Back to the future: teaching medical students clinical procedures

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Skills Training
• Simulation-Based Learning

Background:

• Undergraduate clinical procedure training has shifted towards simulation.
• Simulation was intended to supplement, not replace, hands-on patient experience.
• Initiatives aim to rebalance simulation with experiential learning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of an undergraduate clinical skills training program.
• To assess the need for changes in teaching and learning strategies.
• To analyze student performance, self-efficacy, and self-awareness in key procedures.

Main Methods:

• Performance-based assessment of 64 medical students in four procedures.
• Electronic questionnaire and self-efficacy ratings from 130 students.
• Analysis of outcomes-based data, including competence and self-assessment.

Main Results:

• Students excelled in venepuncture but struggled with IV cannulation, BM stix measurement, and IV set priming.
• A significant portion of students did not meet competence standards in these procedures.
• A low correlation (0.36) was found between self-efficacy and competence, indicating poor self-assessment.

Conclusions:

• Final-year medical students often overestimate their skills and lack self-awareness.
• There is a clear need to improve students' self-awareness regarding their clinical competence.
• Promoting ward-based learning is recommended to enhance practical skills and self-assessment.