Exploring Medical Student Experiences With Direct Observation During the Pediatric Clerkship.

PURPOSE: Direct observation (DO) enables assessment of vital competencies, such as clinical skills. Despite national requirement that medical students experience DOs during each clerkship, the frequency, length, quality, and context of these DOs are not well established. This study examines the quality, quantity, and characteristics of DOs obtained during pediatrics clerkships across multiple institutions. METHOD: This multimethod study was performed at 6 U.S.-based institutions from March through October 2022. In the qualitative phase, focus groups and/or semistructured interviews were conducted with third-year medical students at the conclusion of pediatrics clerkships. In the quantitative phase, the authors administered an internally developed instrument after focus group discussions or interviews. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis, and quantitative data were analyzed using anonymous survey responses. RESULTS: Seventy-three medical students participated in 20 focus groups, and 71 (97.3%) completed the survey. The authors identified 7 themes that were organized into key principles: before, during, and after DO. Most students reported their DOs were conducted primarily by residents (62 [87.3%]) rather than attendings (6 [8.4%]) in inpatient settings. Participants reported daily attending observation of clinical reasoning (38 [53.5%]), communication (39 [54.9%]), and presentation skills (58 [81.7%]). One-third reported they were never observed taking a history by an inpatient attending (23 [32.4%]), and one-quarter reported they were never observed performing a physical exam (18 [25.4%]). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that students are not being assessed for performing vital clinical skills in the inpatient setting by attendings as frequently as previously believed. When observers set expectations, create a safe learning environment, and follow up with actionable feedback, medical students perceive the experience as valuable; however, the DO experience is currently suboptimal. Therefore, a high-quality, competency-based clinical education for medical students is necessary to directly drive future patient care by way of a competent physician workforce.

How Prepared Are They? Pediatric Boot Camps and Intern Performance.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether participation in a pediatric boot camp during medical school was associated with higher intern performance. Secondary objectives were to determine whether participation in general boot camps, pediatric subinternships or pediatric electives was associated with higher performance. METHODS: Intern surveys and faculty performance assessments during early internship were collected from a convenience sample of pediatric residency programs. Interns completed a survey regarding participation in medical school boot camps, pediatric subinternships and pediatric electives. Faculty assessed intern performance on selected Milestone-based subcompetencies on a 5-point scale following each intern's initial inpatient rotation and results were compared between groups. RESULTS: Seventeen pediatric residency programs participated. Two hundred eighty-seven interns completed the survey (69%), and faculty completed assessments on 71% of these interns. Of interns with complete faculty assessments (n = 198), 25% participated in 5 or more days of pediatric boot camp, 30% in general boot camp, and 45% in no boot camp. There were no educationally significant associations between participation in 5 or more days of pediatric boot camp, general boot camp, subinternships, or electives and intern performance. Interns completing at least 10 days of pediatric boot camp (n = 25) had slightly higher ratings for incorporating feedback and engaging in help-seeking behavior during June and July only. CONCLUSIONS: Participation in pediatric boot camps, general boot camps, pediatric subinternships or electives was not associated with substantially higher intern performance as measured by selected Milestone subcompetencies. Pediatric educators should carefully consider boot camp curricula and anticipated outcomes associated with boot camp participation.

Essential yet Ill-defined: leadership roles to support fourth-year medical students in pediatrics.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have been published about specialty-specific fourth-year medical student leadership in any discipline. This paper provides insight from pediatric educators about the current status and recommendations for pediatric-specific fourth-year leaders. OBJECTIVE: To identify the prevalence of pediatric fourth-year medical student directors across the US and Canada and to compare current and ideal responsibilities for this role. METHODS: Five multi-part questions were written and submitted for the 2019 Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics (COMSEP) Annual Survey and subsequently disseminated to all COMSEP member physicians. Anonymous responses were collected and results analyzed. The study was IRB exempt. RESULTS: The program-level survey response rate was 79%. Of 115 respondent medical schools, 37% reported having a pediatric fourth-year director separate from the clerkship director, with an average of 9.8% full-time equivalent (FTE) protected time for the role. In contrast, individuals indicated 20% FTE would be ideal for fourth-year director responsibilities. The most common role identified for pediatric fourth-year directors was directing sub-internships. Respondents indicated it would be ideal for pediatric fourth-year directors to have an increased level of involvement in all areas queried in the survey, especially directing a pediatric residency preparatory course/boot camp, faculty development for educators of fourth-year students, and remediating fourth-year students. CONCLUSIONS: As specialty-specific experiences have grown in the fourth year of medical school, there is an increasing demand for faculty leadership separate from direction of the pediatric clerkship. In this national survey, pediatric educators expressed a need for additional protected time to lead fourth-year specific activities. Similar findings in other disciplines would support advocating for more protected time and expanded roles for specialty-specific fourth-year directors nationally.

Building a Boot Camp: Pediatric Residency Preparatory Course Design Workshop and Tool Kit.

Introduction: Although many medical schools are adding residency preparatory courses or boot camps to their curricula, there is little published guidance for faculty tasked with designing them. We developed a workshop and accompanying boot camp course design tool kit to assist faculty in creating a pediatric boot camp course following the initial steps of Kern's framework for curriculum development. Methods: Learners participated in a 2-hour workshop incorporating short didactics, guided independent reflection, and group discussions. Workshop facilitators guided faculty through the tool kit materials including a literature overview, a needs assessment worksheet, session prioritization and schedule planning worksheets, a module design worksheet, and implementation strategies. Results: Twenty-seven attendees at a national meeting of undergraduate pediatric educators participated in the workshop. Feedback was solicited via an anonymous electronic survey (41% completion rate), which indicated that attendees' self-assessed confidence significantly increased for each component of the tool kit. For the five tool kit components surveyed, average confidence increased 26% (range: 17.5%-37.1%) after completing the workshop. All respondents also indicated that the tool kit would be moderately helpful to very helpful as a stand-alone resource for independent faculty use, corresponding to a 3.57 out of 5 weighted average for this Likert-scale question. Discussion: We developed a pediatric boot camp course design workshop and tool kit to assist faculty in developing pediatric boot camps. Initial implementation was through a workshop, but the resource could be used individually and also adapted for use by other specialties.

Hypovolemic Shock in a Child: A Pediatric Simulation Case.

Introduction: Volume depletion is a common problem in pediatrics. Interns need to be able to recognize critical illness such as hypovolemic shock, obtain access, and manage complications. This simulation case involves a child with hypovolemic shock who requires intraosseous (IO) needle placement. While designed for subinterns in pediatrics, it is relevant for clerkship students and interns in family medicine and emergency medicine. Methods: In this case, a 3-year-old child presents with vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy, and is in hypovolemic shock. As IV access cannot be obtained, he requires IO access. Laboratory results reveal hypoglycemia, hypernatremia, and acute kidney injury. Required equipment includes an IV arm task trainer and a child mannequin with IO capacity (or a child mannequin plus a separate IO task trainer). Learning objectives include recognizing and managing hypovolemic shock, hypoglycemia, and electrolyte disturbances; obtaining IO access; and communicating with a distraught parent. Critical actions include attempting IO access, requesting labs, and administering fluids. Students complete a selfassessment survey following the case. Results: A pilot study was conducted in 2017 with all subinterns (N = 16) on the pediatric service. Students' perceived competence in assessment and management of volume depletion and procedural skills such as IO placement were high following the session, and students rated the case as a highly beneficial learning experience. Discussion: This clinical simulation case allows students to demonstrate clinical reasoning skills, procedural skills, and management skills regarding hypovolemic shock. It may be used as part of a curriculum for fourth-year students entering pediatric residency.

Fever and Seizure in a Young Infant: A Simulation Case.

INTRODUCTION: Fever in early infancy is a common problem for which management can be challenging. All residents need to be able to recognize critical illness such as meningitis in febrile infants and manage complications such as seizures. Many new residents are not competent performing bedside procedures as there is little opportunity to perform them while in medical school. This simulation case revolves around fever and subsequent seizures in an infant. Designed to last 2 hours, the case is specific for subinterns but is relevant for clerkship students and interns in pediatrics, family medicine, and emergency medicine. METHODS: In this case, a 5-week-old infant presents with fever and lethargy. He develops seizures with respiratory depression requiring antiseizure medication and respiratory support. His final diagnosis is bacterial meningitis. Major equipment required includes an infant mannequin and an infant lumbar puncture task trainer. RESULTS: A pilot study was conducted in 2015 with all subinterns on the pediatric service. Students' perceived competence in diagnosis/management, procedural skills, and managing complex pediatric cases rose sharply after completing the session. Critical actions include obtaining IV access, performing blood and urine cultures, considering lumbar puncture, recognizing respiratory depression, performing bag and mask ventilation, administering antiseizure medication, counseling parents, and starting appropriate anti-infective therapy. DISCUSSION: This clinical simulation case allows students to demonstrate clinical reasoning skills, procedural skills such as performing a lumbar puncture and bag-mask ventilation, and management skills. Materials are provided for students to perform self-assessments of perceived competency in procedural, diagnosis, and management skills related to the case.