[Education effect of the simple suspension method training for fifth-year medical students]

The clinical training curriculum for fifth-year students of a school of medicine (Department of Medicine) includes training in clinical pharmacy, which is conducted by the Department of Pharmacy. Following training involving the simple suspension method, a survey was conducted to examine its effects to improve medical students' knowledge on the proper use of drugs. Forty-eight 5th-year students of Ehime University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, underwent training that employed the simple suspension method, and examinations were conducted prior to and following it to assess its effects. Following the training, the questionnaire results were analyzed using Quantification Theory Class II to examine whether knowledge acquired from it had motivated the students to use the simple suspension method. A correspondence structural analysis was also conducted to identify improvements in the training. The correct answer rate increased from 55.2±2.4% before to 83.8±1.7% after training, which supports its learning effects. The presence or absence of changes in disposition and the efficacy of the method for patients with dysphagia strongly motivated the medical students to use the method. As a future improvement, it is necessary to describe differences between the crushing and simple suspension methods during training. The results of a survey on training involving medical students conducted based on the simple suspension method suggested its learning effects and knowledge that motivated them to use the method.