Clerkship length: Does it affect performance on the NBME Surgery Subject Examination across schools?

Abstract

Background: The optimal duration for clerkships has not yet been established. The purpose of this study was to add to the limited literature on the impact of clerkship length using data from multiple medical schools and controlling for differences in pre-clerkship achievement. Methods: A two-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted to examine the effects of clerkship length reductions and school affiliation on students’ performance on the Subject Examination in Surgery. Results: The relationship between surgery clerkship length and school performance while controlling for Step 1 scores, F (4, 1708) = 2.69, p = .030, partial η2 = .006, indicating that the effect of a clerkship length reduction on Surgery Subject Examination performance was not consistent. Further, across 91 medical schools, clerkship length was not a significant predictor of performance. Conclusion: This study suggests that it is possible to reduce the duration of a surgery clerkship without negatively impacting student achievement.