Benefiting from clinical experience: the influence of learning style and clinical experience on performance in an undergraduate objective structured clinical examination.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the relationship between clinical experience, learning style and performance in an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) in medical students at the end of their first clinical year.


METHODS
Prospective study of undergraduate students taking an OSCE examination at the end of their first clinical year.


METHODS
194 undergraduate medical students (95 male).


METHODS
Performance in the OSCE examination, the Entwhistle Learning Style Inventory1 and a composite self-reported score of clinical activity during the students first clinical year.


RESULTS
Performance in the OSCE examination was related to well-organized study methods but not to clinical experience. A significant relationship between clinical experience and organized deep-learning styles suggests that knowledge gained from clinical experience is related to learning style.


CONCLUSIONS
The relationship between clinical experience and student performance is complex. Well-organized and strategic learning styles appear to influence the benefits of increased clinical exposure. Further work is required to elucidate the most beneficial aspects of clinical teaching.
Martin
I G
IG
Division of Surgery & Department of Medical Education, Leeds University Medical School, Leeds, UK.
Stark
P
P
Jolly
B
B
D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*