How does undergraduate teaching prepare graduates for the paediatric SHO role? A study investigating how graduates of undergraduate training in Ireland meet stakeholder minimum accepted competencies (MAC) of knowledge and expectations of good practise as new paediatric SHO recruits.
thesis
posted on 2020-12-02, 09:59 authored by Patrick MccrossanBackground
There may be a gap between what students learn during medical school and
their clinical responsibilities as first-year paediatric doctors. At undergraduate
level, in the United Kingdom (& Ireland), each medical school sets its own
graduating assessment and successful completion by the candidate leads to the
licensed right to practise by the Medical Council. It is therefore important to
define the standard for successful completion of medical school.
Aims
We sought to determine how current Irish undergraduate education prepares
doctors commencing clinical practice for the demands of the paediatric SHO
role. We identified 4 stakeholders in this process; The Irish Medical Council,
parents of paediatric patients, supervising consultant paediatricians and the
current paediatric SHOs themselves.
Methods
Using the Irish Medical Council’s Domains of Good Practice as a guideline, we
designed questionnaires to determine parental satisfaction with a paediatric
consultation from an SHO, consultant satisfaction with their SHOs performance
and SHOs perceived satisfaction of their undergraduate training in preparation of
working in paediatrics.
To obtain evidence of a consultant paediatricians expected standard of
knowledge, we asked consultants to contribute to an MCQ examination, with
questions pitched at a level which they felt every new entry paediatric trainee
should know as they start clinical paediatric work.
Results
We found that parents and consultants were both very satisfied with the
performance of the paediatric SHO. However, this was juxtaposed with the
opinions of the SHOs themselves as they expressed dissatisfaction with
particular areas of their training and felt that they were not adequately prepared
for certain aspects of their job.
The MCQ examination was taken by 366 RCSI students and 58 current
paediatric SHOs. The results show that, overall, the participants did not meet
the standard of knowledge expected by paediatricians. However, they did meet
the expectations of their academic faculty. We have identified particular aspects
of knowledge which could be improved upon but more broadly identified
suggestions for future development of paediatric teaching, in order to bridge this
gap between consultant-expected knowledge and graduating students’ current
knowledge of paediatrics.
History
First Supervisor
Professor Naomi McCallionSecond Supervisor
Professor Alf NicholsonComments
A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Medicine from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in 2019Published Citation
McCrossan P. How does undergraduate teaching prepare graduates for the paediatric SHO role? A study investigating how graduates of undergraduate training in Ireland meet stakeholder minimum accepted competencies (MAC) of knowledge and expectations of good practise as new paediatric SHO recruits [MD Thesis]. Dublin: Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland; 2019.Degree Name
- Doctor of Medicine (MD)
Date of award
2019-11-30Programme
- Doctor of Medicine (MD)
