BACKGROUND:The transition from undergraduate to postgraduate medical education is a crucial phase of professional development, requiring trainees to assume greater clinical responsibility and adapt to new social norms. This transition influences professional identity formation (PIF), which is important for safe practice, well-being and resilience. We conducted a scoping review to map studies of PIF during this transition and synthesise the key findings of this body of literature. METHODS:We searched five databases for studies published between January 2000 and December 2023. Eligibility criteria guided inclusion. We extracted relevant information and PRISMA-ScR reporting elements and used inductive thematic analysis to synthesise findings. RESULTS:Twenty-one studies met the inclusion criteria, representing mixed-methods, qualitative and quantitative designs and diverse theoretical approaches to PIF. Only one study explicitly defined 'transition'. Most studies (n = 14) were descriptive; two were justification studies, and five aimed to clarify mechanisms, contextual influences and theoretical underpinnings. Four themes described factors influencing PIF in the transition from undergraduate to postgraduate education: navigating the self, the system, clinical practice and collaboration. CONCLUSIONS:Supporting early-career doctors requires more than fostering resilience. Training environments must reduce systemic barriers, model professional values and create relational spaces where emerging doctors can belong, reflect and grow. Future research should move beyond description towards theoretically informed, multi-context studies that examine mechanisms underlying these influences and generate transferable, actionable knowledge for those supporting trainees during this transition.
INTRODUCTION:Clinical teaching fellows (CTFs) are an increasingly important part of undergraduate medical education in the United Kingdom. Despite their valuable and uniquely multifaceted role, research investigating the qualities that make an effective CTF is limited. This study aimed to identify and compare the views of stakeholder groups regarding the most important qualities of CTFs. METHODS:We conducted a single-centre mixed-methods study at a large UK teaching hospital. An online questionnaire was distributed to clinical medical students (years 3-5), CTFs, administrative staff and faculty. Data were collected via Likert scales, asking respondents to rank qualities and teaching experiences and free-text responses. RESULTS:Quantitative analysis (n = 43) identified friendliness, being knowledgeable and an engaging teaching style as the most valued qualities. Prior experience of conducting bedside teaching and small-group tutorials was prioritised, with postgraduate teaching qualifications and specialist knowledge ranked as least important. Medical students valued professionalism and teamwork significantly less than other groups (p < 0.05). Qualitative thematic analysis revealed students prioritised a supporting learning environment and practical clinical tips. Conversely, administrative staff, faculty and CTFs valued collaborative teamwork and organisational reliability. Reflecting these differences, 29 (67.4%) respondents agreed with our hypothesis that disparities exist between stakeholder groups in the qualities/experiences they value most. CONCLUSIONS:This study highlights commonalities and differences regarding the interpersonal skills and teaching experiences that are central to effective CTFs. These findings have important implications for recruitment, training and professional development of CTFs, ensuring alignment with the needs of stakeholders and addressing perceived disparities between groups.
The career sustainability of early-career faculty in the health professions is often framed as a matter of individual resilience, a perspective that obscures institutional determinants of ill-being and attrition. We argue that retention and thriving depend on an institutional ecosystem that integrates structured mentoring, psychopedagogical support and formal recognition of faculty work. Drawing on recent evidence on burnout, resilience and career development in academic medicine, we propose the Health Professions Faculty Career Sustainability Institutional Ecosystem (EISCD-Health) and the Faculty Institutional Resilience Index (IRID-Health). We describe causal mechanisms for each axis, formulate testable predictions and outline a phased implementation agenda guided by gender and racial equity, offering clinical teachers and institutional leaders concrete levers and metrics to make early-career faculty careers more sustainable and just.
BACKGROUND:Interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) are essential strategies for developing the necessary interprofessional competencies (IPC) for collaborative practice. While self-assessment tools measuring IPC are widely used in educational settings, their application in primary health care (PHC) is limited. This study aimed to identify and analyse the available tools for assessing IPC in PHC, highlighting their characteristics and applicability. METHODS:A scoping review was conducted by searching eight databases. Data extracted included publication details and descriptions of assessment tools. RESULTS:The search identified 981 records, of which 21 studies describing 15 different assessment tools were included. Most studies were published between 2016 and 2024, conducted primarily in the United States, and involved professionals from Nursing, Medicine and Pharmacy. The tools were mainly based on the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) Core Competencies and the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative frameworks, underscoring their established role as key references for IPC. Common assessed domains and competencies included roles and responsibilities, teamwork and collaboration and interprofessional communication. Additionally, some tools incorporated competencies related to community centred care, collaborative leadership and public health, indicating their potential relevance to PHC. CONCLUSION:This review provides a comprehensive overview of the IPC assessment tools used in primary health settings, offering insights into the diversity of evaluation methods. Faculty, health professionals and researchers should identify the most appropriate tool according to the context in which it will be used, ensuring its applicability and the generation of results that will contribute to the enhancement of IPE and IPCP.
INTRODUCTION:Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) have been adopted in community pharmacy practice experiences, but there are no studies describing the development and validation of EPAs in contexts before their implementation. This study aimed to develop and validate the content of EPAs for community pharmacy practice experiences in Brazil. METHODS:A multi-stage research approach based on established theoretical frameworks for EPA development was employed. Stages included: (1) team formation and preparation; (2) identification and adaptation of a validated quality assessment tool (Queen's EPA Quality-EQual) for the Brazilian context; (3) drafting EPAs by mapping Brazilian national competencies to established EPAs of the United States of America, and adapting them linguistically and contextually; (4) two rounds of expert content validation utilizing the EQual rubric in Portuguese. RESULTS:Seven experts participated in the first round of evaluation; six contributed to the second. Initial assessment of 11 EPAs revealed only two EPAs surpassing all domain-specific and overall quality cut-offs in the EQual tool. The initial list of EPAs was adjusted and sent back for a second round of evaluation. The final list comprised three required EPAs scoring above the EQual rubric's overall and domain-specific cut-offs. CONCLUSION:This research proposed a list of EPAs for community pharmacy practice experiences to be adopted for the first time, offering a framework to standardize teaching, inform preceptor training, and reliably assess student competency development.
BACKGROUND:Medical biochemistry and molecular genetics stand out as some of the most demanding courses for first-year medical students, who often require repeated exposure to complex pathways and molecular processes. To provide additional support in this early stage of training, we created PodBases, a peer-led educational podcast integrated into an academic mentoring program and made available through a widely accessible global audio-streaming platform. The goal was to offer brief, clinically oriented episodes that reinforced key concepts and complemented traditional teaching. APPROACH:The initiative followed a defined workflow involving close collaboration between student tutors and faculty. Tutors prepared scripts aligned with the weekly course content, which were subsequently reviewed for accuracy. Recordings were made using smartphones and edited with freely accessible audio-editing tools and published on a podcast-hosting service. We documented the entire process to create a practical tutorial that facilitates replication in similar educational settings. EVALUATION:Between May 2023 and January 2026, 30 episodes were published, reaching 13,050 streams across 16 countries. Student feedback highlighted the usefulness of the podcast during commutes and study sessions. Mentors reported skill development in communication, simplification of content and teamwork. IMPLICATIONS:PodBases demonstrates that student-generated podcasts can effectively complement traditional teaching by reinforcing core topics, supporting learner autonomy, enhancing comprehension and developing tutors' pedagogical skills. The experience suggests that peer-led digital resources can enhance comprehension while promoting engagement and professional growth in the foundational years of training. TRIAL REGISTRATION:Not applicable.
BACKGROUND:Explicit teaching of clinical reasoning to medical students can be difficult to achieve, though may be facilitated through structured clinical debrief sessions supporting student discussions of case studies and placement experiences. This study aimed to understand student perceptions of the value of clinical debrief throughout their curriculum. APPROACH:A scaffolded series of clinical debrief sessions were incorporated into Years 1, 3 and 5 of a 5-year UK undergraduate medical programme. Sessions are increasingly complex across year-levels and continuously improved across academic years according to student feedback. Each session receives student feedback through Likert-scale and open-ended questions on the session and their facilitating tutor, which were consolidated and analysed using descriptive statistics and AI-assisted conceptual content analysis. EVALUATION:From over 8000 responses across the three year-levels and nine academic years, clinical debrief was positively viewed across all cohorts, with increasing perceived value for Year 3 students, though some decrease in perceptions for Year 5 students. Earlier year students emphasised the value for their communication and clinical reasoning skills, while later year students valued the ethical and medico-legal skill development and preparing for practice as a doctor. Tutors across all year levels were perceived highly for their contributions to an inclusive and effective learning environment and reducing professional isolation. IMPLICATIONS:Scaffolded clinical debrief is positively viewed by undergraduate medical students across year levels, with perceived contributions to skill development influenced by year level. Development and implementation of clinical debrief require design aligning to student experiences and expectations, with effective tutor training.
BACKGROUND:The medical school application process is demanding, with several factors contributing to burnout. Existing literature highlights pre-medical students' perceptions about what is required for admissions success. These perceptions can drive extreme behaviours; however, program-level evidence shows such steps may not always be necessary or desired. This discrepancy underscores the need to explore the origins of these perceptions, improve guidance, reduce burnout, and promote a balanced pre-medical experience. METHODS:This generic qualitative study, informed by a constructive orientation, used reflexive thematic analysis. Twelve pre-medical students were recruited through online forum posts and snowball sampling. Semi-structured interviews explored how participants constructed perceptions of admissions success and how this informed decision making. Analysis involved regular reflexive team discussions. FINDINGS:Four themes were developed: a) Formal and informal influences shape pre-medical students' perceptions and interpretations of the application process; b) Early, performative strategizing is used to navigate the perceived competitive system; c) Trial, adaptation and reflection occur iteratively to reflect an ideal medical student 'archetype,' and d) The medical school application process elicits tensions between authenticity and 'what the system wants.' CONCLUSION:Findings suggest that pre-medical students construct perceptions of admissions success through an iterative process of information gathering, reflection and adaptation. These perceptions contribute to the development of an 'ideal' applicant archetype that shapes strategic self-presentation and tensions between authenticity and perceived admissions expectations. Our findings highlight a need for more transparent outreach opportunities between the medical community and pre-medical students to avoid echo chambers and reduce inauthenticity and burnout.
