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Table 4 Categories with examples

From: What motivates young physicians? – a qualitative analysis of the learning climate in specialist medical training

Category

Definition

Examples

1. Methodology of learning

training methods which might be made available for instruction

-“joint deliberation on case histories”

-“learning from practical cases”

-“practice – many cases – exotic procedures”

2. Mentoring and supervision

personal and continuous guidance and supervision and the reliable availability of a personal contact

-“A personal postgraduate training commissary would be nice”,

-“a contact such as a senior physician who looks after me and gives specific and targeted instruction”

-“personal mentoring”

3. Structured postgraduate training

Curricular structures, transparency and reliability in planing

-“a structured curriculum that /…/ is actually put into practice”

-“reliability in the planning of advanced training and adherence to agreements”;

-“not to be disadvantaged as a woman”

4. Teaching competences

subject-specific and didactic-methodological competences of instructing physicians

-“introduction and guidance by experienced physicians so that I can learn from experience”

-“being introduced to new activities by senior physicians and not by newly instructed assistants without experience”

“conveyance of knowledge and skills”

5. Dedication and readiness to teach

the implicit and dedicated readiness to teach on the part of superiors

-“not having to beg for instruction all the time”,

-“that chief and senior physicians act as role models, give us encouragement, and are good instructors”,

“dedicated superiors”,

6. Work climate

culture of interaction in the working environment

-“respectful cooperation”

-“with the option to make mistakes, discuss them and learn from them”

7. Feedback/Communication

Feedback culture

-“constructive feedback”

-“target vs. actual control”

-“lack of criticism is not a substitute for praise nor for an interview on educational attainment”

8. Challenge/patient safety

the right balance of challenge and overload during training

-“individual responsibility”

-“responsibility without being left alone”

-“learning by doing means much mental stress”

9. Time/resources

Time pressure due to daily structural demands

-“most specialists and senior physicians have no time for thorough practical instruction, being too much involved in their areas of responsibility”

-“time!!!… and no pressure to meet corporate targets”

10. Personal security and confidence

Safety requirements

-“being acquainted or monitored well in order to gain security/confidence to meet growing demands, without being overwhelmed and therefore making mistakes”