) assign monetary prices to resource items, and (4) analyze and report costs. Calculations were based on a physiotherapy program at an Australian university. RESULTS: The cost of failure was £5991 per failing student, distributed across students (70%), the government (21%), and the university (8%). If the cost of failure and attrition is distributed among the remaining continuing cohort, the cost per continuing student educated increases from £9923 to £11,391 per semester. CONCLUSIONS: The economics of health professions education is complex. Researchers should consider both accuracy and feasibility in their costing approach, toward the goal of better informing cost-conscious decision-making.
Authors: Sanne Schreurs; Jennifer Cleland; Arno M M Muijtjens; Mirjam G A Oude Egbrink; Kitty Cleutjens Journal: Med Educ Date: 2018-10-15 Impact factor: 6.251
Authors: Witold Orlik; Giuseppe Aleo; Thomas Kearns; Jonathan Briody; Jane Wray; Paul Mahon; Mario Gazić; Normela Radoš; Cristina García Vivar; Manuel Lillo Crespo; Catherine Fitzgerald Journal: Med Educ Date: 2022-04-29 Impact factor: 7.647