The SWOT analysis is a versatile tool that is used to evaluate your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in a particular area. It can be used on almost anything you are trying to evaluate and is especially useful in medicine, for the purposes of this learning resource I have focused it on starting a new specialty placement.
When to write a SWOT analysis
At the beginning of a new placement.
At the beginning of the academic year.
Mid-way through a placement.
Non-medical development opportunities such as a skill (e.g. playing a violin).
Starting up your own society/ club in medical school or hospital.
At the beginning of the SWOT analysis
Identify the reason for the SWOT analysis and describe it clearly. This helps to set the scene for anyone who reads it and keeps you focused on what to write in each category.
For example: This SWOT analysis is to assist in learning new knowledge and skills during my first cardiology placement as a doctor.
Strengths
Areas that you perform well relating to the placement.
A list of possible skills can include but is not restricted to the following: communication skills (e.g. breaking bad news training in an oncology placement), procedural skills (ability to close wounds in a surgical placement), teaching/ supervising juniors and prior experience in the specialty.
After identifying a strength briefly explain where you gained this skill and how you can use it on that placement.
For example: I have completed a postgraduate certificate in medical education and I can use the skills I gained to ensure that the teaching I deliver every Tuesday for the medical students on placement will be of a high quality.
Weaknesses
This can be areas that you have no prior experience or limited experience in.
This can include procedures that you will need to perform during the placement but not yet had the training.
For example: I have not performed a lumbar puncture before and this will be needed to assess suspected cases of meningitis in the emergency department.
Opportunities
In this section you can list the opportunities that are available on the placement and resources that will be made available to you (this is often in any induction document that you receive).
This can include formal teaching sessions including simulation and skills teaching, opportunities to learn how to do procedures, online resources that become available, ward rounds with seniors.
Include how you can use the opportunity and gain new skills or knowledge.
For example: I can learn how to perform lumbar punctures in patients firstly by observing and then performing it under supervision.
This can often be linked to any weaknesses you identified and it is ideal to turn this into an opportunity for learning.
Threats
This is anything that can impair your ability to achieving your action plans.
This can include rostering restrictions to attend courses at short notice and very busy wards where the senior doctors may not be able to spend a lot of time supervising a new procedure.
For example: I may not be able to perform many lumbar punctures as the senior doctor who needs to supervise me may have multiple unwell patients and has to perform it themselves.
Formulating action plans
The best way to describe an action plan from the SWOT analysis is to write them as SMART plans (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time orientated).
Being specific makes it easier to plan a method to meet the target.
If it is measurable you can show evidence that the target was met (e.g. certificate of completion of an e-learning module).
Goals need to be achievable so that you are not using a disproportionate amount of time and energy trying to meet a goal that does not have a huge impact on your development.
Goals need to be relevant for the placement that you are writing for as the aim is to gain as much as possible in different areas of medicine as ultimately having a varied set of skills will make you a better doctor.
All goals need to be time orientated, usually the deadlines are a couple of months, which helps you pace your learning through this time as opposed to rushing to complete everything at the end. Having a shorter time frame to complete the action plans also gives you space to review plans that are difficult to achieve and seek help from your supervisor.
Summary
The usefulness of the SWOT analysis is dependent on your effort into writing it and then using it as a guide to achieve the action plans that you have set in place. It is recommended to think carefully and ensure that the points in each category are specific rather than generic. To seek additional help to achieving the action plans you can discuss them with your supervisor, and if this done at the beginning of the placement it will be easier for them to help you achieve your goals.
Reference
1. Krogerus, M and Tschäppeler, R 2017, The Decisions Book, Profile Books LTD, London.
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