Impact on Clinical Performance of Required Participation in a Student-Run Pro Bono Clinic

Abstract

Background and Purpose. Early opportunities for students to develop clinical skills and professional attributes are important to maximize clinical learning. Student-run pro bono clinics have the potential to provide early contextual exposure. This article describes the impact of required compared to voluntary participation in a student-run pro bono clinic on clinical performance during the first full-time internship. Method/Model Description and Evaluation. Students in the University of Florida Doctor of Physical Therapy program were assigned to one of four service learning groups including a pro bono clinic. While attendance at the clinic was encouraged for all students, only the assigned group was required to attend twice a semester. A retrospective analysis of student performance on the Clinical Performance Instrument (CPI) for the first internship was conducted. Clinician CPI ratings were categorized as beginner or intermediate and above. Median scores for safety, professional practice, and practice management items for those students who were required to attend the clinic were compared to students from the other service learning groups who did not attend or attended voluntarily using Chi-square analysis. Outcomes. At midterm, a higher proportion of the required pro bono group were rated as intermediate or above by clinical instructors for safety, all professional practice items except professional development, and all patient management items except diagnosis/prognosis, education, and consideration of financial resources. Differences were present at the final evaluation for safety, professional behavior, cultural competence, clinical reasoning, and examination. Discussion and Conclusion. Positive outcomes were present for students involved in the pro bono clinic, illustrating the potential benefits of required pro bono clinic experiences early in a professional curriculum for accelerating clinical performance.