A LUMP MODEL FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS' CLINICAL EVALUATION

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Clinical Skills Assessment

Background:

• Soft tissue masses are common, necessitating proficiency in physical examination for medical students.
• Limited patient encounters highlight the need for effective teaching and evaluation models.
• Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) is a key assessment tool for clinical competency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate graduating medical students' perceptions of a novel, low-cost lump model.
• To assess the model's utility in simulating physical examination findings for OSCEs.
• To identify areas for model improvement in clinical skills training.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was administered to final-year medical students following an OSCE using a low-cost lump model.
• 130 out of 160 students (81.3%) completed the questionnaire.
• Student perceptions regarding the model's ability to simulate various lump characteristics were collected.

Main Results:

• 87.5% of students passed the skills assessment using the model.
• 67.2% of students felt the model simulated a true lump.
• High agreement was found for demonstrating site, size, shape, and transillumination; lower agreement for tenderness, attachment, and warmth; disagreement for pulsatility.

Conclusions:

• Medical students generally reported a positive perception of the low-cost lump model for OSCEs.
• The model effectively demonstrated several key physical examination signs.
• Further model development is recommended to enhance the simulation of a broader range of clinical signs.