Title: Junior doctors’ experiences of personal illness: a qualitative study
Abstract: Medical EducationVolume 45, Issue 12 p. 1251-1261 experiencing illness Junior doctors’ experiences of personal illness: a qualitative study Fiona E Fox, Fiona E Fox Research Design Service, Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, UKSearch for more papers by this authorNatasha J Doran, Natasha J Doran Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, UKSearch for more papers by this authorKaren J Rodham, Karen J Rodham Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UKSearch for more papers by this authorGordon J Taylor, Gordon J Taylor Research Design Service, Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, UKSearch for more papers by this authorMichael F Harris, Michael F Harris Hope House Surgery, Bath, UKSearch for more papers by this authorMichael O’Connor, Michael O’Connor National Health Service (NHS) Education South West, Severn Deanery, Bristol, UKSearch for more papers by this author Fiona E Fox, Fiona E Fox Research Design Service, Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, UKSearch for more papers by this authorNatasha J Doran, Natasha J Doran Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, UKSearch for more papers by this authorKaren J Rodham, Karen J Rodham Department of Psychology, University of Bath, Bath, UKSearch for more papers by this authorGordon J Taylor, Gordon J Taylor Research Design Service, Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath, UKSearch for more papers by this authorMichael F Harris, Michael F Harris Hope House Surgery, Bath, UKSearch for more papers by this authorMichael O’Connor, Michael O’Connor National Health Service (NHS) Education South West, Severn Deanery, Bristol, UKSearch for more papers by this author First published: 25 October 2011 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2923.2011.04083.xCitations: 30 Fiona E Fox, Research Design Service, Department for Health, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK. Tel: 00 44 1225 383621; Fax: 00 44 1225 383833; E-mail: [email protected] Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Abstract Medical Education 2011: 45: 1251–1261 Objectives Professional status and working arrangements can inhibit doctors from acknowledging and seeking care for their own ill health. Research identifies that a culture of immunity to illness within the medical profession takes root during training. What happens when trainee doctors become unwell during their formative period of education and training? What support do they receive and how do they perceive that the experience of ill health affects their training trajectory? These research questions were developed by a multidisciplinary team of researchers and health professionals, who adopted a qualitative approach to investigate the experiences of personal illness among trainees in their Foundation Programme (FP) years. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight FP trainees from the Severn Deanery in southwest England who had experienced significant illness. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to conduct and analyse the interviews, resulting in a comprehensive list of master themes. This paper reports an interpretative analysis of the themes of Support, Illness Experience, Crossing the Line, Medical Culture, Stigma and Disclosure. Results Ineffective communication within the medical education and employment system underpins many of the difficulties encountered by trainees who are unwell. Coping style plays a key role in predicting how trainees experience support during and after their illness, although this may be influenced by their particular diagnoses. The barriers to disclosure of their illnesses are discussed within the context of mobilising and maintaining support. Concern about the impact of missing training as a result of ill health appears to be significant in the transmitting of an ethos of invulnerability within the medical culture. Conclusions Suggestions to improve support procedures for trainees who are unwell include the provision of greater flexibility within the rotation system along with independent pastoral support. Promoting the importance of disclosing significant illness as early as possible might go some way towards challenging the culture of invulnerability to illness that prevails among doctors. Citing Literature Volume45, Issue12December 2011Pages 1251-1261 RelatedInformation
Publication Year: 2011
Publication Date: 2011-10-25
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref', 'pubmed']
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Cited By Count: 43
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