ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: to evaluate the benefit of a participative educative strategy (PES) in the development of clinical skills to study patients with fever of unknown origin (CAFUO) by internal medicine residents (IMR). METHODS: twenty-two IMR participated. They were distributed at random in two groups; group I received passive strategy and group II received PES. Assessment tool consisted of 144 items of multiple choice questions using six clinical cases. The assessment was discussed and answered by 10 internal medicine specialists and a pilot test with 15 medical students was performed. The tests were applied pre- and post-exhibition of the strategy. RESULTS: there were no differences between groups, or in pre- and post-strategy, neither in the same group. Pre-strategy did not demonstrate differences between both groups. In group II, the post-strategy showed difference in the global results. The evaluation of each clinical case by group showed in group I there was statistical difference in case 2; in group II (experimental) there was difference in cases 1, 2, 4 and 6. CONCLUSIONS: both strategies were useful, the residents developed comparable aptitude.
