title: Impact of a required fourth-year medical student rotation in physical medicine and rehabilitation.
abstract: This study evaluated the impact of a 2-wk required rotation in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) on fourth-year medical students' knowledge of PM&R and attitude toward teamwork in patient care. Survey results on attitudes toward a team approach to patient care and knowledge in PM&R were compared prerotation and postrotation. One hundred thirty-eight fourth-year medical students participated in this 2-yr study. The combined response rates for the attitude and knowledge surveys were 62% and 56%, respectively. As measured by a pretest and posttest self-reported knowledge assessment, the rotation increased knowledge of PM&R (P ≤ 0.05). Four aspects of the rotation that were rated higher by students from the second year of the rotation were role and responsibility definition, incorporation of current literature, enhancement of clinical skills, and general rotation satisfaction. The rotation provides an experience for medical students to increase their knowledge of PM&R.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine, Greenville, North Carolina 27834, USA.
authors.forename: Clinton E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Faulk
authors.forename: Jimmy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mali
authors.forename: Paola Maria
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Mendoza
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Musick
authors.forename: Roderick
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sembrano
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002982:Clinical Clerkship / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003479:Curriculum; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D010810:Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine / Q000193:education* / Q000458:organization & administration; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*