[Early clinical exposure--an instant success. The new medical curriculum at the University of Aarhus].
BACKGROUND
In the new medical curriculum at the University of Aarhus, a third term, 20-week course focussing on early patient contact was launched.


METHODS
Nine prototypical and clinically important disease entities each formed the basis of one-week courses covering an introductory clinical lecture, presentation of "paper" cases, and formalised training of pertinent clinical skills. This was integrated with plenaries and group work in physiology pertaining to the disease and the patient cases. In addition, seminars were held in patient-doctor relationships, and environmental and social medicine. Introductory lectures were given on topics, such as medical ethics, taxonomy of diseases, the organisation of hospital-based health care. At the end of the term, the students resided for eight weeks at county hospitals, which do not traditionally participate in pregraduate teaching. Each student followed one particular patient, which formed the basis of a written essay.


RESULTS
Early clinical lectures (87 +/- 8%, mean +/- SD) and use of clinical cases (73 +/- 8%) were well received by third term students, and 87% found that the "paper" cases facilitated their understanding of physiology. The evaluation of the hospital training was very positive (rated excellent or good by > 95%).


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that early introduction to clinical practice is feasible and well received by the students.
Eika
B
B
Aarhus Universitet, Det Sundhedsvidenskabelige Fakultet, Enhed for Medicinsk Uddannelse, og Fysiologisk Institut, og Arhus Universitetshospital.
Mølgaard
H
H
Sonne
O
O
Jørgensen
J O
JO
D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D003718:Denmark; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods