title: Multicenter trial of the clinical activities tool to document the comparability of clinical experiences in obstetrics-gynecology clerkships.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the implementation of the Clinical Activities Tool (CAT) for facilitating Liaison Committee on Medical Education-required documentation of the comparability of obstetrics-gynecology (ob/gyn) clinical experiences and midclerkship feedback at multiple sites during one academic year.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ob/gyn clerkship students at six U.S. medical schools were given CATs to guide and document clinical experiences from June 2006 to June 2007. Students used a paper CAT at five institutions and an electronic version at one. CATs listed procedures, skills, and topics recommended by the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics and included a midclerkship feedback section. Resident/faculty signatures documented completion of items for paper CATs. Electronic CAT item completion was self-documented by students. Students completed a questionnaire on CAT use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the six schools, 876 medical students rotated on ob/gyn clerkships; 808 (92%) submitted CATs. Mean item completion rate was 72%. Five of six schools achieved >/=70% completion rates. Midclerkship feedback signature rates ranged from 0% to 97.8% with four of six schools reporting >/=65% feedback. Comparability of clinical experiences and midclerkship feedback was successfully documented across sites for each institution (number of sites: range = 1-9; median = 5). Questionnaires on CAT use were submitted by 231 students (26%). Students using paper CATs reported that doing so clarified course objectives (93%), provided clerkship guidance/structure (93%), and facilitated interaction with faculty/residents (76%/74%). Students rated the electronic CAT significantly less favorably.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CAT implementation at multiple institutions for documentation of student clinical experience comparability and midclerkship feedback was successful. Students evaluated the paper CAT positively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. amc004@med.unc.edu
authors.forename: Annamarie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Connolly
authors.forename: Katrina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Casey
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Keder
authors.forename: Archana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pradhan
authors.forename: Renee
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Page
authors.forename: Marilyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raymond
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dalrymple
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002982:Clinical Clerkship / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003479:Curriculum / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000193:education*; D012577:Schools, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States