Attitudes toward the physical examination: a comparison of U.S. and Dominican medical students

Little information exists regarding whether medical students learning in relatively resource-scarce countries develop greater confidence in their physical examination skills or whether, compared to U.S. medical students, they have more positive attitudes regarding the utility of the physical examination.

To compare U.S. And Dominican medical students' attitudes toward the physical examination.

We surveyed final-year students at 1 medical school in the United States and 1 in the Dominican Republic regarding self-confidence in and perceived utility of the physical examination. Using 5-point Likert-type scales with response choices ranging from 1 (not at all confident) to 5 (very confident) and 1 (not at all useful) to 5 (very useful), respondents reported their attitudes toward the physical examination overall and toward 14 specific physical examination skills.

The survey response rate was 117/164 (71%). Students at the Dominican school, compared to students at the U.S. school, reported significantly greater confidence in their overall physical examination skill (mean response 4.27 vs. 3.79, respectively, p < .001) and more positive views about the utility of the physical examination overall for providing diagnostically useful information (mean response 4.78 vs. 4.42, respectively, p < .001). Results for the specific skills also showed more positive attitudes in the students from the Dominican medical school.

Students at a Dominican medical school reported more positive attitudes toward the physical examination than students at a U.S. medical school.