Maximising the value from the elective experience: post-elective workshops

Abstract

Medical electives are important facets of Global Health education of UK medical students, preparing them for work in an increasingly globalised world. However, their explicit educational value is unclear, and is often lost because of inadequate preparation and review procedures. Aiming to capitalise on this unique personal and professional development opportunity, which Newcastle University students undertake in their fourth year, a pilot feedback workshop was designed in which 42 final-year students gave 10-15-minute reflective presentations to subgroups of between six and eight peers, followed by an opportunity for questions, discussion and feedback. Feedback was sought from individual questionnaires and then there was open discussion with the whole group. Despite the participants' variable satisfaction with the pre-elective procedures, all felt that the elective itself was valuable and enjoyable, and, moreover, all enjoyed and benefited from debriefing in this workshop format. This pilot was successful. Simple, inexpensive workshops are to be recommended for overcoming perceived staffing and timetabling barriers to Global Health education, and affording students the maximum personal and professional benefit from their own, and each others' medical electives.