Clerkships are a critical part of a Physician’s medical education and rely heavily on a solid foundation of knowledge acquired while in school. This reliance though may lead you to question, is my medical school properly preparing me for my clerkships? To gain insight into the topic of medical school program preparation and readiness for practice, listen to what fellow med school grads have to say about their educational experiences.
The results of a 2019 Association of American Medical Colleges Medical School Graduation Questionnaire elicited feedback from recent medical school graduates regarding their views on the effectiveness of their medical education. This group encompassed a nearly equal gender distribution of MD seeking students that reported being generally happy with their overall medical school experience. 89% of those surveyed expressed feeling satisfied with their medical education. This sense of satisfaction was also evident when 71% of respondents reported that their school provided good guidance when it came to choosing their electives.
Areas Where Medical Education Provided Clear Advantages
Clinical Skills for Residency- Of those surveyed, 90% reported feeling that their educational experiences concerning clinical skills prepared them to start Residency.
Ethical and Professional Considerations- 98% of students reported that they graduated with a clear understanding of what ethics and professional values associated with working as a Physician.
Medical Condition Management- 94% of respondents felt that their education provided them with an appropriate level of understanding of medical conditions and their management.
Dealing with Diverse Patient Populations- Of all those surveyed, a whopping 96% felt that their education prepared them to care for patients with diverse backgrounds.
Which Courses Best Prepared Students for Clerkship
Pathophysiology- The study of the physiological processes of disease states was reported as the top course, with 93% of grads saying that pathophysiology was most helpful when time came for clerkships.
Intro to Clinical Medicine- It shouldn’t be a surprise that this introductory course ranked high with 91% of those surveyed, due to its real-world relevancy for trainees entering the field.
Physiology & Anatomy- These fundamental courses provide the groundwork for both a theoretical and practical understanding of medicine and was felt to be essential by a majority of the respondents.