Doctoral Education Research Articles

Reimagining doctoral success for "non-traditional students": A phenomenological inquiry into the experiences of emerging researchers

Against the backdrop of a transforming doctoral education landscape and the emergence of non-traditional doctoral students, this article investigates strategies to promote the success of students balancing academic studies and their careers. Prevailing discussions on doctoral success strategies have often centred on “traditional” doctoral students. This article examines the doctoral success challenges confronted by “non-traditional” doctoral candidates who pursue higher education at different stages of their lives, often juggling such with work and family or other responsibilities. The study was informed by Ward and Brennan’s model to analyse the compatibility of student-doctoral education. This framework introduces the concept of student-doctoral fit that asserts that non-traditional students achieve optimal success when there is alignment between the student’s values and those upheld by their organization and social structure. Therefore, doctoral success for non-traditional students lies in the alignment of three main spheres, namely, the 1) student-doctoral environment, 2) student vocation, and 3) the student-doctoral culture. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 non-traditional doctoral students employed by a research organization. The findings underscore the intricacies of balancing academic and professional demands, shedding light on the challenges arising from the lack of integration between academic work and doctoral pursuits. They highlight the need to challenge the conventional separation of these facets. Notably, participants highlighted that they received more substantial academic training and support from the research organization and work mentors, emphasizing the variable nature of support by university supervisors. Given that the majority of challenges reported revolve around the fit between the student-doctoral culture and environment, it is recommended that research organizations and universities collaborate and establish robust support structures. This collaborative approach is essential to ensure academic success and facilitate non-traditional doctoral students’ smoother transition into professional careers

The unified state qualification exam STEP-1 as a marker of the success of the education of pediatric doctors in Ukraine and Bogomolets National Medical University

BackgroundUkraine’s higher medical education goes deeper and deeper every year in the European integration processes in the field of «Health Care» knowledge. Since 2005, the integrated license integrated exam STEP “General medical training” has been introduced in the country to diagnose the quality of training of specialists in all medical specialties. Since 2019, Ukraine, unlike other countries in Europe and the world, has been training specialists in the specialty “Pediatrics” at the stage of undergraduate training. The quality control of the training of specialists is carried out in the form of passing the Unified State Qualification Exam STEP (USQE STEP) separately for each medical specialty (Medicine and Pediatrics). Therefore, the purpose of our research is to conduct a comparative analysis of the results of the success of the first stage of the USQE STEP-1 by students of higher medical education in the specialty “Pediatrics” with the specialty “Medicine” in Ukraine and in the Bogomolets National Medical University (Bogomolets NMU).MethodsAnalytical references to the results of the first stage of the USQE STEP-1 for the students who have completed theoretical medical disciplines specialty “Pediatrics” and the specialty “Medicine” in Ukraine and Bogomolets NMU, which are provided by the Testing Center at the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. Тhe statistical significance of comparative indicators was proved using Fisher’s test, with a statistical error that corresponded to the specified value for ≤ 0.05.ResultsIt is shown that in 2022, applicants of higher medical education of Ukraine with the specialty “Pediatrics” improved the overall success rate by 8.4%, and the success rate of subtests by an average of 10.5%, despite the state of war in Ukraine. The exception was the results of the licensing exam for the subtest component “Biochemistry”: compared to 2021, the pass rate decreased by 3.6% in the specialty “Medicine” and by 6.4% in the specialty “Pediatrics”. At Bogomolets NMU, the leaders of 2022 were the students of the “Pediatrics” specialty, their success rate is 2% higher than that of the “Medicine” specialty.ConclusionsThe analysis of the results of USQE STEP-1 by applicants of higher medical education of the specialties “Pediatrics” and “Medicine” in Ukraine showed the effectiveness of the selection of the specialty “Pediatrics” into a separate section of the training of specialists at the undergraduate level in the field of “Health Care”. Using the methods of mathematical statistics, the effectiveness of organizational methodological techniques in the organization of the educational process in the conditions of the martial law of Ukraine and Bogomolets NMU as a leader in the training of specialists in Pediatric doctors has been proved.

Antibiotic prescribing practices of medical doctors in a resource-limited setting and the influence of individual perceptions and stewardship support: a survey in three tertiary hospitals in Vietnam.

To understand antibiotic prescribing and influencing factors to inform antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) interventions to reduce unwanted consequences of antibiotic use in hospitals in Vietnam, a lower-middle-income country in Asia. We conducted a cross-sectional study of doctors at three tertiary hospitals using non-probability convenience sampling, through a paper-based (Hospitals 1 and 2) or electronic (Hospital 3) survey. Questions included items on perceptions regarding antibiotic resistance and AMS, prescribing practices, knowledge, demographics and training. We used principal components analysis and mixed-effects models to examine practices and identify influencing factors. Among 314 surveyed participants, 61%, 57% and 59% in Hospitals 1, 2 and 3, respectively, felt certain about the appropriateness of their antibiotic prescriptions. In total, 9% reported sometimes prescribing antibiotics when not needed to meet patients' expectations, and 13% reported doing so to avoid perceived complications. Higher prescribing confidence was found among those with positive perceptions about AMS (P < 0.0001), whereas negative perceptions about colleagues' practices reduced this confidence (P < 0.0001). Individual preference for branded antibiotics was associated with more unnecessary prescribing whereas having higher prescribing confidence decreased the habits of prescribing when not needed. This study provides important implications for design of hospital interventions to address influencing factors on antibiotic prescribing in Vietnam and similar resource-limited settings. Specific interventions should target improving knowledge through education and training for doctors, enhancing the support from the AMS team, and promoting guidelines and policies for appropriate antibiotic use in hospital.

How boundaries work in higher education: an ethnographic account of Ph.D. students’ identity formation

ABSTRACT In this article, I argue that Ph.D. students’ construction of academic identity depends on the boundary-making process in academia. The presented ethnographic account of Ph.D. students at one of the research-intensive universities in Turkey is based on 15 months of fieldwork, including observations and 21 in-depth interviews with PhD students. This ethnographic study employs a two-headed approach: institution-based boundary-formation and Ph.D. students’ socialisation into academic habitus. The findings reveal that, first, the identity building process in doctoral education is constituted by the practices of institution-based boundaries, which enable Ph.D. students to accumulate symbolic and social capital; second, the practices of distinction through socialisation into academic life are developed, embodied, habituated, and integrated to academic identity and academic life as part of a habitus of doctoral education; third, identity formation is a social space of relational positions characterised by the supervisor-enforced social order, rooted in both authority and domination.

Outsourcing: ethical research issues in doctoral education

Outsourcing: ethical research issues in doctoral education

Practice-Oriented Doctoral Education in Landscape Architecture: A Comparative Research Based on 29 European and American Universities

Practice-Oriented Doctoral Education in Landscape Architecture: A Comparative Research Based on 29 European and American Universities

Building a community of practice through a doctoral research group

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to highlight the role an intentional and cohesive research group for doctoral researchers and supervisors can play in surfacing and de-mystifying many of the implicit doctoral literacy practices involved in doctoral study.Design/methodology/approachThis participatory, collaborative project, involving 11 doctoral researchers and three supervisors, was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, doctoral researchers and supervisors engaged in a discussion which resulted in a shared concept map. The concept map was then used as a prompt for stimulated recall interviews in which the participants reflected on the connections and peer learning afforded by the research group.FindingsDrawing on ideas from Communities of Practice theory, the data revealed that the research group, including both supervisors and doctoral students, developed knowledge, relational connections and an awareness of a range of doctoral literacies.Practical implicationsThis paper makes suggestions for how those in doctoral education can develop and embed research groups into institutional practices.Originality/valueThis study demonstrates the significant role a research group which is structured, intentional and guided plays in supervisors’ and doctoral students’ development of doctoral literacies and the fundamental intellectual and relational connections afforded by participating in such communities.

A survey of the perceptions and practices of faculty in clinical neuropsychology doctoral training programs: is heterogeneity the norm?

Objective: Doctoral education is a cornerstone in the training of clinical neuropsychologists. However, we know little about perceptions, practices, and needs of the faculty who oversee doctoral training in clinical neuropsychology (CN). Method: Seventy-one faculty from 45 doctoral programs providing CN training completed at least part of a survey assessing characteristics of their programs, current training practices and views, and challenges to CN doctoral training. Results: Over half of CN faculty reported having zero or only one CN colleague. CN faculty reported that the goals of CN doctoral training are research training, clinical training, and acquisition of knowledge and skills reflected in the Houston Conference Guidelines (HCG). CN faculty reported that doctoral trainees obtain more clinical hours than faculty would like and endorsed alternative clinical metrics, including competency-based ratings. CN faculty are divided about the benefits of a required two-year postdoctoral CN fellowship. Conclusions: The HCG states that specialization in CN begins at the doctoral level. CN faculty in doctoral programs are fully immersed in the early development and education of future CN researchers and practitioners. Tensions between clinical and research training in CN at the doctoral level—and student overemphasis on accruing clinical hours—might place CN at risk for failing to make research innovations necessary for our field to evolve and thrive. More CN doctoral faculty are needed to serve as mentors to students, especially for students from backgrounds that have been historically excluded and marginalized. A greater voice from CN doctoral faculty in CN governance is needed.

Teaching and Learning Visual and Arts-Based Inquiry: Collaborative Visions and Possibilities in Graduate Education

This paper describes a doctoral seminar in visual and arts-based inquiry (V/ABR) to champion the generativity of such approaches for advancing doctoral research. We first describe the social and institutional context of the course and its design to situate the projects and the need for creating institutional spaces to amplify creative inquiry approaches in doctoral education. Then, five researchers reflect on their research approaches, including comics, collaging, critical visual analysis, a virtual walkography, and photo-elicitation. The projects focused on contemporary issues including researcher identity, racial justice, mothering crises, and Christian summer camps, collectively underscoring the productivity of V/ABR inquiry for amplifying researchers’ imaginaries and processes of becoming. We underscore the necessity of exploring qualitative diversity in doctoral education to unsettle fixed inquiry approaches that Bailey (2018) calls “methodological taxidermy.” Collectively, we demonstrate the vitality of advancing doctoral research using creative methods in relational, socially responsive, and critical, visionary ways (Finley, 2003).

Collaboratively pursuing student uptake of feedback through storytelling: a conversation analytic study of interaction in team doctoral supervision

Abstract Team supervision has become prevalent in worldwide doctoral education programs in the past few decades. Research indicates that one area of challenges involves collaboration between supervisors. However, little is known about how supervisors collaborate in supervision meetings involving multiple supervisors as existing studies mostly draw on participant self-reports. Adopting conversation analysis, this study examines how supervisors can collaborate through storytelling drawing on the corpus of 34 storytelling sequences in 15 triadic supervision meetings. A major finding is that storytelling can be used as a resource for collaboratively pursuing student uptake of feedback. Specifically when a supervisor is providing feedback, and the other supervisor can tell stories in pursuit of student uptake. Another finding involves the production of second storytelling: when students do not show uptake at the completion of the first storytelling produced by one supervisor, the other supervisor may launch a second storytelling to pursue student uptake. In addition, supervisors can collaborate through co-production of storytelling: near the end of a story produced by one supervisor, the other supervisor can add increments, which shape student uptake of the feedback under delivery. These findings are potentially useful for the professional development of supervisors.

Evaluation Practices of Doctoral Examination Committees: Boundary-Work Under Pressure

The doctorate forms the basis for academic careers and the regeneration of academia, and has increasingly become important for other sectors of society. The latter is reflected in efforts on institutional, national as well as supranational levels to change and adapt the doctoral degree to new expectations. As doctoral education is embedded in research, changes in governance and funding of research further affect the doctorate. The evaluation of the doctoral thesis appears, however, to have remained true to the academic tradition: an examination committee exercising their gatekeeping in a ceremonial setting. This study sets out to explore doctoral examination committees’ evaluation practices. Insights were gained through six focus group interviews with experienced examination committee members at three large research-intensive universities in Sweden. Of particular interest is how the object of evaluation is formed, the nature of the boundary-work conducted, and variations in examination practices related to different and changing conditions for research and doctoral education. Our results show how the object of evaluation emerges through a gradual interpretation of the thesis and defence, becoming more complex and nuanced as the process of evaluation progresses from its initial stages to the final closed discussions of the committee. The finalised object of evaluation, only fully present at the conclusion of the closed meeting and hence transient in nature, encompasses the research contribution, educational achievement, and academic competence of the candidate. Furthermore, the boundary-work conducted in this process often transcends the object of evaluation to include also supervision and the local context for doctoral education and research, and hence contributes to upholding, and potential changing, norms in research fields, educational contexts, and academia at large. This extended boundary-work intensified as problems and inconsistencies were discovered during the evaluation process. The ceremonial staging underscored the gravity of the decision and the extended boundary-work. Despite changing conditions for the doctorate, our findings highlight the importance of the practice of evaluation committees, and the disciplinary communities to which they belong, for upholding and negotiating norms in academia.

The “problem” of Australian First Nations doctoral education: a policy analysis

PurposeSocial marketing and government policy are intertwined. Despite this, policy analysis by social marketers is rare. This paper aims to address the dearth of policy analysis in social marketing and introduce and model a methodology grounded in Indigenous knowledge and from an Indigenous standpoint. In Australia, a minuscule number of First Nations people complete doctoral degrees. The most recent, major policy review, the Australian Council of Learned Academies (ACOLA) Report, made a series of recommendations, with some drawn from countries that have successfully uplifted Indigenous doctoral candidates’ success. This paper “speaks back” to the ACOLA Report.Design/methodology/approachThis paper subjects the ACOLA Report, implementation plans and evaluations to a detailed Indigenous Critical Discourse Analysis using Nakata’s Indigenous standpoint theory and Bacchi’s Foucauldian discourse analysis to trace why policy borrowing from other countries is challenging if other elements of the political, social and cultural landscape are fundamentally unsupportive of reforms.FindingsThis paper makes arguments about the effects produced by the way the “problem” of First Nations doctoral education has been represented in this suite of Australian policy documents and the ways in which changes could be made that would actually address the pressing need for First Nations doctoral success in Australia.Originality/valueConducting policy analysis benefits social marketers in many ways, helping to navigate policy complexities and advocate for meaningful policy reforms for a social cause. This paper aims to spark more social marketing policy analysis and introduces a methodology uncommon to social marketing.

Same programme, different experience: Does the perception of departmental climate in doctoral programmes vary among different students?

ABSTRACT Doctoral programmes worldwide are facing numerous challenges. Among these challenges is the diversification of the student body in aspects such as age, socioeconomic background, motivation, and career aspirations. However, these programmes often struggle to respond adequately and promptly to these changes. In this article, we employ the concept of a ‘departmental climate’ to investigate how doctoral students at Russian universities perceive their environment. The data collected at nine Russian universities (n = 1097) were utilised. Our findings reveal that students whose job is related to doctoral study and those whose job is driven by academic career goals generally perceive the departmental climate more positively. We assume that Russian doctoral programmes are more oriented towards these students and provide them with more support than other students. Our results underscore the need for doctoral programmes to evolve to accommodate a diverse range of student needs, ultimately enhancing the effectiveness and inclusivity of doctoral education.

The bumpy ride to a medical PhD degree: a qualitative study on factors influencing motivation.

In parallel with a tremendous increase in medical PhD enrolments, concerns have risen about PhD candidates' poor well-being, increasing attrition rates for PhD programmes, and, eventually, a decline in clinician-scientists. According to the Self-Determination Theory, autonomous motivation is strongly linked to positive aspects of well-being and other positive outcomes such as study completion and success. In this way, motivation has a pivotal role in successful completion of medical doctoral programmes. In this study we explored factors affecting motivation during the PhD journey and aimed to contribute to engaging doctoral education environments, and, eventually, a sustainable clinician-scientist workforce. This constructivist qualitative interview study was conducted among ten medical PhD candidates in the final phase of their PhD. We used timeline assisted interviews to identify meaningful experiences throughout their PhD journey. Thematic analyses as an iterative process resulted in overarching themes. We identified six themes influencing autonomous and controlled motivation along the challenging PhD journey: (1) Initial motivation to start a PhD matters; (2) Autonomy as a matter of the right dose at the right time; (3) PhD as proof of competence and/or learning trajectory?; (4) It takes two to tango; (5) Peers can make or break your PhD; (6) Strategies to stay or get back on track. This study revealed factors that contribute positively and/or negatively to autonomous and controlled motivation. Some factors impacted motivation differently depending on the PhD phase and individual strategies. Additionally, some factors could coincide and change from positive to negative and vice versa, showing that a successful journey cannot simply be reduced to an absence of negative experiences.

How Cognitive Biases Influence Problematic Research Methods Practices

A growing body of academic research addresses issues related to questionable choices and errors in the use of research methods in published business research. These problematic research method practices (PRMPs) may be purposeful or unconscious, but they reduce the rigor of academic research and can harm the accumulation of scientific knowledge. Yet, absent from much of this literature is a theoretically grounded approach to understanding why these problematic practices occur. Prior scholars have summarized specific types of PRMPs, but attributions about their causes are primarily limited to research lack of motivation or poor doctoral education. While these may certainly be at play, the current manuscript proposes that the deeper psychological phenomenon of cognitive bias is a likely explanation. Cognitive biases occur when human cognition produces an outcome that is systematically distorted from objective reality (Haselton, Nettle, and Murray, 2016). More colloquially, cognitive biases are systematic errors that humans make when they are faced with perceiving, remembering, and understanding information. These unintentional biases are particularly likely when that information is voluminous and ambiguous. Cognitive biases are explained by two theories—heuristic theory and fuzzy trace theory. Heuristic theory suggests that humans default to using mental shortcuts as a means to make decisions more efficiently (Chaiken and Ledgerwood, 2012). Further, fuzzy trace theory explains how memory and reasoning can be flawed (Reyna and Brainerd, 1995). Because of the limitations of the human mind, heuristic theory and fuzzy trace theory act to create unintentional cognitive biases. The current manuscript argues that the cognitive biases of source confusion, gist memory, repetition effects, bandwagon effects, and confirmation bias are mostly subconscious means by which researchers make errors in research methods use. We argue that these biases are not a useful part of the didactic approach to research, but are rather mental shortcuts that can limit researcher effectiveness. Next, specific PRMPs are addressed: reliance on methodological myths and urban legends, errors in citations, use of questionable research practices, and inappropriate use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools and technology in research. Finally, there are a number of insights and recommendations derived from research on cognitive biases to assist scholars in promoting research methods best practices. In particular, researchers can combat cognitive biases by recognizing what they are and by providing more transparency about research methods use in their articles. Incentives for authors and reviewers may reduce the impact of cognitive biases on PRMPs. Editors should create and share clear guidelines on the use of AI in research. In summary, this manuscript addresses those critical issues, fills a gap in current research regarding why PRMPs occur, and provides researchers with key insights to effectively combat cognitive biases.

Getting into top-ranked management journals from business schools at the periphery: The role of doctoral education and co-authorship

Drawing upon recent extensions of the centre–periphery model, we examine research and publications by academics at the periphery within the present environment of increasing institutional pressures to publish internationally. Reviewing the emergence and the historical development of management as a discipline, we describe the fragmentation in approaches to research that has arisen in this field among countries that are typically considered as the ‘centre’ of worldwide scholarship. We propose and empirically demonstrate that the differentiation within the ‘centre’ becomes largely mirrored at the periphery with respect to attention to societal contexts, research methodology and publishing. Our companion argument that doctoral education in and/or co-authorship ties to various parts of the ‘centre’, or a lack thereof, serve as the main vehicles in generating heterogeneity and some degree of agency at the periphery receives strong support. We also find that when ties to the ‘centre’ are absent contributions from the periphery remain limited. In addition, we show that tendencies towards decontextualized research, quantitative methodologies and publishing in US-based journals have become stronger over time. The article concludes with a discussion of the theoretical contributions, main findings and the implications of our study for the possible futures of research at the periphery.

New technological developments in medical education

Introduction: Medical education is a rapidly evolving field, necessitating adaptation to shifts in student demographics and societal needs. Balancing the demand for more healthcare providers must be accompanied by a focus on maintaining the quality of education. As certain conventional teaching methods lose favour, there is a continuous influx of new technologies that can be harnessed for the education of future doctors.&#x0D; Purpose of the study: The objective of this study was to gather and analyse literature on the utilization of new technologies in medical education and their influence on students, educators, and the overall quality of medical instruction.&#x0D; Material and methods: A review of the literature available on PubMed and a grey literature search was performed. We used such keywords like: “medical education”, “physician training”, “medical students”, “technology”, “elearning”, “new learning methods”. We also applied Bolean logical operators such as “AND”, “OR”. &#x0D; Results: Examining the gathered publications leads to the conclusion that a variety of new technologies are being employed in medical education, such as e-learning, telehealth, and virtual or augmented reality. While some function as alternatives to existing methods, others introduce entirely novel approaches. In general, these new technologies positively impact education by enhancing outcomes, increasing accessibility to education, and reducing the costs associated with the teaching process.&#x0D; Conclusions: The integration of emerging technologies has become essential in the preparation of future medical professionals. Despite the overall positive impact, there are apprehensions regarding potential long-term consequences for healthcare delivery. Subsequent studies are crucial to assess lasting effects, delving into how the integration of technology may shape the skills of healthcare professionals over time.

The Characteristics and Reflections of Engineering Doctorate Training System in China

The doctoral education in engineering has emerged to cultivate adept leaders in applied engineering technology, contributing to the establishment of an innovative nation. The engineering doctoral education in China has evolved over a decade. This study analyzes doctoral degrees in engineering at four Chinese universities, examining the current state of engineering doctoral education across various dimensions, including training objectives, admission criteria, curriculum design, pedagogical approaches, and graduation requirements. Overall, China's engineering doctoral training system exhibits a gradual improvement, concomitant with a progressive expansion in scale. Looking forward, it is imperative to broaden the spectrum of enrollment, enhance the theoretical foundation of engineering doctoral students, fortify quality control measures, and implement an elimination mechanism. This research contributes to a nuanced understanding of the developmental trajectory of engineering doctoral education in China.

From rhetoric to reality: shaping doctoral education in China for global higher education

PurposeAlthough doctoral education has experienced substantial development in recent decades, it remains an elite, hence fragile, dimension of university policy and practice. This study aims to articulate perspectives to guide the next phase of strengthening and growth.Design/methodology/approachWorking from theoretical and empirical research conducted in China, including scholarship on workforce ecosystems, education design and the student experience, this study contributes a framework with qualitative insights which clarify the goals and experiences of doctoral education in ways that will render it more relevant, effective and contributing.FindingsThe paper identifies areas for doctoral reform to ensure career readiness, including three distinctive outcomes and four indispensable experiences.Originality/valueThis study advances a doctoral design framework which can render transparent the substance of programs and prompt program coordinators to develop and ensure career relevance.

Privilege and Practice—Challenges for Doctoral Education in Art and Design

AbstractIncreasingly, doctoral education is being challenged to reflect and act on issues of access and equity. I argue that in art and design the expanding doctoral expectations and emphasis on doctoral community impact the multiple and intersectional concerns around diversity, equity and belonging that urgently need to be acknowledged and addressed. The benefits of community are widely acknowledged in the literature on doctoral education, and it is increasingly recognised that there are specific nuances to the needs of practice research doctoral communities. Prompted by insights from interviews with art and design doctoral researchers, I examine available data on participation in doctoral research in art and design in the United Kingdom in conjunction with literature on doctoral education and practice research. My aim is to highlight concerns relating to privilege and belonging in art and design doctorates that should make us increasingly uncomfortable. I believe that as a community art and design in higher education urgently needs to actively consider these issues. As well as indicating the necessity for further research, I argue that conversations are needed to devise and advocate for more inclusive and culturally responsive doctoral education specific to the needs of practice research in art and design.