Abstract
Background
The acquisition and assimilation of knowledge through history-taking and clinical skills practice are core aspects of training for medical students. Interns, who have recently graduated and have entered into clinical practice, are uniquely positioned to assume a pivotal role in student education.
Aims
The goal of this study was to evaluate feedback from both students as well as intern tutors on the intern-delivered teaching program at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) from 2015 to 2016.
Methods
Eighty-five interns participated in the program at UHL in 2015 and 2016, aiming to deliver four 1-h tutorials to 285 Year 3 or Year 4 students from UL Graduate Entry Medical (GEMS) Program. A flexible schedule focused on practical skills and knowledge translation was created with oversight from Lead Interns and Professor of Medicine, with administrative support. Feedback was assessed using anonymous survey questionnaires.
Results
The survey response rate was 74% in 2015 and 75% in 2016. Student feedback on the performance of intern tutors was positive. More than 50% of students deemed tutorials on history-taking and clinical examination as the most valuable. Over 76% of students indicated a desire to participate as tutors after graduation. Logistical issues in agreeing mutually suitable timeslots were identified as the major barrier for delivery of teaching. From the intern perspective, over 85% reported benefits in areas of professional development and knowledge consolidation.
Conclusions
Participation in intern-delivered teaching leads to clinical and educational benefits for both students and interns. However, several logistical barriers were identified and require refinement.
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Acknowledgments
The authors of this paper wish to acknowledge the contribution of Michelle E. Ahern and Davida McCoy for facilitating the administrative aspect of this program. We also acknowledge the role of Dr. Natasha Slattery and Dr. Margaret O’Connor as Intern Coordinators for UHL in terms of their support for the program. We additionally wish to thank the 2015 and 2016 intern cohort of the Mid-West Intern Hub based at University Hospital Limerick for their time and dedication to the delivery of this program.
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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. All aspects of the study were undertaken with complete participant anonymity and in accordance with the ethical standards of University Hospital Limerick and the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments.
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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
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Cusack, R., Burke, G., Troy, E. et al. Interns as medical educators: student and intern experiences from the intern-delivered teaching program at University Hospital Limerick. Ir J Med Sci 189, 395–402 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-019-02056-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-019-02056-x