Clinical experiences of intern doctors in Kuwait: implications of assessment practices for internship training

ABSTRACT

This study reviewed the clinical conditions encountered by interns during their specialty rotations and the pattern of assessment ratings of their performances of clinical skills. Trainers used a checklist and a set of Interaction Cards to assess the performances in six clinical domains of 45 interns in the 2002/03 cohort during and at end of rotations over a one year period. Analysis of 4868 assessments revealed that the clinical conditions seen during training matched the health problems of Kuwait adequately. The majority of the ratings were close to upper end in a rating scale of 1 to 5, with 66% in the 5 - excellent category. During their rotations interns encountered clinical conditions common in Kuwait. There was leniency in assessment. Feedback to trainers on the ratings given and workshops in clinical assessment would improve assessment in internship training