August in this issue

Abstract

Power and place: Uncovering the politics of global medical education

Global medical education is increasingly facing challenges that are inescapably political. Frameworks that classify the world are also political and, despite helping to describe historic and enduring power relationships, have the potential to be reductive and oppressive. Analysing and critiquing medical education using political ideas and tools can help to shed light on how to end current patterns of domination and ultimately, create a more egalitarian and equitable community.

Rashid, M, Grant, J, Power and place: Uncovering the politics of global medical education. Med Educ. 2024;58(8):930–938. doi: 10.1111/medu.15459.

Navigating between two figured worlds: A constructivist grounded theory study on residents' workplace experiences with healthcare management tasks

A qualitative study, using the constructivist grounded theory approach informed by Figured Worlds Theory, this research explores how residents' workplace experiences influence the acquisition of healthcare management skills. In doing so, it highlights the coexistence, in the workplace, of two essentially opposing ‘figured worlds’ that arise as a consequence of the positive or negative experiences residents have throughout their careers, thereby providing valuable elements for the transformation of paradigms in medical education.

Vivian, D, Aluja-Jaramillo, F, Olmos-Vega, F.M. Navigating between two figured worlds: A Constructivist Grounded Theory Study on Residents' Workplace Experiences with Healthcare Management Tasks. Med Educ. 2024;58(8):952–960. doi: 10.1111/medu.15302

‘Walking together’: How relationships shape physicians' clinical reasoning

This qualitative study in academic primary care explores how physicians' longitudinal relationships with patients influence clinical reasoning. Participants drew from their relationships with patients to deliver individualised care that balanced tensions between their typical approaches to clinical problems and the need to maintain long-term therapeutic alliances. Participants deliberately cultivated relationships with patients' caregivers and attended to the influence caregivers had on patients. These results illustrate both how patient relationships inform physicians' clinical reasoning and how maintenance of the therapeutic alliance is an important outcome of the reasoning process.

Krimmel-Morrison, J. D, Watsjold, B, Berger, G, Bowen, J, Ilgen, J. ‘Walking together’: How relationships shape physicians' clinical reasoning. Med Educ. 2024;58(8):961–969. doi: 10.1111/medu.15377.

Understanding students' feedback use in medical progress testing: A qualitative interview study

This qualitative interview study demonstrates that progress test (PT) feedback use by medical students is hampered by difficulties related to awareness, cognizance, agency, and volition. The stakes, available time, feedback timing, feedback message, and lack of guidance contribute to these difficulties, and act as further barriers to feedback use. Student feedback engagement could be enhanced by providing guidance, and explicating its relevance for self-regulated learning. Additionally, effective communication, and integration of the PT and its feedback within the curriculum can further promote feedback engagement, elevating the PT's significance as a valuable learning instrument.

van Wijk, E, van Blankenstein, F, Dubois, E. A, Langers, A, Janse, R. Understanding students' feedback use in medical progress testing: A qualitative interview study. Med Educ. 2024;58(8):98–988. doi: 10.1111/medu.15378.