Impact of instructional practices on student satisfaction with attendings' teaching in the inpatient component of internal medicine clerkships.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence and influence of specific attending teaching practices on student evaluations of the quality of attendings' teaching in the inpatient component of Internal Medicine clerkships.


METHODS
Nationwide survey using a simple random sample.


METHODS
One hundred and twenty-one allopathic 4-year medical schools in the United States.


METHODS
A total of 2,250 fourth-year medical students.


RESULTS
In the spring of 2002, student satisfaction with the overall quality of teaching by attendings in the inpatient component of Internal Medicine clerkships was measured on a 5-point scale from very satisfied to very dissatisfied (survey response rate, 68.3%). Logistic regression was used to determine the association of specific teaching practices with student evaluations of the quality of their attendings' teaching. Attending physicians' teaching practices such as engaging students in substantive discussions (odds ratio (OR)=3.0), giving spontaneous talks and prepared presentations (OR=1.6 and 1.8), and seeing new patients with the team (OR=1.2) were strongly associated with higher student satisfaction, whereas seeming rushed and eager to finish rounds was associated with lower satisfaction (OR=0.6).


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest that student satisfaction with attendings' teaching is high overall but there is room for improvement. Specific teaching behaviors used by attendings affect student satisfaction. These specific behaviors could be taught and modified for use by attendings and clerkship directors to enhance student experiences during clerkships.
Guarino
Cassandra M
CM
RAND, Santa Monica, Calif 90407, USA. cassie@rand.org
Ko
Clifford Y
CY
Baker
Laurence C
LC
Klein
David J
DJ
Quiter
Elaine S
ES
Escarce
José J
JJ
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002982:Clinical Clerkship; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000193:education*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States