Doctoral Learning Research Articles

Twelve tips for optimising learning for postgraduate doctors in the operating theatre

Learning in the operating theatre forms a critical part of postgraduate medical education. Postgraduate doctors present a diverse cohort of learners with a wide range of learning needs that will vary by their level of experience and curriculum requirements. With evidence of both trainee dissatisfaction with the theatre learning experience and reduced time spent in the operating theatre, which has been exacerbated by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is vital that every visit to the operating theatre is used as a learning opportunity. We have devised 12 tips aimed at both learners and surgeons to optimise learning in the operating theatre, set out into four domains: educational context, preparation, learning in theatre, feedback and reflection. These tips have been created by a process of literature review and acknowledgment of established learning theory, with further discussion amongst surgical trainees, senior surgical faculty, surgical educators and medical education faculty.

PhD Students’ Perceptions of Research Seminars in Doctoral Education: A Case Study

There is no doubt that supervision plays a significant role in doctoral education. Supervisors have a fiduciary responsibility for guiding their supervisees throughout their doctoral research and theses writing journeys. In recent times however, many doctoral education programmes have adopted a collegial support system for doctoral students by introducing students’ research seminars to supplement traditional supervision. Research seminars offer both students and faculty the opportunity to engage in scholarly dialogue aimed at improving the former’s research and thesis. Although such seminars have become commonplace in many doctoral education programmes worldwide, little research exist on students’ perceptions of research seminars in doctoral learning. In this paper, we contribute to the literature by exploring the perceptions of 12 PhD students from a University in Ghana about research seminars and their usefulness in doctoral education. The findings indicate that the students perceived research seminars in doctoral education as spaces evoking manifold purposes—constructive advice; discrediting students’ work; varied views; and “muffling” students’ voices. Furthermore, the students’ perceptions of the usefulness of research seminars in their learning were trifocal in scope—research and thesis writing, presentation skills, and confidence-building. The paper makes some recommendations for improving research seminars in doctoral education for the purpose of enhancing collegial learning.

Jaipuria Institute of Management, Lucknow Organizes Winter School - 2022 on Research Methods

Jaipuria Institute of Management, Lucknow organized a five-day Winter School on Research Methods from December 12-16, 2022. The objective of the Winter School-2022 was to provide a platform for doctoral scholars as well as academicians to have a better understanding of research methods and to learn about new software and techniques to help in their research.

A Team Science Training Approach to Enhance Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration in Communication Science and Disorders Programs

This paper aims to describe the core components of a cross-disciplinary team science training offered in a Communication Science and Disorders (CSD) program delivered to 17 doctoral scholars in CSD, education, special education, psychology, and social work. The team science training model is offered as one approach to consider in preparing pre-service leaders and faculty in CSD to engage in scientific collaboration with other researchers from different disciplinary backgrounds. In addition to an overview of training, the paper includes preliminary data on participants' perceptions of team science training and recommendations for future offerings.

Analysis of Imperative Facial Angles for Rhinoplasty: An Endowment to the Surgeon.

To study the nasal framework of patients in relation to CT scan and observe the Nasofrontal angle and Nasofacial angle in patients. This study is a prospective observational study. It was done from January 2020 to December 2020. It involved selection of patients with nasal complaints and external nasal deformity followed by their CT scan evaluation. It included a 3D analysis of the CT scan using a computer software. Preoperative photographic evaluation of the patient was done in frontal, lateral and basal view for a better understanding and correlation. Thirty patients were evaluated and their 3D reconstructed CT scans were observed. The mean Nasofrontal angle was 116.69°. The mean was 110.43° in males and 126.08° in females. The mean Nasofacial Angle was 37.68. The mean was 43.05° in males and 29.62° in females. There was a significant statistical difference seen. The demand for rhinoplasty in India is on rise. The studies done in the past have evaluated patients using plain 2D CT films. In this study, 3D reconstruction of CT scan has been done. There are meagre studies which describe the aesthetics of Indian population. It aids in preoperative evaluation and plan of surgery, enables a good doctor-patient communication. Also, it can be used for clinical learning of resident doctors.

Lessons From a Near-Peer Junior Doctor Teaching Program in Trauma and Orthopedics.

A junior doctor teaching program delivered by near-peers can foster collaboration in a less-pressured and conducive learning environment. The aim of this study was to provide an analysis of an orthopedic teaching program in a high-resource environment utilizing readily available tools and resources that are potentially available in most hospitals globally. Methods:This study involved the utilization of an outcome-based learning approach with regular formal feedback. An anonymized Google Forms survey using a 10-point Likert scale was conducted after a 30-week period. The survey tool was sent out to 28 doctors and two senior nurse practitioners who participated in the program either as tutors, learners, or both. A total of 19 out of 30 respondentscompleted the survey giving a 63% survey completion rate. The setting for this study was the trauma and orthopedics department in a United Kingdom district general hospital. Learners' confidence in their orthopedic knowledge and skills pre-program had a median response of eight with a mode of seven whereas confidence following engagement on the program improved with a median response of nine and a mode of 10. At an alpha level of 0.05, this observed improvement was statistically significant using the Mann-Whitney U test (p=0.466). Tutors' perception of the usefulness of the teaching feedback had a median response of nine with a mode of 10. Relevance of the selected topics had a median response of nine and a mode of 10. Inclusion in the teaching program to cater to learner diversity had a median response of nine and a mode of 10. The effectiveness of a blended approach for learning had a median response of nine and a mode of 10. Conclusion:This study has provided evidence of the benefits ofa near-peer teaching program. This is especially important in the post-coronavirus disease (COVID) pandemic recovery period where easily accessible and well-grounded educational programs will be useful to complement the deanery teachings for trainees. This is important as this may be the main source of formal teaching for non-trainee junior doctors in many hospital settings.Additional research will be needed to further explore the pros and cons of such programs within a surgical specialty like orthopedics with an emphasis on the various pedagogical approaches to teaching and learning for junior doctors working in a busy clinical setting.

The impact of shared social spaces on the wellness and learning of junior doctors: A scoping review.

Impaired wellness among junior doctors is a significant problem. Connectedness and sense of belonging may be important factors to prevent and reduce mental ill-health. Shared social spaces in which health care staff can meet informally are thought to improve connectedness; however, these spaces are in decline. It is unclear what is known about such spaces, how they are used, and their impact on wellness and learning. This study aims to identify and synthetise available literature that informs our current understanding of the nature of shared social spaces as an intervention impacting wellness and learning of junior doctors. A scoping review was conducted following the Arksey and O'Malley five-step framework. The review question is 'What is the evidence of the impact of shared social spaces on wellness and learning of junior doctors?' We searched five databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, APA PsychINFO, APA PsychExtra, and ERIC. We conducted thorough supplementary searches in addition to the database search. We included 41 articles. These were predominantly letters, commentaries, and editorials with only five primary research studies. We identified four significant common attributes of shared social spaces, which can be credited with positive impacts on wellness and learning: (1) Informal: fostering connectedness and belonging, trust and teamwork and offering access to informal help and support; (2) safe: allowing reflection, debrief and raising of concerns; (3) functional: there is planning of clinical care activity, sense of control and engagement from users and provision of refreshment; (4) legitimate: regular maintenance and use of shared social spaces affect role modelling, sustainability and wellness culture. This review identified several ways in which shared social spaces impact positively on learning and wellness. There is little primary research in this area. Future research would be useful to further examine how and why this works.

‘Shi men’ as key doctoral practice: understanding international doctoral students’ learning communities and research culture in China

ABSTRACT Research has been widely conducted to understand international student mobility, particularly from Global South to North. However, there is little attention paid to international doctoral students’ research and learning experiences in non-traditional destinations, particularly in the Chinese context. Drawing upon the concept of Communities of Practice, we administered semi-structured interviews with six international doctoral students and their supervisors at a prestigious Chinese university to understand how they experienced intercultural research and supervision in ‘shi men’, a culturally and pedagogically informed collective and semi-closed learning community. Our research findings help elucidate how the different social and academic practices have created various types of ‘shi men’. Each of these academic families reflects the unique features of doctoral learning in China and has implications for international doctoral students’ overall learning experience. This timely study offers distinct insights into cross-cultural learning, research, and supervision practices in China.

THE FEATURES OF POSTDOCTORAL TRAINING DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The abrupt onset and prolonged state of the COVID-19 (SARS-COV-2) pandemic has radically altered medicine. Clinical care, research, and training have experienced significant disruption, with a call to balance safety and well-being. With regard to training future researchers and clinicians, residencies and fellowship programs have pivoted from standard in-person curricula to virtual formats to decrease possible virus exposure and spread. The postdoctoral training usually take place by using of distance elements of international e-learning platforms, such as Zoom and Google Classroom. There are different controversial opinions due distance training of doctors. Purpose of study: evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of distance learning of doctors in cycles of thematic improvement. Material and methods of research. An anonymous survey of 219 physicians of therapeutic specialties who underwent distance learning at the Department of Therapy and Family Medicine of Postgraduate Education of Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University in the period from January 1 to May 25, 2022 was carried. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize demographic characteristics and survey responses. Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were conducted. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Quantitative data analysis was conducted using statistical package Statistica 12. Results of study. Among of the 219 surveyed doctors, the vast majority of people studied at thematic courses repeatedly. 176 (80.4%) respondents were female. General practitioners, and physicians predominated among the physicians. The vast majority of doctors are satisfied with the remote format of thematic courses and their content. The majority of respondents (105 (47.9%) people) were in favor of a mixed system of education in the future, which would combine elements of distance education with the opportunity to study at the clinical bases of the department. Only distance learning in the future was noted by 90 (41.1%) doctors (χ2 = 2.08; p = 0.15). 10 (4.6%) people prefer to study on the basis of the department. Conclusions. 1. The distance format of thematic learning courses during of the COVID-19 pandemic is acceptable to the vast majority of physicians. 2. It is necessary to develop a hybrid model of thematic improvement cycles in the future, which would harmoniously combine elements of distance and academic medical education.

Playing the Dignity Roulette: Deciphering Academic Dignity from the Perspective of Doctoral Scholars

The publish or perish culture is a reality that management scholars deal with every day. It is a means of gaining legitimacy for the business schools while providing an objective approach to measure the performance of the scholars. At the same time, it paves the way for excessive competition, sham authorships, questionable research practices. While the literature on the implications of this culture is quite voluminous, it is primarily based on the experiences of seasoned academicians. So, in this study, we look at this culture from the viewpoint of doctoral scholars, specifically those pursuing their doctorate in a non-Western context. Our findings illustrate that the publish or perish culture subjects these scholars to a never-ending dignity struggle. They lose their dignity as they get dehumanized as machines for publications and stigmatized for their location and being non-native English speakers. These scholars internalize their inferior position and resort to internal divisions to recuperate their lost dignity. In sum, we propose that the publish or perish culture leads to the commoditization of dignity.

Negotiating identities in western academia: an autoethnographic study of international doctoral students in Australia

ABSTRACT This study is a critical-autoethnographic exploration of the intellectual trajectories of three international doctoral scholars in an Australian research-intensive university in terms of the development of their academic identities. It looks at the various institutional and discursive forces that influence their academic adjustments and how they navigate their intellectual and scholarly journeys while studying abroad. In particular, the paper investigates the tensions inherent in the intersection of institutional governmentality and individual sense of empowerment within and outside the third space. International doctoral students experience both overt and covert pressures to conform and accept institutional norms to ‘fit in’ when coming to study in Australia. Rather than simply adapting, they also ‘fight out’ against these norms, thereby reconfiguring their academic identities through interactions with supervisors, senior colleagues, and wider academia. Using narratives from their learning experiences, the study locates the interface of these two forces and the creation of a third space – emerging from how these three novice scholars bring in their own learning academic conventions from their home countries in an Australian academic community. This research has implications for understanding international doctoral students’ stories of becoming academics.

Neurodiversity in medical education: How can we improve postgraduate learning for neurodiverse doctors?

Recently, there has been an important drive to increase diversity in medical education, which could potentially translate to improved outcomes for patients. Despite this, evidence on how to support neurodiverse doctors is limited. In this article the author reflects on their experience of postgraduate medical education as a doctor with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and considers how the learning environment can be improved to help neurodiverse doctors reach their potential. This includes increasing the diversity of senior role models, using a cognitive apprenticeship model, employing teaching strategies which allow learners to elaborate their individual thought processes, and providing appropriate timely feedback.

Reading Research for Writing: Co-Constructing Core Skills Using Primary Literature

Synthesizing academic literature into new knowledge through writing is a core skill that doctoral students engaged in research must learn. However, developing efficacy in synthesis skills as an academic writer is a culturally and cognitively demanding process that occurs over many years, requires abstraction, and draws upon critical reading skills. Doctoral reading is an invisible part of training, despite large reading loads in doctoral coursework. Further, reading, writing, and researching skills are co-constructed at the doctoral level as previously described by Kwan (2008). The purpose of this essay is to describe how the primary author used her experience as an EdD student, science teacher, and writer to develop a method that addresses doctoral reading challenges. The novel method described here combines categorical reading strategies with social collaborative annotation (SCA). This method centers on active, categorial reading to deconstruct arguments in the primary literature by identifying claim, evidence, reasoning, implications, and context (CERIC), which can serve as a critical reading pedagogy in existing courses, reading clubs, and seminars. Combining CERIC with SCA tools—ranging from homemade variations of Google Suite to purposeful annotation software, such as Hypothes.is.—can support an efficient doctoral reading process. This essay illustrates several worked examples and explores how this process supports retrieval, engagement, collaboration, inclusion, and community, particularly in online learning environments. Significant implications of this work are to make hidden reading expectations explicit and transform professor-centered transmission models of learning to student-centered sociocultural models of learning. The essay proposes next steps for testing the approach's effectiveness in online doctoral learning.

Academic Identity Development of Doctoral Scholars in an Online Writing Group

Aim/Purpose: This study explores how online writing groups facilitate the academic identity development of doctoral scholars. Background: Academic institutions around the world, and especially in developing societies, are demanding increasing amounts of research and publications from their doctoral scholars. The current study used an online writing group to facilitate writing skills development, which bolstered the academic identity development of participating scholars. Academic identity is defined as the becoming and being of an academic scholar, with writing skills as a means of acquiring and performing the status and skills of a scholar. It is reflected in the confidence, contribution, and relationship carried out in writing as a member of the academic community. Methodology: This study utilizes narrative inquiry as a research methodology to capture the experiences of six doctoral scholars from two universities in Nepal. We explore the academic identity of doctoral scholars from a sociocultural perspective, employing unstructured interviews, meeting notes, and entry and exit surveys of the online writing group. Contribution: This article shows how online writing groups offer unique and impactful opportunities for networking, collaboration, and problem-solving, which can significantly enhance their writing abilities and prospects of publication, thereby fostering their intellectual agency and academic identity. Findings: This study reports three findings of the value of online writing groups: addressing gaps in formal education, community as a form of accountability, and virtual community as a platform for identity development. On the final finding of identity development, we identify and discuss four themes from data analysis: growth of self-image as scholars, strengthening of commitment to scholarship, identification of venues for expanding the scope of publication, and enhancement of digital skills. The informal and collaborative nature of online writing support facilitated socially constructivist learning, which was highly conducive to the development of academic identity among emerging scholars. Recommendations for Practitioners: It is recommended that institutions implement and encourage online writing support programs as an effective means of addressing gaps in doctoral education. While this program can fill gaps in the low-resource contexts of developing countries, it can bolster formal mentoring in any context. Recommendation for Researchers: Further research should use large-scale or longitudinal studies to explore how informal, especially online writing support and collaboration, accelerate research and writing skills, scholarly productivity, and overall academic identity formation of doctoral scholars. Impact on Society: As societies around the world accelerate their demand for doctoral degrees and also require research and publications for degree completion, new and creative approaches utilizing emerging technologies could help to fill gaps in curriculum and support systems for their doctoral scholars. Future Research: Future research could expand the scope and take a longitudinal approach for more fine-grained data and developing broader perspectives.

The Impact of Pre-Round Meetings on the Clinical Learning of Nurses and Doctors on Hospital Wards: A Qualitative Study.

IntroductionThe pre-round meeting is an interprofessional gathering conducted in conjunction with the ward round in many hospitals. Here, nurses, doctors and eventually allied health clinicians discuss clinical issues before attending to the patients. This study focused on the learning aspects of the pre-round meeting, and it is, to our knowledge, the first study to explore the impact of pre-round meetings on learning in a clinical setting.ObjectivesTo improve our understanding of the impact pre-round meetings has on clinical learning among the nurses and doctors who attend them.MethodA qualitative study. Focus group interviews were conducted. Participants comprised of 9 doctors and 13 nurses from two different hospitals in Norway. The participants represented both surgical and non-surgical departmentsResultsThis study showed that the pre-round meeting is an arena with a high learning potential. Learning takes place in the discussion that arises when different professions meet. Both nurses and doctors emphasized that the pre-round meeting is both a conscious learning arena and an arena where learning is a by-product. Several factors interfered with the utilization of its learning potential.ConclusionThe pre-round meeting is an arena with high learning potential. However various factors can influence this potential. The study highlights the importance of being aware of the learning potential in the pre-round meeting, to achieve higher-level learning objectives. A collaborative environment, continuity, competence, and availability of the staff and structured pre-round meetings are essential elements for achieving higher-level learning objectives.

Innovations in Workforce Education for Family Caregiving

The number of adults providing care to a family member in the US is estimated at more than 50 million, with nearly half of those individuals providing complex care. National organizations, such as AARP, and federal programs, such as the Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program, have identified the family caregiver as an integral member of the health care team, yet there is a paucity of clinical workforce education programs for how best to partner and support family caregivers. A virtual summit was held in September 2020 to highlight existing educational programs designed to prepare undergraduate and graduate health professional students or practicing clinicians in their efforts to support family caregivers. The meeting consisted of a keynote, 6 podium presentations and 12 poster presentations. Primary themes emerged around target learners, curricula topics, and outcomes. Programs targeted learners from across the workforce, from undergraduate students to continuing professional education programs, with the majority targeting graduate (masters and doctoral) learners. Several programs were interprofessional in development, delivery and target learner. Curricula topics varied across programs and included caregiver assessments, multicultural considerations, communication, care plan development and risk screening. Education outcomes primarily focused on assessment of participants’ confidence and knowledge. The summit highlighted that the topic of family caregiving is included in clinical education inconsistently, if at all. The summit helped identify gaps in education, curriculum development, and the need for common learning outcomes to strengthen a clinician’s ability to support family caregivers as part of the care team.

Evaluating the Impact of the Accounting Doctoral Scholars Program on Academic Accounting in the U.S.

ABSTRACTThe accounting establishment and AICPA Foundation responded to an inadequate supply of new accounting faculty by creating the Accounting Doctoral Scholars (ADS) program. Between 2009 and 2018, the $17 million program enabled 105 practitioners to become audit and tax faculty. Based on market data and an ADS participant survey, we find an increase in doctoral graduates at ADS and non-ADS schools relative to pre-ADS years, and unmet demand for audit has decreased after ADS, whereas tax remains in need. Compared to the market, ADS graduates experienced somewhat better placements by moving up to more prestigious strata and were more likely to place at schools with a doctoral program. Additionally, we present results for ADS students' motivations, degree completion time, and differences between audit and tax participants. Our findings have important implications for academic accounting, business schools, regulators, and policymakers. We provide important context for changes in market trends preceding COVID-19.

Students\u2019 initial perspectives on online learning experience in China during the COVID-19 outbreak: expanding online education for future doctors on a national scale

BackgroundDuring the early stage of COVID-19 outbreak in China, most medical undergraduate programs have to eventually embrace the maneuver of transferring to nearly 100% online-learning as a new routine for different curricula. And there is a lack of empirical evidence of effective medical education curriculum that has been completely implemented in an online format. This study summarizes medical students’ perspectives regarding online-learning experience during the COVID-19 outbreak and presents reflection on medical education.MethodsFrom February 21st to March 14th, 2020, the authors conducted survey of a nationally representative sample of undergraduate medical students from 90 medical schools in China. Participant demographics and responses were tabulated, and independent sample t-tests as well as multiple logistic regression models were used to assess the associations of demographic characteristics, prior online learning experience, and orientation with students’ perspectives on the online learning experience.ResultsAmong 118,030 medical students participated in the survey (response rate 52.4%), 99,559 provided valid data for the analysis. The sample is fairly nationally representative. 65.7% (65,389/99,559) supported great orientation and 62.1% (61,818/99,559) reported that they were satisfied with the ongoing online-learning experience. The most common problem students would encounter was the network congestion (76,277/99,559; 76.6%). Demographics, learning phases, and academic performance were associated with online-learning engagement and perceptions. Formal orientation and prior PU (perceived usefulness of online learning) were significantly positively associated with the satisfaction and evaluation of the online learning experience (p < 0.001).ConclusionsData from this national survey indicates a relatively positive role of online learning as a formal teaching/learning approach in medical education. Considerations should be made regarding such application in aspects of students’ different learning phases. We suggest that further policy interventions should be taken from technological, organizational, environmental, as well as individual aspects, to help improve the outcome of online learning for future doctors.

Attitude, Perception, Life Style and Satisfaction of Organic and Inorganic Farmers: a qualitative inquiry

Abstract&#x0D; Agricultural practices are generally organic and inorganic practices. Organic agriculture is more about producing agricultural products without disturbing the ecosystem, biodiversity and the soil health; whereas, inorganic farming is completely opposite of organic farming. Use of chemicals nutrients, hybridisation of seeds, chemical fertilizers, pesticides, is commonly used to get high yield. Since inorganic agriculture is practicing from long time and we are used to get more yield in less time, farmers are bit hesitant to change to organic farming. Behavioural, economic and social attributes of the farmers largely influence the future of organic farming. Objectives: The principal aim of the study is to assess the attitude, perception, lifestyle and satisfaction of organic and inorganic farmers. Methodology: A sample of 30 organic and inorganic farmers were selected from different districts of Karnataka state. Semi-structured tool was designed to collect data from the farmers through interview method. Thematic and free-listing techniques were used to analyse and present the data. Results: Organic farmers tend to be resilient and motivated as compared to the inorganic farmers. There were issues as perceived by the inorganic farmers that the organic farming was not an easy way to reap economic benefits and high yield for which conventional farming has been in practice. However, the shared views were that the agriculture has to receive the due place and dignity as compared to other market occupations which are more profitable. Conclusion: The study observes that organic farming needs sustainable systems to support, promote, advocate and practice it. Behavioural domains and economic domains are equally important to influence the lifestyle and satisfaction of the farmers.&#x0D; Key Words: Agriculture, Organic, Inorganic, Satisfaction, Life Style, Attitude, Perception&#x0D; ____________________________________________________________________________&#x0D; *Professor &amp; Head, Department of Social Work, Dean, School of Media Studies, Central University of Karnataka, Kalaburagi, Karnataka, India, Email Id: channaveerrm@cuk.ac.in&#x0D; &#x0D; ** Doctoral Scholar, Department of Social Work, School of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Central University of Karnataka, Kalaburagi, Karnataka, India. Email Id: bhagyavadageri@yahoo.com

An online community of international scholars: Enabling spaces for reciprocal academic and psychological support

ABSTRACT COVID-19 and its imposed social confinement entailed a radical shift in research, supervision and learning in doctoral education. Heightened flexibility in delivery, sensitivity and compassion and greater reliance on technology sought to address not merely scholars’ pedagogical but holistic needs, which became more prominent during the pandemic. Face-to-face doctoral supervision and academic events were conducted online to overcome hurdles presented by ‘social distancing’. We examine how the dynamics of our group supervision for international doctoral scholars changed after shifting to online mode. We employed an autoethnographic approach to highlight evolving rewards and challenges in conducting online meetings with a group of international scholars. Focusing on this group is timely since the ‘working-from-home’ mode contributed to doctoral scholars’ isolation and stress that they experienced. This paper: a) exemplifies the psychological benefits fostered by online meetings; and b) highlights creative virtual pedagogies and practices worth adopting even after the pandemic is over.