[Expected practical clinical skills and newly qualified physicians].
BACKGROUND
We compared and contrasted the learned and intended practical clinical skills of the three Danish medical schools.


METHODS
An anonymous questionnaire listing 210 practical clinical skills was posted to 226 newly qualified Danish physicians. They were asked if they could meet the minimum level for each of the skills, which had earlier been identified by a Delphi study.


RESULTS
The response rate was 80%. None of the responders met the minimum of all the 210 skills. Only 8% (14) met the minimum level for at least 90% (189) of the skills. On average, the responders met the minimum for 74% (155) of the skills. More than 90% of the responders could take medical histories and carry out examinations. The responders did not meet 28 medical emergency procedures.


CONCLUSIONS
We found that the clinical skills learned constituted 75% of those intended. Those responsible for pre- and postgraduate medical training should be aware of the discrepancy between expected and learned skills. We discuss the role of experts in the process of defining the core curriculum.
Mørcke
Anne Mette
AM
Enhed for Medicinsk Uddannelse, Det Sundhedsvidenskabelige Fakultet, Aarhus Universitet, Universitetsparken, Bygning 611, DK-8000 Arhus.
Eika
Berit
B
D002983:Clinical Competence; D003718:Denmark; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans; D012655:Self-Evaluation Programs; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires