Evaluation of an undergraduate psychiatric clinical rotation : exploring student perceptions

Date
2019-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY: Globally, there has been an increasing focus on equipping medical graduates with the competencies to adequately address the growing health needs of society. Working from the premise that this can be achieved by appropriately transforming medical training programmes, the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Stellenbosch University (SU), South Africa, embarked on a major institutional programme renewal initiative in 2017. The Department of Psychiatry used this opportunity to review its current teaching and learning practices in the psychiatry late clinical rotation (PLCR) and our study reports on this process. By way of two focus groups we generated qualitative data by using the “voice” of the participants to explore and understand the students’ perceptions of the PLCR at SU. Four main themes were identified; “learning in the clinical context” (with two subthemes, “clinical environment” and “patient interviews”), “gaining knowledge”, “generational needs” and “competence”. Several suggestions were made to potentially improve on current practices, but participants still strongly endorsed that the PLCR does prepare them adequately to manage psychiatric patients as competent interns working under supervision. Keeping in mind that these perceptions are from a group of millennials, the insights arising from the context of “generational needs” were especially valuable. In order to bridge the generational gap and develop a curriculum that will not only meet the standards expected by educators but also achieve acceptance from learners, future research on clinical teachers’ perceptions is needed.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar is wereldwyd 'n toenemende fokus om mediese graduandi toe te rus met genoegsame vaardighede om die groeiende gesondheidsbehoeftes van die samelewing te kan aanspreek. Met die uitgangspunt dat voorafgenoemde bereik kan word via die toepaslike transformasie van mediese opleidingsprogramme, het die Fakulteit Geneeskunde en Gesondheidswetenskappe aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch (SU), Suid-Afrika, in 2017 begin met 'n omvattende institusionele program hernuwings-inisiatief. Die Departement van Psigiatrie het hierdie geleentheid gebruik om sy huidige onderrig- en leerpraktyke in die psigiatrie laat kliniese rotasie (PLKR) te hersien. Ons navorsing handel oor hierdie proses. By wyse van twee fokusgroepe het ons kwalitatiewe data genereer deur die "stem" van die deelnemers te gebruik om studente se persepsies van die PLKR by SU te verken en verstaan. Vier hooftemas is geidentifiseer; "leer binne die kliniese konteks" (met twee subtemas, "kliniese omgewing" en "pasient onderhoude"), "verkryging van kennis", "’n generasie se behoeftes" en "bevoegdheid". Verskeie voorstelle is gemaak vir potensiele verbetering van huidige praktyke, maar deelnemers het steeds sterk onderskryf dat die PLKR hulle voldoende voorberei om psigiatriese pasiente te hanteer as bevoegde interns wat onder toesig werk. As dit in gedagte gehou word dat hierdie persepsies die van ‘n groep milleniale is, was die insigte wat voortgespruit het uit die konteks van "’n generasie se behoeftes", veral waardevol. Om die generasiegaping te oorbrug en 'n kurrikulum te ontwikkel wat nie net aan die standaarde van opvoeders sal voldoen nie, maar ook deur leerders aanvaar sal word, sal toekomstige navorsing op die persepsies van die kliniese onderwysers moet fokus.
Description
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2019.
Keywords
Psychiatry -- Study and teaching, College students -- Attitudes, Psychiatric hospital patients, UCTD
Citation