Advancing Medical Education in a Mental Health Trust: Trainees’ and Students’ Perspectives – Focus Groups

TL;DR

This study explores the experiences of medical trainees and students in a mental health trust to identify ways to improve medical education.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into trainee and student perspectives on mental health education and offers practical recommendations for improvement.

Findings

Trainees and students identified issues with induction processes, information access, rotas, and facilities.

Structured support is needed to develop psychotherapy competencies and provide clinical and non-clinical training.

Better supervision, support, and appreciation are essential for improving the training environment.

Abstract

Aims: Medical education is a cornerstone of the NHS, influencing the continuous improvement of patient care. This study aims to explore the experiences of psychiatric trainees and medical students within a mental health trust, identifying opportunities to enhance medical education quality.

Methods: A qualitative focus group methodology was employed to capture detailed perspectives of participants. Four separate focus groups were conducted, categorized by the level of training: medical students (n=4), foundation doctors (n=4), core psychiatric trainees (n=8), and higher specialty trainees (n=4). Participants were recruited via internal mass email. Focus groups were guided by a standardized topic guide. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results: Key findings reveal shared themes of issues in induction processes, access to information, rota issues, and facilities. Additionally, the study highlighted the importance of structured support for achieving psychotherapy competencies and the necessity for both clinical and non-clinical training. There is also a significant need for better supervision, support, and appreciation.

Conclusion: The study provides insights into the experiences of psychiatric trainees and medical students, highlighting key areas for improvement. Implementing the practical recommendations can enhance medical education quality within mental health trusts, benefiting trainees, educators, and patients.