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Table 1 Overview of methods applied for larger qualitative longitudinal study and used for this paper

From: Specialist training aspirations of junior doctors in Sierra Leone: a qualitative follow-up study

Method

Objective

Approach

Timeline

1) Semi-structured interviews with key informants

To describe the policy landscape on medical training

A purposively selected sample of key informants (n = 20) was interviewed face-to-face. A topic guidea structured interview was used including two group interviews.

Oct ‘13; interviews lasted 27–140 min (63 min average)

2) Document analysis

Relevant policy documentation and statistics were obtained (if available and accessible) via web searches and contacts. These were solely used in the Introduction and Discussion sections of this paper to add context to the results.

Oct ‘13 to Nov ‘16

3) In-depth interviews with junior doctors

To explore career experiences and aspirations

Purposively selected sample of doctors (n = 15) was interviewed. Participants were asked to complete a lifeline chartb at the start of the interview to aid reflection on past experiences. Completed charts and a topic guidec helped structure individual interviews. Fourteen were conducted face-to-face and 1 via Skype.

Oct ‘13; interviews lasted 67–126 min (86 min average)

4) Digital diaries

To explore evolving career narratives and aspirations

Participants were asked to record (via email, sms or WhatsApp) accounts of ‘critical events’ related to their career. A guidance sheet was developed to facilitate recordings and emails were sent to invite recordings 4 times per year. 46 digital diaries were collected.

Feb ‘14 to Nov ‘16

5) Follow-up interviews with junior doctors

Follow-up interviews with previously recruited doctors. First interviews focused on experiences related to the Ebola crisis and the second on career aspirations. Eight of 15 junior doctors were initially interviewed via Skype and 7 for the second follow-interviews (6 via Skype; 1 face-to-face).

May ‘15 (interviews lasted 27 min average);

Nov ‘16 (interviews lasted 30 min average)

  1. aTopic guides for interviews with key informants were based on the literature [17, 46,47,48,49] and experiential knowledge. Guides were adapted a for different types of key informants but generally covered the following topics: evolution of medical school policy; impact of civil war on human resources for health and medical education; coordination, monitoring and regulation of COMAHS; planning and recruitment of medical workforce; quality of medical education; postgraduate medical education and professional development opportunities; financing of medical school; migration/retention of doctors; deployment and distribution of doctors; and gender issues. The interview guide for key informants was piloted with an NGO worker
  2. bLifeline chart recorded key family events (births, deaths, illnesses), places lived, educational and employment history
  3. cTopic guide for initial interviews with junior doctors was based on the literature [18, 50, 51] and experiential knowledge and covered the following topics: reasons to start medical education; experiences and financing of medical school; work experiences and options since graduation; attitudes to migration, attitudes to public and private sector work; quality control and regulation; job market and career aspirations; social demands and expectations; and gender issues. A pilot small focus group was conducted with three medical students from Sierra Leone to test the life-line chart and part of the interview guide for junior doctors. No changes to the format of the interview were necessary as students understood all questions
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BMC Medical Education

ISSN: 1472-6920

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