Student Perceptions of educational handovers

Abstract

Educational handovers can provide competency information about graduating medical students to residency program directors post-residency placement. Little is known about students' comfort with this novel communication. To examine graduated medical students' perceptions of educational handovers. The authors created and distributed an anonymous survey to 166 medical students at a single institution following graduation in the spring of 2018. Within this cohort, 40 students had an educational handover sent to their future program director. The survey explored comfort level with handovers (1=very uncomfortable; 5=very comfortable) and ideal content (e.g., student strengths, areas for improvement, goals, grades received after residency application). Respondents self-reported their performance in medical school and whether a handover was sent. Correlation analyses examined relationships between performance and other variables. T-tests examined differences between students who did and did not have a handover letter sent. The survey response rate was 40.4% (67/166) - 47.8% of students felt comfortable with handovers, 19.4% were neutral, and 32.8% were uncomfortable. There was no correlation between self-reported medical school performance and comfort level. Respondents felt most strongly that strengths should be included, followed by goals. Those who had a handover letter sent expressed significantly higher comfort level (3.8 ± 1.0 vs. 2.6 ±1.3, p=0.003) with this communication. Medical students reported varying levels of comfort with educational handovers; however, those who had handovers sent had more positive perceptions. In order to improve the education continuum, it is essential to engage students in the development of this handover communication.