TY - JOUR
T1 - Bridging the cultural divide?
T2 - Exploring school pupils’ perceptions of medicine
AU - Alexander, Kirsty
AU - Cleland, Jennifer
AU - Nicholson, Sandra
N1 - Funding Information:
we would like to thank the study participants for sharing their experiences, the teachers who assisted with the organisation of the focus groups, and the medical school staff who facilitated contact with the high schools, particularly Sally Curtis (Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton). We would also like to thank our reviewers at Medical Education for their insightful and constructive feedback.
Funding Information:
Contributors: the study was designed through collaboration amongst all authors (KA, JC and SN). KA gained ethical approval, and organised and moderated the focus groups. KA undertook the analysis; understandings were developed and refined through critical discussion with JC and SN. KA drafted the paper; JC and SN made significant contributions to subsequent revisions. All authors (KA, JC and SN) approved the final paper before submission. All authors (KA, JC and SN) agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work and for ensuring that all questions related to the accuracy and integrity of the work are appropriately investigated. Acknowledgements: we would like to thank the study participants for sharing their experiences, the teachers who assisted with the organisation of the focus groups, and the medical school staff who facilitated contact with the high schools, particularly Sally Curtis (Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton). We would also like to thank our reviewers at Medical Education for their insightful and constructive feedback. Funding: we thank the College of Life Sciences and Medicine at the University of Aberdeen for funding KA’s programme of doctoral research. Conflicts of interest: none. Ethical approval: permission to conduct this study was granted by the Committee for Research Ethics and Governance in Arts, Social Sciences and Business at the University of Aberdeen.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education
PY - 2019/6
Y1 - 2019/6
N2 - Context: Literature published around a decade ago demonstrated that UK individuals from non-traditional groups may not consider, or aspire to, medicine because of sociocultural barriers and instead may perceive medicine as ‘not for the likes of me’. Since this time, the UK higher education landscape has undergone significant change, with an increased emphasis on student choice and widening access (WA) initiatives. Consequently, the present study looks anew at the perceptions of medicine held by school pupils from non-traditional backgrounds to assess whether sociocultural factors remain a major barrier to medicine. Methods: Focus groups were conducted with 71 high-achieving school pupils in their penultimate or final years (aged 16–18 years). Participants attended UK state-funded schools engaged with medical school WA initiatives. Transcripts were analysed thematically using a data-driven approach. Themes were then interpreted through the conceptual lens of the ‘reflexive habitus’, an adapted version of Bourdieu's classic concept. Results: Participants did not perceive that sociocultural differences would deter them from aspiring to, or pursuing, the career of their choice. Some participants identified their ‘different’ background as a strength to bring to medicine. They reported that intrinsic motivators (personal interest and fulfilment) were most important in their own career choices. When asked what they believed might have motivated current medical students for the career, participants debated the role of extrinsic motivators (high status and income) versus intrinsic ones. ‘Hot knowledge’ (social contacts) from within medicine helped some participants reconcile any clash in perceived values and better imagine themselves in the profession. Conclusions: These non-traditional school pupils from schools engaged with WA initiatives appear to have embraced the belief that medicine is for anyone with the appropriate desire and ability, regardless of background. Furthermore, some pupils reported that some aspects of their ‘difference’ (diversity) could help enrich the workforce and patient care.
AB - Context: Literature published around a decade ago demonstrated that UK individuals from non-traditional groups may not consider, or aspire to, medicine because of sociocultural barriers and instead may perceive medicine as ‘not for the likes of me’. Since this time, the UK higher education landscape has undergone significant change, with an increased emphasis on student choice and widening access (WA) initiatives. Consequently, the present study looks anew at the perceptions of medicine held by school pupils from non-traditional backgrounds to assess whether sociocultural factors remain a major barrier to medicine. Methods: Focus groups were conducted with 71 high-achieving school pupils in their penultimate or final years (aged 16–18 years). Participants attended UK state-funded schools engaged with medical school WA initiatives. Transcripts were analysed thematically using a data-driven approach. Themes were then interpreted through the conceptual lens of the ‘reflexive habitus’, an adapted version of Bourdieu's classic concept. Results: Participants did not perceive that sociocultural differences would deter them from aspiring to, or pursuing, the career of their choice. Some participants identified their ‘different’ background as a strength to bring to medicine. They reported that intrinsic motivators (personal interest and fulfilment) were most important in their own career choices. When asked what they believed might have motivated current medical students for the career, participants debated the role of extrinsic motivators (high status and income) versus intrinsic ones. ‘Hot knowledge’ (social contacts) from within medicine helped some participants reconcile any clash in perceived values and better imagine themselves in the profession. Conclusions: These non-traditional school pupils from schools engaged with WA initiatives appear to have embraced the belief that medicine is for anyone with the appropriate desire and ability, regardless of background. Furthermore, some pupils reported that some aspects of their ‘difference’ (diversity) could help enrich the workforce and patient care.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85061652114&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/medu.13805
DO - 10.1111/medu.13805
M3 - Article
C2 - 30761588
AN - SCOPUS:85061652114
SN - 0308-0110
VL - 53
SP - 571
EP - 583
JO - Medical Education
JF - Medical Education
IS - 6
ER -