The effectiveness of a Malaysian House Officer (HO) preparatory course for medical graduates on self-perceived confidence and readiness: A quasi-experimental study

Aneesa Abdul Rashid, Sazlina Shariff Ghazali, Iliana Mohamad, Maliza Mawardi, Husna Musa, Dalila Roslan, Aneesa Abdul Rashid, Sazlina Shariff Ghazali, Iliana Mohamad, Maliza Mawardi, Husna Musa, Dalila Roslan

Abstract

Introduction: House Officer (HO) Preparatory Courses in Malaysia are designed to prepare medical graduates to work as a HO. The courses are designed to address the issues related to lack of confidence and readiness to work, which could lead to stress and HO dropping out of work. The modules focus on how to prepare medical graduates into the real-life working scenario. Hence, we determined the effectiveness of a HO Preparatory Course on the level of confidence and readiness to work among medical graduates.

Methodology: A quasi-experimental study was conducted at three time-points (pre-intervention, post-intervention and one-month after working as a HO) on the level of confidence and readiness of medical graduates. The intervention was the Medicorp module, which included information and training needed for the HO such as common clinical cases in the wards, case referrals, experience sharing and hands on clinical training. We recruited eligible participants undergoing the course between April-November 2018. The adapted IMU Student Competency Survey was used to measure the confidence and readiness levels, which were scored from a Likert scale of 1-5. The higher score indicated higher levels of confidence or readiness.

Results: A total of 239 participants were recruited at baseline (90% response rate). They were mostly female (77.8%), Malays (79.1%), single (90.0%), graduated overseas (73.6%), in 2018 (65.3%). The mean (SE) confidence scores significantly increased from 2.18 (1.00) pre-course to 3.50 (0.75) immediately after course and 3.79 (0.92) after one-month of work (p <0.001, η2 = 0.710). The mean (SE) readiness scores at pre-course, immediately and one-month post work were 2.36 (1.03), 3.46(0.78) and 3.70(0.90), respectively (p< 0.001, η2 = 0.612).

Conclusion: The HO Preparatory Course module was effective in increasing levels of confidence and readiness for medical graduates, most of whom are overseas graduates; namely Egypt, Russia and Indonesia.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1. Flow of study participants.
Fig 1. Flow of study participants.

References

    1. Iftikhar Makki B, Salleh R, Ali Memon M, Harun H. The Relationship between Work Readiness Skills, Career Self-efficacy and Career Exploration among Engineering Graduates: A Proposed Framework. Res J Appl Sci Eng Technol. 2015. July 25;10(9):1007–11.
    1. Cavanagh J, Burston M, Southcombe A, Bartram T. Contributing to a graduate-centred understanding of work readiness: An exploratory study of Australian undergraduate students’ perceptions of their employability. Int J Manag Educ. 2015. November;13(3):278–88.
    1. Miles S, Kellett J, Leinster SJ. Medical graduates ‘ preparedness to practice: a comparison of undergraduate medical school training. BMC Educ. 2017;17(33):1–9.
    1. Caballero CL, Walker A. Work readiness in graduate recruitment and selection: A review of current assessment methods. J Teach Learn Grad Employab. 2010. August 17;1(1):13.
    1. Goldacre MJ, Taylor K, Lambert TW. Views of junior doctors about whether their medical school prepared them well for work: questionnaire surveys. BMC Med Educ. 2010;10(78):1–9.
    1. Goldacre MJ, Lambert TW, Svirko E. Foundation doctors ‘ views on whether their medical school prepared them well for work: UK graduates of 2008 and 2009. Postgrad Med J. 2014;90:63–68. 10.1136/postgradmedj-2012-131321
    1. Wolff AC, Pesut B, Regan S. New graduate nurse practice readiness: Perspectives on the context shaping our understanding and expectations. Nurse Educ Today. 2010. February;30(2):187–91. 10.1016/j.nedt.2009.07.011
    1. Järvinen T, Eklöf N, Salminen L. Factors related to nursing students’ readiness to enter working life–A scoping literature review. Nurse Educ Pract. 2018. March;29:191–9. 10.1016/j.nepr.2018.01.010
    1. Antonoff MB, Shelstad RC, Schmitz C, Chipman J, D’Cunha J. A Novel Critical Skills Curriculum for Surgical Interns Incorporating Simulation Training Improves Readiness for Acute Inpatient Care. J Surg Educ. 2009. September;66(5):248–54. 10.1016/j.jsurg.2009.09.002
    1. Yusoff MSB, Tan YJ, Esa AR. Stress, stressors and coping strategies among house officers in a Malaysian hospital. ASEAN J Psychiatry. 2011;12(August):85–94.
    1. Shahruddin SA, Saseedaran P, Salleh A, Ahmad Azmi CA, Mohammad Alfaisal NHI, Fuad MDF, et al. Prevalence and Risk Factors of Stress, Anxiety and Depression among House Officers in Kota. Educ Med J. 2016;8(1):31–40.
    1. Al-Dubai SAR, Ganasegeran K, Perianayagam W, Rampal KG. Emotional burnout, perceived sources of job stress, professional fulfillment, and engagement among medical residents in Malaysia. Sci World J. 2013;2013(Article ID 137620):9 pages.
    1. Rashid AA, Shariff Ghazali S, Mohamad I, Mawardi M, Roslan D, Musa H. Quasi-experimental study on the effectiveness of a house officer preparatory course for medical graduates on self-perceived confidence and readiness: a study protocol. BMJ Open. 2019. August;9(8):e024488 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-024488
    1. Williams S, Dale J, Glucksman E, Wellesley a. Senior house officers’ work related stressors, psychological distress, and confidence in performing clinical tasks in accident and emergency: a questionnaire study. BMJ. 1997;314(7082):713–8. 10.1136/bmj.314.7082.713
    1. Lai NM, Ramesh JC. The product of outcome-based undergraduate medical education: Competencies and readiness for internship. Singapore Med J. 2006;47(12):1053–1062.
    1. Lai NM, Sivalingam N, Ramesh JC. Medical students in their final six months of training: Progress in self-perceived clinical competence, and relationship between experience and confidence in practical skills. Singapore Med J. 2007;48(11):1018–1027.
    1. Lai NM, Nalliah S, Jutti R, Hla Y, Lim V. The Educational Environment and Self- perceived Clinical Competence of Senior Medical Students in a Malaysian Medical School. Educ Health. 2009;22(2):1–15.
    1. Lovibond PF, Lovibond SH. THE STRUCTURE OF NEGATIVE EMOTIONAL STATES: SCALES (DASS) WITH THE BECK DEPRESSION AND. Behav Res Ther. 1995;33(3):335–343. 10.1016/0005-7967(94)00075-u
    1. Yeoh CM, Thong KS, Seed HF, Abdul Taib NI, Husain M. Psychological morbidities amongst house officers in Sarawak General Hospital Kuching. 2019;74(4):5.
    1. Connick RM, Connick P, Klotsas AE, Tsagkaraki PA, Gkrania-Klotsas E. Procedural confidence in hospital based practitioners: implications for the training and practice of doctors at all grades. BMC Med Educ. 2009. December;9(1):2.
    1. Blanch DC, Hall JA, Roter DL, Frankel RM. Medical student gender and issues of confidence. Patient Educ Couns. 2008. September;72(3):374–81. 10.1016/j.pec.2008.05.021
    1. Gazibara T, Nurković S, Marić G, Kurtagić I, Kovačević N, Kisić-Tepavčević D, et al. Ready to work or not quite? Self-perception of practical skills among medical students from Serbia ahead of graduation. Croat Med J. 2015. August;56(4):375–82. 10.3325/cmj.2015.56.375
    1. Illing JC, Morrow GM, Rothwell nee Kergon CR, Burford BC, Baldauf BK, Davies CL, et al. Perceptions of UK medical graduates’ preparedness for practice: A multi-centre qualitative study reflecting the importance of learning on the job. BMC Med Educ. 2013. December;13(1):34.
    1. Kelly C, Noonan CLF, Monagle JP. Preparedness for internship: a survey of new interns in a large Victorian Health Service. Aust Health Rev. 2011;35(2):146 10.1071/AH10885
    1. Wiggins N, Haldar S, Biswas S. How and Why Do Junior Doctors Study? What Materials Do They Use? J Biomed Educ. 2013;Article ID:1–6.

Source: PubMed

Sponsorzy i współpracownicy

Warunki medyczne

Interwencje lekowe

3
Subskrybuj