Page 82 - Medical students’ self-regulated learning in clinical contexts

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“Coincidentally, I ran into the new student on my way to the morning handover [...] so it became clear I would show him around. I quickly explained which supervisors would go to the outpa ent clinic, how the computer system works, I showed him the wards and how everything works with the assessment forms. Then I le him at the wards and went to the OR myself [...] I want to assist in the OR as much as possible, because I like that best and I hope o course to make a good impression [...] and I always hope to see new, rare things. This week it’s the fall break, so all scheduled surgical procedures were on one of two days and there were a couple of procedures with which I could assist, laparoscopic procedures, so o course you a end those. [...] If the procedures in the OR are not suitable for a student to assist with, I rather go and do something else that I can do by myself. [...] but, this is a small peripheral hospital where there are no residents [only consultants], so that’s nice. Some mes there are procedures where a gynaecologist and a resident are opera ng, and then there is no physical space anymore for the student [...] At the end of the procedure I asked: “well, can I close the wound?” She [gynaecologist] knew that I’m capable of doing that, so I could close the wound. I always try to be a li le ac ve in the OR [..] thereby you become engaged in the opera ng team, and I just know it’s appreciated when you show that you’re helping and not si ng quietly in a corner. In my assessment booklet they always write that I’m an engaged and enthusias c student [...] Maybe this allows me, in my nal week, to ask if I can place a Mirena IUD in a anaesthe sed pa ent if there is me. I have the feeling that I generated quite some goodwill, so I can maybe try and ask if I can do that some me.”
Rick’s perceived goals are mul ple: to assist in the OR as much as possible, to make a good impression on the surgeon, to do as much as he can by himself, and to see many rare diseases and diseases new to him. Furthermore he feels he is expected to introduce a new clerk, an external goal slightly interfering with his own goals that morning. There were limited opportuni es to work on his personal goals that week because of a holiday. Fortunately for him, the hospital he was allocated to does not train residents, meaning he was able to assist more o en than would have been the case in most other hospitals. Rick’s strategies for the day were also mul ple. First of all, he autonomously decided on a personal plan and decided to make haste showing the new clerk around, as a form of me management. Furthermore, he remembered from previous experience which procedures he could assist with, making him