Bidirectional learning opportunities: How GP‐supervisors and trainees exchange knowledge

Abstract

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Relationships, continuity and time in health professions education

“…In sum, Welink and colleagues offer a fascinating insight into supervisor‐trainee relationships that we believe warrants additional examination 3 . Their exploration of structures that inhibit or foster bidirectional learning contributes to our understanding of what is necessary to nurture a relationship that becomes collaborative and bidirectional with exchanges of knowledge that are mutually beneficial.…”

“…Recent years, however, have seen a push for less of a hierarchical view of teachers as dispensers of knowledge and more of a co‐construction of learning approach, such as that seen in the educational alliance literature 2 . To add to this changing conversation about the core dyad of medical education, Welink and colleagues offer a fascinating investigation of bidirectional learning in this issue of Medical Education that focuses on ‘reciprocal learning between supervisor and trainee’ 3 …”

“…4 As Welink and colleagues discuss, supervisors bring experience to the conversation, but trainees can often bring new knowledge and perspectives. 3 They used conversation analysis to explore the cause of variability of engagement in bidirectional learning among supervisors. In doing so, they suggest that where a strict and engrained hierarchy of roles is perceived, bidirectional learning is less likely to occur.…”

“…In doing so, they suggest that where a strict and engrained hierarchy of roles is perceived, bidirectional learning is less likely to occur. 3 The authors also suggest, however, that when supervisors pose additional questions to trainees, institutional roles can become less rigid and opportunities can be created for supervisors to learn from their trainees. They, thereby, aptly rationalised that EBM teaching, the context within which the examined conversations took place, with its inherent opportunity for asking questions and probing both established and new knowledge, may be optimal to encourage instructors to be open to bidirectional learning.…”

“…Welink and colleagues mention that the participants differed in stage of training, level of experience and length of collaboration, but they did not include these factors in their analyses. 3 It would be interesting to further explore these factors in the learning conversations that were observed, particularly given the literature about the potential importance of time and continuity of teacher-learner relationships. 5 For example, there is research at the undergraduate level that demonstrates that longitudinal relationships between teachers and learners offer benefits to the trainee for learning and assessment compared with briefer block rotations.…”