Experiences from psychiatric rotation for pre-registration house officers: contributions to subjective learning.
METHODS
The clinical experience and the subjective learning of pre-registration house officers who completed 4 months' psychiatric rotation are described.


METHODS
The study was cross-sectional and based on self-report. The participants had responded to an anonymous questionnaire at the completion of their 4 months' psychiatric rotation in the period 1999-2001. Of those eligible (n = 137), 85 (61%) completed the questionnaire. The relationships between individual background variables, different factors of the learning environment, and good learning outcome were explored.


CONCLUSIONS
The subjective learning benefit and positive learning environment were most related to the amount of practical experience, the degree of tailoring of the tasks to the house officers' competence, and to the formal intramural teaching programme. Supervision, gender, previous experience, and prior interest in psychiatry did not have significant impact on subjective learning. The findings are discussed in terms of the learning model that was developed.
Sørensen Høifødt
Tordis
T
Department of Psychiatric Research and Development, University Hospital of Northern Norway, Asgård, N-9291 Tromsø, Norway. thoifodt@tupdean2.med.dal.ca
Sexton
Hal
H
Olstad
Reidun
R
D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000193:education*