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Writing-skills development in the health professions
Richard E Rawson1, Kathleen M Quinlan, Barry J Cooper
1Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA. rer1@cornell.edu
Teaching and Learning in Medicine
|July 27, 2005
Summary
Medical students improved writing skills, particularly in using appropriate medical terminology, through weekly exercises. Further practice is needed to meet proficiency standards outlined by the rubric.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Scientific Writing
Background:
- Medical students often exhibit insufficient writing skills for academic and professional demands.
- Discipline-specific writing requirements hinder the development of generalizable writing competencies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of a structured writing intervention on medical students' writing quality.
- To evaluate writing proficiency using a defined rubric in a basic science course.
Main Methods:
- Implemented weekly "Question of the Week" writing assignments over 6 weeks.
- Utilized a rubric assessing Comprehensiveness/Thoroughness, Accuracy, Conciseness, Logical Organization, Justification of Assertions, and Use of Appropriate Terminology.
Main Results:
- Writing scores improved in most categories from Week 1 to Week 2, excluding Justification of Assertions and Accuracy.
- Only the Use of Appropriate Terminology score continued to increase after Week 2.
Conclusions:
- Enhanced ability to use medical terminology appropriately was the most significant writing development observed.
- The study highlights the need for sustained practice to achieve desired writing proficiency in medical education.
- Weekly exercises covering diverse body systems demonstrated the challenge and importance of mastering specialized terminology.