Shared decision making in Australia in 2017.

Shared decision making (SDM) is now firmly established within national clinical standards for accrediting hospitals, day procedure services, public dental services and medical education in Australia, with plans to align general practice, aged care and disability service. Implementation of these standards and training of health professionals is a key challenge for the Australian health sector at this time. Consumer involvement in health research, policy and clinical service governance has also increased, with a major focus on encouraging patients to ask questions during their clinical care.

Evaluating peer teaching about chronic disease.

Background: The primary care areas of priority (PCAP) activity was developed to engage medical students in learning about chronic disease management in a clinical context from their peers. It is one of several summative assessment tasks that occur during a primary care community term rotation in a graduate-entry medical programme. We evaluated the acceptability and effectiveness of the PCAP activity as a combined teaching, learning and assessment innovation.

The reliability and validity of a portfolio designed as a programmatic assessment of performance in an integrated clinical placement.

Background: Little is known about the technical adequacy of portfolios in reporting multiple complex academic and performance-based assessments. We explored, first, the influencing factors on the precision of scoring within a programmatic assessment of student learning outcomes within an integrated clinical placement. Second, the degree to which validity evidence supported interpretation of student scores.

Psychiatrists and GPs: diagnostic decision making, personality profiles and attitudes toward depression and anxiety.

Objectives: The objective of this article is to explore diagnostic decision making around psychological symptoms presenting to general practitioners (GPs) and psychiatrists, identify attitudinal and personality factors of possible relevance in these decisions, and compare GPs and psychiatrists to help identify potential educational targets.

Methods: GPs and psychiatrists attended separate peer-facilitated workshops in which two case presentations were discussed. Decision making was explored by structured questions embedded in the workshop, with responses recorded by electronic keypad technology.

Diagnostic processes in mental health: GPs and psychiatrists reading from the same book but on a different page.

Objective: To explore the clinical reasoning processes underpinning diagnostic and management decision-making in treating patients presenting with psychological distress in general practice.

Method: Practising GPs were invited to attend small-group workshops in which two case histories were presented. Discussion was GP-facilitated and recorded for thematic analysis.

Choosing general practice as a career - the influences of education and training.

Background: In Australia, most medical students graduate without a firm career choice, with this decision being made during their early postgraduate years. Strategies addressing the current lack of meaningful exposure to general practice during these formative prevocational years are likely to be the most effective in increasing the proportion and number of entrants to general practice.

Objective: This review summarises the influences of medical student selection criteria, curriculum, geographical location, timing and duration of general practice exposure and experience, prevocational experience, and vocational training, on an eventual choice of general practice as a career.

Choosing general practice - a review of career choice determinants.

This review takes a narrative synthesis approach - a systematic approach to interpreting complex evidence - to a broad literature review of the complex issue of medical career decision making. Addressing the Australian general practice workforce crisis requires an understanding of career choice motivators.