<p>Junior-to-junior research interviews as method for clinical practitioner-researchers</p>

Abstract

This methodological article argues for the advantages of trainee health professionals investigating their own work contexts through qualitative research interviews with peers and presents such junior-to-junior interviews as method. The usefulness and flexibility of the method are demonstrated through two vignettes based on the authors’ individual experiences as junior medical doctors generating data through interviews with their peers. The article discusses specific considerations of junior-to-junior interviews: academic considerations including cognizance of reflexivity, trustworthiness, commitment, coherence; ethical considerations including hierarchy, confidentiality, support needs. The method has limitations including research being carried out by novices and on a small scale. However, we argue that junior-to-junior interviews allow for unique and valuable data generation, and encourage other practitioner-researchers to consider how this or similar methods may be integrated into research approaches across clinical disciplines, and organizational and cultural contexts.

Mechanisms of Near-Peer Learning in a Longitudinal Clerkship: A Grounded Theory Study

“…Indeed, research in which students or trainees investigate their own work or learning contexts has been shown to provide valuable and unique insights into the phenomenon of interest. 37,38 Longitudinal peer learning experiences represent a cost-effective method to increase junior trainee performance. Barsuk et al 39 40 Future work can identify additional opportunities for peer learning within authentic clinical environments within both undergraduate and graduate medical education and optimize peer learning within existing longitudinal clerkships.…”

Cultural Historical Activity Theory for Studying Practice-Based Learning and Change in Medical Education

“…Like all research, there must be consideration of power imbalances between the participants and researcher, and this is especially important when researching medical students and doctors, who already may be operating within a hierarchical structure. 46,49 Generating appropriate data will also likely involve immersion of the researcher in the medical workplace, which must be balanced against the need to maintain patient confidentiality and not be disruptive to patient care. Furthermore, considering all components of CHAT will require exploration of the cultural and historical reasons why practice occurs in its current form, for example, necessitating access to historical documents for analysis.…”

“…45 Conducting research as a practitioner-researcher can provide unique value to medical education as I have discussed in detail elsewhere. 46 As a practitioner-research, insights can be gained into the inner workings of a system, eg, necessary components of an activity system like the mediating instruments, the rules, and the division of labour are likely to be more apparent to and well understood by someone working in that environment compared to an outsider.…”

Young adults’ perceptions and theories of crises: Interrelations between climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Students recruited participants from their personal networks (n = 25 friends, n = 5 romantic partners, n = 3 acquaintances, n = 3 relatives, n = 2 roommates) and belonged to the researched age group themselves. This can contribute to openness during the interview as power differences are less pronounced and the relationship between interviewee and interviewer can be more familiar and comfortable (Byrne et al, 2015;Qureshi & Rankin, 2019). Recruitment was aimed at creating a sample of both more and less concerned young adults, so half of the student researchers recruited people known to be less concerned about COVID-19, respectively climate change, and the other half tried to recruit more concerned people.…”