A pilot survey of junior doctors’ confidence in tasks related to broad aspects of competence

Abstract

Medical authorities and society are recommending that postgraduate medical education prepare physicians for broad aspects of competence. The most effective ways to prepare physicians for these are not known. The aim of this pilot study was to survey junior doctors’ growth in confidence in different physician roles. A total of 165 junior doctors in internal medicine completed a self-administered survey of confidence levels in physician roles. Confidence levels between training levels were compared. Confidence in the roles of medical expert, communicator and collaborator increased between PRHOs and SHOs. Confidence levels increased in all roles between PRHOs and SpRs, but confidence between SHOs and SpRs increased only in the roles of collaborator and scholar. Confidence in the role of professional was low and did not increase significantly between training levels. The SHO year was rated as only moderately useful in facilitating learning of the tasks. These results suggest that growth of confidence in the physician roles proceeds at different rates during postgraduate training. Additional research is needed to identify effective ways for junior doctors to learn broad aspects of competence. Longitudinal tracking will be important to evaluate the effect of educational interventions on patient care.