title: Evaluation of a training programme to induct medical students in delivering public health talks.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is uncommon for medical students to deliver public health talks as part of their medical education curriculum. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a novel training programme that required medical students to deliver public health talks during their family medicine (FM) clerkship in a Singapore primary care institution.
  
  
  METHODS
  The FM faculty staff guided teams of third-year medical students to select appropriate topics for health talks that were to be conducted at designated polyclinics. The talks were video-recorded and appraised for clarity, content and delivery. The appraisal was done by the student's peers and assigned faculty staff. The audience was surveyed to determine their satisfaction level and understanding of the talks. The students also self-rated the effectiveness of this new teaching activity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 120 medical students completed a questionnaire to rate the effectiveness of the new teaching activity. 85.8% of the students felt confident about the delivery of their talks, 95.8% reported having learnt how to deliver talks and 92.5% perceived this new training modality as useful in their medical education. Based on the results of the audience survey, the speakers were perceived as knowledgeable (53.1%), confident (51.3%) and professional (39.0%). Assessment of 15 video-recorded talks showed satisfactory delivery of the talks by the students.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of the students reported a favourable overall learning experience under this new training programme. This finding is supported by the positive feedback garnered from the audience, peers of the medical students and the faculty staff.
authors.affiliation: Department of Research, SingHealth Polyclinics, Singapore.|Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.
authors.forename: Ngiap Chuan
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Research, SingHealth Polyclinics, Singapore.|Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.|Ministry of Health Holdings Pte Ltd, Singapore.
authors.forename: Shah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mitesh
authors.affiliation: Department of Research, SingHealth Polyclinics, Singapore.
authors.forename: Yi Ling Eileen
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.affiliation: Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.|Ministry of Health Holdings Pte Ltd, Singapore.|Family Medicine Service, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: Seng Bin
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Ang
authors.affiliation: Drs Lim & Chan Clinic, Singapore.
authors.forename: Hian Hui Vincent
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Care and Health Integration, Changi General Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: Choon How
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: How
authors.affiliation: Department of Research, SingHealth Polyclinics, Singapore.|Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.|Ministry of Health Holdings Pte Ltd, Singapore.
authors.forename: Ee Guan
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Tay
authors.affiliation: Department of Research, SingHealth Polyclinics, Singapore.|Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore.|Ministry of Health Holdings Pte Ltd, Singapore.
authors.forename: Siew Wai
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Hwang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011634:Public Health / Q000193:education*; D012846:Singapore; D013337:Students, Medical; D013663:Teaching / Q000193:education*; D014741:Video Recording
keywords: medical student; public health talk; undergraduate medical education