Bidirectional learning opportunities: How GP-supervisors and trainees exchange knowledge.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Workplace Learning
• General Practice Training

Background:

• Workplace learning conversations offer mutual learning opportunities for supervisors and trainees.
• Applying evidence-based medicine (EBM) in practice can be facilitated through open knowledge exchange.
• Understanding how supervisors respond to trainee knowledge is crucial for enhancing bidirectional learning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze how trainees and supervisors handle bidirectional learning opportunities.
• To describe supervisor responses to trainee knowledge expression during learning conversations.

Main Methods:

• Video-recorded learning conversations between general practice supervisors and trainees.
• Selection and transcription of EBM discussions within these conversations.
• Conversation Analysis (CA) to identify and categorize trainee knowledge expressions and supervisor responses.

Main Results:

• Supervisors' responses to trainee knowledge include refutation, suggesting alternatives, or posing questions.
• Posing questions by supervisors encourages trainees to elaborate, creating bidirectional learning opportunities.
• Refuting knowledge or immediately offering alternatives limits learning potential.

Conclusions:

• Enhancing EBM learning requires more than encouraging trainees to share knowledge.
• Inflexible institutional roles and supervisors' epistemic authority can hinder bidirectional learning.
• Supervisors posing open questions promotes role flexibility and fosters bidirectional learning.