Learning Through Oral Case Presentations and Impact on Medical Students' Clinical Training and Career Development: A...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Internal Medicine
• Career Development

Background:

• Oral case presentations at academic conferences (OCPCs) offer valuable learning experiences for medical students during clinical clerkships (CCs).
• The specific educational impact and long-term benefits of OCPCs for students remain under-researched.
• This study investigates the significance of OCPCs and their influence on clinical clerkships, residency, and career trajectories.

Purpose of the Study:

• To clarify the educational significance of OCPCs during medical training.
• To explore the impact of OCPCs on clinical clerkships, residency, and career development.
• To understand how OCPCs influence specialty selection and academic engagement.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods approach combining questionnaires and interviews with physicians who completed OCPCs during internal medicine clerkships.
• Questionnaire data assessed learning experiences and perceived impacts.
• Interview data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis and the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) framework.

Main Results:

• Physicians perceived OCPCs as highly beneficial for clinical clerkships and residency.
• Key benefits included enhanced presentation skills, improved clinical practice, and stronger relationships with supervisors.
• OCPCs influenced career development, with participants selecting specialties aligned with their presentations, increasing motivation for academic activities.

Conclusions:

• OCPCs enhance presentation skills, clinical practice, and professional relationships during clinical clerkships.
• OCPCs can influence specialty choice, promote academic and educational engagement, and provide long-term benefits for training and career development.
• OCPCs may foster self-efficacy, aligning with Social Cognitive Career Theory principles.