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Comparing fourth-year medical students with faculty in the teaching of physical examination skills to first-year
S A Haist1, J F Wilson, N L Brigham
1Department of Internal Medicine, K509 Kentucky Clinic, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40536-0284, USA. sahais0@pop.uky.edu
Purpose:
To see whether fourth-year medical students can teach the physical examination to first-year students as effectively as can faculty preceptors.
Method:
Ninety-three first-year students studying the physical examination were randomly assigned to one of ten fourth-year student preceptors or one of 15 faculty preceptors. Test results and course evaluations were compared by type of preceptor. Fourth-year student preceptors were surveyed regarding their experience.
Results:
The mean test scores did not differ between the first-year students with fourth-year student preceptors and those with faculty preceptors. The first-year students rated the fourth-year student preceptors higher than they did the faculty preceptors. The fourth-year students rated their experience favorably.
Conclusion:
A select group of fourth-year medical students provides a successful alternative to faculty in the teaching of the physical examination to first-year students.