Urban general practice and medical education: Academic outcomes from a unique urban, longitudinal integrated community-based program.
BACKGROUND
In 2009, Flinders University established an urban, community-based, longitudinal integrated program providing medical students extended placements that offered continuities of patient care, clinical supervision and peer group.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this research was to analyse academic outcomes of the new placement program.


METHODS
The results of all students undertaking Year 3 exams from 2011 to 2014 were collected and analysed. The Years 1 and 2 exam results for students in the new program were also analysed.


RESULTS
Students in the new placement program achieved significantly higher grades than those who undertook the traditional rotations program, with aver-age scores of 69.05, compared with 66.45 (P = 0.03). Analysis of average class ranking for students who undertook the new program showed a statistically significant improvement from 59th in class to 48th in class (P = 0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
This evaluation shows that an urban, community-based, longitudinal integrated clerkship centred in general practice provides at least academically equivalent outcomes to traditional rotations-based programs.
MBBS, is Senior Lecturer, Flinders University and Academic Coordinator, Onkaparinga Clinical Education Program, Adelaide, South Australia.
Sarah
S
Mahoney
Paul
P
Worley
Helen
H
Parry
Sally
S
Clarke
D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003154:Community Medicine / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods; D058006:General Practice / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D000071252:Mentoring / Q000379:methods; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D014505:Urban Population