The relationship between medical student learning opportunities and preparedness for practice: a questionnaire study

BMC Medical Education

Gillian HS Vance¹  Victoria Whittle¹  Bryan Burford¹ 

[1]School of Medical Education, Newcastle University, Ridley Building 1, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK

关键词: Undergraduate medical education;    Transitions;    Workplace learning;    Simulation;    Preparedness;   

Others  :  1090492
DOI  :  10.1186/1472-6920-14-223

 received in 2014-07-20, accepted in 2014-09-23,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

Alongside providing a knowledge base and practical skills, undergraduate medical education must prepare graduates to immediately begin practice as qualified doctors. A significant challenge is to provide safe learning opportunities that will optimise students’ preparedness to start work. This study examined UK graduates’ preparedness for clinical practice, and their exposure to real-life and simulated immediate care scenarios during final year placements.

Method

A questionnaire measuring students’ perceived preparedness, and their exposure to immediate care scenarios, was distributed to all new Foundation Year 1 doctors (F1s) attending an induction session in one region of the UK.

Results

356 F1s responded to the questionnaire (91% response rate; 89% of cohort) and data from 344 graduates of UK medical schools were analysed. Respondents were generally prepared for practice, but many reported few ‘hands-on’ experiences of providing immediate care during final year placements (a median of 1–2 experiences).

Those who had 1–2 experiences reported no greater preparedness for acute management than those reporting no experience. Several exposures are necessary for a significant increase in perceived preparedness. Real-life experience was a better predictor of preparedness than simulated practice.

Conclusions

Gaps still remain in medical students’ acute care experience, with a direct relationship to their perceived preparedness. The format and facilitation of placements may need to be addressed in order to enhance the quality of experience during final year.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Burford et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

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