Table 3.

Summary of participants’ perceptions of the benefits and risks of shared learning models

For	Subtheme	Benefits	Risks
Learners	Quality of teaching	• Everyone challenges each other, encouraging debate and discussion	• Junior learners require more 1:1 teaching
		• Extra questions are asked that the individual learner did not think of	• Attempting to meet needs of multiple levels of learners runs the risk of not meeting anyone’s learning needs
		• The group can learn from the expertise, knowledge, skills of others in the group	• Level may be too low or too advanced
		• Learners discover different approaches to same problem	• Less personalised teaching and fewer opportunities to address individual learning needs when compared to 1:1 teaching
		• Provides early exposure to advanced skills for junior learners
		• Learning increases for all levels
		• Resources can be more easily shared
	Effectiveness of learning	• Easier/safer to ask questions	• Different clinical approaches may confuse learners
		• A difficult topic explained to others can aid learners’ understanding	• Shared learning models are unsuitable when learners:
		• Shared learning is active learning because it requires more preparation and interaction compared to 1:1	1. Require remediation
			2. Have a specific deficit that needs to be addressed
			3. Are given personalised feedback
		• Shared learning sessions are more likely to be structured and planned and may lead to better learning outcomes	4. Are observed by their supervisor
			5. Have immediate learning needs
			• Shared learning models are less effective for learning communication and procedural skills
	Group dynamics, interpersonal and personal issues	• Takes pressure off the individual learners to answer all the questions	• Learners less comfortable asking questions in group situation than 1:1 teaching
		• More collegial, builds relationships, is enjoyable	• One person may hijack the meeting
		• Stimulating/supportive environment	• Shy learners may not learn as much
		• Learning in a group can spur everyone onto to greater efforts	• Junior leaners fear imposing on senior learners
		• Reduced feelings of isolation	• Shared learning is unsuitable when learners have sensitive or embarrassing issues to discuss
		• Being able to benchmark against peers improves self-confidence
		• Confidence to acknowledge lack of knowledge or skills is less threatening if other learners demonstrate the same
		• Being able to debrief and share difficult situations with other learners improves self-confidence
GP supervisor	Financially rewarding	• More financially rewarding due to increased clinical time and higher payment per hour of teaching
	Workplace satisfaction	• Increased engagement and less repetition in teaching	• More stressful than one-to-one
		• Reduced workload due to time efficiency	• May require more planning
		• Less chance of burnout or stress
	Supervisor learns	• Introduction to new techniques, information and theories by learners, often from those who recently came from big hospitals
	Maintaining teaching quality		• Different people require different teaching styles
			• Teaching quality depends on GP’s practice, personality, experience and teaching style
			• More difficult to address the needs of all levels of learners
Practice	Financial efficiencies	• More financially beneficial due to increased time to generate revenue
	Increased sustainability	• Increased likelihood of sustainable practice in terms of financial viability and sustainable employability of general practitioners
		• Increased vitality in the practice
	A quality improvement process	• Provides a forum to standardise and improve patient management
	May increase practice workload		• May require more planning
			• Lack of standardisation of teaching between practices