Early introduction of clinical skills improves medical student comfort at the start of third-year clerkships.
BACKGROUND
To determine whether introducing clinical skills during the second year of medical school, via a competency-based College system approach, improves comfort level for medical students entering third-year clinical rotations.


METHODS
From 2003-2005, two cohorts of third-year medical students at the University of Washington were surveyed on their comfort level in the categories of history taking, physical examination, communication, and patient care.


RESULTS
The cohort of students exposed to the College system reported a statistically significant greater comfort level in half of the measured areas, and in at least one area within each general category. No area of study showed a statistically significant decline.


CONCLUSIONS
A competency-based College system improves medical student comfort in core clinical skills at the start of the third year curriculum.
Whipple
Mark E
ME
Barlow
Courtenay B
CB
Smith
Sherilyn
S
Goldstein
Erika A
EA
D002982:Clinical Clerkship; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014861:Washington