“Reverse mentoring not only bridges capability gaps but also enhances team dynamics. It reinforces the message that learning is a two way process, regardless of hierarchy”
1. Would you start with talking about your present experience as a Junior Resident and how the digital technologies are impacting your clinical training and patient care?
As a paediatric junior resident, I find myself constantly juggling emergencies, ward duties, and study. Digital media have had a revolutionary impact in enabling me to deal with this complexity. From clinical decision apps to patient record tracking via EMRs, or virtual journal clubs, digital platforms have become my go-to for day-to-day practice. They don’t just enable accuracy in care but also speed, which is crucial in paediatrics where conditions can turn for the worse very rapidly.
2. From your early-career clinician perspective, what trends have you observed to be the differences in digital adoption between various age groups in healthcare?
The differences are pretty obvious. The young doctors, like interns and junior residents, tend to be quick to adopt digital methods— we’ve grown up with technology, after all, so we tend to default to it. The mid-level professionals have inconsistent use; some use EMRs and messaging systems but still keep a paper note. The older professionals will cling to the old methods, like voice commands and paper notes. It’s not resistance, though, but a comfort zone. They weren’t trained using digital methods, so it can be daunting.
3. How has digital literacy impacted your ability to collaborate with others, keep up with current information, or enhance patient care?
It has facilitated teamwork. For example, I can record a patient’s progress in real time on our shared platform, so that colleagues and consultants can respond in real time. It facilitates remote second opinions—something that is critical in the aftermath of emergencies. For that matter, with access to contemporary guidelines, research articles, and case repositories in digital format, care becomes evidence-based. Digital literacy has overall made me a better, more confident clinician.
4. Have you had experiences where a lack of adequate digital skills among mid- or late-career staff resulted in issues with workflow, communication, or clinical effectiveness?
Indeed, quite a number. For example, on hectic ward rounds, when senior physicians are not at ease with using the EMR, we sometimes have delays in viewing or inputting vital information. I have also seen paper reports substituted for electronic dashboards, which could lead to trend data being excluded. Although such exclusions do not indicate a lack of care or dedication, they indicate that more thorough digital upskilling is required.
5. Why do you believe digital literacy will be an important workforce priority in healthcare, and not an add-on skill?
Because healthcare is becoming more reliant on digital infrastructure. From diagnosis to tracking, communication to follow- up with patients—nearly every step now uses technology. Without fundamental digital literacy, there is a potential for inefficiencies, breakdown in communications, or even mistakes. But more importantly, digital literacy is tied to equity. When only a subset of the staff is trained to use digital tools, it clogs up the system’s overall capacity for timely and quality care.
6. What are some of the most common issues that experienced practitioners face when adopting new digital platforms in clinical settings?
Maybe the greatest obstacle is unfamiliarity with interfaces. The majority of platforms are quite non-intuitive, especially for a person who didn’t grow up doing a lot of work on computers or smartphones. And then there is fear of making mistakes—doing work with unfamiliar dashboards under time pressure can be intimidating. There is also a psychological barrier—most senior staff members believe digital tools encroach on their entrenched habits. Some also believe that too much screen time detracts from face-to-face patient interaction.
7. How can training programs be designed to facilitate digital upskilling without overloading or alienating existing staff?
The learning has to be experiential, respectful, and empathetic. Instead of generic technology lectures, targeted micro-learning like “how to do discharge summaries electronically” or “working with EMR lab results” can make it feasible. The sessions have to be friendly, ideally with the help of junior staff already experientially familiar with the platforms. First and foremost, focus has to be on how these tools help them and not replace their abilities. Recognition of progress and small successes also enhances confidence.
8. Do you see how reverse mentoring, in which younger professionals take the lead in mentoring their older counterparts to utilise digital tools, can close the gap?
Indeed. I’ve actually taken some of my seniors through hospital systems and mobile apps. It’s not instruction—it’s giving back. And we pick up so much along the way from their clinical judgement, patient management, and decision-making. Reverse mentoring not only bridges capability gaps but also enhances team dynamics. It reinforces the message that learning is a two-way process, regardless of hierarchy.
9. Which of the following digital channels (e.g., electronic medical records, telemedicine, mobile health apps) has the largest generation gap in your organisation?
EMRs have the greatest gap. The majority of seniors would still prefer paper entries, especially initially. Telemedicine is another example—junior physicians readily acquire video consultation, but some older physicians are wary, especially if they feel physical examinations are compromised. Mobile drug calculators and medical applications are surprisingly welcomed well because they provide immediate usefulness, even to less technology-savvy individuals.
10. What is the institution’s role in mainstreaming digital learning in continuous professional development?
Institutions must own digital transformation. That is, providing formal, regular training as part of continuing professional development—not ad hoc workshops. There must be mentorship schemes, feedback mechanisms, and volunteer help desks for digital questions. Hospitals must also factor in digital skills in performance reviews—not to chastise, but to build. The message must be explicit: digital education is as important as clinical refreshers.
11. How are digital literacy activities to be integrated with the experience and clinical judgement of skilled ealthcare professionals?
The solution is in partnership, not replacement. Senior staff, for instance, need to be engaged in the development of digital documentation templates to ensure that the format is based on clinical acumen, not entry of data. Their input can be used to drive alerts, workflows, and clinical pathways from digital systems. And with experienced clinicians as champions of safe and effective tech uptake, it adds credibility and fosters broader uptake.
12. Finally, what do you want to say to new and established healthcare practitioners about embracing digital tools as a key step towards best practice delivery?
Digital literacy is not something that belongs to a generation—it’s a shared set of skills that strengthens the system overall. To young professionals: show respect for your elders’ experience and share your technical expertise to and fro. To senior clinicians: embrace digital tools as an addition to your care, not a disturbance. And lastly, when we marry technological ability with clinical wisdom, we care for our patients better, we communicate better, and we build a truly collaborative workforce.