Healthcare is undergoing profound changes, driven by Bioscience and technological advancements, demographic shifts, and changing lifestyles throughout Europe, thus requiring medical doctors to expand their skills’ palette.In response to these challenges, BioS aims at advancing the digital skills of medical doctors through the design, development and delivery of new modular vocational curricula on Computational Biology, as well as transversal skills, directly responding to skills needs identified by existing research evidence. Drawing on this evidence, BioS implements the design, development and delivery of the BioS VOOC, in accordance with ECVET/EQF/EQAVET, and through the BioS VLE, for the European professional core profile of Medical Doctors (ESCO-221), aiming, in particular, to upgrade their transversal skills as well as their occupation-specific skills (as shown in ESCO) in Medical chemistry (biomedical analysis), Medical statistics, Medical interpretation, and Clinical genetics, by introducing them in the use of Computational Biology for clinical applications. Moreover, the BioS joint training programme embeds work-based learning periods and transnational mobility, offering trainees the opportunity to gain practical, hands-on experience.The purpose is to provide medical doctors with knowledge, skills and competencies, which will allow them to tackle effectively concurrent challenges in EU healthcare systems, services, and policies, in benefit of the health of EU citizens. BioS establishes a multi-stakeholder partnership, comprising of 13 partners in 8 EU Member-States, and develops all its outputs in 9 EU languages, thus guaranteeing wide impact throughout the EU and beyond, while directly responding to the demand for coordination between policy makers, training and education providers and health professionals’ associations, as it will produce Policy Briefs and Recommendations, thus contributing to the relevant policy agendas in national and EU level.
The BioS project aimed at advancing the skills of European medical doctors and other health professionals through the design, development and delivery of new modular vocational curricula on Digital Skills on Bioinformatics/Computational Biology, as well as transversal skills, straightforwardly responding to the skills gaps identified by existing research evidence.
One of the biggest challenges is the availability of healthcare professionals that are able to use the latest information technologies developed in the big data analytics era (Rozman et al, 2016). The consortium therefor created an innovative, multilingual Massive Open Online Course on Bioinformatics providing it to the widest possible audience and integrating online Work Based Learning periods (Online Seminars).
<< Background >> One of the biggest challenges is the availability of healthcare professionals that are able to use the latest information technologies developed in the big data analytics era (Rozman et al, 2016). The consortium therefor created an innovative, multilingual Massive Open Online Course on Bioinformatics providing it to the widest possible audience and integrating online Work Based Learning periods (Online Seminars). << Objectives >> The BioS project aimed at advancing the skills of European medical doctors and other health professionals through the design, development and delivery of new modular vocational curricula on Digital Skills on Bioinformatics/Computational Biology, as well as transversal skills, straightforwardly responding to the skills gaps identified by existing research evidence. << Implementation >> BioS has developed and delivered the BioS Vocational Open Online Course (VOOC) in accordance with ECVET/EQF/EQAVET and through the BioS Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) aiming to upgrade the transversal as well as occupation-specific skills of health care professionals in Medical chemistry (biomedical analysis), Medical statistics, Medical interpretation, and Clinical genetics, by introducing them to the use of Computational Biology for clinical applications. << Results >> The project’s objectives were pursued through the following main results:- Modular Curricula integrating latest advancements in Computational Biology for the Healthcare sector - Training Material including, inter alia, video lectures, learning activities, assessment exams- Development of a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) bringing together medical doctors, bioinformatics experts, educators, researchers and policy makers - Policy Briefs and Recommendations - Dissemination material