Making time for what's important: what elements should we value when planning practice-based professional training?

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Education
• Professional Training
• Dental Practice

Background:

• Newly qualified healthcare professionals require support transitioning from academia to independent practice.
• The transition period presents challenges for doctors, dentists, veterinary surgeons, and nurses.
• Effective postgraduate training is crucial for developing competent practitioners.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify key strengths of the UK's dental practice-based training program.
• To advocate for the value of these features in designing other healthcare professional training.
• To inform strategies for supporting newly qualified healthcare graduates.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the UK's 12-month dental practice-based training program.
• Identification of core components: clinical practice, mentorship, peer learning, and role modeling.
• Qualitative assessment of program strengths.

Main Results:

• The UK dental program offers 12 months of clinical experience within established teams.
• Consistent one-to-one mentorship and peer group interaction over 12 months are key features.
• Exposure to role models, including training program directors and general dental practitioners (GDPs), is integral.

Conclusions:

• The UK dental training program's structure, including mentorship and peer learning, is a unique and valuable model.
• These features should be considered when designing postgraduate training across healthcare sciences.
• Valuing these components can enhance the transition to practice for all newly qualified healthcare professionals.