title: Preparing medical students for clinical practice: easing the transition.
abstract: The transition from medical student to junior doctor is a challenge; the UK General Medical Council has issued guidance emphasizing the importance of adequate preparation of medical students for clinical practice. This study aimed to determine whether a junior doctor-led simulation-based course is an effective way of preparing final year medical students for practice as a junior doctor.We piloted a new 'preparation for practice' course for final year medical students prior to beginning as Foundation Year 1 (first year of practice) doctors. The course ran over three days and consisted of four simulated stations: ward round, prescribing, handover, and lessons learnt. Quantitative and qualitative feedback was obtained.A total of 120 students attended (40 on each day) and feedback was collected from 95 of them. Using a scale of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest), feedback was positive, with 99% and 96% rating 4 or 5 for the overall quality of the program and the relevance of the program content, respectively. A score of 5 was awarded by 67% of students for the ward round station; 58% for the handover station; 71% for the prescribing station, and 35% for the lessons learnt station. Following the prescribing station, students reported increased confidence in their prescribing.Preparation for practice courses and simulation are an effective and enjoyable way of easing the transition from medical student to junior doctor. Together with 'on-the-job' shadowing time, such programs can be used to improve students' confidence, competence, and ultimately patient safety and quality of care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, Eastern Road, Brighton, UK.
authors.forename: Alexandra R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Teagle
authors.affiliation: Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: George
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, Eastern Road, Brighton, UK.|Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gainsborough
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, Eastern Road, Brighton, UK.|Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK.
authors.forename: Inam
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Haq
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, Eastern Road, Brighton, UK. m.okorie@bsms.ac.uk.|Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK. m.okorie@bsms.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okorie
keywords: Clinical practice; Medical students; Preparation for practice; Simulation