The Expert Pathway: What You Can Do to Improve Your Performance

Abstract

The Expert Pathway is an approach to professional development aimed at improving teaching, learning and performance in the domain of medicine. The approach is derived from the study of actual experts from a variety of different domains. Results from cognitive science are also applied as they relate to performance improvement. The ultimate goal is not simply to become competent (i.e. sufficient or adequate but not exceptional) rather the goal of the expert pathway is to reach towards expert performance. Performance in the domain of medicine has a great many contributing factors. These include motivation, environment, native ability or talent, employed strategies, self-regulation, costs and goal orientation. The expert pathway focuses on aspects of performance that are under an individual’s control such as employing selected strategies and persisting in the face of a setback.