Aims
To explore junior doctors’ perspectives on learning needs in assessing and managing hospitalised older patients, preferred teaching methods, and barriers and facilitators to learning.
Methods
A cross-sectional, qualitative study was undertaken at two major teaching hospitals in Sydney, Australia. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and data were thematically analysed following the approach described by Clarke and Braun.
Results
Sixteen participants were recruited, which included 10 (63%) Postgraduate Year 1 doctors, five (31%) Postgraduate Year 2 doctors and one assistant in medicine. Five key themes on learning needs were identified: (1) Assessment and management of delirium and dementia, (2) Polypharmacy and deprescribing, (3) Complexity of geriatric medicine, (4) Communication with older patients and their families and (5) Ward craft. Regarding learning methods, experiential learning and microlearning were preferred due to their practicality and immediate applicability. Barriers and facilitators included personal, workplace-specific and situational factors.
Conclusion
Junior doctors are keen to learn how to effectively assess and manage hospitalised older people, but education to address their learning gaps needs to be practical, relevant and responsive to their clinical context. Bridging the gap between medical school teaching and the realities of workplace practice, while accommodating learners’ preferences and pressures, will be essential to growing a confident, competent, and engaged medical workforce to meet the needs of an ageing population.