Teaching the musculoskeletal examination: are patient educators as effective as rheumatology faculty?
BACKGROUND
Effective education of clinical skills is essential if doctors are to meet the needs of patients with rheumatic disease, but shrinking faculty numbers has made clinical teaching difficult. A solution to this problem is to utilize patient educators.


OBJECTIVE
This study evaluates the teaching effectiveness of patient educators compared to rheumatology faculty using the musculoskeletal (MSK) examination.


METHODS
Sixty-two 2nd-year medical students were randomized to receive instruction from patient educators or faculty. Tutorial groups received instructions during three, 3-hr sessions. Clinical skills were evaluated by a 9 station objective structured clinical examination. Students completed a tutor evaluation form to assess their level of satisfaction with the process.


RESULTS
Faculty-taught students received a higher overall mark (66.5% vs. 62.1%,) and fewer failed than patient educator-taught students (5 vs. 0, p = 0.02). Students rated faculty educators higher than patient educators (4.13 vs. 3.58 on a 5-point Likert scale).


CONCLUSIONS
Rheumatology faculty appear to be more effective teachers of the MSK physical exam than patient educators.
Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. shumphrey@ottawahospital.on.ca
Susan
S
Humphrey-Murto
C Douglas
CD
Smith
Claire
C
Touchie
Timothy C
TC
Wood
D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D005180:Faculty, Medical; D006801:Humans; D009140:Musculoskeletal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009864:Ontario; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000592:standards*; D018794:Problem-Based Learning; D012219:Rheumatology / Q000193:education*; D013337:Students, Medical; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*