Influence on general practitioners of teaching undergraduates: qualitative study of London general practitioner teachers
Abstract
Objective: To examine the perceived effect of teaching clinical skills and associated teacher training programmes on general practitioners' morale and clinical practice. Design: Qualitative semistructured interview study. Setting: General practices throughout north London. Subjects: 30 general practitioners who taught clinical skills were asked about the effect of teaching and teacher training on their morale, confidence in clinical and teaching skills, and clinical practice. Results: The main theme was a positive effect on morale. Within teacher training this was attributed to developing peer and professional support; improved teaching skills; and revision of clinical knowledge and skills Within teaching this was attributed to a broadening of horizons; contact with enthusiastic students; increased time with patients; improved clinical practice; improved teaching skills; and an improved image of the practice. Problems with teaching were due to external factors such as lack of time and space and anxieties about adequacy of clinical cover while teaching. Conclusions: Teaching clinical skills can have a positive effect on the morale of general practitioner teachers as a result of contact with students and peers, as long as logistic and funding issues are adequately dealt with. The increase in community based teaching of clinical skills requires an increase in the number of general practitioner teachers Little evidence is available about the effect of teaching of clinical skills and teacher training on general practitioner teachers and practices General practitioner teachers reported an increase in morale, improvements in clinical skills, and changes in clinical practice and in practice infrastructure as a result of teaching and training General practitioner teachers reported problems because of pressure on time, lack of space, problems recruiting patients, and unsupportive practice partners Positive effects on morale and clinical practice may be important for sustainable teaching and continuing medical educationKeywords
This publication has 14 references indexed in Scilit:
- Commentary: grounded theory and the constant comparative method.1998
- Patients' action during their cardiac event: qualitative study exploring differences and modifiable factors Commentary: Grounded theory and the constant comparative methodBMJ, 1998
- Sustaining the development of primary care in academic medicine. Working Group on Sustaining the Development of Academic Primary Care. Association of American Medical CollegesAcademic Medicine, 1998
- The use and compensation of community preceptors in U.S. medical schoolsAcademic Medicine, 1998
- General practitioner teaching in the community: a study of their teaching experience and interest in undergraduate teaching in the future.1997
- Can general internal medicine be taught in general practice? An evaluation of the University College London modelMedical Education, 1997
- Educational objectives and requirements of an undergraduate clerkship in general practice. The outcome of a consensus procedureFamily Practice, 1997
- Acquisition of basic clinical skills in the general practice settingMedical Education, 1997
- GPs in principle but not in practice: a study of vocationally trained doctors not currently working as principalsBMJ, 1995
- Teaching clinical methods to medical studentsMedical Education, 1993