Medical students’ narratives of their learning experiences in a

community setting

Dr Rachel LindleyNovember 2012

students

8 weeks

Audio diaries

iPads

‘ Please tell me a story about an experience during your general

practice placement in which you feel you learned something… What happened and what did

you learn?

60 audio recordings

76 narratives

No breaches

Thematic analysis What?

&

Narrative analysis How?

Thematic analysis

• Initiation of the thought• Witnessing• Future possible identities

Narrative analysis

#1 female

• 3rd week • 14m 48s • 3 themes in one narrative

Narrative elements

Empathy – Sad story for the patient only

Emotional lay talk vs colder medical talk

Use of ‘we’

‘Struggling’ students response

Implications

Potentially powerful experiences if…• Access• Time• Reflect link to work• Portfolio• Continuity• Deal with emotional element

Thank you for listening