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The structure of reflective practice in medicine
Author(s) -
Mamede Silvia,
Schmidt Henk G
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
medical education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.776
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1365-2923
pISSN - 0308-0110
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2929.2004.01917.x
Subject(s) - reflective practice , openness to experience , reflection (computer programming) , psychology , medical education , clinical practice , professional development , confirmatory factor analysis , medical practice , medicine , structural equation modeling , pedagogy , nursing , computer science , social psychology , programming language , machine learning
Background The capability to reflect consciously upon one's professional practice is generally considered important for the development of expertise and, hence, for education. However, to our knowledge no empirical research has been conducted to date into the nature of reflective practice in medicine. Purpose To study the structure of reflective practice in medicine. Methods A questionnaire based on the literature was developed and administered to a group of primary care doctors. The data were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis using structural equations modelling. Results A 5‐factor model of reflective practice emerged. It consisted of the following factors: deliberate induction; deliberate deduction; testing and synthesising; openness for reflection, and meta‐reasoning. The model fitted the data sufficiently. Conclusion A multidimensional structure of reflective practice in medicine was brought to light by the study. Its components in terms of reasoning processes, behaviours and attitudes were identified and measured among doctors. Once conceptualised and measured, reflective practice can be studied to gain a better understanding of its relation to expertise development in medicine. In addition, training students to apply reflective practices may become a goal in medical education.