{"title":"Cultural Attitudes towards General Practice within Medical Schools: Experiences of GP Curriculum Leaders.","authors":"Emily Cottrell, Hugh Alberti","doi":"10.1080/14739879.2023.2225477","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>UK undergraduate medical curricula are under pressure to become more community-focused and generalist in approach to equip all future doctors with generalist skills and increase recruitment to generalist specialities like general practice. However, the amount of general practice teaching in UK undergraduate curricula is static or falling. Undervaluing, in the form of general practice denigration and undermining, is increasingly recognised from a student perspective. However, little is known about the perspectives of academics working within medical schools.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To explore the cultural attitudes towards general practice within medical schools as experienced by general practice curriculum leaders.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews of eight general practice curriculum leaders in UK medical schools. Purposive sampling for diversity was used. Interviews were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Seven themes were identified covering 'a kaleidoscope of attitudes towards general practice', 'overt everyday denigration of general practice', 'a hidden curriculum of undervaluing general practice', 'valuing general practice: representation, recognition and respect', 'relating to others, relating to oneself', 'power, empowerment and vulnerability', and 'the pandemic as an opportunity'.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Cultural attitudes towards general practice were diverse: a spectrum varying from valuing general practice to overt denigration, with a 'hidden curriculum' of subtle undervaluing of general practice. Hierarchical, tense relationships between general practice and hospital were a recurring theme. Leadership was identified as important in setting the tone for cultural attitudes, as well as indicating general practice is valued when general practitioners are included within leadership. Recommendations include a shift in narrative from denigration to mutual speciality respect between all doctors.</p>","PeriodicalId":46436,"journal":{"name":"Education for Primary Care","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.5000,"publicationDate":"2023-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Education for Primary Care","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/14739879.2023.2225477","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2023/7/12 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"PRIMARY HEALTH CARE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction: UK undergraduate medical curricula are under pressure to become more community-focused and generalist in approach to equip all future doctors with generalist skills and increase recruitment to generalist specialities like general practice. However, the amount of general practice teaching in UK undergraduate curricula is static or falling. Undervaluing, in the form of general practice denigration and undermining, is increasingly recognised from a student perspective. However, little is known about the perspectives of academics working within medical schools.
Aim: To explore the cultural attitudes towards general practice within medical schools as experienced by general practice curriculum leaders.
Methods: A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews of eight general practice curriculum leaders in UK medical schools. Purposive sampling for diversity was used. Interviews were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.
Findings: Seven themes were identified covering 'a kaleidoscope of attitudes towards general practice', 'overt everyday denigration of general practice', 'a hidden curriculum of undervaluing general practice', 'valuing general practice: representation, recognition and respect', 'relating to others, relating to oneself', 'power, empowerment and vulnerability', and 'the pandemic as an opportunity'.
Conclusions: Cultural attitudes towards general practice were diverse: a spectrum varying from valuing general practice to overt denigration, with a 'hidden curriculum' of subtle undervaluing of general practice. Hierarchical, tense relationships between general practice and hospital were a recurring theme. Leadership was identified as important in setting the tone for cultural attitudes, as well as indicating general practice is valued when general practitioners are included within leadership. Recommendations include a shift in narrative from denigration to mutual speciality respect between all doctors.
期刊介绍:
Education for Primary Care aims to reflect the best experience, expertise and innovative ideas in the development of undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing primary care education. The journal is UK based but welcomes contributions from all over the world. Readers will benefit from the broader perspectives on educational activities provided through the contributions of all health professionals, including general practitioners, nurses, midwives, health visitors, community nurses and managers. This sharing of experiences has the potential for enhancing healthcare delivery and for promoting interprofessional working.