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I am a US family physician who has had the privilege of conducting several ethnographies that explored how generalists approach daily practice concerns with patients.1-3 It was a true pleasure to read the recent BJGP issue that highlighted qualitative research.4
In the course of my own qualitative investigations, I have learned several lessons that directly apply to my clinical work with patients. Here are five favourites:
I encourage you, my UK colleagues (whether or not you have ever conducted an ethnographic study), to consider how you might appl...
I encourage you, my UK colleagues (whether or not you have ever conducted an ethnographic study), to consider how you might apply these and other lessons from qualitative research to your day-to-day work. You and your patients will benefit greatly!
References
1. Ventres W, Nichter M, Reed R, Frankel R. Limitation of medical care: an ethnographic analysis. J Clin Ethics.1993;4(2):134-145. 2. Ventres WB. Hearing the patient's story: exploring physician-patient communication using narrative case reports. Fam Pract Res J. 1994;14(2):141-149. 3. Ventres W. Kooeniga S, Marlin R, Vuckovic N, Nygren P, Stewart V. Physicians, patients, and the electronic health record: an ethnographic analysis. Ann Fam Med. 2006;4(2):124-131. doi: 10.1370/afm.425. 4. Lawson E. Celebrating qualitative Research. Br J Gen Pract. 2025;75(755):243. doi: 10.3399/bjgp25X742437. 5. Engel GL. How much longer must medicine’s science be bounded by a seventeenth century world view? In: White KL, ed. The Task of Medicine: Dialogue at Wickenburg. The Henry Kaiser Family Foundation; 1988:113–136.
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British Journal of General Practice
