Changes in clinical skills education resulting from the introduction of the USMLE step 2 clinical skills (CS) examination.
BACKGROUND
Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS) was recently introduced into the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) to ensure that successful candidates for licensure possess the clinical skills to provide safe and effective patient care.


OBJECTIVE
To explore if medical schools had changed the objectives, content, or emphasis in their pre-clinical curriculum in response to its implementation.


METHODS
In April 2005, the Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine (CDIM) sent an electronic survey to a single member from each medical school with a CDIM member. The survey instrument included 26 pre-clinical curricular questions with nine questions specifically addressing changes in response to implementation of the Step 2 CS.


RESULTS
Forty-five percent of respondents reported changes to the Introduction to Clinical Medicine (ICM) course objectives while 39% and 40% reported changes in content and emphasis. Seventy-four percent felt their students were adequately prepared for the Step 2 CS and 18% were unsure.


CONCLUSIONS
Over a third of medical schools are implementing changes to the objectives, content, and/or emphasis of their curriculum, at least partially in response to the institution of Step 2 CS.
Gilliland
William R
WR
Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, USA.
La Rochelle
Jeffrey
J
Hawkins
Richard
R
Dillon
Gerard F
GF
Mechaber
Alex J
AJ
Dyrbye
Liselotte
L
Papp
Klara K
KK
Durning
Steven J
SJ
D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D003479:Curriculum; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008007:Licensure, Medical; D012577:Schools, Medical; D014481:United States