RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Medical schools worldwide have employed different practices to facilitate a smooth transition from medical school into the internship phase to promote success in graduates' future professional life. The College of Medicine at Princess Nourah University (PNU) has developed a unique internship preparatory program focusing on soft and clinical skills. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the internship preparatory program (IPP) and evaluate its effectiveness in improving medical students' transition to internship. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The IPP for fifth-year medical students at PNU was planned and designed based on students' needs, the Saudi-Med framework, and similar national/international programs. The one-year longitudinal IPP in 2016-2017 covered four modules conducted as ten workshops focusing on soft skills, clinical skills, and professional development for the future. All data were analyzed by using SPSS version 20. RESULTS: The IPP was attended and evaluated by 48 participants; 70% of them attended 80% of the IPP workshops. The satisfaction rate for workshop participants was 6.8-8.8 out of 10. Most participants were either satisfied or strongly satisfied with respect to each item on the IPP satisfaction scale; the median satisfaction score was 4 out of 5. A positive significant correlation between the satisfaction score and the number of workshops attended was detected. CONCLUSION: The IPP was a satisfying initiative for most participants. It refines their clinical and soft skills, facilitates future planning, and provides a smooth transition from medical school to internship.
