ID-5184 Wonca Abstracts supplement A-K 13-10-23 - Flipbook - Page 129
WONCA 2023 Supplement 1: WONCA 2023 abstracts (A–K)
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Learning in rural workplace environments: A video reflexive
ethnography (VRE) study
A/Prof Megan O’Shannessy1, Linda Furness1,2,8, Christy Noble4, Stephen Billett3,
Andrew Teodorczuk4,3,7, Dr Brendan Carrigan1,2, Joanne Hilder5, Kaitlyn Anderson1, Dr Kay Brumpton1,3
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Rural Medical Education Australia, 2Darling Downs Health, 3Griffith University, 4University of
Queensland, 5Deakin University, 6Gold Coast Health, 7Metro North Mental Health,
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Southern Cross University
Introduction
Medical training in rural areas is delivered in an environment which is restricted in human, physical
and financial resources. Video reflexive ethnography (VRE) is a research approach that allows more
authentic exploration of workplace interactions and can provide a better understanding of interactions
between an individual’s engagement and the learning opportunities (also called affordances). This
knowledge will provide opportunities to improve rural workplace learning for medical trainees. This
research project explored the question ‘What are the affordances and constraints of clinical settings
for enriching medical trainee learning and how are clinicians engaging with these affordances?’
Methods
Data were gathered from 15 rural primary care professionals working across two settings (a
community general practice and a rural hospital) using VRE encompassing workplace observations,
and video footage used in reflexive interviews. Thematic framework analysis informed by
interdependent learning theory was used for data analysis.
Results
Affordances of the rural settings pertained to immersive practice, practice community and practice
curriculum. The study highlighted the diverse learning opportunities available in rural practice, the
opportunities available for learning during service delivery and the support provided by the entire
multidisciplinary rural practice community to support trainee learning. Trainers and trainees engaged
in workplace affordances to enable learning by delivering care, learning through modelling, developing
learning relationships and community immersion.
Conclusion
Our findings demonstrate the interdependence between workplace affordances and engagement.
The rural workplace affords trainees a variety of learning opportunities and trainers play a key role in
noticing and signposting the available learning affordances for trainees. The effectiveness of learning
for trainees is then dependent on how they choose to engage with the workplace affordances. This
presentation provides practical suggestions which can be used by medical trainers to promote
affordances in rural learning environments and to facilitate trainee engagement with the affordances.
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