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Stephens GC, Sarkar M, Lazarus MD. 'I was uncertain, but I was acting on it': A longitudinal qualitative study of medical students' responses to uncertainty. MEDICAL EDUCATION 2024; 58:869-879. [PMID: 37963570 DOI: 10.1111/medu.15269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 10/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Uncertainty is ubiquitous within medical practice. Accordingly, how individuals respond to uncertainty, termed uncertainty tolerance (UT), is increasingly considered a medical graduate competency. Despite this, aspects of the UT construct are debated, which may relate to research focused on measuring UT, rather than understanding students' experiences. Therefore, we asked (1) how do medical students describe their responses to uncertainty, (2) how (if at all) do described responses change over time and (3) how do described responses contribute to understanding the UT construct. METHODS Engaging an interpretivist worldview, we conducted a longitudinal qualitative study throughout 2020 with 41 clinical medical students at an Australian medical school. Participants completed reflective diary entries across six in-semester time-points (n = 41, 40, 39, 38, 37 and 35) and semi-structured interviews at the end of both semesters (n = 20 per semester). We analysed data using framework analysis. RESULTS Although participants communicated accepting health care uncertainties, described cognitive appraisals of uncertainty ranged from threatening (e.g. challenging credibility) to opportunistic (e.g. for learning and growth). Emotions in response to uncertainty were predominately described in negative terms, including worry and anxiety. Participants described a range of maladaptive and adaptive behavioural responses, including avoiding versus actively engaging with uncertainty. Despite describing typically negative emotions across time, participants' cognitive and behavioural response descriptions shifted from self-doubt and avoidance, towards acceptance of, and engagement despite uncertainty. CONCLUSIONS Students' descriptions of responses to uncertainty suggest existing UT conceptualisations may not holistically reflect medical students' experiences of what it means to be uncertainty 'tolerant', especially pertaining to conceptualisations of 'tolerance' centred on emotions (e.g. stress) rather than how uncertainty is ultimately managed. Extending from this study, the field could consider redefining characteristics of uncertainty 'tolerance' to focus on adaptive cognitive and behavioural responses, rather than emotional responses as key indicators of 'tolerance'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgina C Stephens
- Centre for Human Anatomy Education, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mahbub Sarkar
- Monash Centre for Scholarship in Health Education, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michelle D Lazarus
- Centre for Human Anatomy Education Director and Monash Centre for Scholarship in Health Education Deputy Director, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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Lazarus MD, Gouda-Vossos A, Ziebell A, Parasnis J, Mujumdar S, Brand G. Mapping Educational uncertainty stimuli to support health professions educators' in developing learner uncertainty tolerance. ADVANCES IN HEALTH SCIENCES EDUCATION : THEORY AND PRACTICE 2024:10.1007/s10459-024-10345-z. [PMID: 38869782 DOI: 10.1007/s10459-024-10345-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Uncertainty is a feature of healthcare practice. In recognition of this, multiple health profession governing bodies identify uncertainty tolerance as a healthcare graduate attribute and evaluate uncertainty tolerance within new graduate cohorts. While it is clear that uncertainty tolerance development for healthcare learners is valued, gaps remain for practically addressing this within healthcare curricula. Guiding frameworks for practical approaches supporting uncertainty tolerance development in healthcare learners remains sparse, particularly outside of medicine and in certain geographical locations. As uncertainty tolerance is increasingly recognised as being, at least in part, state-based (e.g. contextually changeable)- a broader understanding of teaching practices supporting uncertainty tolerance development in diverse health professions is warranted. This study explored educators' teaching practices for purposefully stimulating learners' uncertainty tolerance. Semi-structured interviews investigated how academics at a single institution, from diverse fields and health professions, stimulate uncertainty across multiple learning contexts. Framework analysis identified three themes for stimulating uncertainty: Purposeful questioning, Forecasting uncertainty, and Placing learners in unfamiliar environments, with characterisation of these themes (and related subthemes) also described. Many of the identified themes align with aspects of existing learning theories suggesting that curricular frameworks supporting learner uncertainty tolerance development may be informed by theories beyond the boundaries of health professions education research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle D Lazarus
- Centre for Human Anatomy Education, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
- Monash Centre for Scholarship in Health Education, Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Amany Gouda-Vossos
- Centre for Human Anatomy Education, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Angela Ziebell
- School of Life and Environmental Science, Deakin University, 221 Burwood Hwy, Burwood, Vic, 3125, Australia
| | - Jaai Parasnis
- Department of Economics, Monash University, Wellington Rd, Clayton, VIC, 3180, Australia
| | - Swati Mujumdar
- School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Vic, 3180, Australia
| | - Gabrielle Brand
- Monash Centre for Scholarship in Health Education, Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, 47-49 Moorooduc Highway, Frankston, VIC, 3199, Australia
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Lazarus MD, Truong M, Douglas P, Selwyn N. Artificial intelligence and clinical anatomical education: Promises and perils. ANATOMICAL SCIENCES EDUCATION 2024; 17:249-262. [PMID: 36030525 DOI: 10.1002/ase.2221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Anatomy educators are often at the forefront of adopting innovative and advanced technologies for teaching, such as artificial intelligence (AI). While AI offers potential new opportunities for anatomical education, hard lessons learned from the deployment of AI tools in other domains (e.g., criminal justice, healthcare, and finance) suggest that these opportunities are likely to be tempered by disadvantages for at least some learners and within certain educational contexts. From the perspectives of an anatomy educator, public health researcher, medical ethicist, and an educational technology expert, this article examines five tensions between the promises and the perils of integrating AI into anatomy education. These tensions highlight the ways in which AI is currently ill-suited for incorporating the uncertainties intrinsic to anatomy education in the areas of (1) human variations, (2) healthcare practice, (3) diversity and social justice, (4) student support, and (5) student learning. Practical recommendations for a considered approach to working alongside AI in the contemporary (and future) anatomy education learning environment are provided, including enhanced transparency about how AI is integrated, AI developer diversity, inclusion of uncertainty and anatomical variations within deployed AI, provisions made for educator awareness of AI benefits and limitations, building in curricular "AI-free" time, and engaging AI to extend human capacities. These recommendations serve as a guiding framework for how the clinical anatomy discipline, and anatomy educators, can work alongside AI, and develop a more nuanced and considered approach to the role of AI in healthcare education.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle D Lazarus
- Centre for Human Anatomy Education (CHAE), Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Monash Centre for Scholarship in Health Education (MCSHE), Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mandy Truong
- Monash Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Menzies School of Health Research, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Peter Douglas
- Monash Bioethics Centre, Faculty of Arts, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Neil Selwyn
- Monash Data Futures Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Faculty of Education, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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Robertson KA, Organ JM, Yard M, Byram JN. First patient project: Engaging pathology through the donor dissection experience and its role in professionalism. ANATOMICAL SCIENCES EDUCATION 2024; 17:199-212. [PMID: 37803942 DOI: 10.1002/ase.2341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
The peer-reviewed anatomical education literature thoroughly describes the benefits and drawbacks of donor dissection. Gross anatomy laboratory environments utilizing donor dissection are generally considered to be a premier environment where students foster non-traditional discipline-independent skills (NTDIS), including the acquisition of professionalism, empathy, resilience, emotional intelligence, and situational awareness. Therefore, this IRB-approved study explored the impact of a formal humanism and pathology thread, the first patient project (FPP), on the personal and professional development of pre-professional undergraduate students in a gross anatomy dissection-based course. Five reflections from each student were collected across four cohorts (n = 74 students, 370 reflections). A post-course questionnaire collected data on student perceptions of the project. The framework method was used to analyze reflection and free response data and descriptive statistics were performed on Likert-style items using Excel. Three themes were identified to encompass the impacts of the FPP on professional development and include: Socialization (through collective dissection experience and pathology), Humanistic Qualities (respect for the donor and their history, and introspection), and Content and Skills (technical and NTDIS, anatomical knowledge). The end of course FPP survey was completed by 29 students across three cohorts (65%) and their perspectives were generally favorable regarding the promotion of respect, empathy, and humanization of their donors. This study underscores the value of incorporating humanism, pathology, and reflection, facilitated through formal curriculum for pre-professional undergraduate students. It provides evidence of the positive impact on their personal and professional development, supporting the integration of NTDIS in curricula across various disciplines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle A Robertson
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology, & Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Jason M Organ
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology, & Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Michael Yard
- Department of Biology, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Jessica N Byram
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology, & Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
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Stephens GC, Sarkar M, Lazarus MD. Medical Student Experiences of Uncertainty Tolerance Moderators: A Longitudinal Qualitative Study. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:864141. [PMID: 35547203 PMCID: PMC9083353 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.864141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Uncertainty tolerance (UT), a construct explicating individuals' response to perceived uncertainty, is increasingly considered a competency for effective medical practice. Lower UT among physicians is linked with negative outcomes, including less favorable attitudes toward patient-centered care, and increased burnout risk. Despite decades of research, as yet few have engaged methodological approaches aiming to understand the factors that may influence medical students' UT (so-called moderators). Such knowledge, though, could inform teaching practices for fostering learners' skills for managing uncertainties. Accordingly, we asked “What factors do medical students in their clinical years perceive as moderating their perceptions of, and responses to, uncertainty?” Methods We conducted a qualitative study with forty-one medical students in clinical years at an Australian medical school, with data collected throughout 2020. Participants described their experiences of uncertainty through both in-semester reflective diary entries (n = 230) and end of semester group or individual semi-structured interviews (n = 40). Data were analyzed using a team-based framework analysis approach. Results Four major themes of UT moderators were identified: (1) Individual factors, (2) Sociocultural factors, (3) Academic factors and (4) Reflective learning. Aspects of individual, sociocultural and academic factors were perceived as having either positive or negative influences on students' perceptions of uncertainty. By contrast, reflective learning was described as having a predominantly positive influence on students' perceptions of uncertainty, with students noting learning opportunities and personal growth afforded through uncertain experiences. Conclusions As healthcare becomes increasingly complex, a future challenge is equipping our medical students with strategies and skills to manage uncertainties. Our study identified multiple moderators of medical students' UT, key among them being reflective learning. We also identified UT moderators that contemporary and future medical educators may be able to harness in order to develop learner UT as a healthcare graduate attribute, especially through teaching practices such as intellectual candor. Further research is now required to evaluate the impact of proposed educational interventions, and to develop effective assessments of students' skills for managing clinical uncertainties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgina C Stephens
- Centre for Human Anatomy Education, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Mahbub Sarkar
- Monash Centre for Scholarship in Health Education, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Michelle D Lazarus
- Centre for Human Anatomy Education, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Monash Centre for Scholarship in Health Education, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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