Related Experiment Videos
The pediatric internship as a teaching technique: a comparison of learning experiences in five hospitals
Insights
Interns in a collaborative study reported acquiring key clinical skills, particularly physical examination, during their internship year. Learning was enhanced through direct teaching and involvement with inpatients and rare disease cases.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Clinical Skills Development
- Internship Training
Background:
- Internship programs are crucial for developing clinical competencies.
- Assessing intern learning experiences provides insights into effective training strategies.
- Understanding patient demographics and care settings informs educational priorities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the learning experiences of five interns during their internship year.
- To identify the types of patient encounters and acquired skills.
- To determine factors influencing intern learning.
Main Methods:
- A collaborative study involving five interns.
- Data collection using a standardized 3x5-inch form for each patient encounter.
- Information gathered included patient demographics, teaching input, and skills acquired.
Main Results:
- Nearly 30% of patients were under one year old; 55% were boys.
- Over half of patient contacts occurred in outpatient or emergency departments.
- Physical examination skills were most frequently acquired (49%), followed by reading (15%) and interviewing (11%).
- Approximately 40% of encounters involved teaching from residents, attending physicians, or faculty.
- Enhanced learning was reported for inpatients, patients with rare diseases, and when teaching was involved.
Conclusions:
- Intern learning is significantly influenced by the presence of teaching and specific patient populations.
- The study highlights the importance of diverse patient encounters for skill acquisition.
- Optimizing intern education requires focusing on structured teaching and varied clinical experiences.
Abstract:
Five interns joined in a collaborative study to assess their learning experiences during the internship year. A 3 times 5-inch data form was completed for each patient for whom the intern was responsible. Information was gathered on demongraphic characteristics of the patient, the teaching that involved this patient, and what skills were acquired. Nearly 30% of the patients were under 1 year of age; 55% were boys. More than one half of the contacts were in an outpatient or emergency department. Over 80% of the patients had not been seen before; continuity patients made up less than 9% of the contacts. Well-child care was the largest care category (19%), followed by respiratory problems (15%) and injuries (9%). About 40% of the contacts involved a teaching input, mainly from residents, attending physicians, and faculty. Care skills most frequently acquired were physical examination (49%), reading (15%), and interviewing (11%). Cross-tabulations showed that most learning was reported for inpatients, for patients with rare diseases, and when some teaching was involved.