Resources for clinical learning environment orientation.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Learning Environments
• Healthcare Professional Development

Background:

• Clinical learning environments (CLEs) present unique challenges for learner orientation.
• Existing models often lack practical guidance for orienting learners to new CLEs.
• Effective orientation is crucial for safe patient care and foundational learning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the gap in practical orientation resources for CLEs.
• To develop materials supporting both supervisors and learners in the orientation process.
• To enhance the onboarding experience for medical trainees.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of CLE literature to identify critical orientation content.
• Interviews with high-performing residents to gather best practices.
• Synthesis of information into an infographic and an online onboarding module.
• User surveys to assess the effectiveness of the online module.

Main Results:

• Developed a structured approach to CLE orientation, categorized by "why, who, what, when, where, and how."
• Created an infographic and online module integrated into institutional onboarding.
• 90% of surveyed residents (112/124) reported improved ability to orient themselves or others to a CLE.

Conclusions:

• Created broadly applicable resources for educators and learners to improve CLE orientation.
• The developed materials facilitate understanding of essential features, resources, and expectations in new CLEs.
• The resources support consistent and effective onboarding across diverse clinical settings and learner types.