The mentoring needs of trainees in family practice

Abstract

This qualitative study examined medical students' and family practice residents' ideas, perceptions, and experiences of being mentored and their expectations of the mentoring experience. Eight focus groups and 16 individual interviews were used to collect data from 49 medical students and 29 family practice residents. Interviews and focus groups were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. The analysis was iterative and interpretive, using both individual and team analyses. The analysis of the data revealed two central but related themes. The first theme reflected participants' overall experiences with mentors composed of three distinct elements: mentor roles (e.g. coach, advisor) and attributes (e.g. openness and approachability), interactions with mentors, and early exposure to family practice mentors (e.g. observing patient encounters). The second theme explicated the trainees' specific learning needs to be addressed by mentors that were categorised into three distinct yet overlapping levels: 1 practice level (i.e. guidance regarding the logistics of practice management) 2 system level (i.e. knowledge about the medical community as well as community resources) 3 personal level (i.e. guidance in balancing personal and professional responsibilities). Having the option of selecting multiple mentors to address unique aspects of the mentees' personal and professional development is critical in respecting the evolutionary nature and fluidity of the mentoring experience.

Advice to future family physicians: Findings from qualitative interviews with family medicine residents and early-career family physicians

“…This is re ected in past literature; administrative tasks such as billing, staff management, technological advances, and resource access and allocation are tasks that family physicians are expected to take on that are not explicitly taught. 15,16,21,22 Consistent with other studies, [23][24][25] our participants wanted future physicians to acknowledge the increasing complexity of family medicine, especially with long wait times for specialist care, ultimately leading to physicians managing these complex medical patients and an increased clinical burden. Formal education may need to be more agile to train new cohorts of family physicians in a changing primary care landscape.…”

“…12,14 Advice can also prepare trainees for the realities of managing a practice, readying them for making logistical, scal, and human resource decisions. 15 In this study, we examine the types of advice early-career family physicians and family practice residents would offer to new family medicine residents. Findings from this study may provide insight into the existing challenges in family medicine and how these challenges may be shaping practice intentions.…”

Mentorship and pursuit of academic medicine careers: a mixed methods study of residents from diverse backgrounds

“…Overuse of checklists to track career development and a perceived mass production culture for building academicians were key concerns for participants. Attention to the mentor-mentee relationship, mentor attributes, and the mentoring process are critical for personal and professional success [32]. …”