Learning core clinical skills--a survey at 3 time points during medical education.
BACKGROUND
It is generally unknown which clinical skills students acquire during medical education and which factors influence their levels of competence.


METHODS
We asked German medical students how competent they felt in performing individual clinical skills.


RESULTS
Third year students evaluated their competence in clinical skills, on average, not better than 4.7 on a Likert scale ranging from 1 (= 'excellent') to 6 (= 'insufficient'). The average score for fifth year students was 4.1, for final-year students 3.3. Deficits in all groups of students were most prominent in communication skills and diagnostic skills.


CONCLUSIONS
These results are a plea for a structured curriculum including training courses to practice clinical skills.
Fischer
Thomas
T
Department of General Practice/Family Medicine, University of Göttingen, Germany. tfische@gwdg.de
Chenot
Jean-Francois
JF
Simmenroth-Nayda
Anne
A
Heinemann
Stephanie
S
Kochen
Michael M
MM
Himmel
Wolfgang
W
D002983:Clinical Competence; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors