Table 1 Characteristics of the short and long self-regulation loops derived from 21 interviews with GP-trainees
| Â | Short loop | Long loop |
|---|---|---|
Context | GP practice | GP practice, occasionally linked to formal training |
Duration | Short period of time(during consultation / 1 week at most) | Longer period of time |
Monitoring | During consultation signaling lack of knowledge or partial knowledge | During or after consultation by looking back to earlier recurring or complex problems, sometimes based on external assessments or assignments on learning goals |
Domains | Minor ailmentsProblems requiring visual observation (e.g. skin problems) or immediate action (e.g. shoulder injection). Medication/prescriptionMedical Guidelines | Complex problems (e.g. suspected child abuse, cardiac problems, asthmatic problems,.) Recurring problems (e.g. interviewing psychological patients) Organizational problems (e.g. time management) Communication skills |
Activities | Singular | Multiple |
Assessment | Confidence (based on own feeling, confirmation by patient outcomes or the supervisor) | Confidence (based on own feeling, confirmation by patient outcomes, the supervisor, mentors or peers), sometimes based on results of external assessments |
Documenting learning | Memory, post-it notes, patient record or no documentation | Memory, post-it notes, patient record or no documentation, sometimes documentation in learning portfolio |