title: Does experience in general practice influence the clinical thinking of foundation trainees?
abstract: The aim of this exploratory study was to capture and identify changes in clinical thinking amongst foundation trainees after a four-month attachment in general practice, and to develop a means of analysing the data collected to inform understanding about how clinical thinking develops and changes for a trainee - the learner - in the context of clinical experience. We use the term 'clinical thinking' consistently throughout our paper to refer to the trainees' general thinking about a case, and do so in the same way as other academics. Through the innovative use of Mind Maps, we have sought to demonstrate whether there was a significant change in the themes and key features contained in maps drawn by foundation year 2 trainees before and after an attachment in general practice, and to locate the nature of the change if present. Being able to identify such change is potentially valuable as it can assist in revealing a trainee's learning needs and shape future learning.
authors.affiliation: Research Fellow in General Practice, The University of Winchester, UK; sharon.kibble@hhft.nhs.uk.
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kibble
authors.affiliation: Education Research Lead, Wessex School of General Practice, UK. Samantha.Scallan@UHS.NHS.UK.
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scallan
authors.affiliation: Programme Director, Southampton GP Education Team, University Hospitals Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Associate Director for the Foundation Programme in GP (retired), Wessex School of General Practice, The University of Winchester, UK.
authors.forename: Reg
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Odbert
authors.affiliation: Associate Dean, Wessex School of General Practice and Honorary Professor, The University of Winchester, UK.
authors.forename: Johnny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lyon-Maris
authors.affiliation: Visiting Fellow, The University of Winchester, UK.
authors.forename: Camilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leach
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education*; D058006:General Practice / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D007858:Learning; D011340:Problem Solving; D013850:Thinking