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Preparing MD-PhD students for clinical rotations: navigating the interface between PhD and MD training
Charles Goldberg1, Paul A Insel
1University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, USA. charles.goldberg@va.gov
Summary
Reimmersion programs (RPs) help MD-PhD students bridge the gap between research and clinical training. RPs enhance clinical skills and reduce anxiety, improving readiness for patient care.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Translational Science
Background:
- MD-PhD programs face challenges in preparing students for translational clinician-scientist roles.
- A significant hurdle is the transition from intensive PhD research back to clinical rotations, where MD-PhD students exhibit skill deficits compared to MD-only peers.
Discussion:
- Reimmersion programs (RPs) offer a structured approach to address these clinical skill gaps.
- RPs incorporate diverse activities like clinical exam review, objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), and supervised patient care to bolster readiness.
- MD-PhD students report feeling underprepared due to extended periods away from clinical environments, impacting their confidence in patient interactions.
Key Insights:
- MD-PhD students experience a decline in clinical skills during their PhD studies.
- RPs effectively enhance participants' comfort and competence in patient examination and communication.
- These programs can significantly reduce anxiety associated with clinical encounters.
Outlook:
- RPs show promise in optimizing the transition from PhD research to clinical training in dual-degree programs.
- Further investigation and implementation of RPs are crucial for improving the overall educational experience for MD-PhD students.
- Addressing critical transition points is key to fostering successful clinician-scientists.
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