Untangle those stethoscopes; never too early to start reflecting! Qualitative review of a reflective practice group for clinical undergraduate medical students

Abstract

Introduction Equipping our medical students with as many tools as possible to cope with the challenges that they will inevitably face has never been more important than it is today. Objectives The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a reflective practice (RP) group for medical students, particularly with adaptation to COVID-19 and transition to video. Methods A pilot programme of RP for 3rd year medical students commencing their clinical placement was run by the Sligo Medical Academy, NUIG in Ireland between January – April 2020. This group for nine students was initially run face-to-face but pivoted to an online group in March 2020 with the COVID-19 pandemic. Data was collected through one-to-one interviews with all student participants and the facilitator (n=10). Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Data were analysed using thematic content analysis. Results Our analysis identified four main discussion themes: transition to clinical environment, gender in the workplace, building professional identity and family and support systems. The students who continued the RP group over zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic particularly identified with the theme of support systems and solidarity. The smooth transition to zoom and its effectiveness in a time of social distancing were discussed. Identified challenges related primarily to timing of the RP group, particularly after a full day of placements or time differences for international students overseas. Conclusions Reflective practice programmes are not routinely offered to medical students in Ireland currently and this study gives recommendations on implementing and improving experiences of undergraduate training based on RP. Disclosure No significant relationships.

Keywords

• Medical Education
• COVID-19
• Reflective Practice