As physician-scientists are able to connect research and practice, they are important to make advancements within medicine. Currently, the medical field is facing a physician-scientist shortage.... Show moreAs physician-scientists are able to connect research and practice, they are important to make advancements within medicine. Currently, the medical field is facing a physician-scientist shortage. Promoting student research engagement could be the solution. Following the need to identify how medical training could contribute to developing future physician-scientists, the general aim of this thesis was to provide insights into the impact early phases of medical training may have on cultivating physician-scientists, by elaborating on the role of motivation for research and extracurricular research programmes. By conducting quantitative and qualitative research, we showed that medical students are motivated for research at the start of medical school and that intrinsic motivation for research is related to actual research involvement. Furthermore, factors contributing to intrinsic motivation for research were identified: research self-efficacy beliefs, positive perceptions of research, curiosity, need for challenge, authentic research experiences, feelings of autonomy and relatedness, feelings of relevance or personal meaning, inspiring role models, and extracurricular research programme participation. Previous studies suggested that student research involvement is related to research involvement in professional practice. This thesis therefore emphasizes that first steps to cultivate physician-scientists could be made early on in medical school – ‘future physician-scientists: let’s catch them young!’ Show less
Objective: To develop a consensus-based set of generic competencies in antimicrobial prescribing and stewardship for European prescribers through a structured consensus procedure.Methods: The RAND... Show moreObjective: To develop a consensus-based set of generic competencies in antimicrobial prescribing and stewardship for European prescribers through a structured consensus procedure.Methods: The RAND-modified Delphi procedure comprised two online questionnaire rounds, a face-to-face meeting between rounds, and a final review. Our departure point was a set of competencies agreed previously by consensus among a UK multi-disciplinary panel, and which had been subsequently revised through consultation with ESCMID Study Group representatives. The 46 draft competency points were reviewed by an expert panel consisting of specialists in infectious diseases and clinical microbiology, and pharmacists. Each proposed competency was assessed using a nine-point Likert scale, for relevance as a minimum standard for all independent prescribers in all European countries.Results: A total of 65 expert panel members participated, from 24 European countries (one to six experts per country). There was very high satisfaction (98%) with the final competencies set, which included 35 competency points, in three sections: core concepts in microbiology, pathogenesis and diagnosing infections (11 points); antimicrobial prescribing (20 points); and antimicrobial stewardship (4 points).Conclusions: The consensus achieved enabled the production of generic antimicrobial prescribing and stewardship competencies for all European independent prescribers, and of possible global utility. These can be used for training and can be further adapted to the needs of specific professional groups. (C) 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Show less
