Kent Hecker

Kent Hecker

Positions

Professor (Veterinary Medical Education)

Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Fulltime

Affiliations

Professor, Joint Appointment

Cumming School of Medicine

Full Member

Hotchkiss Brain Institute

Full Member

Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education

Full Member

O'Brien Institute for Public Health

Contact information

Email

kghecker@ucalgary.ca

Web presence

The Health Education Neuroassessment Laboratory (THENaL)

Phone number

Office: +1 (403) 220-8499

Location

Office: CWPH1E34

Background

Educational Background

B.S. Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, 1992

M.S. Genetic Biology, University of Calgary, 1997

Doctor of Philosophy Medical Education, University of Calgary, 2007

Biography

Dr. Hecker studies performance in health professions education, specifically he has built a program of basic and applied research focusing in three areas: 1) Selection of applicants; 2) Assessment of student/trainee competency development across the health care continuum; and 3) The application of neuro-imaging methods (functional magnetic resonance imaging [fMRI] and electroencephalography [EEG]) to assess learning, reasoning and decision making.

Research

Areas of Research

Activities

Dr. Hecker studies performance in health professions education. Specifically he has built a program of basic and applied research focusing in three areas: 1) Selection of applicants; 2) Assessment of student/trainee competency development across the health care continuum; and 3) The application of neuro-imaging methods (functional magnetic resonance imaging [fMRI] and electroencephalography [EEG]) to assess learning, reasoning and decision making. Dr. Hecker has published some of the first fMRI work assessing brain differences in novice and expert clinicians during clinical reasoning as well as EEG work assessing learning within a health professions education context. He received a Canada Foundation for Innovation grant to build The Health Education Neuroassesment Laboratory (THENaL) which is the first research facility in Canada for understanding how brain data relates to learning, education, and behavioral test performance within higher education.

Courses

Course number Course title Semester
MDCH 627 LEC 01 01 Med Ed Assess & Measurement 2021
MDCH 70069 LEC 04 04 Community Hlth Directed Study 2021
MDCH 730 SEC 01 S01 Doctoral Med Ed Res Seminar 2021

Awards

  • University of Calgary Teaching Awards Award for Curriculum Development, 2014
  • Best overall veterinary education research poster -AAVMC Annual Meeting, 2010
  • University of Calgary Teaching Scholar Award - Assessment, 2016
  • Selected as a founding member of the Distinguished Expert cohort, Academy of Veterinary Educators, Academy of Veterinary Educators. 2023

Publications

  • Assessing the Assessment Process. Pelzer; P.; J. Hodgson; J.; Danielson; K. Hecker. Wiley. 316-325. (2017)
  • Written Assessment. J. Danielson; J. Hodgson; K. Hecker; P.; Pelzer. Wiley. 237-254. (2017)
  • Concepts in Assessment. J. Hodgson; P.; J. Danielson; K. Hecker; Pelzer. Wiley. 219-236. (2017)
  • Are entrustment decision ratings and scores on workplace based assessments the “same”?. Kenton G Hecker; E Read; C Maxey. (2018)
  • Enhancing laproscopic skill acquisition and retention with transcranial direct-current stimulation. A Kirton; A. Cheng; O. Damji; K. Hecker; S. Lopushinsky; P. Ciechanski. (2018)
  • Sedation levels in dogs: a validation study. D.S.J Pang; K. G. Hecker; M. C. Wagner. (2017)
  • Ultrasound in the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome: a practical approach. A. Lin; Amar Suchak; Lee. J.; Kenton Hecker. (2017)
  • Programmatic assessment in competency-based workplace learning and the efficiency of learning over time: when theory meets practice. H Bok; T O’Neill; Kenton G Hecker; de jong L.. (2018)
  • Quantifying two dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D) anatomical learning using a neuroeducational approach. K. Hecker; Heather Jamniczky; S J Anderson; O Krigolson. (2018)
  • Doctoral Report: Quantifying two dimensional(2D) and three dimensional (3D) anatomical learning using a neuroeducationalapproach. O E Krigolson; Heather A Jamniczky; Sylvain P Coderre; S J Anderson; Kenton G Hecker. (2018)
  • Optimization or Reorganization? Exploring Resting-State Functional Connectivity in Clinical Reasoning and Decision Making. A. Protzner; Kenton G Hecker; O E Krigolson; P Hruska; F Cortese. (2018)
  • Does the use of non-invasive brain stimulation enhance surgical skill acquisition and retention?. A Watson; A Kazakoff; Marcia Clark; A Kirton; P Ciechanski; Kenton Hecker. (2019)
  • Neural correlates of transcranial direct-current stimulation enhanced surgical skill acquisition. C Williams; A Cheng; B Wilson; Kenton Hecker; Christopher Kirton; S Anderson; Steven Lopushinsky; P Ciechanski. (2019)
  • Learning from Two-Dimensional (2D) versus Three-Dimensional Anatomical Models: Assessing Working Memory Requirements Using Electroencephalography (EEG).. O E Krigolson; S J Anderson; C C Williams; Heather A Jamniczky; Sylvain Coderre; Kenton G Hecker. (2019)
  • Cost-effectiveness analysis of workplace-based distributed CPR training in pediatric healthcare providers. Vincent Joseph Grant; Kenton Hecker; G. Currie; A Cheng; Y Lin. (2019)
  • Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on laparoscopic surgical skill acquisition. O. Damji; P. Ciechanski; S. Lopushinsky; A Kirton; K. Hecker; A Cheng. (2017)
  • Written comments on entrustment decisions and their utility for student learning in the veterinary workplace. E Read; Kenton G Hecker; C Maxey. (2018)
  • Neural Correlates Oftranscranial Direct-Current Stimulation Enhanced Surgical Skill Acquisition. Z Jadavji; A Kirton; S Lopushinsky; Kenton G Hecker; A Cheng; O Damji; P Ciechanski. (2018)
  • Neural Correlates of Transcranial Direct-Current Stimulation Enhanced Surgical Skill Acquisition. C Williams; B Wilson; Kenton G Hecker; P Ciechanski; S Anderson; A Kirton; S Lopushinsky; A Cheng. (2018)
  • Are Entrustment Decision Ratings and Scores On workplace Based Assessments the 'same'?. Emma Read; C Maxey; Kenton G Hecker. (2018)
  • Written Comments on Entrustment Decisions and their Utility for Student Learning in the Veterinary Workplace. Emma Read; C Maxey; Kenton G Hecker. (2018)
  • quantifying Two Dimensional (2D) and Three Dimensional (3D) anatomical Learning Using a Neuroeducational Approach. Heather Jamniczky; Olav Krigolson; Kenton G Hecker; Sarah Anderson. (2018)
  • Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on laproscopic surgical skill aquisition: a randomized control trial. A. Kirton; Z. Jadavji; K. Hecker; S. Lopushinsky; P. Ciechanski; A. Cheng; O. Damji. (2017)

Google Scholar

PubMed