Is it me or is it them? Factors that influence the passing of underperforming students

Abstract

Many different factors impact on medical educators' failure to report underperformance in students. There are conflicts between these factors and the need to report competence accurately (i.e. duty to protect the public). Although some of the barriers identified are similar to those found in previous studies, using a theory-based approach added value in that it facilitated a richer exploration of failure to fail. Insights offered in this study will be used to plan a questionnaire study and subsequent intervention to support medical educators in accurately reporting underperformance in students.

An evaluation of the multiple mini-interview as a selection tool for dental students

“…The value placed on this global assessment cannot be underestimated. Personal uneasiness on failing a candidate has been noted before 14 and it was again noted in discussion as well as the evaluation, highlighting that assessors were very prepared to use the full range of grade marks wherever possible.…”

Beliefs, identities and educational practice: a Q methodology study of general practice supervisors

“…Furthermore the Audétat et al study suggested that supervisors' beliefs might be better represented as viewpoints. 13 Q methodology was developed by Stephenson to explore shared viewpoints. 20,21 Participants are asked to rank (sort) a precompiled list of statements based on their level of agreement.…”

“…excessive loss of confidence) which conflicted with their need to be supportive as part of a caring culture. 14 Supervisors in Audétat et al's study 13 believed that good residents would simply pick-up skills through being immersed in the clinical setting and observing clinicians, thus implying that they could fulfil both their clinical duties and their educational ones through their clinical work. These examples illustrate the potential links between beliefs and identities, both individual (being a clinical teacher as being intertwined with being a clinician) and social (being lenient as being indicative of belonging to a caring culture).…”

“…Adapted from Fishbein 9 involved in teaching with medical students and/or residents also suggest that issues of beliefs and identity are relevant to the provision of good clinical teaching. [13][14][15] For instance, Cleland et al found that clinical teachers believed that the act of failing a student was likely to lead to negative outcomes for the student (e.g. excessive loss of confidence) which conflicted with their need to be supportive as part of a caring culture.…”

“…failing students and managing residents with clinical reasoning difficulties. 13,14 Furthermore, their qualitative approaches preclude precise determination of the prevalence of potentially detrimental beliefs. To our knowledge, there have been no studies focusing on the potential link between the overall quality of supervision in general practice and the different viewpoints and multiple identities of supervisors.…”