Assessment of undergraduate general practice teaching

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• General Practice
• Geriatric Medicine

Background:

• Final-year medical students require effective training in comprehensive patient management.
• Assessing the impact of general practice attachments on student learning is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of a 9-week general practice course on final-year medical students' patient management planning.
• To determine if teaching modifications influenced students' approach to elderly patient care.

Main Methods:

• A patient management questionnaire was administered to medical students before and after a 9-week course.
• The course included a 3-week attachment to general practitioners.
• Student responses were analyzed to identify changes in management plans.

Main Results:

• Post-course management plans were broader, incorporating physical, social, and family needs.
• Students demonstrated increased consideration of holistic patient care.
• Clinical problems alone were less emphasized after the educational intervention.

Conclusions:

• The general practice teaching intervention appears to enhance medical students' comprehensive patient management skills.
• Further validation of this assessment method is needed for evaluating general practice teaching effectiveness.
• The study suggests a positive impact of practical experience on medical student education.