Assessment of skills and knowledge in clinical ophthalmology: A survey among undergraduate medical students during internship in SKNMC and GH, Pune

Abstract

Internship is the last year of undergraduate medical training wherein a graduate is exposed to actual patients, conduct varied tasks and acquire skills under supervision of a faculty so that medical student becomes capable of performing clinical skills independently. In India interns have a compulsory 15 days posting in the subject of Ophthalmology. In this study we assessed the clinical skills and knowledge of undergraduate students using a structured questionnaire. A detailed questionnaire based study was conducted which had four parts: (1) clinical skills (2) diagnosis of anterior segment diseases (3) diagnosis of posterior segment diseases and (4) ocular emergencies and sight threatening diseases. Interns were asked to fill this questionnaire before and after completion of 15 days training. : A statistically significant improvement was found i assessment of clinical skills, anterior segment eye diseases and ocular emergencies; whereas assessment of posterior segment diseases showed no statistically significant improvement. The undergraduate teaching program in Ophthalmology seems to be adequate in diagnosis of anterior segment eye diseases and ocular emergencies; though more focus is required in training of diagnosis of posterior segment diseases and certain ocular emergencies. There is a need of change in the structure of training programs of undergraduate students in order to improve their clinical skills and knowledge of appropriate referral after graduation during their independent practice.