Abstract

Integrated Case Scenarios prepare medical students for clinical skills examinations

Author(s): Allan Forde, Torres Woolley, Nichole Harvey, Roy Rasalam

Introduction: Research was conducted to assess the effectiveness of a new innovative teaching methodology to better prepare students for their end of year clinical examinations.

Methods: All Year 2 medical students were administered a survey immediately following the new teaching methodology and another survey one week after their end-of-year clinical examination.

Results: Post new teaching methodology, >80% of students agreed (response rate = 96%) that the sessions benefited them by: strengthening the link between theory and practice; building their confidence in preparing for ‘real’ patient encounters; improving their problem-solving skills regarding differential diagnosis; and, improving their skills regarding delivering a focused physical examination. Following the end-of-year clinical examinations, 80% of student respondents (response rate = 40%) reported the new teaching methodology helped them get a better score on their clinical examinations, and 93% thought the teaching methodology improved their overall confidence in undertaking physical examinations for their end- of-year clinical examinations.

Conclusions: Students found the new teaching methodology to be an excellent method for building their confidence and skills in preparation for structured, summative clinical examinations, and for motivating them to master real-world physical examination techniques.