Focal Groups Technique to identify the professional profile of the General Practitioner

Abstract

Objective: to define the professional profile of the Medicine student graduated from the Medicine Faculty of the Autonomous National University of Mexico (fm-unam) in a contemporary context of the Mexican population need and theory, practical and attitude competences in physician. Design: there were identified the general physician competences through focal groups qualitative methodology, such as the study plan structure, its management and the hidden background. The groups were defined through the following criteria: students, graduates, practitioners and patients. Material and Methods: nine groups were summoned, from which two consisted of General Physicians, three of students (recently graduated or in social service), two of professors and two of patients. There were made four guides with the same questions adapted to each group. All group interviews were taped and transcribed. Some basic categories were defined for the analysis and they were adjusted according to the testimonial reviews and the fundamental theory method. Once the categories were identified the objective, documents, previous studies and classified testimonials were centered. Results and conclusions: once all the information was collected, the new professional profile of the General Physician was built. The technique of the focal groups turned out to be a very helpful tool to enrich and update medical training.