A novel interactive demonstration in clinical gastroenterology for first-year medical students

A unique clinical correlation in gastroenterology for first-year medical students is described. This interactive demonstration is conducted in a clinical setting and is designed to introduce the student to a broad range of topics in clinical gastroenterology while complementing lecture material in gastrointestinal (GI) physiology. Faculty and fellows of the Department of Internal Medicine at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center present minilectures and demonstrations at five different stations held in endoscopy rooms of the GI Diagnostic Center (GI Lab). The first-year class is divided into groups of 20 students or less. Each group visits a given station for 30 min, and each station has a specific topic. The topics are motility studies, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, gastric analysis, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, and colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy. At each station, physicians pose clinical questions related to the students' understanding of GI physiology and, in turn, respond to students' questions. For students who have been learning basic concepts of GI physiology, this clinical demonstration offers a more meaningful clinical correlation than standard clinical lectures could afford. In addition, the demonstration brings enhanced interest and enthusiasm for the subject matter.