Becoming a general practitioner in Australia: Transformative learning and threshold concepts

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Qualitative Research
• Psychology of Learning

Background:

• Previous research documented registrars' early general practice training journeys.
• This study delves deeper into the experiences of registrars in their initial general practice terms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore two registrars' training experiences in detail.
• To apply transformative learning theory and threshold concept theory to understand becoming a general practitioner.
• To seek fresh insights into the educational development of general practice registrars.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative narrative inquiry approach.
• Exploration of the experiences of 12 registrars in their first general practice term.
• In-depth examination of two selected registrars' stories.

Main Results:

• Both transformative learning theory and threshold concept theory demonstrated resonance with the registrars' described experiences.
• Theories provided a framework for understanding the qualitative data from registrars' narratives.

Conclusions:

• Early general practice training involves transformative experiences, characterized by a holistic change in 'meaning perspective' as described by transformative learning theory.
• Learning key threshold concepts is integral to the development of general practitioners.
• These theoretical frameworks can inform and improve learning strategies for registrars and teaching approaches for supervisors.