Junior doctors prescribing: enhancing their learning in practice

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Practice
• Healthcare Professional Training

Background:

• Medical graduates' transition to practice is a critical phase.
• Assessing preparedness for core clinical skills like prescribing is essential for patient safety.
• Existing curricula may not fully equip new doctors with practical prescribing competencies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the preparedness of newly qualified doctors (Foundation Year 1) for prescribing.
• To identify specific areas of under-preparedness in prescribing among medical graduates.
• To explore the impact of different medical school curricula on prescribing readiness.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods study involving final-year medical students and Foundation Year 1 doctors.
• Data collection included interviews, questionnaires, and secondary data from safe prescribing assessments.
• Involved three UK medical schools with distinct educational approaches (systems-based, graduate entry, PBL).

Main Results:

• Graduates reported feeling under-prepared for prescribing upon entering Foundation Year 1.
• Preparedness improved throughout the Foundation Year 1 with practical experience and support.
• No significant differences in prescribing preparedness were observed between graduates from the three different medical school curricula.
• Participants emphasized the value of applied learning experiences for enhancing prescribing confidence.

Conclusions:

• Prescribing emerged as the weakest area of practice for medical graduates.
• There is a clear need for more applied, skill-based learning in medical education to improve prescribing preparedness.
• Enhancing practical prescribing skills is vital for ensuring medical graduates are fully prepared for practice.