The ongoing development of a problem-based surgery clerkship: year three

Perceptions of job satisfaction relating to affective organisation commitment

OBJECTIVES

Affective organisation commitment, which refers to a psychological attachment to, and involvement with, an employing institution, is regarded as important because of its effects on employee identification with the employer and its causal effects on work effort and staff retention. This paper explores the experiences of casual tutors facilitating problem-based learning (PBL) tutorials and aims to identify aspects of their role that strengthen and detract from employee job satisfaction and affective commitment.

METHODS

Qualitative data were gathered from first- and second-year tutors (N = 13) through 2 focus groups. Both clinicians and non-clinicians were recruited, including highly experienced staff and those with < 12 months of tutoring experience.

RESULTS

Four main themes arose from inductive analysis of data: job-related factors; job-involvement characteristics; professional challenges and responsibilities, and mentoring for learning and support. The first 2 themes are congruent with previous literature on organisation commitment; novel findings include the supportive and compensatory nature of the collegial relationships formed between casual tutors. Role attenuation, a job-related factor, was a predominant perception as it related to dysfunctional groups and increasing student disengagement with PBL.

CONCLUSIONS

Within the unique learning environment of PBL, positive factors relating to job satisfaction may have an important role to play in improving tutors' commitment to their employing organisation. Aspects of the role which are viewed most negatively and relate most significantly to affective commitment need to be addressed promptly. Attention should be directed to supporting tutors to maximise the perceived benefits and providing professional development and improved communication to better address issues associated with difficult or disengaged students as well as isolation from decision-makers.

The association between reading time and students' performance in a surgery clerkship

OBJECTIVE

Medical students are expected to acquire a large amount of knowledge in both the basic and clinical sciences by reading. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between reading time and students' performance on various objective and subjective evaluative measures.

METHODS

The study examined the reading activities of 80 students in a third-year surgery clerkship. Students spent an average of 16 hours per week in reading activities.

RESULTS

A modest but statistically significant correlation was found between the total amount of time spent in reading and students' performance on an objective standardized clinical examination, a standardized patient encounter, a subjective rating by faculty members, and the total objective grade. Reading time did not correlate with performance on objective measures such as quizzes or the National Board of Medical Examiners examination.

CONCLUSION

Although achievement in the clerkship is associated to a minor degree with reading time, reading time alone is not a sufficient influence on achievement.