Accepted Type
Oral
Code
OC1-3-3
Acceptance Declaration
Accept
Additional Information
I declare I have no actual or potential conflict of interest in relation to this program.
Was this work accepted for CCME 2020?
yes
Category
General Call (Workshop, Oral Presentation, Poster Presentation)
Type
Oral
Sub Type
Education Research
Will the presenter be a:
Jr. Faculty (less than 5 years in practice)
Affiliation
Considered for Poster
yes
Title
How medical students make meaning of early significant clinical experiences: The role of social networks
Length of Presentation
Background/Purpose
Medical curricula are increasingly providing opportunities to promote, support and guide reflection for medical students. However, we do not fully understand the broader social influences that shape reflection. This understanding is critical to frame our teaching language and enhance authentic meaning making in early years medical students. This study asks the question: How do students use social networks to reflect on early significant clinical experiences, and what meaning do students find in these interactions?
Methods
This study employed a qualitative social network analysis approach. Our study was conducted with seven first year undergraduate medical students. Data consisted of participant generated sociograms and in-depth individual semi-structured interviews.
Results
Learners described the importance of verbal processing within their social networks and engaging in dialogue around early significant clinical encounters. Learners also struggled to find meaningful ways to involve their networks outside of medicine in their new experiences. Learners found some curricular opportunities such as reflective portfolio sessions to be useful.
Conclusion
Our study is one of the first to characterize the social networks inside and outside of medicine that medical students utilize in order to make meaning of early significant clinical experiences. We were able to capture the role students' social networks play in the support of their developing professional identity. This study is a first step in helping students to identify their own social networks, and an explicit acknowledgment of important identity intersections both inside and outside of medical school, through a vivid representation of the composition of network ties. The insights add to a growing body of literature demonstrating the importance of relationship-centered education for reflection.
Keyword 1
Social network analysis
Keyword 2
Medical student reflection
Keyword 3
Medical student identity formation
Level of Training
Undergraduate
Abstract Themes
Research methods
Research methods
Qualitative
Additional Theme (First choice)
Undergraduate
Additional Theme (Second Choice)
Physician & Medical Student Health and Well-being
Additional Theme (Third Choice)
Professionalism
Authors
Presenter
Samantha Stasiuk
Term 1
Yes
Term 2
Yes
Term 3
Yes
Term 4
Yes
Term 5
Yes
