March 2026 Invited Speaker Rounds

Bringing Validity to Life with Argumentation Theory

Benjamin Kinnear, MD, PhD

Associate Professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics
Program Director, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Residency Program
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine

Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2026

Time: 12:00pm to 1:30pm

Hybrid: IRC Room 414 & Zoom*

Zoom Details: For connection details, please email ches.communications@ubc.ca.

Abstract

Within health professions education (HPE), assessment validity is often conceptualized as an argument supporting the interpretations and uses of data. But do such arguments truly exist in HPE, or do we use the term argument ornamentally? What do we mean by argument with regard to HPE validity, and how is it translated to argumentation? What would be the consequences of truly embracing the concept of argument in HPE validation? This presentation will stretch the bounds of HPE assessment validity, proposing ways in which Argumentation Theory can use validation to engage with HPE’s most important stakeholders: patients and learners.

Biography

Ben is an associate professor of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics in the Division of Hospital Medicine at University of Cincinnati Medical Center and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. He is program director for the Internal Medicine-Pediatrics residency program as well as for the IMSTAR medical education fellowship. Ben obtained his Master of Medical Education from University of Cincinnati in 2018 and subsequently completed a one-year research fellowship with the Education Research Scholars Program at Cincinnati Children’s. In 2020 he was selected for the Macy Faculty Scholars Program, during which he piloted competency-based time-variable training in the UC internal medicine residency program. He recently completed his PhD studies at Maastricht University’s School of Health Professions Education where he explored validity argumentation and argumentation theory. Ben spends most of his free time with his wife and two daughters hiking, playing board games, and travelling whenever possible. He is a St Louis Cardinals fanatic and strongly believes that mint-flavored ice cream is an abomination.

Accredited by UBC CPDThe Division of Continuing Professional Development, University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine (UBC CPD) is fully accredited by the Continuing Medical Education Accreditation Committee (CACME) to provide CPD credits for physicians. This activity meets the certification criteria of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and has been certified by UBC CPD for up to 15.0 Mainpro+® Certified Activity credits. Each physician should claim only those credits accrued through participation in the activity. CFPC Session ID: 301903-001 to 301903-010. RCPSC ACCREDITATION: The CHES Cutting Edge Speaker Series is a self-approved group learning activity (Section 1) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

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