Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Brownfield, Elisha L.
• Blue, Amy V.
• Powell, Caroline K.
• Geesey, Mark E.
• Moran, William P.

Titel

Impact of the Foundations of Clinical Medicine Course on USMLE Scores

Ist Teil von

• Journal of general internal medicine : JGIM, 2008-07, Vol.23 (7), p.1002-1005

Ort / Verlag

New York: Springer-Verlag

Erscheinungsjahr

2008

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

SpringerLink

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• BACKGROUND The synthesis of basic and clinical science knowledge during the clerkship years has failed to meet educational expectations. OBJECTIVES We hypothesized that a small-group course emphasizing the basic science underpinnings of disease, Foundations of Clinical Medicine (FCM), could be integrated into third year clerkships and would not negatively impact the United States Medical Licensure Examination (USMLE) step 2 scores. DESIGN In 2001–2002, all third year students met weekly in groups of 8–12 clustered within clerkships to discuss the clinical and basic science aspects of prescribed, discipline-specific cases. PARTICIPANTS Students completing USMLE step 2 between 1999 and 2004 ( n  = 743). MEASUREMENTS Course evaluations were compared with the overall institutional average. Bivariate analyses compared the mean USMLE steps 1 and 2 scores across pre- and post-FCM student cohorts. We used multiple linear regression to assess the association between USMLE step 2 scores and FCM cohort controlling for potential confounders. RESULTS Students’ average course evaluation score rose from 66 to 77 (2001–2004) compared to an institutional average of 73. The unadjusted mean USMLE step 1 score was higher for the post-FCM cohort (212.9 vs 207.5, respectively, p  < .001) and associated with step 2 scores (estimated coefficient = 0.70, p  < .001). Post-FCM cohort (2002–2004; n  = 361) mean step 2 scores topped pre-FCM (1999–2001; n  = 382) scores (215.9 vs 207.7, respectively, p  < .001). FCM cohort remained a significant predictor of higher step 2 scores after adjustment for USMLE step 1 and demographic characteristics (estimated coefficient = 4.3, p  = .002). CONCLUSIONS A curriculum integrating clinical and basic sciences during third year clerkships is feasible and associated with improvement in standardized testing.