Purpose: To evaluate the association between fourth year medical students’ (MS4) clinical experience and their self-confidence prior to starting OB/Gyn residency.
Background: Few studies evaluate MS4 experiences in OB/Gyn before starting residency. Little is known about clinical experience and its effects on MS4 self-confidence.
Methods: Before receiving a novel residency preparatory curriculum, MS4s entering OB/Gyn residency were asked to report the length of their OB/Gyn clerkship, clinical experience numbers for common procedures, and self-confidence in various domains. Chi square analyses were used to evaluate association between experience and confidence.
Results: 1056 MS4s completed the survey. Most had six-week clerkships (557/1056, 52.7%). Participants reported a median of 5.5 vaginal deliveries (IQR 2-12), 10 hysterectomies (IQR 5-20), and 15 suturing opportunities (IQR 8-30). Longer clerkships were associated with more deliveries (p = 0.02) and suture opportunities (p = 0.06), but fewer hysterectomies (p = 0.03).
Highest quartile cumulative clinical experience, as well as highest quartile experience in any individual category, was associated with higher confidence in technical skills (cumulative p < 0.001; deliveries p = 0.002; suture p < 0.001; hysterectomy p < 0.001). Highest quartile cumulative experience or suture opportunities were additionally associated with higher confidence in medical knowledge (cumulative p = 0.002; suture p < 0.001) and medical school preparation (cumulative p = 0.02; suture p < 0.001).
Discussions: More clinical experience is associated with higher confidence in one’s knowledge, technical skills, and medical school preparation for OB/Gyn residency.
Topics: CREOG & APGO Annual Meeting, 2022, Student, Resident, Faculty, Clerkship Director, Clerkship Coordinator, Osteopathic Faculty, Residency Director, Residency Coordinator, Medical Knowledge, GME, UME, Independent Study, General Ob-Gyn,
Fei Cai, MD, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania; Sarah Santiago, MD; Elizabeth Southworth, MD; Eileen Wang, MD; Emily Fay, MD; R. Nicholas Burns, MD
