MedEd Studio: Why Ethnography in Medical Education
In this conversation, Anna MacLeod discusses her relationship with ethnography, particularly in the context of medical education. She explains how ethnography allows for a deep understanding of culture and people, emphasizing the importance of observation and the role of problem-based learning.
Takeaways
- Ethnography in Health Professions Education: Ethnographic methods offer deep insights into cultural and contextual aspects of education, including professional identity formation and curriculum reform.
- Key Components of Ethnographic Research: Observation and analysis of cultural artifacts (like documents) are central, helping uncover gaps between stated practices and actual behaviors.
- Understanding Pedagogy: Approaches like problem-based learning should be examined not just for effectiveness but for their underlying educational implications.
- Valuing Informal Insights: Researchers are encouraged to recognize and formalize their informal ethnographic experiences as valuable contributions to their scholarly work.
Anna MacLeod.
Photo: Dalhousie University
Anna MacLeod
Dr. MacLeod is a social scientist with an active research portfolio. A qualitative researcher, she uses ethnographic methods to learn about distributed medical education and learning with technology. She is particularly interested in understanding the social and material influences associated with developing professional identities.