The Changing Face of Healthcare:
Appreciating Generational Diversity
in Experiential Education
2016 ECER Conference
Breckenridge, CO
October 16, 2016
Regis University Rueckert-Hartman College for Health Professions School of Pharmacy
&
University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences
We are the experiential teams for Regis and University
of Colorado Schools of Pharmacy and we have no
conflicts of interest to disclose
Objectives
• Identify characteristics, values, and behaviors of different generations
• Create inclusive working and learning environments to facilitate the
educational experiences for all students
• Develop tools to communicate more effectively with those in
generations other than your own
Collaborative Commitment
• To be more effective in our interpersonal interactions
• To understand and appreciate certain behaviors better
• To tailor communication techniques to deliver clear expectations
• To continue to educate ourselves in the evolution of people
So where is the challenge?
Who is involved in the challenge?
• Supervisors
• Co-workers
Image credit: www.insurancejournal.com
• Patients
• Students
Image credit: www.aachonline.org
Image credit: Fundbox
Generation Defined
• A “generation” is defined as a group of people who share
the same formative experiences
• Most frequently, birth year is used to define a generation
as about a 20-year span
• Each generation shares a unique set of values and traits
• However, generational characteristics are not universally
shared by all in that group
• Those born on the ‘cusp’ may have a blended set of
characteristics
Bova, B. (1993).
Generations Defined
Generation
Born
Age of adults in 2016
The Greatest Generation
Before 1928
88-100+
The Silent Generation
1928-1945
70-87
Baby Boomers
1946-1964
51-69
Generation X
1965-1980
35-50
The Millennial Generation
1981-1997
19-35
Pew Research Center, 2015
Seminal Events
Generation
Seminal Events
Silent
WWII, The Great Depression, The New Deal, Korean War, Rise of
Labor Unions, the discovery of penicillin
Baby Boomer
Salk Vaccine tested on pubic, Rosa Parks refuses to move to back
of bus, Congress passes Civil Rights Act, birth control pills
introduced, JFK elected, Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F.
Kennedy assassinated, first moon landing, Woodstock
Generation X
Intel’s first chip invented, first email system, personal computer
introduced, CDC’s first report on AIDS, Reagan assassination
attempt, Challenger explosion, World Trade Center Bombing,
Hurricane Katrina
Millennial
Rise of computers and technology, rise of social media, school
violence, Desert Storm, Oklahoma City Bombings, Google, early
exposure to adult issues, diversity, Ebola
Schuman H, Rodgers W. 2004; Smola KW, 2002
Generational characteristics
Silent
Baby Boomer
Generation X
Millennial
Practical
Optimistic
Skeptical
Cautious
Work ethic
Dedicated
Driven
Free Agent
Self-Centered
View of authority
Respectful
Pay your dues
Competence
Respect must be earned
Communications
Formal memo
In person
Email or voicemail
Text/Social Media
(Instagram,
Twitter,Facebook)
Relationships
Self-sacrifice
Personal gratification
Reluctance to commit
Inclusive
Work-Life Balance
“Don’t get it”
Responsible for
balancing everyone else
Want it now
Flexibility and options
“No news is good news”
“Once a year, with lots
of documentation”
“Sorry to interrupt, but
how am I doing?”
“Whenever I want or
seek it”
Outlook
Perception of feedback
Zemke R, et al. 2000
Specific generational differences
• Communication styles and expectations
• Work styles
• Attitudes about work-life balance
• Use of technology
• Views regarding loyalty and authority
• Acceptance of change
Image credit: cdn2.hubspot.net
Workforce Statistics by Generation
Pew Research Center, 2015.
Educational Trends
• Gender: By 2021, women are projected to earn 58% of bachelor’s,
62% of master’s and 51% of doctorate and professional degrees
• Information gathering: 40% of students reported that the television
was their primary source of obtaining news, 34% from websites, 11%
from newspapers, and 8% from radio
• Leisure: Today’s college grads have spent less than 5,000 hours of
their lives reading but over 10,000 hours playing video games and
over 20,000 hours watching TV
• Technology: In 1990 the student-computer ratio in the classroom was
20 to 1; in 2009, the ratio of students to computers was 5.3 to 1
• Grade inflation
NCES, 2014.
Key Medical Gender Demographics
• In 2010, a higher percentage of females than men were employed in a
medical profession
• Women comprise half of the new medical school graduates
• In 2012, 74% of physicians were male, 26% were female
• In 2014, 67% were male, 33% were female
• In 2014, 12% of physicians, both male and female, opted for part-time
careers, nearly half for family reasons
NCES, 2014; America’s Physicians Survey 2014
Get out of your comfort zone…
• TBL Style of Arrangement for Group Discussions
Image credit: Thinkstock
Working with Baby Boomers
Characteristics
Things to consider
• Largest generation
• Optimistic
• Skewed work-life balance
• Brought up in competitive
environment
• Will revolutionize retirement
• “Work ethic” and “Loyalty” are
synonymous
• Recognize their experience as a
valuable asset
• Use them as mentors
• Recognize role overload and
conflicting demands
• Assist with time demands
• Not comfortable with working at
speed of technology
Zemke R, et al, 2000.
Working with Generation X
Characteristics
• Dedicated to people, projects,
ideas and tasks, but not longevity
and lifetime employment
• Parallel thinkers
• Independent and resourceful
• Comfortable with diversity
• Direct with feedback and requests
• Accepting of change
• “Want it now!”
Zemke R, et al, 2000.
Things to consider
• They like and want flexibility
• Want to be developed
• Want to be engaged
• Want affiliation
• Want others to “lighten up”
• Want to be appreciated
• Want balance
Working with Millennials
Characteristics
Things to consider
• Using computers since Pre-K
• E-Learners
• In a state of continuous partial
attention
• Used to instant communication and
feedback
• Accustomed to giving feedback
• Optimistic
• Oriented toward collective action
• SPEED
• Will change jobs every 2-4 years
• More free agents
• Hop-scotch approach will replace linear
career pathing
• Expect to work 8-10 years then seek
extended time off, like a sabbatical
• Technology allows them to work
remotely
• May not want to work traditional hours
but will be dedicated to completing a
task
Myers KK, 2010.
Think-Pair-Share
Within your table think of examples when you have had challenges
working with a member of another generation in one of the following
areas:
-Mentoring
-Engagement
-Learning Styles
-Productivity
-Recognition
-Feedback
-Communication
-Professionalism
Discussion Questions
• What are ways to bridge the generations?
• How is your work environment adapting to different generations?
• In what ways could you effectively communicate your expectations
for any generation student?
• What learning models might best fit a generation different than
yours?
• Provide an example of a way that you would give feedback to a
student who is older (second career) vs. a millennial?
Suggestions or Quick Tips
• Keep an open-mind about the generations of students. Look for ways to
bridge the generations, not ways to label them (no stereotypes!)
• Engage them in continual professional development - think of ways to
move from knowledge sharing to application of expertise
• Model the critical thinking processes you want to see
• Be mindful of feedback and what it means to you versus what it may mean
to the students you are educating (tailor feedback to the individual)
“If information is used to pigeonhole people, it will
become a dangerous weapon.”
Bova, B. (1993).
Bottom Line
• Wishing people were more like you is not a strategy – need to adapt
• Respect work-life balance and know how that might differ to each person
• Utilize reverse mentoring, there is always something to learn from someone
• Conduct a demographic audit of your current practice environment/patient
population to understand the preferences of those you work with
• Don’t try to manage the generation – instead, lead and engage the
individual.
Questions?
Image credit: fyi.uwex.edu/youthadultpartnership.com
References
•
Bova, B. Education that Promotes Democracy in Multicultural Society. Leadership in Schools. University of Oxford, 1993.
•
Millennials Surpass Gen Xers as the Largest Generation in U.S. Labor Force. Pew Research Center. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/05/11/millennials-surpass-genxers-as-the-largest-generation-in-u-s-labor-force/ft_15-05-11_millennialslargest/ Published May 8, 2015. Accessed March 22.2016.
•
Schuman H, Rodgers W. Cohorts, Chronology, and Collective Memories. American Association for Public Opinion Research. Public Opinion Quarterly. 2004: 68, 2.
•
Smola KW, Sutton CD. Generational differences: revisiting generational work values for the new millennium. J Organiz Behav. 2002: 23, 363-382.
•
Zemke R, Raines C, Filipczak B. Generations at Work: Managing the Clash of Veterans, Boomers, Xers, and Nexters in Your Workplace. New York, N.Y.: American Management
Association, 2000.
•
A Profile of Older Americans: 2012. http://www.aoa.gov/Aging_Statistics/Profile/2012/docs/2012profile.pdf Accessed March 22.2016.
•
Gordon, Edward E. The 2010 meltdown: Solving the impending jobs crisis. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2005.
•
National Center for Education Statistics. Degrees conferred by degree-grating postsecondary institutions, by level of degree and sex of student: Selected years 1869-70 through
2023-24. http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d13/tables/dt13_318.10.asp Accessed March 22, 2016.
•
National Center for Education Statistics. Percentage of 18-24 year-olds enrolled in degree-granting institutions, by level of institution and sex and race/ethnicity of student: 1967
through 2012. http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d13/tables/dt13_302.60.asp Accessed March 22, 2016.
•
National Center for Education and Statistics. Educational Technology rates. http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=46 Accessed March 22, 2016.
•
National Center for Education and Statistics. Higher Education: Gaps in Access and Persistence Study. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2012/2012046/chapter7_4.asp Accessed March 22,
2016.
•
The Physician Foundation 2014 Survey of America’s Physicians.
http://www.physiciansfoundation.org/uploads/default/2014_Physicians_Foundation_Biennial_Physician_Survey_Report.pdf Published September, 2014. Accessed March 22,
2016.
•
The Millenials Are Coming. http://grmworks.com/the-millennials-are-coming/ Accessed March 22, 2016.
•
Myers KK, Sadaghiani K. Millennials in the Workplace: A Communication Perspective on Millennials’ Organizational Relationships and Performance. J Bus Psychol 2010: 25; 225238.