Comparing Medical Students' and Preceptors' Views of a Longitudinal Preclerkship Family Medicine Course

Overview

Journal PRiMER

Specialty Medical Education

Date 2020 Aug 21

PMID 32818181

Citations 2

Authors

Karen Willoughby

Charo Rodriguez

Miriam Boillat

Marion Dove

Peter Nugus

Yvonne Steinert

Leonora Lalla

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Introduction: Despite the increasing popularity of longitudinal primary care experiences in North America and beyond, there is a paucity of work assessing these medical undergraduate experiences using reliable and valid questionnaires. Our objective in this study was to evaluate a new preclerkship longitudinal family medicine experience (LFME) course at McGill University by assessing family physician preceptors' self-reported ratings of the perceived effects of this course, and to compare their responses with ratings provided by medical students who completed the course.

Methods: This study is part of a larger evaluative research project assessing the first edition of the LFME. Students (N=187) and preceptors (N=173) of the 2013-2014 cohort were invited to complete separate online questionnaires in the spring through summer of 2014. The preceptor survey contained 53 items, 14 of which were nearly identical to items in the student survey (published elsewhere) and served as the basis for comparing preceptor and student ratings of the LFME.

Results: Ninety-nine preceptors (57% response rate; 55% female) and 120 students (64% response rate; 58% female) completed the surveys. Preceptors and students did not significantly differ in their overall ratings of the course, as both groups were satisfied with the quality of the LFME and felt it was an appropriate and valuable educational experience. However, preceptors had more positive ratings regarding their role and the benefits of the course than did medical students.

Conclusion: This study corroborates prior work showing extensive perceived benefits of longitudinal preclerkship exposure to primary care; however, preceptors were found to report more positive reviews of the course than students. This study also provides new innovative tools to assess students' and preceptors' perceptions of longitudinal, preclerkship family medicine courses available for use over time and in different educational contexts.

Citing Articles

When and why do medical students drop out of extracurricular longitudinal general practice tracks? A cross-sectional study from two German medical faculties.

Nafziger M, Geier A, Bauch F, Deutsch T, Frese T BMJ Open. 2022; 12(12):e064481.

PMID: 36521907 PMC: 9756222. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-064481.

Long-term mentoring relationships in undergraduate longitudinal general practice tracks - a qualitative study on the perspective of students and general practitioners.

Scholz A, Gehres V, Schrimpf A, Bleckwenn M, Deutsch T, Geier A Med Educ Online. 2022; 28(1):2149252.

PMID: 36463500 PMC: 9728122. DOI: 10.1080/10872981.2022.2149252.

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