Educational Value of Ward Rounds: A Mixed-Methods Study of Foundation Doctors’ Perspectives on Learning Opportunities and Improvement Strategies

Ward rounds are a fundamental component of postgraduate medical education, offering authentic clinical contexts for experiential learning and professional socialization, yet evidence suggests substantial variability in teaching quality. This study evaluated foundation doctors’ perceptions of ward round educational opportunities and the factors affecting learning quality, using a cross-sectional mixed-methods survey of foundation doctors at a large UK teaching hospital (January–July 2015). We developed a questionnaire through the literature review, focus groups, pilot testing, and expert review, comprising nine five-point Likert items and three open-ended questions, and invited 33 foundation doctors to participate. Twenty-two trainees responded (66.67%) from general medicine (36.4%), general surgery (27.3%), and six other specialties. Educational ratings ranged from 2.91 to 3.45 out of five; treatment plan clarity scored highest (mean 3.45, SD 0.80) and professional behaviors scored lowest (mean 2.95, SD 0.84). Nineteen respondents (86%) gave free-text comments; thematic analysis, validated through member checking, identified five themes: structured teaching frameworks (73.7%), greater senior engagement (68.4%), protected educational time (57.9%), active junior participation beyond scribing (52.6%), and post-round debriefing (42.1%). Foundation doctors perceive ward rounds as moderately educational with substantial improvement potential; actionable targets include teaching checklists, explicit consultant teaching responsibilities, designated teaching time, active trainee roles, and regular feedback monitoring. Multi-center studies with objective learning outcome measures are needed to confirm intervention effectiveness.