Telemedicine Competencies in Family Medicine Clerkships: A CERA Study

While the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) designated cross-disciplinary telemedicine competencies, curricular implementation is at disparate stages across medical schools and with significant curricular gaps. We investigated factors associated with the presence of telemedicine curriculum in family medicine clerkships.

Data were evaluated as part of the 2022 CERA survey of family medicine clerkship directors (CD). Participants answered questions about telemedicine curriculum in their clerkship, including whether it was required or optional, whether telemedicine competencies were assessed, the availability of faculty expertise, volume of visits, student autonomy in visits, CD's attitude about the importance of telemedicine education, and awareness of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine's (STFM) Telemedicine Curriculum.

Ninety-four of 159 CDs (59.1%) responded to the survey. Over one-third of FM clerkships (38, 41.3%) did not teach telemedicine and most CDs (59, 62.8%) did not assess competencies. The presence of telemedicine curriculum was positively associated with CDs' awareness of STFM's Telemedicine Curriculum (P=.032), attitude of CDs toward importance of telemedicine teaching (P=.007), higher level of learner autonomy in telemedicine visits (P=.035), and private medical schools (P=.020).

Almost two-thirds of clerkships (62.8%) did not assess telemedicine competencies, and fewer than one-third of CDs (28.6%) considered telemedicine education as important as other clerkship topics. CDs' attitudes were a significant determinant of whether teaching of telemedicine skills occurred. Awareness of telemedicine education resources and higher learner autonomy in telemedicine encounters may promote integration into clerkship curriculum.