‘I feel many of my reflections are forced’: International medical graduates’ perspectives on reflection in UK general practice training: a mixed methods qualitative study
Background: UK general practice training requires trainees to evidence clinical competencies through reflective writing entries in online portfolios. Trainees who complete their medical degree in the UK experience reflection as an undergraduate, whereas 80% of international medical graduates (IMGs)...
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Royal College of General Practitioners
2024-12-01
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| Series: | BJGP Open |
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| Online Access: | https://bjgpopen.org/content/8/4/BJGPO.2023.0210 |
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| author | Laura Jayne Emery Ben Jackson Caroline Mitchell |
| author_facet | Laura Jayne Emery Ben Jackson Caroline Mitchell |
| author_sort | Laura Jayne Emery |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: UK general practice training requires trainees to evidence clinical competencies through reflective writing entries in online portfolios. Trainees who complete their medical degree in the UK experience reflection as an undergraduate, whereas 80% of international medical graduates (IMGs) have no previous experience of reflection. Aim: To explore IMGs’ perspectives on the positive and negative aspects of reflection in the context of postgraduate GP training. Design & setting: A mixed-methods qualitative study undertaken in the UK. Qualitative ‘free-text’ survey data obtained in 2021 were analysed. The themes were further explored by semi-structured interviews conducted in 2022–2023. Method: Participants were IMGs with experience of the UK GP training scheme. Verbatim open-question survey data underwent content analysis. Broad themes identified were used to develop the interview topic guide. A geographically dispersed, purposive sample of participants were recruited for semi-structured interviews. Interview and survey data were then analysed thematically. Results: In total, 433 participant datasets are included: 422 of 485 responses to a UK-wide survey, including open questions, and 11 interview transcripts. IMGs considered reflection to provide an effective approach for learning, an opportunity for self-assessment and professional development, and a means of developing self-awareness. Concerns were expressed about how time-consuming recording reflection is, how its mandated aspect makes it forced, and fears regarding the medico-legal consequences of reflective writing. Conclusion: Despite a lack of previous experience in reflection, most IMGs showed an understanding of the benefits of reflection in GP training. However, the challenges of reflection must be addressed, to avoid devaluing reflection for clinical learning. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-810ae17c49c342a7a79381385db183b7 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2398-3795 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Royal College of General Practitioners |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BJGP Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-810ae17c49c342a7a79381385db183b72024-12-30T10:06:20ZengRoyal College of General PractitionersBJGP Open2398-37952024-12-018410.3399/BJGPO.2023.0210‘I feel many of my reflections are forced’: International medical graduates’ perspectives on reflection in UK general practice training: a mixed methods qualitative studyLaura Jayne Emery0Ben Jackson1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8207-6559Caroline Mitchell2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4790-0095Academic Unit of Primary Care, The University of Sheffield Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health, Sheffield, United KingdomAcademic Unit of Primary Care, The University of Sheffield Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health, Sheffield, United KingdomAcademic Unit of Primary Care, The University of Sheffield Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Health, Sheffield, United KingdomBackground: UK general practice training requires trainees to evidence clinical competencies through reflective writing entries in online portfolios. Trainees who complete their medical degree in the UK experience reflection as an undergraduate, whereas 80% of international medical graduates (IMGs) have no previous experience of reflection. Aim: To explore IMGs’ perspectives on the positive and negative aspects of reflection in the context of postgraduate GP training. Design & setting: A mixed-methods qualitative study undertaken in the UK. Qualitative ‘free-text’ survey data obtained in 2021 were analysed. The themes were further explored by semi-structured interviews conducted in 2022–2023. Method: Participants were IMGs with experience of the UK GP training scheme. Verbatim open-question survey data underwent content analysis. Broad themes identified were used to develop the interview topic guide. A geographically dispersed, purposive sample of participants were recruited for semi-structured interviews. Interview and survey data were then analysed thematically. Results: In total, 433 participant datasets are included: 422 of 485 responses to a UK-wide survey, including open questions, and 11 interview transcripts. IMGs considered reflection to provide an effective approach for learning, an opportunity for self-assessment and professional development, and a means of developing self-awareness. Concerns were expressed about how time-consuming recording reflection is, how its mandated aspect makes it forced, and fears regarding the medico-legal consequences of reflective writing. Conclusion: Despite a lack of previous experience in reflection, most IMGs showed an understanding of the benefits of reflection in GP training. However, the challenges of reflection must be addressed, to avoid devaluing reflection for clinical learning.https://bjgpopen.org/content/8/4/BJGPO.2023.0210reflectionpostgraduate educationinternational graduateslearningeducationqualitative research |
| spellingShingle | Laura Jayne Emery Ben Jackson Caroline Mitchell ‘I feel many of my reflections are forced’: International medical graduates’ perspectives on reflection in UK general practice training: a mixed methods qualitative study BJGP Open reflection postgraduate education international graduates learning education qualitative research |
| title | ‘I feel many of my reflections are forced’: International medical graduates’ perspectives on reflection in UK general practice training: a mixed methods qualitative study |
| title_full | ‘I feel many of my reflections are forced’: International medical graduates’ perspectives on reflection in UK general practice training: a mixed methods qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | ‘I feel many of my reflections are forced’: International medical graduates’ perspectives on reflection in UK general practice training: a mixed methods qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | ‘I feel many of my reflections are forced’: International medical graduates’ perspectives on reflection in UK general practice training: a mixed methods qualitative study |
| title_short | ‘I feel many of my reflections are forced’: International medical graduates’ perspectives on reflection in UK general practice training: a mixed methods qualitative study |
| title_sort | i feel many of my reflections are forced international medical graduates perspectives on reflection in uk general practice training a mixed methods qualitative study |
| topic | reflection postgraduate education international graduates learning education qualitative research |
| url | https://bjgpopen.org/content/8/4/BJGPO.2023.0210 |
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