Professional identity and shared decision making among psychiatry residents: designing a brief teaching module
| Pages | 112-123 |
| Published date | 12 March 2018 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JMHTEP-02-2017-0009 |
| Date | 12 March 2018 |
| Author | Kia J. Bentley,Cory R. Cummings,Rachel C. Casey,Christopher P. Kogut |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Mental health education |
Professional identity and shared decision
making among psychiatry residents:
designing a brief teaching module
Kia J. Bentley, Cory R. Cummings, Rachel C. Casey and Christopher P. Kogut
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to increase awareness of shared decision making, the initial aim of
the study was to understand how psychiatrists-in-training defined themselves as unique among physicians
with an eye on how professional identity might shape approach to care. The second aim was to use those
definitions and descriptions related to professional identity and tailor a brief training module to promote
awareness of the shared decision making model.
Design/methodology/approach –The authors do this by first conducting focus groups to ascertain how
psychiatric residents characterize their professional identity and unique disciplinary characteristics.
The authors then designed a brief training session that exploits the relationship between how they define
themselves as physicians and how they approach clinical decision making with patients.
Findings –Three major themes that emerged from the focus group data: the central role of societal and
treatment contexts in shaping their professional identity and approaches to care, a professional identity
characterized by a great sense of pride, and a strong commitment to systematicdecision-making processes
in practice. While the assessment of the training module is preliminary and lacks rigor for any generalizability or
statements of causality, responses likely affirm the training tailored around professional identity as a possible
vehicle for effective exposure to the concept of shared decision making and served as a useful avenue for
self-reflection about needed changes to more fully embrace the practice.
Research limitations/implications –More inquiry may be needed into the association between trust,
relationship longevity and power and paternalism, as a way to bring greater insight into the adoption of
shared decision making. Future research will have to investigate whether or not including identity-related
content is empirically connected to successful training on shared decision making. Likewise, future research
should also look at the reciprocal impact of effectively using shared decision making on the affirmation of
professional identity among psychiatrists, and indeed all who embrace patient-centered care.
Originality/value –This is the one of the first papers to investigate issues of professional identity among
psychiatry residents, and also among the first papers to consider the relationship between professional
identity and use of shared decision making.
Keywords Shared decision making, Professional identity among psychiatrists,
Psychiatric medication management, Training for psychiatry residents
Paper type Research paper
Even in the face of seeming reluctance and slow adoption of shared decision making within
psychiatry, scholars and leaders in the profession have called for more widespread adoption as a
means of enacting evidence based and ethical care, as well as bolstering patient engagement
and autonomy. The ultimate aim of the project described here was to increase awareness of
shared decision making models among a group of psychiatry residents (MDs) and promote its
use in their daily practice. We do this by first conducting focus groups to ascertain how
psychiatry residents characterize their professional identity and unique disciplinary
characteristics. We then designed a brief training session that exploits the relationship
between how they define themselves as physicians and how they approach to clinical decision
making with patients. Finally, we offer some promising preliminary assessment data and
considerations for future research.
Received 16 February 2017
Revised 24 May 2017
9 August 2017
Accepted 19 September 2017
Kia J. Bentley is a Professor,
Cory R. Cummings a Doctoral
Candidate and Research
Assistant and Rachel C. Casey
is a Doctoral Candidate and
Research Assistant, all at the
School of Social Work, Virginia
Commonwealth University,
Richmond, Virginia, USA.
Christopher P. Kogut is the
Director of Psychiatry
Education Program at the
Department of Psychiatry,
School of Medicine,
Richmond, Virginia, USA.
PAGE112
j
THE JOURNAL OF MENTALHEALTH TRAINING, EDUCATION AND PRACTICE
j
VOL. 13 NO. 2 2018, pp.112-123, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1755-6228 DOI 10.1108/JMHTEP-02-2017-0009
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