A 1-week simulated internship course helps prepare medical students for transition to residency.
BACKGROUND
The transition from medical student to intern is inherently stressful, with potentially negative consequences for both interns and patients.


METHODS
We describe Internship Boot Camp, an innovative course specifically designed to prepare fourth-year medical students for the transition from medical school to internship. An intensive 1-week course, Internship Boot Camp has simulated, longitudinal patient-care scenarios that use high-fidelity medical simulation, standardized patients, procedural task trainers, and problem-based learning to help students apply their knowledge and develop a framework for response to the challenges they will face as interns.


RESULTS
In March 2007, 12 students participated in the course as an elective in their final year of medical school, and the other 28 students in their class did not. After beginning internship and 5 to 7 months after the completion of Internship Boot Camp, all 40 former students were asked to complete a blinded survey about their preparation for internship. The overall response rate for the survey was 80%. Of responders to an open-ended question about the aspects of medical school training that best prepared them for internship, 89% (8 of 9) of course participants listed "Internship Boot Camp." The next highest response ("subinternship") was given by 45% (9 of 20) of nonparticipants and 33% (3 of 9) of course participants.


CONCLUSIONS
Internship Boot Camp is a unique learning environment that is recalled by participants as the most helpful, of all components of their medical school education, in preparation for internship.
Laack
Torrey A
TA
Department of Emergency Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA. laack.torrey@mayo.edu
Newman
James S
JS
Goyal
Deepi G
DG
Torsher
Laurence C
LC
D000465:Algorithms; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003198:Computer Simulation / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003479:Curriculum / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004522:Educational Status; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008910:Minnesota; D012577:Schools, Medical; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors