Evaluation of general practice clinical attachments by fourth year students

CSY Chan, NF Chan, L Lau, DVK Chao
Department of Community and Family Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

An analysis of the evaluation by fourth year students of their clinical attachment learning experience in general practitioners� offices was conducted. There was a statistically significant trend towards improved ratings for six items between the 1986-87 and 1993-94 academic years. Increasingly more students rated very highly the attachment experience and felt it gave them the opportunity to practise and enhanced their learning in the physical examination of a patient, in understanding a patient�s health problems in relation to the family and community, in educating the patient, in defining and solving a patient�s problems, and gave an insight into the realities of general practice. The improvement in ratings was greatest after the 1990-91 academic year. This could be attributed to the introduction of the practice of sending student feedback to the tutors and the development and implementation of a checklist of tasks which students were expected to perform in the clinic setting.

Hong Kong Med J 1995;1:219-24

Key words: Education; Medical; Undergraduate; Programme evaluation; Clinical clerkship; General practice; Family practice