Research project:
Hypothesis or research question, and methods (study population, study design, sample size, data collection, data analysis)
Research Questions:
How do the perspectives of Clinical Faculties shift after experiencing FD on NBM in cultivating well-being? Does this curriculum shift participants’ perspectives on NBM’s role in cultivating well-being?
We have received REB approval from UofT #: 00048267.
Study population:
Attendees from the NBM FD workshop, which was delivered in 2024 and 2025 at the DFCM conference, will be invited to participate in this study. Additional participants will be recruited from the NBM workshops delivered by the PI through their role as FD Lead.
Study Design (Table 1):
We will employ a convergent parallel mixed-methodology (39).
Quantitative:
Pre- and post-surveys will be electronically administered via RedCap. Each workshop participant will be assigned a unique research identification number to match individual pre- and post-intervention responses. In cases where the number of participants is insufficient for individual matching, analyses will utilize aggregated group data.
Qualitative:
To explore the factors influencing FM teachers' learning about and integration of NBM, a thematic analysis of transcriptions from focus groups and one-on-one interviews will be underpinned by constructivist theory (40, 41, 42). Researchers AH, SM, and MN will employ reflexivity to introspect and evaluate how their subjectivity and context influence the research process, ensuring transparency (43). They will memo-write and independently identify codes from the transcriptions. Then, they will meet iteratively to collaboratively triangulate on emerging themes.
The rationale for eliciting qualitative data from the focus groups and interviews is another opportunity to share experiences and discuss challenges. We aim to understand factors that influence perspective shifts on NBM, and in turn, improve the teaching effectiveness of NBM.
Sample size:
Quantitative: We aim to collect approximately 25 paired surveys to achieve meaningful results.
Qualitative: Our target sample size is ten, or when theme saturation is achieved. We hope to conduct one focus group and up to ten 1:1 semi-structured interviews through purposive sampling.
Data collection:
Quantitative: Data will be collected using a short survey to capture shifts in faculty perspectives and practices regarding the NBM pre-post FD workshop. The survey will utilize a 5-point Likert scale and short text responses to assess any shifts in perspective about NBM and capture their perspectives on current and future NBM tool implementation. Responses will be electronically recorded and aggregated through RedCap.
Qualitative: We anticipate distributing 40 pre- and post-surveys. In the post-surveys, participants will be asked if they are interested in being contacted in the future. DFCM Clinical Faculty who consent will be invited to engage in a semi-structured focus group. Participants who are unable to attend will be offered a 1:1 semi-structured interview. TheRA will conduct semi-structured focus group interviews through MS Teams, which will automatically generate atranscription that will be de-identified.
Data analysis:
Quantitative: The quantitative data analysis will include descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations, frequency distributions) and inferential statistical tests, such as paired t-tests or Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.
Qualitative: Constructivist theory methodology will guide our iterative transcription analysis, allowing us to identify codes independently and then generate themes through discussions (43, 44).
