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Midwifery knowledge and the medical student experience. An exploration of the concept of midwifery knowledge and its use in medical students' construction of knowledge during a specialist obstetric rotation

The literature concerning what medical students learn from midwives during specialist
obstetric rotations is scarce. In the UK, despite a long tradition of providing midwifery
attachments for medical students, it is almost non-existent.
Working with midwives is arguably the only opportunity medical students have to
experience holistic or social models of maternity care, focusing on normality rather than
on the medical concept of risk.
This study sought to discover how medical students constructed their knowledge about
childbirth during a six week specialist rotation in obstetrics in a Northern English
teaching hospital (NETH), with particular emphasis on whether participants assimilated
any concepts from midwifery knowledge (MK). A Delphi Study, done as the first phase
of the research, focused on MK, utilizing an international sample of experienced
midwives. Resulting themes were used to develop the data collection tool for the second
phase of the research.
The research employed a qualitative case study method with students from a single year
cohort comprising the case. Data were collected using a tool consisting of three problem
based learning (PBL) scenarios. These were presented to the students in consecutive
interviews at the beginning, the middle and the end of their obstetric rotation.
Following analysis, five main themes were identified which illuminated the medical
students' construction of knowledge about maternity care. These were explored and
discussed. The thesis concludes with recommendations for increasing opportunities for
IPE in the medical and midwifery curricula.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:BRADFORD/oai:bradscholars.brad.ac.uk:10454/4904
Date January 2010
CreatorsMacVane, Fiona E.
ContributorsNewell, Robert J., Bradshaw, Gwendolen, Small, Neil A.
PublisherUniversity of Bradford, Division of Midwifery & Reproductive Health
Source SetsBradford Scholars
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis, doctoral, PhD
Rights<a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" style="border-width:0" src="http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-nd/3.0/88x31.png" /></a><br />The University of Bradford theses are licenced under a <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/">Creative Commons Licence</a>.

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