Exploring Uncertainty Tolerance in Medical Students

Uncertainty is an intrinsic part of medical practice. How a person responds to uncertainties is known as their uncertainty tolerance, and is valued as a medical graduate attribute. Existing research has focussed on linking measured uncertainty tolerance with medical student demographics, but not exploring how students experience and manage uncertainty. Firstly, this thesis examined evidence for the accuracy of uncertainty tolerance measurement tools, finding these are significantly less accurate among students than doctors. Secondly, this thesis explored medical students’ experiences of uncertainty across time, and identified approaches that educators can use to support students’ uncertainty tolerance development.