Learning core clinical skills--a survey at 3 time points during medical education

It is generally unknown which clinical skills students acquire during medical education and which factors influence their levels of competence.

We asked German medical students how competent they felt in performing individual clinical skills.

Third year students evaluated their competence in clinical skills, on average, not better than 4.7 on a Likert scale ranging from 1 (= 'excellent') to 6 (= 'insufficient'). The average score for fifth year students was 4.1, for final-year students 3.3. Deficits in all groups of students were most prominent in communication skills and diagnostic skills.

These results are a plea for a structured curriculum including training courses to practice clinical skills.