Do photographs, older adults' narratives and collaborative dialogue foster anticipatory reflection ("preflection") in medical students?
BACKGROUND
In changing higher education environments, medical educators are increasingly challenged to prepare new doctors to care for ageing populations. The Depth of Field: Exploring Ageing resource (DOF) uses photographs, reflective questioning prompts, older adults' narratives and collaborative dialogue to foster anticipatory reflection or 'preflection' in medical students prior to their first geriatric medicine clinical placement. The aim of this research is to explore whether photographs, narratives and small group collaborative dialogue fosters reflective learning, enhances reflective capacity and has the potential to shift medical students' attitudes towards caring for older adults.


METHODS
This study used a mixed method evaluation design, measuring attitudes using pre and post questionnaire responses and individual written reflections drawn from 128 second year medical students, exploring their perceptions toward older adults.


RESULTS
Quantitative and qualitative data indicated that the DOF session generated reflective learning that resulted in positive shifts in medical students' perceptions towards older adults. The qualitative reflections were captured in four main themes: the opportunity provided to Envision working with older adults; the Tension created to challenge learners' misinformed assumptions, and the work of Dismantling those assumptions, leading to Seeing older people as individuals.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings highlight how visual and narrative methodologies can be used as an effective reflective learning tool to challenge medical students' assumptions around ageing and how these may influence their care of older adults.
Education Centre, the University of Western Australia, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry & Health Sciences, M515, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA, 6009, USA. Gabrielle.Brand@uwa.edu.au.
Gabrielle
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6606-6721
G
Brand
Education Centre, the University of Western Australia, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry & Health Sciences, M515, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA, 6009, USA.
Ashlee
A
Osborne
Education Centre, the University of Western Australia, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry & Health Sciences, M515, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA, 6009, USA.
Mark
M
Carroll
Education Centre, the University of Western Australia, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry & Health Sciences, M515, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA, 6009, USA.
Sandra E
SE
Carr
Education Centre, the University of Western Australia, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry & Health Sciences, M515, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA, 6009, USA.|Western Australian Centre for Health & Ageing, Centre for Medical Research and School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia; Geriatrician and Clinical Pharmacologist, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Australia.
Christopher
C
Etherton-Beer
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D059031:Anticipation, Psychological; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000193:education*; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D033262:Narration; D010781:Photography; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult