INTRODUCTION: Many students, while performing clinical skills such as medical interviewing/ communication, physical examination, and procedural tasks, have never been observed by faculty members or residents. This study aimed to explore the relationships between final-year medical students' self-reported confidence and the frequency of direct observation by faculty member or resident while conducting these clinical skills. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical students at China Medical University in Taiwan participated in the survey. Before graduating, they were asked to answer a questionnaire about (1) their confidence in performing 17 clinical skills including medical interviewing/communication, physical examination, and procedural tasks, and (2) the number of times they had been directly observed by faculty members or residents during student-patient encounters. RESULTS: Many students reported never having been observed by a faculty member while they performed history taking/communication (46% to 84%), physical examination (36% to 42%), or procedural tasks (41% to 81%). It was found that residents had observed the students more frequently than the faculty members. The correlations between self-reported confidence and the corresponded direct observation were small to medium but significant. However, no difference was found between observation by a faculty member and by a resident. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed that many medical students have not been directly observed in clinical training; and that those who were observed more often, expressed more self-reported confidence. Some assessment measures, which focus on direct observation and feedback during student-patient encounters, may improve the students' confidence.
INTRODUCTION: Many students, while performing clinical skills such as medical interviewing/ communication, physical examination, and procedural tasks, have never been observed by faculty members or residents. This study aimed to explore the relationships between final-year medical students' self-reported confidence and the frequency of direct observation by faculty member or resident while conducting these clinical skills. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical students at China Medical University in Taiwan participated in the survey. Before graduating, they were asked to answer a questionnaire about (1) their confidence in performing 17 clinical skills including medical interviewing/communication, physical examination, and procedural tasks, and (2) the number of times they had been directly observed by faculty members or residents during student-patient encounters. RESULTS: Many students reported never having been observed by a faculty member while they performed history taking/communication (46% to 84%), physical examination (36% to 42%), or procedural tasks (41% to 81%). It was found that residents had observed the students more frequently than the faculty members. The correlations between self-reported confidence and the corresponded direct observation were small to medium but significant. However, no difference was found between observation by a faculty member and by a resident. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed that many medical students have not been directly observed in clinical training; and that those who were observed more often, expressed more self-reported confidence. Some assessment measures, which focus on direct observation and feedback during student-patient encounters, may improve the students' confidence.
Authors: Henry N Young; Jayna B Schumacher; Megan A Moreno; Roger L Brown; Ted D Sigrest; Gwen K McIntosh; Daniel J Schumacher; Michelle M Kelly; Elizabeth D Cox Journal: Acad Med Date: 2012-06 Impact factor: 6.893
Authors: Hans Martin Bosse; Jonathan Mohr; Beate Buss; Markus Krautter; Peter Weyrich; Wolfgang Herzog; Jana Jünger; Christoph Nikendei Journal: BMC Med Educ Date: 2015-02-19 Impact factor: 2.463
Authors: Gunther Weitz; Christian Vinzentius; Christoph Twesten; Hendrik Lehnert; Hendrik Bonnemeier; Inke R König Journal: GMS Z Med Ausbild Date: 2014-11-17