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Improving the education and experience of foundation doctors in general surgery.

ABSTRACT: Reduced working hours and fragmentation of the surgical firm has resulted in a gradual change in FY1 duties. Locally, FY1 doctors were no longer routinely seeing surgical emergency admissions, while FY1s informally reported reduced confidence in dealing with surgical emergencies. The goal of this project was to assess the current training of FY1 doctors within the unit, and to attempt to improve this by increasing exposure to surgical emergencies. Two months into their four month surgical rotation, FY1s completed an anonymous online survey that focused on their confidence in dealing with emergency surgical admissions. Working practice was then changed by the creation of a formal emergency foundation year one (FY1) rota, and the introduction of a baton bleep. The expectation was that all emergency admissions would be clerked by an FY1 doctor. The cohort were asked to repeat the survey after implementation of change. Across all areas assessed, the confidence and experience of the junior doctors was improved. Initially 70% of FY1s felt exposure to emergency surgical cases was inadequate, falling to 0% after the intervention. This was associated with a rise in the average number of acute cases clerked by each FY1 per week from 1.2 to 4.0. At baseline, only 30% of those surveyed felt that they were gaining the skills and experience necessary to prepare them for an FY2 job in general surgery, and after the intervention this increased to 100%. The increased pressures of service provision within reduced working hours does not necessitate the exclusion FY1 doctors from the assessment and management of surgical emergencies. We have demonstrated that preserving this exposure is a priority in the training of junior doctors, resulting in more experienced and confident medical staff.

SUBMITTER: Martel G

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4645843 | biostudies-other | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Improving the education and experience of foundation doctors in general surgery.

Martel Gareth G Magee Cathy C

BMJ quality improvement reports 20140516 1

Reduced working hours and fragmentation of the surgical firm has resulted in a gradual change in FY1 duties. Locally, FY1 doctors were no longer routinely seeing surgical emergency admissions, while FY1s informally reported reduced confidence in dealing with surgical emergencies. The goal of this project was to assess the current training of FY1 doctors within the unit, and to attempt to improve this by increasing exposure to surgical emergencies. Two months into their four month surgical rotati ...[more]

PMID: 26732504

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Project description:PurposeFoundation years or internships are an important period for junior doctors to apply their knowledge and gain clinical competency. Experiences gained during the foundation years or internships are likely to inform newly qualified doctors' opinions about how they want to continue their career. We aimed to understand how medical doctors' internship experiences influence their career intention/decision.MethodsWe conducted qualitative evidence synthesis using meta-ethnography. We searched six electronic bibliographic databases for papers published between 2000-2020 and included papers exploring how foundation years or internship experiences shape doctors' career intention/decisions, including in relation to migration, public/private/dual practice preference, rural/urban preference, and specialty choice. We used the GRADE-CERQual framework to rate confidence in review findings.ResultsWe examined 23 papers out of 6085 citations screened. We abstracted three high-level inter-related themes across 14 conceptual categories: (1) Deciding the personal best fit both clinically and in general (which option is 'more me'?) through hands-on and real-life experiences (2) Exploring, experiencing and witnessing workplace norms; and (3) Worrying about the future in terms of job market policies, future training and professional development opportunities. Confidence in findings varied but was rated high in 8 conceptual categories.ConclusionsOur meta-ethnographic review revealed a range of ways in which internship experience shapes medical doctors' career intentions/decisions allowing us to produce a broad conceptual model of this phenomenon. The results highlight the importance of ensuring sufficient, positive and inspiring clinical exposure, improving workplace environment, relationship and culture, refraining from undermining specific specialities and communicating contractual and job market policies early on to young doctors, in order to attract doctors to less popular specialties or work locations where they are most needed. We propose our conceptual model should be further tested in new research across a range of contexts.

Project description:ObjectivesTo examine what activities constitute the work of Foundation doctors and understand the factors that determine how that work is constructed.DesignCross-sectional mixed methods study. Questionnaire survey of the frequency with which activities specified in curricular documents are performed. Semistructured interviews and focus groups.SettingPostgraduate medical training in the UK.ParticipantsDoctors in their first 2 years of postgraduate practice (Foundation Programme). Staff who work with Foundation doctors-supervisors, nurses and employers (clinical; non-clinical).ResultsSurvey data from 3697 Foundation doctors identified curricular activities (41/103, 42%) that are carried out routinely (performed at least once or twice per week by >75% of respondents). However, another 30 activities (29%) were carried out rarely (at least once or twice per week by <25% respondents), largely because they are routinely part of nurses', and not doctors', work. Junior doctors indicated their work constituted three roles: 'support' of ward and team, 'independent practitioner' and 'learner'. The support function dominated work, but conflicted with stereotyped expectations of what 'being a doctor' would be. It was, however, valued by the other staff groups. The learner role was felt to be incidental to practice, but was couched in a limited definition of learning that related to new skills, rather than consolidation and practice. Activities and perceived role were shaped by the organisational context, medical hierarchies and through relationships with nurses, which could change unpredictably and cause tension. Training progression did not affect what activities were done, but supported greater autonomy in how they were carried out.ConclusionsNew doctors must be fit for multiple roles. Strategies for transition should manage graduates' expectations of real-world work, and encourage teams and organisations to better accommodate graduates. These strategies may help ensure that new doctors can adapt to the variable demands of the evolving multiprofessional workforce.

Dataset Information

Improving the education and experience of foundation doctors in general surgery.

Publications

Improving the education and experience of foundation doctors in general surgery.

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