title: What can medical educators learn from the Rio 2016 Olympic Games?
abstract: Medical Educators face an ongoing challenge in optimizing preparedness for practice for newly qualified doctors. Junior doctors have highlighted specific areas in which they do not feel adequately equipped to undertake their duties, including managing the acutely unwell patient. In these highly stressful, time-critical scenarios it might be assumed that a lack of knowledge underpins these feelings of apprehension from junior medics; however, having studied, trained and passed examinations to demonstrate such knowledge, perhaps other factors should be considered. The recent Olympic Games in Rio demonstrated the impact of sport psychology techniques in allowing athletes to achieve their optimum performance in the face of adversity. The use of mental and behavioral strategies to control feelings of anxiety and low self-efficacy are pivotal for athletes to deliver their best performance under extreme pressure. We consider whether such techniques could improve the preparedness of the newest recruits to the healthcare system, and the impact this could have on patient care. Finally, suggestions for potential research directions within this area are offered to stimulate interest amongst the research community.
authors.affiliation: a Academic Unit of Medical Education , The University of Sheffield , Sheffield , UK.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Church
authors.affiliation: a Academic Unit of Medical Education , The University of Sheffield , Sheffield , UK.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Murdoch-Eaton
authors.affiliation: b School of Medicine, University of Nottingham , Nottingham , UK.
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: c Postgraduate Medical Institute, Faculty of Health & Social Care , Edge Hill University , Ormskirk , UK.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sandars
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D006801:Humans; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology*; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D000067450:Psychology, Sports / Q000379:methods*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology