The challenge of conducting qualitative research to understand the factors that influence equity in medical education: A scoping review
Introduction There are national and international concerns about equity in basic and postgraduate medical education, especially about differential rates of access and attainment across groups of learners. Qualitative research has been increasingly used to understand the factors that influence equ...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
F1000 Research Ltd
2020-04-01
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| Series: | MedEdPublish |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mededpublish.org/Manuscripts/2970 |
| _version_ | 1818350248210202624 |
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| author | John Sandars Jeremy Brown Chidiebere Nwolise Mumtaz Patel Nisha Dogra Axel Kaehne Jayne Garner Simon Watmough Michelle Maden Vicky Duckworth |
| author_facet | John Sandars Jeremy Brown Chidiebere Nwolise Mumtaz Patel Nisha Dogra Axel Kaehne Jayne Garner Simon Watmough Michelle Maden Vicky Duckworth |
| author_sort | John Sandars |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction
There are national and international concerns about equity in basic and postgraduate medical education, especially about differential rates of access and attainment across groups of learners. Qualitative research has been increasingly used to understand the factors that influence equity but there are potential limitations to this understanding related to how the research has been conducted. The aim of the scoping review was to identify how qualitative research exploring the factors that influence equity in basic and postgraduate medical education has been conducted. The intention was to inform future research.
Methods
The electronic databases British Education Index, Campbell Library, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, ERIC, Google Scholar, Health Management Information Consortium (HMIC), MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science and medical education journals were searched to identify relevant published articles between 2008 and April 2019.
Results
Among 19,523 articles identified from the literature search, 72 full text articles were included in the review. Most studies had a focus on only one background characteristic and only two studies had a strengths-based focus on individuals. Recommendations for change was at the 'policy level' in ten studies and four studies had learner recommendations for change. No studies with a participatory approach were identified.
Conclusion
The approach to conducting previous qualitative research appears to limit greater understanding of the complexity of factors that influence equity. In response to this challenge, we recommend that future research widen the focus to consider the experiences and strengths of individual learners in addition to those identified by background characteristics. Future qualitative research is recommended to have a broad focus on both the 'policy level' and 'local level', especially from multiple perspectives. We also recommend greater collaboration of participants with researchers throughout the research process. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T18:18:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dde5b22fe6dd4bb987ff0679ae4e7656 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2312-7996 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T18:18:49Z |
| publishDate | 2020-04-01 |
| publisher | F1000 Research Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | MedEdPublish |
| spelling | doaj.art-dde5b22fe6dd4bb987ff0679ae4e76562022-12-21T23:35:46ZengF1000 Research LtdMedEdPublish2312-79962020-04-0191The challenge of conducting qualitative research to understand the factors that influence equity in medical education: A scoping reviewJohn Sandars0Jeremy Brown1Chidiebere Nwolise 2Mumtaz Patel3Nisha Dogra4Axel Kaehne5Jayne Garner6Simon Watmough7Michelle Maden8Vicky Duckworth9Edge Hill UniversityEdge Hill UniversityUniversity of OxfordHealth Education England North WestUniversity of LeicesterEdge Hill UniversityEdge Hill UniversityEdge Hill UniversityEdge Hill UniversityEdge Hill UniversityIntroduction There are national and international concerns about equity in basic and postgraduate medical education, especially about differential rates of access and attainment across groups of learners. Qualitative research has been increasingly used to understand the factors that influence equity but there are potential limitations to this understanding related to how the research has been conducted. The aim of the scoping review was to identify how qualitative research exploring the factors that influence equity in basic and postgraduate medical education has been conducted. The intention was to inform future research. Methods The electronic databases British Education Index, Campbell Library, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, ERIC, Google Scholar, Health Management Information Consortium (HMIC), MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science and medical education journals were searched to identify relevant published articles between 2008 and April 2019. Results Among 19,523 articles identified from the literature search, 72 full text articles were included in the review. Most studies had a focus on only one background characteristic and only two studies had a strengths-based focus on individuals. Recommendations for change was at the 'policy level' in ten studies and four studies had learner recommendations for change. No studies with a participatory approach were identified. Conclusion The approach to conducting previous qualitative research appears to limit greater understanding of the complexity of factors that influence equity. In response to this challenge, we recommend that future research widen the focus to consider the experiences and strengths of individual learners in addition to those identified by background characteristics. Future qualitative research is recommended to have a broad focus on both the 'policy level' and 'local level', especially from multiple perspectives. We also recommend greater collaboration of participants with researchers throughout the research process.https://www.mededpublish.org/Manuscripts/2970equitybasic medical educationpostgraduate medical educationqualitative research. |
| spellingShingle | John Sandars Jeremy Brown Chidiebere Nwolise Mumtaz Patel Nisha Dogra Axel Kaehne Jayne Garner Simon Watmough Michelle Maden Vicky Duckworth The challenge of conducting qualitative research to understand the factors that influence equity in medical education: A scoping review MedEdPublish equity basic medical education postgraduate medical education qualitative research. |
| title | The challenge of conducting qualitative research to understand the factors that influence equity in medical education: A scoping review |
| title_full | The challenge of conducting qualitative research to understand the factors that influence equity in medical education: A scoping review |
| title_fullStr | The challenge of conducting qualitative research to understand the factors that influence equity in medical education: A scoping review |
| title_full_unstemmed | The challenge of conducting qualitative research to understand the factors that influence equity in medical education: A scoping review |
| title_short | The challenge of conducting qualitative research to understand the factors that influence equity in medical education: A scoping review |
| title_sort | challenge of conducting qualitative research to understand the factors that influence equity in medical education a scoping review |
| topic | equity basic medical education postgraduate medical education qualitative research. |
| url | https://www.mededpublish.org/Manuscripts/2970 |
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