A comparison of medical students’ perceptions of their initial basic clinical training placements in ‘new’ and established teaching hospitals

Abstract

This study has examined students’ perceptions of the factors influencing learning during initial hospital placements and whether differences in perceived experiences were evident between students attending new and established teaching hospitals. Five focus groups were conducted with Year III students at the University of Birmingham Medical School (UBMS): three with students attending three established teaching hospitals and two with students attached to a new teaching hospital (designated as part of the UBMS expansion programme). Extensive variation in student perception of hospital experiences was evident at the level of teaching hospital, teaching firm and individual teacher. Emergent themes were split into two main categories: ‘students’ perceptions of teaching and the teaching environment’ and ‘the new hospital learner’. Themes emerging that related to variation in student experience included the amount of structured teaching, enthusiasm of teachers, grade of teachers, specialty of designated firms and the number of students. The new teaching hospital was generally looked upon favourably by students in comparison to established teaching hospitals. Many of the factors influencing student experience relate to themes grouped under the ‘new hospital learner’, describing the period of adjustment experienced by students during their first encounter with this new learning environment. Interventions to improve student experience might be aimed at organisations and individuals delivering teaching. However, factors contributing to the student experience, such as the competing demand to teaching of heavy clinical workloads, are outside the scope of medical school intervention. In the absence of fundamental change, mechanisms to equip students with ‘survival skills’ as self-directed hospital learners should also be considered.

Notes

Notes

[1] Comparison with University and Colleges Admissions Service data provided for UBMS.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jonathan Mathers

JONATHAN MATHERS is Deputy Director of the Health Impact Assessment Research Unit in the Department of Public Health and Epidemiology at the University of Birmingham.

Jayne Parry

JAYNE PARRY is a Senior Clinical Lecturer in the Department of Public Health and Epidemiology at the University of Birmingham.

Edward Scully

EDWARD SCULLY works as a researcher in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and is an Honorary Research Fellow with the Health Impact Assessment Research Unit in the Department of Public Health and Epidemiology, University of Birmingham.

Celia Popovic

CELIA POPOVIC worked as a Medical Education Developer in the Medical Education Unit at the University of Birmingham Medical School.