“…that is the type of family physician I’m becoming”: Learning as becoming

By: Frances Kilbertus, MD, MMedEd F. Kilbertus is a family physician and associate professor, Department of Clinical Sciences, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Mindemoya, Ontario, Canada. What is memorable learning for our trainees? How is this aligned with the values of our institutions and the needs of our societies? Over many years as a clinician and teacher, I found that thinking of learning as the acquisition of knowledge, skill, and attitude, or as workplace participation did not adequately explain the complex and often profound experiences that occur during medical education and their consequences on the emerging professional identity of physicians. But how else could learning be conceptualized? As a family physician, palliative care has always been a part of my clinical and educational practices. I observed myself, colleagues, and learners struggle with this practice domain and heard many reasons for this: questioning whether this is part of family medicine as palliative care has grown as a specialty practice, challenges with moving from acute disease–focused interventions to a palliative approach, managing strong or difficult emotions, and finding ways to include learners in intimate and moving patient and family events. I had discussions with colleagues who felt ill prepared for this practice let alone to teach or mentor learners about it. I also spoke with learners who felt they had inadequate preparation in palliative care during undergraduate or postgraduat...
Source: Academic Medicine Blog - Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: Tags: Featured Guest Perspective memorable learning palliative care professional identity formation Source Type: blogs