Developing Enterprise Skills in Undergraduate Medical Students: A Mixed-methods Evaluation

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• While enterprise skills are supported by leaders, medical students' understanding is under-researched.
• This study addresses the gap in evaluating medical students' perception and application of enterprise skills.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess if medical students value enterprise skills during their course.
• To identify skills students recognize as contributing to enterprise practice in subsequent training.

Main Methods:

• A three-year mixed-methods study using quantitative end-of-course evaluations (n=895) and qualitative interviews.
• Interviews were conducted one year post-course with students and supervisors.

Main Results:

• Students initially valued skills like independent learning, creativity, and reflection.
• One year later, students struggled to transfer this knowledge or identify enterprise in practice.
• Beliefs regarding the value of enterprise skills in medicine were mixed.

Conclusions:

• Enterprise skills require explicit, ongoing reinforcement within the medical curriculum.
• Authentic, real-life examples are crucial for sustaining students' understanding of enterprise in medicine.