Teaching focused histories and physical exams in ambulatory care: a multi-institutional randomized trial.
OBJECTIVE
We needed specific strategies for students in diverse outpatient settings to more uniformly learn focused history and physical exam skills.


METHODS
We conducted a randomized control trial to test the use of focused history and physical exam scripts in enhancing 3rd-year medical students' clinical skills at two medical schools. The article based scripts outlined focused outpatient encounters. The outcome measure was blinded analysis of progress notes using a standardized scale. Descriptive statistics were used to assess differences among student in each school, and study groups were compared using a t test.


RESULTS
Five of 11 variables were statistically higher in the scripts group. These included history taking, physical examination, and overall score.


CONCLUSIONS
Focus Scripts facilitated a specific task of learning to document focused evaluations in acute and chronic office visits.
Peltier
Deborah
D
Department of Medicine, Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover and Lebanon, New Hampshire 03756, USA. Deborah.Peltier@dartmouth.edu
Regan-Smith
Martha
M
Wofford
James
J
Whelton
Sean
S
Kennebecks
Greg
G
Carney
Patricia A
PA
D000553:Ambulatory Care; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D004501:Education, Medical; D006801:Humans; D008487:Medical History Taking / Q000592:standards*; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000592:standards*; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000592:standards*; D013663:Teaching; D014481:United States