title: The relationship between medical student learning opportunities and preparedness for practice: a questionnaire study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alongside providing a knowledge base and practical skills, undergraduate medical education must prepare graduates to immediately begin practice as qualified doctors. A significant challenge is to provide safe learning opportunities that will optimise students' preparedness to start work. This study examined UK graduates' preparedness for clinical practice, and their exposure to real-life and simulated immediate care scenarios during final year placements.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire measuring students' perceived preparedness, and their exposure to immediate care scenarios, was distributed to all new Foundation Year 1 doctors (F1s) attending an induction session in one region of the UK.
  
  
  RESULTS
  356 F1s responded to the questionnaire (91% response rate; 89% of cohort) and data from 344 graduates of UK medical schools were analysed. Respondents were generally prepared for practice, but many reported few 'hands-on' experiences of providing immediate care during final year placements (a median of 1-2 experiences).Those who had 1-2 experiences reported no greater preparedness for acute management than those reporting no experience. Several exposures are necessary for a significant increase in perceived preparedness. Real-life experience was a better predictor of preparedness than simulated practice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gaps still remain in medical students' acute care experience, with a direct relationship to their perceived preparedness. The format and facilitation of placements may need to be addressed in order to enhance the quality of experience during final year.
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Education, Newcastle University, Ridley Building 1, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK. bryan.burford@newcastle.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Bryan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Burford
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Whittle
authors.forename: Gillian H S
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Vance
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003479:Curriculum / Q000592:standards; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008348:Manikins; D008611:Mentors; D016544:Patient Simulation; D011231:Preceptorship; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D055815:Young Adult