Regional coordinators: a new teaching opportunity in family medicine training

Abstract

BackgroundA new project on education in family medicine training was implemented last year in Slovenia by establishing regional coordinators in the specialist training programme. They are responsible for conducting regular small-group meetings with family medicine trainees. This study wanted to explore the attitudes and opinions of regional coordinators and family medicine trainees concerning this new method.MethodsThis was a qualitative study based on focus groups. The participants were regional coordinators and family medicine specialist trainees. The data were analysed based on the principles of thematic content analysis with inductive technique.ResultsThe study revealed five themes which were the same for the analysis of transcripts of both regional coordinators and family medicine trainees: 1) Meetings with trainees; 2) Coordination; 3) Characteristics of regional coordinators; 4) Position of regional coordinators, and 5) Evaluation of regional coordinators.ConclusionParticipants of the study have many expectations for this new programme. They expect progress in trainees’ clinical knowledge through experience-based group learning and with the help of the tutorship role of regional coordinators. The role of regional coordinators represents a new possibility for solving problems in the training programme in their coordinating role. In future, they have the potential to develop into an expert body that supervises the quality of training. A close follow-up is necessary to see if the position of regional coordinators is adequate and if they meet the expectations of the trainees as well as their own goals. Administrative and financial support for the programme is necessary. The project is important also in enabling the adaptation of the training programme’s needs and the regional characteristics of medical care.

Specialty training in family medicine in Montenegro – An evaluation of the programme by the first generation of trainees

“…Mentors have different roles, from organisational ones to very personal ones (being a friend); for most of the trainees, the mentor also became a role model. According to Hesketh et al, being a good mentor means being a good clinician, knowing the programme and goal of the training, but also having appropriate personal characteristics ( 26 ).These expectations have been found in other literature – the mentor’s ability to be a personal ‘role model’ and coaching is coupled with their clinical and coordinative work with family medicine trainees ( 27 ). From the trainees’ feedback it seems that the main mentors fulfilled all the expectations.…”

“…Evidently, the problem is not only local, as we can find the same opinion in the literature, where Bulc et al and Švab et al emphasise that all teachers participating in the training of family medicine should be familiar with the basic characteristics of the discipline and theoretical framework of family medicine ( 28 , 29 ). For the future, it seems there is a need to organise training for clinical mentors as well, so that they can become familiar with the aims, content, process and methods of teaching and giving feedback to the trainees ( 27 ). Further development of the programme and content for all clinical rotations is also necessary.…”

“…To improve satisfaction with the clinical rotations and clinical mentorship, several regional coordinators have been implemented in the training programme. They represent a coordinative and pedagogical structure of working in the local environment, where most of the clinical rotations are performed, to make practical improvements in the training process ( 27 , 30 ).…”

The Influence of Professional Identification and Organizational Incentives on Turnover Intentions: A Hierarchical Linear Model in Beijing's Family Doctors

“…Furthermore, FDs face a lack of opportunities for promotion and career advancement. They require professional guidance and career advice during their personal development, and also desire support from colleagues in terms of assistance and partnership [41]. The key to career development lies in establishing relationships with others who have the potential to assist in career advancement [42].…”