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The impact on Tan Tock Seng Hospital's teaching culture of transforming into an academic health centre
Author
Tham, Kum Ying
Supervisor
Wong, Benjamin
Cunningham, Bryan
Abstract
Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), Singapore has a commendable “teaching culture” that teaches medical students well. The first research question is to understand how the teaching culture has been built in TTSH. In 2009 the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) invited TTSH to be its partner to start a new medical school, transforming TTSH into an academic health centre (AHC). The second research question is, “What is the impact on TTSH’s teaching culture of transforming into an AHC?” Qualitative methods (fieldwork, observations, interviews and review of archival documents) are used to answer these research questions.
Complexity theory and social worlds theory are used to theorise the findings. There are five eras when successive orders of teaching emerged: bedside teaching, embedding students in patient care, the doctor as a medical expert cum teacher, the whole-of-medical fraternity championing of education and co-owners of the education process. The progression of boundary objects parallels these emergences and TTSH’s growing sophistication in fulfilling its education mission: from teaching medical students to providing quality clinical education to ensuring a product is fit for purpose. Positive feedback loops that entrenched the teaching culture are balanced by stabilising mechanisms, making the culture more robust.
The AHC transformation is accomplished via sequenced steps that coalesced into a choreographed transition. Internally TTSH ensures that the teaching culture continues to flourish. To external stakeholders, TTSH’s engagement centres on legitimisation of its version of a product fit for purpose as most befitting for Singapore. Boundary workers between hospital and school negotiate skilfully to reinforce boundaries for their worlds and the other world. Research, dormant for a decade, began its revival when Dr W became a boundary worker between leaders and researchers. Through sequenced steps the research culture is being rebuilt and TTSH’s research capability moved to become an equal with NTU-Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine.
Complexity theory and social worlds theory are used to theorise the findings. There are five eras when successive orders of teaching emerged: bedside teaching, embedding students in patient care, the doctor as a medical expert cum teacher, the whole-of-medical fraternity championing of education and co-owners of the education process. The progression of boundary objects parallels these emergences and TTSH’s growing sophistication in fulfilling its education mission: from teaching medical students to providing quality clinical education to ensuring a product is fit for purpose. Positive feedback loops that entrenched the teaching culture are balanced by stabilising mechanisms, making the culture more robust.
The AHC transformation is accomplished via sequenced steps that coalesced into a choreographed transition. Internally TTSH ensures that the teaching culture continues to flourish. To external stakeholders, TTSH’s engagement centres on legitimisation of its version of a product fit for purpose as most befitting for Singapore. Boundary workers between hospital and school negotiate skilfully to reinforce boundaries for their worlds and the other world. Research, dormant for a decade, began its revival when Dr W became a boundary worker between leaders and researchers. Through sequenced steps the research culture is being rebuilt and TTSH’s research capability moved to become an equal with NTU-Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine.
Date Issued
2016
Call Number
RA975.T43 Tha
Date Submitted
2016