ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND
Although interns are expected to be competent in handoff communication, it is currently unclear what level of exposure, participation, and comfort medical students have with handoffs prior to graduation.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to characterize passive and active involvement of third-year medical students in the major components of the handoff process.
DESIGN
An anonymous voluntary retrospective cross-sectional survey administered in 2010.
PARTICIPANTS
Rising fourth-year students at two large urban private medical schools.
MAIN MEASURES
Participation and confidence in active and passive behaviors related to written signout and verbal handoffs during participants’ third-year clerkships.
KEY RESULTS
Seventy percent of students (n = 204) responded. As third-year medical students, they reported frequent participation in handoffs, such as updating a written signout for a previously admitted patient (58 %). Students who reported frequent participation (at least weekly) in handoff tasks were more likely to report being confident in that task (e.g., giving verbal handoff 62 % vs. 19 %, p < 0.001). Students at one site that did not have a handoff policy for medical students reported greater participation, more confidence, and less desire for training. Nearly all students believed they had witnessed an error in written signout (98 %) and almost two-thirds witnessed an error due to verbal handoffs (64 %).
CONCLUSIONS
During their third year, many medical students are participating in handoffs, although reported rates differ across training environments. Medical schools should consider the appropriate level of competence for medical student participation in handoffs, and implement corresponding curricula and assessment tools to ensure that medical students are able to effectively conduct handoffs.
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Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank Kimberly Beiting for her administrative support and the medical school students for their participation in the study survey. We acknowledge Laura Ruth Venable for her editorial assistance with manuscript preparation. This study was determined to be exempt by the Institutional Review Board at the University of Chicago. This work was previously presented at the 2011 AAMC RIME oral abstract presentation in Denver, CO and the 2011 Senior Scientific Session at the Pritzker School of Medicine in Chicago. This study received funding from Department of Medicine Excellence in Medical Education Award.
Conflict of Interest
Vineet Arora has previously received funding from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
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Arora, V.M., Eastment, M.C., Bethea, E.D. et al. Participation and Experience of Third-Year Medical Students in Handoffs: Time to Sign Out?. J GEN INTERN MED 28, 994–998 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-012-2297-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-012-2297-9