Learning opportunities for Australian prevocational hospital doctors: exposure, perceived quality and desired methods of learning

• Published in: Medical journal of Australia Vol. 184; no. 9; p. 436
• Main Authors: Dent, Andrew W, Crotty, Brendan, Cuddihy, Helen L, Duns, Glenn C, Benjamin, Joan, Jordon, Carol A, Satchell, Jacqueline F, Farish, Stephen, Weiland, Tracey J, Jolly, Brian C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia 01.05.2006
• Subjects: Attitude of Health Personnel; Australia; Career Choice; Clinical Competence; Cohort Studies; Cross-Sectional Studies; Education, Medical, Graduate - methods; Education, Medical, Graduate - statistics & numerical data; Health Care Surveys; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Hospitalists - education; Hospitalists - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Internship and Residency - methods; Interprofessional Relations; Learning; Needs Assessment; Australia
• ISSN: 0025-729X
• DOI: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2006.tb00314.x

To survey prevocational doctors working in Australian hospitals on aspects of postgraduate learning. 470 prevocational doctors in 36 health services in Australia, August 2003 to October 2004. Cross-sectional cohort survey with a mix of ordinal multicategory questions and free text. Perceived preparedness for aspects of clinical practice; perceptions of the quantity and usefulness of current teaching and learning methods and desired future exposure to learning methods. 64% (299/467) of responding doctors felt generally prepared for their job, 91% (425/469) felt prepared for dealing with patients, and 70% (325/467) for dealing with relatives. A minority felt prepared for medicolegal problems (23%, 106/468), clinical emergencies (31%, 146/469), choosing a career (40%, 188/468), or performing procedures (45%, 213/469). Adequate contact with registrars was reported by 90% (418/465) and adequate contact with consultants by 56% (257/466); 20% (94/467) reported exposure to clinical skills training and 11% (38/356) to high-fidelity simulation. Informal registrar contact was described as useful or very useful by 94% (433/463), and high-fidelity simulation by 83% (179/216). Most prevocational doctors would prefer more formal instruction from their registrars (84%, 383/456) and consultants (81%, 362/447); 84% (265/316) want increased exposure to high-fidelity simulation and 81% (283/350) to professional college tutorials. Our findings should assist planning and development of training programs for prevocational doctors in Australian hospitals.