Determinants of effective medical intern training at a training hospital in North West Province, South Africa

Abstract

Background. Medical internship that entails training as a doctor and working in an accredited facility under supervision within the limits of a well-defined scope prepares the professional for independent, competent, ethical medical practice. In South Africa medical internship is managed by the Health Professions Council of South Africa and was changed from 1 to 2 years in 2008. Mandatory rotations include internal medicine, obstetrics/gynaecology, paediatrics, surgery and family medicine. The researchers investigated the determinants of effective training during internship at an accredited hospital following concerns of incompetence of medical interns at the end of training. Method. A qualitative study using individual interviews was done among 7 purposefully selected doctors who had completed internship at Rustenburg Hospital. Thematic analysis was done. Results. Determinants of effective training in internship were identified as good quality supervisors, effective supervision, adequate opportunity to experiential learning, conducive environment, good support system (hospital management, hospital staff, academic opportunities), personal attributes and reasonable work load. Conclusion. The need for accredited training institutions to create conducive training environments based on the identified determinants was identified.