Experiences and Views of a Pilot Emergency Medicine Sub-internship Program: A Focus Group Study of Learners and Teachers

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to explore participants' experiences and views of a pilot emergency medicine (EM) sub-internship program. METHODS: A pilot 4-week EM sub-internship program involving four academic emergency departments was developed and implemented at the beginning of fourth-year in medical school. Three focus group discussions were separately conducted with ten students, six supervising residents, or four faculty physicians upon completion of the program. Each 60- to 90-minute discussion was recorded, transcribed, and coded by two assessors independently. Contents were thematically analyzed and group interaction examined. RESULTS: The participants identified several strengths of the program, including an opportunity to treat a variety of acute diseases for the first time, an opportunity to apply a symptom-based practice, an opportunity to experience a dynamic workplace, and an opportunity to receive help with career-planning. Commonly identified weaknesses of the program were placed into three categories 1) not enough bedside teaching time, 2) the workload of the educators, which impacts program efficiency, and 3) a variety of learning experience among the students. Ideas for improving the program included an announcement about the program in advance, the development of faculty skills, the development of new content, and a validation of the evaluation methods and institutional support. CONCLUSION: The EM sub-internship appears to be effective in preparing fourth-year medical students for many of the challenges they will face in the future. However, continuous efforts to strengthen the program are required. These study results will help EM educators develop their own sub-internship program.