Medical students' experiences in medical emergency procedures upon qualification.

The experiences of eighty-five final-year medical students in twenty practical procedures identified as relevant to medical emergencies were registered. Notable differences between exposures to some of these procedures within and outside teaching situations were found. Instruction must be seen as inadequate prior to first performance in real-life situations. Experiences in cardiopulmonary resuscitation were acceptable, however, while exposures to procedures with special equipment, e.g. lumbar puncture or bladder catheterization, were variable. It is concluded that opportunities may be increased by expanding already existing scheduled activities and by spending more time on planning and organization. Examples or activities in order to increase students' experiences in practical procedures during medical school are given and discussed. The problem of assessment of practical competence is pointed out as is also the need for a clear definition of the teaching objectives.