Implementation of a Telemedicine Student Clinical Experience

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Digital Health
• Primary Care

Background:

• Academic medical centers are integrating new educational models.
• Telemedicine presents opportunities for clinical training.
• Evaluating new clinical experiences is crucial for curriculum development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a process evaluation of a newly implemented medical student telemedicine clinical experience.
• To assess patient, student, and primary care provider experiences with the telemedicine program.
• To evaluate patient recruitment, retention, and student skill development in a preclerkship telemedicine setting.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a telemedicine clinical experience for first-year medical students.
• Recruitment and retention monitoring of patients with multiple chronic diseases.
• Surveys for patients, students, and primary care providers; chart review for student performance (note writing); tracking referrals.

Main Results:

• 150 out of 408 contacted patients (36%) participated; 686 out of 1,053 scheduled visits (65%) were completed.
• 75% of patients were seen multiple times; 70% of patients reported improved communication with providers.
• 97% of students reported a positive experience; student note-writing skills improved over time.

Conclusions:

• The telemedicine clinical experience was widely accepted by patients, students, and primary care providers.
• Successful patient recruitment and retention were achieved.
• Students effectively practiced essential clinical skills using a telemedicine platform.