title: The Influence of Patient Characteristics on the Perceived Value of Inpatient Educational Experiences by Medical Trainees.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Medical education relies heavily on workplace learning where trainees are educated through their clinical experience. Few studies have explored trainees' perceptions of the educational value of these patient care experiences. The aim of this study was to identify pediatric patient characteristics that medical trainees perceive as educationally valuable.
  
  
  METHODS
  Over 2 months, trainees on pediatric inpatient wards ranked the perceived educational value of patients under their care on a 4-point bipolar Likert scale. Three patient characteristics were examined: complex-chronic and noncomplex-chronic preexisting conditions, difficult social circumstances, and rare diseases. Patient-level predictors of cases perceived as educationally valuable (defined as scores≥3) were examined by using univariate and multivariate analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 325 patients were rated by 51 trainees (clinical medical students [45%], first-year residents [29%], third-year residents/fellows [26%]). Rare diseases had a higher educational value score (adjusted odds ratio 1.76, 95% confidence interval 1.08-2.88, P=.02). Complex-chronic and noncomplex-chronic preexisting conditions and difficult social circumstances did not affect the perceived educational value.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Trainees attribute the most educational value to caring for patients with rare diseases. Although trainees' perceptions of learning do not necessarily reflect actual learning, they may influence personal interest and limit learning from an educational experience. Knowledge of trainee perceptions of educational experience therefore can direct medical educators' approaches to inpatient education.
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada;
authors.forename: Renée
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Farrell
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, and Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and.
authors.forename: Sanjay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mahant
authors.affiliation: Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and Division of Infectious Diseases.
authors.forename: Anupma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wadhwa
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, and Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and.
authors.forename: Zia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bismilla
authors.affiliation: Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and.
authors.forename: Xiu Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, and.
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Martimianakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, and Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation Health Sciences Building, Toronto, Ontario, Canada eyal.cohen@sickkids.ca.
authors.forename: Eyal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education*; D010465:Perception; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*