Abstract
BackgroundAlthough emergency departments provide acute care learning opportunities for medical students, student exposure to recommended curriculum presentations and procedures are limited. In this perspective, clinical environments providing learning opportunities for students should be monitored as part of an ongoing quality improvement process. This study aims to analyze student exposures and their involvement levels in two different hospitals (Tawam and Al Ain) so as to improve the teaching and learning activities.MethodsThis is a prospective study on all 76 final year medical students’ electronic logbooks (e-Portfolio) of the academic year 2016/2017.ResultsStudents recorded 5087 chief complaints and 3721 procedures. The average patient and procedure exposure in a shift per student in Al Ain Hospital compared with Tawam Hospital were 7.2 vs 6.4 and 5.8 vs 4.3, respectively. The highest full involvement with presentations was seen in the pediatric unit (67.1%, P < 0.0001). Urgent care shifts demonstrated the highest area of “full involvement” with procedures for our students (73.2%, P < 0.0001). Students’ highest involvement with presentations and procedures were found during the night shifts (P < 0.0001, 66.5 and 75.1%, respectively).ConclusionsThe electronic portfolio has proven to be a very useful tool in defining the learning activities of final year medical students during their emergency medicine clerkship and in comparing activities in two different clinical settings. Data collected and analyzed using this e-Portfolio has the potential to help medical educators and curriculum designers improve emergency medicine teaching and learning activities.
Highlights
Emergency departments provide acute care learning opportunities for medical students, student exposure to recommended curriculum presentations and procedures are limited
Seventy-six students recorded 5087 chief complaints with more patients seen in Tawam Hospital, 2903 (57. 1%)
There were slightly more male patients logged by students (52.1%)
Summary
Emergency departments provide acute care learning opportunities for medical students, student exposure to recommended curriculum presentations and procedures are limited. In this perspective, clinical environments providing learning opportunities for students should be monitored as part of an ongoing quality improvement process. Emergency departments (EDs) provide rich clinical learning opportunities to medical students [1]. They increase confidence in both acute care and procedural skills [2]. Proper monitoring and analysis of electronic logbooks can modify teaching and learning activities during the clerkship as well as provide guidance for future modifications of the curriculum
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
