title: Writing, self-reflection, and medical school performance: the Human Context of Health Care.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Finding ways to improve communication and self-reflection skills is an important element of medical education and continuing professional development. This study examines the relationship between self-reflection and educational outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  We correlate performance in a preclinical course that focuses on self-reflection as it relates to contextual elements of patient care (Human Context of Health Care), with educational measures such as overall grade point average, clinical clerkship scores, and Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Student performance in Human Context of Health Care correlated with MCAT-Verbal scores, MCAT-writing sample scores, clerkship grades, and overall medical school grade point average (R = 0.3; p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Writing and self-reflection skills are often neglected in undergraduate medical curricula. Our findings suggest that these skills are important and correlate with recognized long-term educational outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
authors.forename: Mark B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.forename: Brian V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Reamy
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Cara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Hemmer
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Durning
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Auster
mesh_terms: D003099:College Admission Test; D003142:Communication; D003479:Curriculum; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D008487:Medical History Taking; D008887:Military Medicine; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012570:School Admission Criteria; D012577:Schools, Medical; D013337:Students, Medical; D014956:Writing