Table 2.

Categories of informants’ interview answers. (See details in text sections below by corresponding section numbers).

Categories of Interview Findings re. FOAL Program

Overall assessment of FOAL program = positive; needs improvements       (Section 3.1)

Advantages of the FOAL program                                                                     (Section 3.2)

As mentees (foals):

To try something other than bookwork

Learning something about communication/contact with patients

Legitimized lack of knowledge

Opportunity to reduce the preclinical to clinic transition crisis (5th sem.)

Experienced students are seen as role models

As mentors:

An extra pair of hands helps

Mentee’s active engagement is crucial to the program

Learning by teaching others

No need for special preparations to have a foal

Challenges with the FOAL program                                                               (Section 3.3)

Fetch something for a mentor, but you do not know what it is

Lack of knowledge about clinical dentistry

A scary social situation

“Lost, but cool”—feeling overwhelmed, yet exhilarated

Lack of training of foals about the basics

Focus of mentor’s attention to the foal can disappear with pressurized situations

As a foal, you can feel more like a hindrance than a help

Competition for foal times at the clinic

Becoming inspired as a foal                                                                               (Section 3.4)

“Of course the older students were cool! I want to be too.”

Foals reaffirming their choice of profession It helped to be a foal               (Section 3.5)

Considerations or suggestions for improvement                                            (Section 3.6)

Better distribution of times as foals

Increase the number of mentee hours

Not enough time for FOAL program in 2nd year; best in 1st year

Do simple treatments early

Have the same mentor every time