Using action learning sets to support students managing transition into the clinical learning environment in a UK medical school

Abstract

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Beyond the struggles: a scoping review on the transition to undergraduate clinical training

“…Conceptualising the transition to clinical training from a developmental perspective has led to the creation of strategies aimed at empowerment. By contrast with researchers’ focus on problems from educational and social perspectives, when taking a developmental perspective, researchers mentioned the desire ‘to empower third‐year undergraduate medical students to recognize learning opportunities in their clinical placements and to proactively use them to develop their understanding and practice’ . Empowering students promotes personal and professional development by optimising learning strategies and encouraging reflection …”

“…Again, researchers described the transition to clinical training in negative terms and highlighted a need to eliminate a variety of struggles, including students: trying to fit in with insiders, feeling intimidated by others, being unsure of their role, and learning the cultural norms of the clinical environment . Studies suggest that students were ‘unfamiliar with learning within the workplace and uncertain about how to navigate and engage within teams and culture they have not come to understand’ . As a result, students often placed a significant focus on fitting in with the clinical team as opposed to learning …”

“…Researchers thought it was important to make explicit ‘the hidden knowledge that students need to become effective team members’ and to create strategies that would ‘describe the roles and expectations … routines and logistics’ relevant to the clinical environment . It therefore was important to facilitate meaningful interactions and relationship building with others . Examples of these social strategies included initiating peer groups, near‐peer teaching sessions, facilitating students sharing experiences, and creating peer learning communities .…”

“…Unique to this perspective, researchers reported the transition to clinical training as challenging . This terminology differs to that of the other two perspectives and could be considered a positive cognitive appraisal by researchers highlighting the potential for students’ growth .…”

“…Included studies were from the USA (n = 21), Europe (n = 11), UK (n = 8), Canada (n = 3) and Australia (n = 2). There were 12 qualitative studies, 10,11,14,[19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27] 11 cross-sectional surveys, [6][7][8]13,[28][29][30][31][32][33][34] eight descriptive case studies 5,[35][36][37][38][39][40][41] (two of which were related, using the same participants and intervention), 36,37 seven longitudinal studies, [42][43][44][45][46][47][48] three descriptive comparative studies, 12,49,50 three review papers 1,3,9 and one concept paper. 51…”