A new tool to evaluate postgraduate training posts: the Job Evaluation Survey Tool (JEST)

Abstract

BackgroundThree reports in 2013 about healthcare and patient safety in the UK, namely Berwick, Francis and Keogh have highlighted the need for junior doctors’ views about their training experience to be heard. In the UK, the General Medical Council (GMC) quality assures medical training programmes and requires postgraduate deaneries to undertake quality management and monitoring of all training posts in their area. The aim of this study was to develop a simple trainee questionnaire for evaluation of postgraduate training posts based on the GMC, UK standards and to look at the reliability and validity including comparison with a well-established and internationally validated tool, the Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measure (PHEEM).MethodsThe Job Evaluation Survey Tool (JEST), a fifteen item job evaluation questionnaire was drawn up in 2006, piloted with Foundation doctors (2007), field tested with specialist paediatric registrars (2008) and used over a three year period (2008–11) by Foundation Doctors. Statistical analyses including descriptives, reliability, correlation and factor analysis were undertaken and JEST compared with PHEEM.ResultsThe JEST had a reliability of 0.91 in the pilot study of 76 Foundation doctors, 0.88 in field testing of 173 Paediatric specialist registrars and 0.91 in three years of general use in foundation training with 3367 doctors completing JEST. Correlation of JEST with PHEEM was 0.80 (p < 0.001). Factor analysis showed two factors, a teaching factor and a social and lifestyle one.ConclusionThe JEST has proved to be a simple, valid and reliable evaluation tool in the monitoring and evaluation of postgraduate hospital training posts.

The Dutch residency educational climate test: construct and concurrent validation in Spanish language

“…Only a few studies focused on the concurrent validity of the PHEEM. In a preliminary study, the Job Evaluation Survey Tool (JEST) developed in the UK was correlated against PHEEM, showing high Spearman correlation coefficients 29 . No previous studies have assessed the concurrent validity of D-RECT, implying the contribution of our study valuable to the validity evidence of the D-RECT.…”

Specialty training in family medicine in Montenegro – An evaluation of the programme by the first generation of trainees

“…The questionnaire was developed based on the literature by researchers from both Faculties of Medicine involved in the training as educators. Specifically, the questionnaire was composed of one on the satisfaction of trainees with the training programme, prepared by the Irish College of General Practitioners ( 12 ), and the Job Evaluation Survey tool, a simple, validated tool to evaluate the satisfaction of trainees with their training ( 13 ). A consensus of all the researchers on the content of the questionnaire was reached, considering the aim of the study.…”

Focus on Quality: Investigating Residents’ Learning Climate Perceptions

“…Throughout the modernizations of postgraduate medical education (PGME), quality assurance (QA) and continuous quality improvement (QI) of residency training received considerable attention worldwide [ 1 – 3 ]. The department’s learning climate is considered to be an important indicator of PGME quality [ 2 , 3 ] and as such often monitored as well as targeted during QI activities.…”

“…Recognition of the relevance of the learning climate has brought about an increase in QA/QI activities aimed at maintaining and improving learning climates in residency. As part of these activities, training programs often evaluate the learning climate by the administration of annual trainee surveys [ 1 ]. A widely used and well-researched questionnaire is the Dutch Residency Educational Climate Test (D-RECT) [ 15 ].…”