title: Genital examination training: assessing the effectiveness of an integrated female and male teaching programme.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Learning to undertake intimate female and male examinations is an important part of medical student training but opportunities to participate in practical, supervised learning in a safe environment can be limited. A collaborative, integrated training programme to provide such learning was developed by two university teaching departments and a specialist sexual health service, utilising teaching associates trained for intimate examinations in a simulated clinical educational setting. The objective of this research was to determine changes in senior medical students' self- reported experience and confidence in performing male and female genital examinations, before and after participating in a new clinical teaching programme.
  
  
  METHODS
  A quasi-experimental mixed methods design, using pre and post programme questionnaires and focus groups, was used to assess the effectiveness of the programme.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The students reported greatly improved skill, confidence and comfort levels for both male and female genital examination following the teaching programme. Skill, confidence and comfort regarding male examinations were rated particularly low on the pre-teaching programme self- assessment, but post-programme was rated at similar levels to the female examination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This integrated female-male teaching programme (utilising trained teaching associates as simulated patients in a supervised clinical teaching environment) was successful in increasing senior medical students' skills and levels of confidence in performing genital examinations. There were differences between female and male medical students in their learning. Suggestions for improvement included providing more detailed instruction to some clinical supervisors about their facilitation role in the session.
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Health Care & General Practice, University of Otago, PO Box 7343, Wellington, Wellington South, 6242, New Zealand. lynn.mcbain@otago.ac.nz.
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9177-5172
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McBain
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Health Care & General Practice, University of Otago, PO Box 7343, Wellington, Wellington South, 6242, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pullon
authors.affiliation: Department of Primary Health Care & General Practice, University of Otago, PO Box 7343, Wellington, Wellington South, 6242, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garrett
authors.affiliation: Education Unit, Dean's Department, University of Otago, Wellington, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Kath
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hoare
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002982:Clinical Clerkship; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003162:Competency-Based Education / Q000379:methods*; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005831:Genital Diseases, Female / Q000175:diagnosis; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000175:diagnosis; D005835:Genitalia / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D016544:Patient Simulation; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000523:psychology / Q000592:standards*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D060728:Reproductive Health / Q000193:education*; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States
keywords: Genital teaching associate; Intimate physical examination; Medical student; Simulation training; Teaching techniques