Williams, D and Ledger, A (2020) Starting work as a doctor: challenge is essential. The Clinical Teacher, 17 (1). pp. 36-40. ISSN 1743-4971
Abstract
Background: Previous research on the transition from student to doctor has indicated that new doctors are ‘ill prepared’ to start work. Subsequent efforts to improve preparation in the UK have involved increasing practical experience for final-year students through an assistantship period. This study further explored new doctors’ experiences of transition in light of recent critiques of preparedness and the first author’s own experience of the transition.
Methods: A total of 11 Foundation Year 1 (FY1) doctors from West Yorkshire were recruit-ed via e-mail and snowballing methods. Data were collected using semi- structured interviews and analysed thematically, drawing on the knowledge and experience of the authors as a resource.
Findings: The interviews told a story of new doctors learning through challenge. Challenges were contextual, often occurring out of hours when new doctors were working more independently. These challenges were experienced as stressful at the time, but were also deemed to be necessary for personal and professional development. When aligned with the new doctor’s starting job, assistant-ship was found to be helpful to new doctors becoming familiar with the new work environment and clinical staff; however, assistantship did not provide all of the solutions for the transition, as FY1s will always encounter challenges during this period.
Conclusion: The transition will always be difficult and new doctors cannot be fully ‘prepared’ for it. Doctors will not be able to encounter every clinical scenario before starting work, and supported practice is necessary and inevitable. Although assistantship interventions are helpful, there should be equal emphasis on developing effective clinical supervision and addressing barriers to new doctors taking on challenges
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education. This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Williams, D. and Ledger, A. (2020), Starting work as a doctor: challenge is essential. Clin Teach, 17: 36-40. doi:10.1111/tct.13012, which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/tct.13012. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > School of Medicine (Leeds) > Leeds Institute of Medical Education |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 17 Apr 2019 14:24 |
Last Modified: | 29 Jun 2020 13:37 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Wiley |
Identification Number: | 10.1111/tct.13012 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:145121 |