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Necessity is the mother of invention: how the COVID-19 pandemic could change medical student placements for the better.
Stout, Rebecca C; Roberts, Sophie; Maxwell-Scott, Hector; Gothard, Philip.
  • Stout RC; Infectious and tropical diseases, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, University College London Hospitals, London, UK rebecca.stout1@nhs.net.
  • Roberts S; Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
  • Maxwell-Scott H; Infectious and tropical diseases, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, University College London Hospitals, London, UK.
  • Gothard P; Infectious and tropical diseases, Hospital for Tropical Diseases, University College London Hospitals, London, UK.
Postgrad Med J ; 97(1149): 417-422, 2021 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1088285
ABSTRACT
COVID-19 led to the widespread withdrawal of face-to-face hospital-based clinical placements, with many medical schools switching to online learning. This precipitated concern about potential negative impact on clinical and interprofessional skill acquisition. To overcome this problem, we piloted a 12-week COVID-19 safe face-to-face clinical placement for 16 medical students at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, London, during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 infection control measures necessitated that students remained in 'social bubbles' for placement duration. This facilitated an apprenticeship-style teaching approach, integrating students into the clinical team for placement duration. Team-based learning was adopted to develop and deliver content. Teaching comprised weekly seminars, experiential ward-based attachments and participation in quality improvement and research projects. The taught content was evaluated through qualitative feedback, reflective practice, and pre-apprenticeship and post-apprenticeship confidence questionnaires across 17 domains. Students' confidence improved in 14 of 17 domains (p<0.05). Reflective practice indicated that students valued the apprenticeship model, preferring the longer clinical attachment to existent shorter, fragmented clinical placements. Students described improved critical thinking, group cohesion, teamwork, self-confidence, self-worth and communication skills. This article describes a framework for the safe and effective delivery of a longer face-to-face apprenticeship-based clinical placement during an infectious disease pandemic. Longer apprenticeship-style attachments have hidden benefits to general professional training, which should be explored by medical schools both during the COVID-19 pandemic and, possibly, for any future clinical placements.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Teaching / Clinical Clerkship / Clinical Competence / Education, Medical, Undergraduate / COVID-19 Type of study: Experimental Studies / Observational study / Prognostic study / Qualitative research Limits: Humans Country/Region as subject: Europa Language: English Journal: Postgrad Med J Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Postgradmedj-2021-139728

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Teaching / Clinical Clerkship / Clinical Competence / Education, Medical, Undergraduate / COVID-19 Type of study: Experimental Studies / Observational study / Prognostic study / Qualitative research Limits: Humans Country/Region as subject: Europa Language: English Journal: Postgrad Med J Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Postgradmedj-2021-139728