Preparedness for practice: The perceptions of medical graduates and clinical teams

Abstract

New doctors feel relatively unprepared for a number of aspects of practice, a perception shared by their colleagues. Although medical school has some effect on preparedness, greater differences are common across sites. Differences may reflect hidden influences common to all the schools, unintended consequences of national curriculum guidance or common traits in the graduate populations sampled. Further research is needed to identify the causes.

What factors in rural and remote extended clinical placements may contribute to preparedness for practice from the perspective of students and clinicians?

“…Such programs are now widely established in rural communities adding breadth and depth to student learning experiences and are associated with potential educational advantages and enhanced rural career intention (Walters et al, 2012, Birden andWilson, 2012) (Roberts et al, 2012, Eley et al, 2009. Much of the P4P literature has been reported in the context of urban, tertiary setting perspectives (Morrow et al, 2012, Goldacre et al, 2010b, with little relating to rural, community-engaged educational settings. three distinct clinical practice communities: general practice; hospital; and remote community care, each characterised by different learning opportunities and experiences such as parallel consulting (Walters et al, 2009) in general practice and team collaboration in the hospital setting.…”

“…Medical student perceptions of P4P include being prepared for basic clinical tasks, and developing good communication skills to work effectively with patients and colleagues (Illing, 2008, Morrow et al, 2012. Clinical placements have been identified as enabling students to develop into effective and adaptable future doctors and are a vital aspect of the transition from medical student to practicing doctor (Brennan et al, 2010).…”

Exploring student perceptions of ward simulation as an exercise to improve decision-making skills in the clinical context

“…Nevertheless, many students stressed they did not feel adequately equipped to cope with these time constraints and thus, were unable to complete all required tasks. This perceived lack of preparedness mirrors the opinions of medical graduates across the UK, whereby they frequently describe feeling unable to efficiently managed their time, especially so in the acute care environment (Bleakley & Brennan, 2011;Morrow et al, 2012).…”

Reaching Consensus on Measuring Professional Behaviour in Physical Therapy Objective Structured Clinical Examinations

“…16 Views of what constitutes professionalism are similar among health disciplines, which see the interaction of person and context and the importance of situational judgment as being key to professionalism. 17 The regulating bodies provide professions with basic minimum standards, regulations, and codes of conduct, which are often intertwined with a profession's set of core beliefs or values rather than a clearly defined skill or knowledge-based behaviour. 16 The tacit knowledge related to these beliefs and values is assumed through the professional socialization that a learner experiences when he or she participates in a practice setting.…”