Doctor in never-ending dispute? It's a pattern! (5)

I believe the answer is:

motif

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'a pattern' is the definition.
(motif is a kind of pattern)

'doctor in never-ending dispute?' is the wordplay.
'doctor in' becomes 'mo' (medical officer. I am not sure about the 'in' bit.).
'never ending' means to remove the last letter.
'dispute?' becomes 'tiff' (tiff is a kind of dispute).
'tiff' with its last letter taken away is 'tif'.
'mo'+'tif'='MOTIF'

'it's' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for motif that I've seen before include "Distinctive idea or theme" , "Theme in a work of art" , "Theme or melody" , "artistic figure" , "Recurring pattern" .)

I've seen this clue in The Irish Times.

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