[Consultation course in medical education--students' evaluation].
BACKGROUND
Final-year medical students at the University of Bergen take a 16-hour consultation course. The students are trained in an educational setting focusing on structured elements of the patient-centred consultation method, self evaluation and peer evaluation. The course has a strong emphasis on learning by doing. The objective of this study was to evaluate the learning process and the subjective outcome of the course. We used a focus group technique and a self-administered free text based questionnaire.


METHODS
Transcriptions from the focus groups and free text from the questionnaires were analysed using qualitative methods.


RESULTS
The qualitative analysis revealed three main categories of statements about the learning process: about the process of selfchange in the consultations; about the pain of self evaluation; and about insufficiency faced with clinical uncertainty.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that the course seems to initiate changes in consultation strategies. The students' evaluation also underline the need to take care of the students during a process of change in which they are vulnerable.
Baerheim
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Seksjon for allmennmedisin, Universitetet i Bergen. anders.barheim@isf.uib.no
Meland
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Schei
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E
D003142:Communication; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D017145:Models, Educational; D009664:Norway; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires