What influences clinical educators' motivation to teach? A BEME systematic review and framework synthesis based on self-determination theory: BEME Review No. 90

Benefits of a near-peer program from the tutors' perspective: a survey of Australian junior doctors in a regional teaching program

BACKGROUND

Near-peer teaching has been shown to provide diverse benefits for both tutees and tutors in senior medical student and junior trainee settings. However, junior trainees may face more obstacles in teaching including competing clinical priorities and time management. We sought to investigate the challenges and benefits of engaging in near-peer teaching for junior trainees within our local context. Our Near-Peer Medical Teaching (NPMT) teaching program is designed and facilitated by junior doctors for medical students at the Central Coast Clinical School (University of Newcastle) of the Joint Medical Program.

METHODS

Current and past NPMT tutors participated in an online survey from October 2022 to April 2023. Tutors were asked about feasibility of teaching within a work environment, perceived benefits from their experience and attitudes towards medical education.

RESULTS

Teaching experience appears to be influenced by competing clinical priorities and convenience of session times, but it does not appear to exert considerable stress on tutors likely due to self-selection of tutors with prior enjoyable teaching experience. Furthermore, this study indicates that junior doctors derived enjoyment and developed clinical skills and professional qualities, which are important factors in increasing job satisfaction and ameliorating burn-out in this cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

Junior doctors appear to benefit from engaging in near-peer programs in the Australian teaching hospital setting. Further research should include qualitative methodologies to explore the perspectives of Australian junior doctors' more deeply.

"Establishing pathways to excellence in the teaching profession": an exploration of teachers' experiences on sustaining motivation in Medical sciences universities

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to explore the factors that contribute to sustaining the motivation of teachers in medical science universities.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This qualitative content analysis study was conducted from August 2019 to May 2021. Thirty-seven in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with teachers from medical sciences universities in Iran, selected through purposive sampling. The conventional content analysis approach was employed to analyze the data. The process involved five steps, including identifying meaning units, condensing them, assigning codes, establishing categories and subcategories, and identifying overarching themes.

RESULTS

The teachers' experiences were explored into 'establishing pathways to excellence in the teaching profession'. Three categories 'engagement with continuous personal and professional development', 'autonomy for exploration', and 'pleasure in the teaching profession' were explored as the factors that contribute to the sustaining of teachers' motivation. Teachers' motivation is sustained through their engagement in continuous personal and professional development, which promotes a sense of growth and mastery. Autonomy for exploration is also a critical factor, as it enables teachers to take ownership of their work, and innovate without restrictions, thereby sustaining their job motivation. Furthermore, the pleasure derived from the teaching profession, encompassing the enjoyment of teaching, sense of self-worth, and fulfillment, plays a vital role in sustaining teachers' motivation and driving their pursuit of excellence.

CONCLUSION

The teachers' experiences were explored into a theme of 'establishing pathways to excellence in the teaching profession'. The results revealed that engagement in exploration and continuous personal and professional development contributed to the sustained motivation of teachers. Teachers who pursued the excellence pathway reported a sense of fulfillment and pleasure in their teaching profession, which was facilitated by their involvement in the process. Moreover, collaboration with others catalyzes personal and professional growth, thereby fostering sustained motivation among educators.

Exploring motivators and challenges for preceptors to teach in the clinical settings: a survey-based study

BACKGROUND

The retention of qualified faculty in medical colleges is hindered by low salaries and inadequate faculty-to-student ratios, despite intrinsic motivators like job satisfaction playing a critical role in faculty motivation. This study aims to understand and address the specific motivating factors and constraints within Saudi Arabia's medical education sector.

METHODOLOGY

A cross-sectional, validated online survey was conducted from November 2023 to January 2024 among physicians in Saudi Arabia's governmental and private sectors. Participants ranked teaching motivators and challenges using a Likert scale ranging from 5 (very important) to 1 (not very important). The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test.

RESULTS

Of the 145 respondents, 62.1% were male, with a mean age of 38.2 years (SD = 8.9). Saudi nationals comprised 54.5% of the sample. Sharing knowledge (64%) and educating the next generation (63%) were the top motivators. Notably, student preparedness was crucial for 45.5%. In contrast, extrinsic factors like financial gain (20%) and recognition events (9.7%) ranked lowest. The main challenges were heavy clinical workload (31.3%) and lack of time (28%).

CONCLUSION

Preceptors were primarily motivated by intrinsic factors, with student preparedness being the most significant external factor. Time constraints and clinical workload were the major challenges to teaching. These insights can guide strategies to better support clinical educators.