Transitioning into medicine ... How can the experiences of stakeholders with doctors inform medical selection and education

Introduction/background: The contribution of stakeholders to inform how candidates transition into medicine has been widely acknowledged yet undervalued. This study uses an innovative approach that calls for a greater inclusion of stakeholders in the medical selections and education debate. Aim/objectives: A phenomenological interpretive study was undertaken to reveal how stakeholder experiences of doctors can inform medical selection and education. Participants including doctors, patients, academics, health executives, clinicians, medical students, medical educators and community organisation representatives were purposively recruited for semi-structured individual or group interviews. Results: Although participants were asked about experiences that typified ‘the good doctor’, many spontaneously provided accounts of unprofessional and unsafe practice. Patient participants primarily related doctor experiences that focused on human capabilities (including compassion, communication and humility) while clinician participant accounts reified professional expertise (including academic, clinical and ethical competence). Discussion and Conclusions: This study offers a unique contribution to address the complexity that continues to surround entry into and progression through, medicine for students, for medical education and health care delivery models and particularly for patients, families and communities. The experiences of stakeholders – particularly those of patients – are therefore indispensable to informing our medical selection and education debate on a local, national and global scale.