Improving onboarding experience for clinical fellows through a work buddy system
Introduction: Clinical fellows at Wales' largest teaching university hospital have a vital role in service delivery, with a significant proportion being international medical graduates (IMGs). To facilitate their successful integration, effective onboarding and support are imperative. The exist...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Future Healthcare Journal |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2514664525001900 |
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| Summary: | Introduction: Clinical fellows at Wales' largest teaching university hospital have a vital role in service delivery, with a significant proportion being international medical graduates (IMGs). To facilitate their successful integration, effective onboarding and support are imperative. The existing literature1,2 underscores the challenges that IMGs encounter when transitioning to new healthcare systems, as well as the positive impact of work buddy systems on team dynamics.3,4 This quality improvement project (QIP) aimed to enhance the onboarding experience for clinical fellows, with a particular focus on IMGs, within this large teaching hospital in Wales. Aims: This project aimed to enhance the onboarding experience for newly employed clinical fellows in integrated Medicine at the University Hospital of Wales by introducing a work buddy system. The goal was to improve the onboarding experience by 70% and to ensure that at least 70% of new fellows received sufficient support from their buddies within the first 6 weeks. Methods: This QIP employed a plan–do–study–act (PDSA) cycle. The 2023 cohort (n=16) was surveyed to evaluate their initial onboarding experience and to identify areas for enhancement. For the 2024 cohort (intervention group, n=18), a structured work buddy system was introduced along with a targeted IMG induction and shadowing period. Each new fellow was paired with a member of the 2023 cohort as a buddy for 6 weeks. Both cohorts were surveyed once more after 6 weeks to assess the impact of the intervention. The project was conducted from July to September 2024 at the University Hospital of Wales (UHW). Results: 75% of clinical fellows reported that the IMG induction was helpful, while 5% were unsure and 20% could not comment due to non-attendance or differing start dates. The work buddy system received positive feedback, with 78% of fellows finding it beneficial and 85% expressing satisfaction. Notably, the percentage of clinical fellows who felt supported increased significantly from 13% in the 2023 cohort to 73% in the 2024 cohort. Furthermore, an impressive 95% of fellows indicated a willingness to serve as buddies in the future. This notable improvement underscores the positive impact of the interventions implemented, particularly the work buddy system. Conclusion: The introduction of a work buddy system and a focused induction and shadowing period for IMGs significantly enhanced the onboarding experience for clinical fellows at Wales' largest university teaching hospital. The program received high satisfaction ratings, and the eagerness of fellows to serve as buddies indicates its sustainability and the potential for long-term positive effects. |
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| ISSN: | 2514-6645 |