The do's, don'ts and don't knows of establishing asustainable longitudinal integrated clerkship.

Maggie Bartlett,Ian Couper,Ann Ann Poncelet,Paul Paul Worley

doi:10.1007/s40037-019-00558-z

Abstract

IntroductionThe longitudinal integrated clerkship is a model of clinical medical education that is increasingly employed by medical schools around the world. These guidelines are a result of a narrative review of the literature which considered the question of how to maximize the sustainability of a new longitudinal integrated clerkship program.MethodAll four authors have practical experience of establishing longitudinal integrated clerkship programs. Each author individually constructed their Do’s, Don’ts and Don’t Knows and the literature that underpinned them. The lists were compiled and revised in discussion and a final set of guidelines was agreed. A statement of the strength of the evidence is included for each guideline.ResultsThe final set of 18 Do’s, Don’ts and Don’t Knows is presented with an appraisal of the evidence for each one.ConclusionImplementing a longitudinal integrated clerkship is a complex process requiring the involvement of a wide group of stakeholders in both hospitals and communities. The complexity of the change management processes requires careful and sustained attention, with a particular focus on the outcomes of the programs for students and the communities in which they learn. Effective and consistent leadership and adequate resourcing are important. There is a need to select teaching sites carefully, involve students and faculty in allocation of students to sites and support students and faculty though the implementation phase and beyond. Work is needed to address the Don’t Knows, in particular the question of how cost-effectiveness is best measured.

Highlights

The longitudinal integrated clerkship is a model of clinical medical education that is increasingly employed by medical schools around the world
The longitudinal integrated clerkship (LIC) is a strategy for clinical medical education which is increasingly employed by medical schools across the world
This paper reports on a narrative review of the published literature by a group of authors with 56 years of collective experience of establishing and maintaining LICs in four continents, giving guidance in the form of the Do’s, Don’ts and Don’t Knows of setting up a LIC with a view to its sustainability over time

Summary

Introduction

The longitudinal integrated clerkship is a model of clinical medical education that is increasingly employed by medical schools around the world. The longitudinal integrated clerkship (LIC) is a strategy for clinical medical education which is increasingly employed by medical schools across the world. The principle of continuity of relationships is aligned with the concept of a ‘community of practice’, a social construction in which people share endeavours over time These endeavours include learning and as a result of contributing to the care of patients alongside more experienced people in the community, students develop a sense of meaning and professional identity [11, 12]

Methods

Results

Conclusion