What influences student experience of Graduate Entry Medicine? Qualitative findings from Swansea School of Medicine.
BACKGROUND
The Graduate Entry Programme (GEP) in Medicine delivered by Swansea University (currently in collaboration with Cardiff University) accepts students from a diverse range of academic backgrounds with no restriction in relation to the field of first degree. There is a growing body of literature, predominantly quantitative in nature, regarding the influence of academic background on student achievement but little published information on students' views.


OBJECTIVE
To examine students' views regarding the extent to which previous higher education and wider life experience influence their student experience on the GEP course.


METHODS
Recruitment from three student cohorts and group interview data followed by descriptive thematic analysis of anonymized data.


RESULTS
Data themes were: (1) previous study experience and its impact on present student experience; (2) the impact of life experience; (3) the impact of the present study on life experience; (4) skills, status and difference; (5) characteristics and expectations of the course; (6) finances and (7) next steps. Previous study experience had little impact on present student experience. However, previous life experience, with time between first degree and GEP, clearly enhances the learning experience. Added maturity and early clinical contact enables students to manage the challenges of the course and the NHS environment despite financial strain and heavy coursework.


CONCLUSIONS
Analysing students' views is informative and provides richer insight into experience and expectations than that accessible from quantitative data alone.
Rapport
Frances
F
Centre for Health Information, Research and Evaluation, CHIRAL, School of Medicine, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, UK. f.l.rapport@swansea.ac.uk
Jones
Gwen F
GF
Favell
Shaun
S
Bailey
Jonathan
J
Gray
Laurence
L
Manning
Alexis
A
Sellars
Paul
P
Taylor
Julie
J
Byrne
Aidan
A
Evans
Adrian
A
Cowell
Claire
C
Rees
Sarah
S
Williams
Rhys
R
D002321:Career Choice; D004501:Education, Medical; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D014852:Wales