Strategies to Improve Bedside Clinical Skills Teaching

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Skills Training
• Patient-Physician Relationship

Background:

• The traditional bedside encounter is crucial but declining due to healthcare system pressures and the recent pandemic.
• Reduced patient-physician time negatively impacts clinical skills development and faculty confidence in bedside teaching.
• There is a need to revitalize bedside teaching and assessment to maintain high standards of medical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose actionable strategies for physicians and trainees to increase time spent in direct patient contact for clinical skills development.
• To re-emphasize the importance of the bedside encounter as a cornerstone of medical education and patient care.
• To provide practical recommendations for effective bedside teaching and assessment.

Main Methods:

• Recommending deliberate pausing and goal-setting before bedside encounters.
• Advocating for evidence-based, hypothesis-driven physical examinations.
• Encouraging the use of point-of-care technology, such as ultrasound, to enhance diagnosis and learning.
• Highlighting the value of telemedicine for patient engagement and home-environment assessments.
• Emphasizing the importance of specific, constructive feedback on clinical examination skills.

Main Results:

• Implementing these strategies can help reverse the decline in bedside teaching and improve clinical skills.
• Point-of-care ultrasound and telemedicine offer innovative ways to engage learners and patients.
• Structured feedback mechanisms are essential for skill refinement.
• Re-engaging with bedside teaching can foster excitement in learners and improve patient care.

Conclusions:

• Revitalizing the bedside encounter requires intentional strategies from educators and clinicians.
• Integrating technology and adapting to new modalities like telemedicine can support, not replace, traditional skills.
• Sustained focus on bedside teaching is vital for maintaining physician competency and effective patient care.