title: Pre-clinical medical student experience in a pediatric pulmonary clinic.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our objective was to evaluate the educational value of introducing pre-clinical medical students to pediatric patients and their families in a subspecialty clinic setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  First- and second-year medical students at the University of Michigan seeking clinical experience outside of the classroom attended an outpatient pediatric pulmonary clinic. Evaluation of the experience consisted of pre- and post-clinic student surveys and post-clinic parent surveys with statements employing a four-point Likert scale as well as open-ended questions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-eight first-year students, 6 second-year students, and 33 parents participated in the study. Post-clinic statement scores significantly increased for statements addressing empathic attitudes, confidence communicating with children and families, comfort in the clinical environment, and social awareness. Scores did not change for statements addressing motivation, a sense of team membership, or confidence with career goals. Students achieved their goals of gaining experience interacting with patients, learning about pulmonary diseases, and observing clinic workflow. Parents felt that they contributed to student education and were not inconvenienced.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Students identified several educational benefits of exposure to a single pediatric pulmonary clinic. Patients and families were not inconvenienced by the participation of a student. Additional studies are warranted to further investigate the value of this model of pre-clinical medical student exposure to subspecialty pediatrics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; tsaba@med.umich.edu.
authors.forename: Thomas G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Saba
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Marc B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Hershenson
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arteta
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Ixsy A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.affiliation: Department of Learning Health Sciences, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Mullan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Sonal T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Owens
mesh_terms: D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000458:organization & administration*; D002648:Child; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003142:Communication; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education*; D015272:Pulmonary Medicine / Q000191:economics*; D012649:Self Concept; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: early clinical experience; pediatrics; pre-clinical education; undergraduate medical education