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Activity 4.3- Reading and reflection- BERA Guidelines

Hmm, issues emerging. The guidelines seem mostly common sense. The bits i'm not familiar with I suppose are the issues regarding relationships with stakeholders (especially sponsors) and issues relating to med ed in relation to research as a whole. Regarding my proposal it was interesting to consider ethics of potentially causing upset to participants, about minimising this risk and having an action plan if it were to occur. I feel a combination of skills as a GP, working for .... (organisation and skills obtained during this) and .as student mentor should equip me for this better than most researchers. Also idea that consent can be withdrawn at any stage is important.

As I am UK based then these appear the relevant guidance. Again it comes down to what would occur in practice- I am confident that between the above guideline, the possibility of using (insitiution of study's) guidance and informal opinion of expert contacts I should satisfy this criteria.

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activity 4.1 critique painting and poem

I begin to study the painting but in trying to zoom in on the window to make it larger on my laptop the image gets prrogressively smaller as I zoom in. I become frustarted and feel irritable and lacking in motivation to continue. I am no art expert but am aware that paintings are generally viewed up close to better study the detail. I noticed that I become frustrated when I feel the activities are esoteric in nature, but I also identify that when I've engaged with all activities I've learnt more during a module. My performance in the modules where I've spent more time and broadened my reading supports this. In future I will aim to pause and count up to 10 when an activity initially frustrates me.

This poem describes an elderly person throwing off the shackles of social conventions from her younger days. I feel that the message is a little famiiar, tired and simplistic and feel a little bored and distracted. I am a fan of poetry, even childrens' form but I am probably quite selective about what I give praise to- David Walliams will never be Roald Dahl. I notice that I am getting irritable again and this is a difficulty around childrens' bedtime and when studying in the evening. Perhaps I could have relaxed into a more receptive state of mind and digested the words carefully, rather than skim reading, I certainly find this improves my retention and appreciation of deeper meaning. Poetry is not to be tackled in the wrong frame of mind- preparation is key.

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Activity 3.1- What makes good research?

In reality whilst I am interested in how to critically evaluate a research paper, the only thing that makes research ‘good’ is that it has some significance for me personally, some value. The path it may take to achieving this doesn't really matter, as long as it has the impact.

I suppose to achieve this it has to be credible/coherent/ valid etc etc.

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Activity 2.2 - Reflection - Fundamental concepts

Take a few moments to consider how you currently define the following terms: Knowledge? Theory? Learning? Evidence?

Knowledge: something retained in memory as a fact or understanding of a concept that is ingrained.

Theory: An idea or proposition to explain the occurrence of a phenomenon.

Learning: The process of acquiring or developing knowledge, skills or change in attitutudes.

Evidence: information that has been obtained to support an idea or answer a question.

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Research week 1

‘Activity 1.4 - Reflection - What more do you want to know?

In your personal learning journal, (on paper or in your Personal reflective space blog), begin to list aspects of this medical education course so far:

That you want to understand more fully

That have left you curious / wanting more

Where more knowledge or information would enable you to .... (fill in the blank) in your own context’

I want to understand how to design and perform qualitative research, most importantly research that will enlighten others as well as my self. Research that will help others make decisions when planning and delivering any aspect of education.

I am curious about the designs and processes that are acceptable practice when interpreting data from qualitative research.

I suppose based on my plans in the medium term I would like to gain more knowledge in order to evaluate the faculty development activity I am planning. I would like to be able to design a potentially worthwhile and effective piece of qualitative research to base my dissertation upon, as really I would only want to progress to this stage if I (as well as markers!) felt it so.

Returning to this post and assessing which parts have energy/excite me I suppose it remains my plans and the idea of ‘making a difference’. No surprise really

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Research week 1

I am continuing to think that qualitative research appeals to me much more so than quantitative. When considering the papers that have interested me they are generally qualitative. I recall the excitement and enlightenment of some papers of this type. In analyzing this I think the part of the process that has interested me most is the the philosophical approach required, the need to deeply consider from a variety of perspectives the themes and possible interpretations of the qualitative data. This seems an excellent opportunity for thinking and reflection. The particularly interesting bit seems that the interpretation is frequently not predictable. Whereas in quantitative research there is a hypothesis and data is collect to confirm or reject this, there is a opportunity to stimulate thinking and future direction of this I feels.

I am considering the direction of researching what influences professionalism, particularly professional identity. Potentially I am interested in discovering how academic fellowship programmes can influence professional identity.

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Faculty Development week 1

This list of positive of positive reasons for faculty development is considered:

Improve teaching skills

Increase understanding of the curriculum

Increase teaching faculty by positive recruitment

Orientate newly appointed staff

Create positive educational environment

Focus teaching on perceived academic needs of students

Help professionalise the teaching role

Respond to external pressures

Show faculty they are valued

A number of these reasons meet my expectations of development. 2 of them do not yet make sense- ‘increase teaching faculty by positive recruitment’ (is this broadcasting details of faculty development to potential applicants in order to increase chances of applicants have a positive attitude to personal growth and development?) and ‘help professionalize the teaching role’ (I suppose this increases the esteem in which teaching is held/ increases the skills required to be involved).

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Faculty development May 2020

Initial impressions.

Very positive initial impressions of this module. This module was chosen as the best available and from my limited understanding of it’s content was viewed as a stimulating and useful choice.

I begin with some trepidation as I found the Leadership module of above average challenge and was relived to pass the assessment. I am delighted to discover that seemingly I can continue the pilot project used for my Leadership Change project during this module. I had decided to do this anyway, so it isvery satisfying that this work will also be suitable for the assessment.I am particularly pleased about the timing as being offered CBL tutor post and this will be my new faculty. Availability of faculty lead within my current GP setting as a particular boon.

Learning objectives appear interesting, and again satisfyingly I see that designed a research proposal is considered which will link well to the research module (likely to be the last of the diploma stage). 

The above contrasts with some frustration; have annual leave today and managed to home school children this morning to make time for study this afternoon. However the reading list is unavailable which leaves me feeling frustrated.

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Leadership week 10

What are the skills and strategies needed to optimize the climate for successful change?

This is interesting and I will answer with a clear demarcation between those and can only marginally influence, and those that I can markedly. By this I mean that a major part of organisation change is influenced by the pre existing culture of the organisation and the motivators that your colleagues perceive. By this i mean in relation to McGregors (Definitely Y in my organisation-great, very helpful for an optional project) and Herzbergs hygiene factors/ to a lesser extent motivators.

However the link to emotional intelligence are more recent conceptions of influence, and the principles of ethical leadership/ transformational leadership. These are the theories that can affect personal influence on the climate for change.

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Leadership week 9

Key principles of corporate governance

The board of directors role is to liaise with the ownership, to develop policy and to formalise this, and then to monitor its implementation

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Leadership week 9

What is a policy?

A policy is an action or process proposed by and used within an organisation.

Some examples in my clinical context include antimicrobial (or other drug) prescribing policy or referral policy for surgical procedures at tertiary centre.

Educational examples include policy for determining offers to applicants to medical school or health board policy for determining which practices qualify for support from a GP clinical fellow.

The clinical policies can be problematic as they do not take into account the individuality of patients; regarding the surgical referral there are clauses about exceptionality but these are inevitably not exercised by those exercising the policy, or if they are they are not exercised consistently. Similarly for antimicrobial prescribing, clinical situations are often more complex than the guidance allows for (multiple conditions/drug interactions/side effects/ allergies etc).

The educational policy for admissions is subject to influence from the government often at short notice before admissions are to take place which can be problematic. The policy about GP fellows is applied with fluidity over time which makes planning difficult.

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Leadership week 7

Power and resistance: leading change in medical education (Sundberg et al, 2017).

Referent power (friendship) commitment is likely if request beleived to be important to requester, compliance if request is perceived to be unimportant, resistence if request thought to be something that would harm leader

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Leadership week 7

What sort of power do you have to influence the change you are working on in your project?

This debatable. I have no position power to enforce the change. Hopefully there will be some personal power that I can find and utilise. Hopefully I can reference the power of the year leads who approve of the project.

How do you plan to address the issue of power in your assignment?

As above

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Leadership week 7

Bourne ultimatum clip where the leader tries to kill and employee on the flimsy basis that they may be in league with Jason bourne.

I am drawn to think of one or 2 individuals in an organisation i was involved with who decided to take disciplinary action on an individual who had committed an abuse of their position. They took a number of actions against the individual, imposing discipline in several ways.

Many of my colleagues at that time felt the sanctions were harsh (although we agreed that the individual did wrong). It was felt that one of the sanctions in particular was something that one of the leaders did not have the authority to carry out (they reported the individual to a particular supervisor body that my colleagues felt they did not have the expertise to involve). This increased resentment from my colleagues towards the individual and their counterpart; they were already seen as distant and lacking insight into our work but this heightened tensions. For a time the work of the whole department felt scarred by this and staff modified their behaviour due to fear. Several individuals of intermediate management levels resigned, in part due to this event (the handling of) in this case.

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Leadership week 7(as was last post)

‘Position power is the power a person derives from a particular office or rank within a formal organizational system. (Northouse, 2013) This is where arguably authority and power are intimately intertwined.

Personal power is the influence a leader derives from being seen by followers as likable and knowledgeable.(Northouse, 2013′

Position power within my organisation has an interesting relationship with my teaching duties;the majority of those with position power have little or no direct experience of my course component despite the excellent feedback this part of the curriculum has and continues to receive. Assuming this perception is widespread amongst those who deliver it then it is natural that attempts by these individuals to exert control over us are met with scepticism. Perhaps it follows that those with an intermeidate degree of position power, but also personal power act as a go between /negotiator. We are happy to accept direction when they give it as we respect and admire them.

There are many in my organisation with personal power, and I have observed this many times in the NHS in past. As above I think it allows them to influence those in positions. Another anaology is of the figurehead politicans who is assumed to be useless, but has many charismatic and effective advisors.

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Leadership week 6

Emotional labour: to induce or supress feelings that produce the outward appearance that produces the proper state of mind in others. I can certainly think of several jobs when I have routinely done this. It is difficult to sustain in the longer term. Surface and deep acting; interesting that they say that deep acting can cause burnoutdue to alienation from one’s own feelings.

In my current workplace there is probably expectation to maintain emotional labour in respect to always appearing to enjoy teaching sessions. I don’t think I am conscious of this much given that I invariably do enjoy.

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Leadership week 6

‘ Consider the notions of distributive leadership and complexity models where there is greater emphasis on mutual influence between stakeholders. Make notes’.

wow this week is activity heavy. such a change in approach from very self directed.

I feel that leadership is only effective and action only occurs by distributed leadership/complexity when there is a high degree of motivation and excellent working relationships/mutual respect between colleagues. The traditional model was ‘I have to do what they say, they’re my boss’, but in the newer model we need to be motivated to take action- via Herzberys motivatinf anf hygeine factors, intrinsic and extrnisic factors, the higher levels of Maslow’s hierarchy. If everyone respects each others contribution and is happy to lead and be led then progress occurs. Stacey-Adams equity theory seems both too simplistic in relation to when an individual feels they need to improve, or simply tries to address someones failings.