A peer-to-peer handoff tool to ease clerkship transitions

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Student Well-being
• Clinical Clerkships

Background:

• Frequent transitions between medical school core clinical rotations increase student anxiety and cognitive load.
• Limited formalized programs exist to support students during these critical transitions.
• Needs assessment revealed 85% of students desired rotation-specific information to reduce anxiety and enhance success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel web-based peer-to-peer handoff tool for medical students.
• To assess the tool's impact on student anxiety and preparedness for clinical rotations.

Main Methods:

• A web-based peer-to-peer handoff tool was created, listing recent student contacts for each clerkship.
• A handoff checklist with discussion points was provided.
• Students were encouraged to use the tool 1-2 weeks before new rotations.

Main Results:

• 83 students (66%) utilized the handoff tool, with decreasing use and efficacy over the clinical year.
• 65% of users reported reduced anxiety, and 74% felt transitions were eased by the tool's information.
• The tool demonstrated potential in preparing students for new rotations.

Conclusions:

• The peer-to-peer handoff tool can help medical students feel more prepared, decrease anxiety, and ease transitions during clerkships.
• This low-resource intervention is implementable at other institutions.
• Future improvements include an automated update system for sustainability.