title: Use of a geriatric home visit experience to teach medical students the functional status assessment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Functional status measures strongly predict hospital outcomes and mortality, yet teaching of these measures is often missing from medical schools' curricula. To address this deficiency, we developed a Geriatric Home-based Assessment (GHA) module for third-year medical students. The module was composed of a workshop and two to three home visits.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether the GHA module would improve students' knowledge and proficiency in the functional status assessment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Students completed a validated questionnaire and evaluated a standardized patient in an Observed Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Scores from students completing the GHA were compared to the scores of students without this experience.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-one students participated in the GHA module, and 19 students were in the control group. The mean score on the written assessment was 87% among GHA students vs. 46% in the control group (p < 0.001). The mean clinical examination score of the intervention group was also better than that of the control group (76% vs. 46%, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our GHA module was effective in improving students' knowledge and proficiency in the functional status assessment. "Hands on" experiences like the GHA allow students to develop a solid foundation for assessing functional status and mobility.
authors.affiliation: Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. Tung.ericka@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Ericka E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Tung
authors.forename: Matthew R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006792:House Calls; D006801:Humans; D013337:Students, Medical; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards