Impact of Longitudinal Integrated Clerkships on Student Outcomes.

Abstract

To the Editor: As fourth-year UK medical students, we read Beard and colleagues’ article 1 with great interest. The study focuses solely on how longitudinal integrated clerkships (LICs) can improve patient satisfaction, but we wish to stress our belief that LICs can also greatly improve student outcomes. Studies have shown that medical students appreciate LICs; they report taking more active roles in patient care, with increased engagement. 2 Indeed, even simpler aspects of LICs, such as access to patient care calendars, enable students to gain an in-depth perspective of patients’ interactions with health services, while highlighting the range of services available. Beard and colleagues acknowledge that LICs resulted in improved physician–patient communication through better patient education and coordination of care. Medical educators should therefore recognize that students on LICs who observe this improved communication will likely develop superior professional standards from the outset of their clinical exposure. Patients should benefit in turn as students transition into more competent medical professionals. Additionally, student dissatisfaction and burnout while on clinical placements is strongly associated with feelings of being a burden on both the medical team and patients, 3 leading to decreased engagement, attendance, and development of clinical skills. By implementing LICs and highlighting the benefits of their longitudinal presence to students, students may feel more optimistic and engaged toward their placements. Only 9 of 37 UK medical schools offer LICs. 4 We propose that more widespread integration of LICs, particularly in the early years of UK medical education, would enable students to better develop their clinical skills and appreciate the patient experience. In future studies, outcomes of LIC and traditional block students could also be compared with evaluate the potentially profound, multifaced benefits of LICs to both patients and students.