Learning opportunities in 'student assistantships'.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Postgraduate Training
• Clinical Skills Development

Background:

• UK final-year medical students undertake 'student assistantships' with first-year postgraduate doctors.
• These placements aim to provide practical experience before independent practice.
• This study evaluates learning opportunities during medicine and surgery assistantships.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the learning opportunities available to medical students during their assistantships.
• To compare 'desk-oriented' versus 'patient-oriented' learning experiences.
• To assess student and supervisor perceptions of the assistantship's educational value.

Main Methods:

• Online questionnaires administered to final-year medical students and their supervisors.
• Students reported on 15 learning opportunities: 'taken', 'missed', or 'not available'.
• Supervisors provided feedback on student learning and overall placement value.

Main Results:

• Higher response rates from supervisors (63%) than students (57%).
• Students reported more desk-based than patient-oriented learning opportunities, with higher uptake of desk-based tasks.
• Surgical placements had more missed opportunities than medical placements; some opportunities were unavailable.
• Students perceived varied experience, while supervisors generally felt students maximized their learning.

Conclusions:

• Student assistantships partially meet educational aims, but individual experiences differ significantly.
• 'Patient-oriented' learning opportunities are frequently missed or unavailable.
• Supervisors may overestimate the educational benefit, suggesting a need for improved management and delivery of these placements.