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Questionnaires provide a useful and versatile tool for new and occasional researchers, and can be applied to a wide range of topics. This paper provides simple guidance on some of the potential pitfalls in developing and running a questionnaire study, and how to avoid them. Each tip is illustrated with a real-life example from the development of a UK-wide questionnaire survey of trainee doctors and their educational supervisors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the use of appraisal to monitor the progress of medical teacher trainee in Scotland. Importance of feedback and discussion on trainee progress; Appraisal interview; Documentation system.

In the UK, new medical graduates are known as Pre-registration House Officers (PRHOs). Postgraduate Deans are responsible for the PRHO year and for the final certification of PRHOs to allow them to be fully registered by the GMC as medical practitioners. However, as much as appraisal of professional growth is central to PRHO training, they are in need of a robust assessment mechanism to detect, at an early stage, individuals with significant clinical and professional deficiencies. Documented, reliable and valid ongoing information on PRHO performance will provide information for early intervention and will establish 'hard' observable evidence, for certification decisions. Thus, an approach that links appraisal/assessment of professionalism and clinical skills to education is the way forward. This paper describes a new approach to appraisal/assessment of PRHOs, which is currently being piloted in a number of regions in Scotland. The conceptual paradigm was developed during the last three years as a proposal for a Scottish national PRHO reform. 'Grounded' qualitative studies were employed to explore trainees' and trainers' perceptions of the expected competences (outcomes) of PRHO performance for appraisal/assessment purpose. The GMC recommendations are reviewed in light of the study results. An assessment model emerged that links appraisal to education. PRHOs' cumulative performance is documented over one year of training resulting in diagnostic profiles that provide guidance for evaluation and training of PRHOs. Poor performers are flagged in the early stages of training, thus allowing early intervention. The feasibility and acceptance of the model by educators, the health system and PRHOs has yet to be established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore senior nurses' views of pre-registration house officer (PRHO) training, including the scope for their contribution to the new Foundation Programme., Design: Data reported here are drawn from a larger, national project, which aimed to identify a curriculum for the PRHO year. The project was based in the Education Development Unit, Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education (SCPMDE), Dundee. As part of the project, 40 semistructured interviews, each lasting about 1 hour, were held with senior nurses. Interviews were fully transcribed and coded in the qualitative software NVivo for further analysis. Codes were studied for emergent themes and categories., Participants: Senior nurses (10 from each of the 4 postgraduate regions of Scotland), from diverse specialties., Results: Data suggest considerable cross- regional/specialty consistency. Key emergent themes concerned the process of training as much as the educational outcomes. The nurses focused on the development of outcomes such as communication and teamworking in addition to clinical and practical skills. They guided the PRHOs informally, but were concerned that their own extended roles were detracting from this., Discussion: Nurses are gaining increasingly advanced professional, clinical and practical skills. Traditionally, experienced nurses guide and support PRHOs, at least informally. Data collected suggested there may be scope for capitalising on their expertise, including formalising aspects of their contribution to the proposed PRHO Foundation Programme. However, this is a potentially sensitive area and more interprofessional dialogue is needed.