How do general practice registrars learn from their clinical experience? A critical incident study

This preliminary study of RACGP registrars in the period of subsequent general practice experience examines the types of clinical experiences from which registrars learn, what they learn from the experiences and the process of learning from such experiences.

A critical incident method was used on a semi structured interview process. Registrars were asked to recall clinical incidents where they had learnt something of importance. Data were sorted and categorised manually.

Nine registrars were interviewed before new categories of data ceased to develop. Registrars learnt from the opportunity to follow up patients. An emotional response to the interaction was an important part of the learning process. Learning from such experiences is haphazard and unstructured. Registrars accessed human resources in response to their clinical difficulties rather than text or electronic based information sources.

Registrars should be aware of their emotional responses to interactions with patients; these emotional responses often indicate important learning opportunities. Clinical interactions and resultant learning could be made less haphazard by structuring consultations with patients with specific problems. These learning opportunities should be augmented by the promotion of follow up of patients.