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A process evaluation of a required primary care clerkship
L L Walter1, S C Zweig, M C Hosokawa
1Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia School of Medicine.
Family Medicine
|September 1, 1991
Summary
This study evaluated a new primary care clerkship for medical students. Case presentations and questioning dominated student-preceptor interactions, with students spending significant time with patients.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Primary Care Training
- Process Evaluation
Background:
- Developing effective primary care clerkships is crucial for medical training.
- Optimizing student-preceptor interactions enhances learning outcomes.
- Process evaluations are vital for refining new educational programs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To guide faculty in developing a new required primary care clerkship.
- To analyze the time allocation and verbal content of student-preceptor interactions.
- To inform improvements in the primary care clerkship structure and delivery.
Main Methods:
- A process evaluation was conducted over eight months.
- Time and motion analysis observed 23 medical students.
- Verbal content analysis focused on student-preceptor interactions during patient presentations.
Main Results:
- Students spent 44% of clinic time with patients, 21% with preceptors, and 13% waiting.
- Case presentations comprised 50% of student-preceptor interaction time.
- Questioning (16%) and management recommendations (13%) were other key verbal behaviors.
Conclusions:
- The findings provide insights into the structure of primary care clerkships.
- Understanding time allocation and interaction patterns can optimize medical student training.
- This evaluation supports the refinement of the new primary care clerkship.