Which Student Characteristics Are Most Important in Determining Clinical Honors in Clerkships? A Teaching Ward Attending Perspective.
Publication/Presentation Date
10-1-2019
Abstract
PURPOSE: To explore faculty perspectives on which characteristics of high-performing clerkship students are most important when determining an honors or top grade designation for clinical performance.
METHOD: In 2016-2017, the authors surveyed faculty (teaching ward attendings) for internal medicine clerkships and 1 pediatrics clerkship in inpatient settings at 5 U.S. academic medical centers. Survey items were framed around competencies, 24 student characteristics, and attitudes toward evaluation. Factor analysis examined constructs defining high-performing students.
RESULTS: Of 516 faculty invited, 319 (62%) responded. The top 5 characteristics as rated by respondents were taking ownership, clinical reasoning, curiosity, dependability, and high ethical standards (in descending order). Twenty-one characteristics fit into 3 factors (Cronbach alpha, 0.81-0.87). Clinical reasoning did not fit into a factor. Factor 1 was the most important (mean rating, 8.7/10 [95% confidence interval (CI), 8.6-8.8]). It included professionalism components (ownership, curiosity, dependability, high ethical standards), presentation and interviewing skills, seeking feedback, and documentation. Factor 2 (mean, 7.9 [95% CI, 7.7-8.0]) included aspects of teamwork and communication, such as positive attitude and comments from others. Factor 3 (mean, 7.6 [95% CI, 7.4-7.7]) addressed systems-based thinking, including patient safety and care transitions.
CONCLUSIONS: Professionalism components, clinical reasoning, and curiosity were among the most important characteristics distinguishing high-performing clerkship students. These may represent behaviors that are highly valued, observable, and relevant to training stage. Improved definition of the characteristics associated with clinical honors would assist students, faculty, and residency program directors when interpreting clinical performance within core clerkships.
Volume
94
Issue
10
First Page
1581
Last Page
1588
ISSN
1938-808X
Published In/Presented At
Herrera, L. N., Khodadadi, R., Schmit, E., Willig, J., Hoellein, A., Knudson, C., Law, K., Mingioni, N., Walsh, K., Estrada, C., & Williams, W. (2019). Which Student Characteristics Are Most Important in Determining Clinical Honors in Clerkships? A Teaching Ward Attending Perspective. Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges, 94(10), 1581–1588. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000002836
Disciplines
Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
PubMedID
31192796
Department(s)
Administration and Leadership
Document Type
Article