How to judge quality of clinical education?

[Wingardium Leviosa]

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I’m sorry if this has been asked or answered just point me in the direction of a thread—but I’m trying to decide on a school and I’m not really sure how to compare/what to look for in clinical education at each school. You have info about which different sites that are rotated at, but what’s good? How do you find out more about what the experience/learning is actually like?

 

[Forever Geebs]

Have you spoken with current students at each school to get a feel for what it's like, how each school is similar and different, and so forth? Are the schools ranked, and if so, are they inline with one another? What are the UMSLE match stats and trends over recent years? Are hospitals that you do core rotations at in large metro areas, trauma 1, etc.?

 

[LizzyM]

Here's some things I would probe with M3s or M4s.

How, and how often, is feedback provided from your preceptor? Is there peer and/or self-assessment built into the clerkships? How is that operationalized? Is there a system for evaluating the preceptor? Is the school responsive to negative reports about preceptors?
Is there a mechanism for advising and mentoring that pulls what one is learning during various clerkships, helps to identify gaps in competency, and helps you plan to fill those gaps?

Are there enough slots in the most desirable electives for students to get what they want or is there stiff competition for elective rotations?
How "hands on" do you get to be? Is the student given sufficient opportunity to "do" or are students most often off to the side while residents and fellows engage in tasks that could be done by the student with supervision?

Are there opportunities for students to decompress and speak about experiences on clerkship with a faculty member who is not responsible for assessment?

BTW, don't ask these questions at an admissions interview... ask them at second look.

 

[Scottpilot]

Here's some things I would probe with M3s or M4s.

How, and how often, is feedback provided from your preceptor? Is there peer and/or self-assessment built into the clerkships? How is that operationalized? Is there a system for evaluating the preceptor? Is the school responsive to negative reports about preceptors?
Is there a mechanism for advising and mentoring that pulls what one is learning during various clerkships, helps to identify gaps in competency, and helps you plan to fill those gaps?

Is the student given sufficient opportunity to "do" or are students most often off to the side while residents and fellows engage in tasks that could be done by the student with supervision?

Are there opportunities for students to decompress and speak about experiences on clerkship with a faculty member who is not responsible for assessment?

I agree with all of what LizzyM wrote, but I highlighted what I feel is the most important aspects of choosing a school. IMO, how well supported and listened to by faculty (along with liking your classmates) is the biggest factor on how satisfied you will be with your medical school experience. 3rd year education is incredibly highly variable: every school will have its great rotations and horrible rotations, and great attendings and not-so-great attendings.

Between most LCME accredited schools, there will only be slight variation in the average over-all clinical education (of course with a few horrible outliers). Sadly, for the most part, students are less involved in clinical medicine then their predecessors (from what I keep hearing from my attendings) for various reasons like liability and insurance issues, and the pendulum swinging possibly too far from making students do SCUT work (maybe not a bad thing?). Sure I get to write a few notes (but they never count for anything), present my patients to the team (to residents writing orders for other patients and attendings with glazed over eyes), and maybe do a few minor procedures...but that's about it. From talking with other students from various institutions on the residency interview trail, I feel this is fairly standard, though I very well could be wrong.

 

[Ebenezer12]

Clinical teachers need to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of their teaching. Evaluation of teaching and learning generally occurs within quality assurance frameworks that have common features. Understanding quality assurance systems and evaluation methods will help clinical teachers to improve the student learning experience.

Quality improvement

Accountability for spending public money

Transparency of processes involving admissions, teaching and assessment

The specification and achievement of competencies and outcomes

Early identification and remediation of ‘failing’ students or practitioners.