Physician communities of practice: Where learning and practice are inseparable

Physicians interact with peers and mentors to frame issues, brainstorm, validate and share information, make decisions, and create management protocols, all of which contribute to learning in practice. It is likely that working together in this way creates the best environment for learning that enhances professional practice and professional judgment. So convincing are the arguments for this view that management practices already are changing to foster the integration of learning and practice. This article describes a program of research that is planned to assess the effectiveness of information and communication technologies that purport to support and enhance learning in practice.