A critical study of the student interns' practice activities in a chiropractic college teaching clinic.

The diagnoses and treatment provided for 2000 patients attending a chiropractic college teaching clinic are described. The relationship between presenting complaint and the diagnostic and treatment procedures used is examined. Inconsistencies were noted with regard to interns' practice activities. Certain therapeutic modalities were clearly underutilized. Interns rarely sought advice or help in diagnosis or treatment, and they were generally unable to successfully predict the number of treatments that would be required. Support is given that links these findings to the fact that patients are not truly representative of patients seen by chiropractors in the field; they are relatively young, with mild complaints. The study concludes that students' clinical training and experience may not reach the level at which they will be tested by patient problems in active practice after graduation. Three alternatives to the current clinical teaching model are presented.