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Implementation of a smoking cessation counseling module in a preceptorship program
Linda Z Nieman1, Mary M Velasquez, Janet Y Groff
1Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA. linda.z.nieman@uth.tmc.edu
Family Medicine
|February 4, 2005
Summary
Preclinical medical students effectively learned and applied patient-centered smoking cessation counseling skills during family medicine preceptorships. This training enhanced their confidence and competence in tobacco control interventions.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Public Health
- Tobacco Control
Background:
- Family medicine preceptorships offer valuable but underutilized opportunities for training smoking cessation counseling skills.
- A patient-centered instructional module was implemented in the Texas Statewide Family Practice Preceptorship Program to equip students for tobacco prevention roles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effectiveness of a focused training module in teaching preclinical medical students to screen for tobacco use and provide smoking cessation counseling.
- To evaluate the students' acquired knowledge, self-efficacy, and practical skills in delivering brief motivational interventions within a community preceptorship setting.
Main Methods:
- Seventy-eight preclinical medical students received training in tobacco screening and motivational interviewing for smoking cessation.
- Students practiced these skills under the supervision of community preceptors, with program evaluation focusing on documentation of screening, knowledge/self-efficacy gains, and intervention performance.
Main Results:
- 54 out of 78 students screened 1,891 patients, identifying 593 tobacco users and providing interventions for 539 (91%) within 5-10 minutes per session.
- A significant increase (over 50%) was observed in students' self-reported knowledge and confidence in conducting smoking cessation counseling post-training.
Conclusions:
- Focused training enables preclinical medical students to successfully acquire and apply patient-centered tobacco screening and cessation counseling skills.
- Community preceptorships can effectively integrate this training, benefiting both busy preceptors and students preparing for tobacco control roles.