Effectiveness of a Geriatric Medical Student Scholars Program: A Qualitative Assessment

Abstract

In 2003, the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine initiated a 4-year Geriatric Medical Student Scholars (GMSS) program in which a selected group of 14 medical students participated in a variety of extracurricular geriatrics-related activities such as one-on-one mentoring and discussion groups. These students were also required to compose journal entries describing GMSS program-related activities using a semistructured on-line computer program designed specifically for this purpose. The reflective journals, in combination with the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) competencies, were used to evaluate the degree to which the GMSS program achieved its goal of enhancing students' understanding of the complex health and social challenges facing older adults. Using a confirmatory qualitative analysis strategy, the AGS competencies served as an a priori codebook to evaluate the student journal entries. Of the original 53 AGS competencies identified as being relevant for a first- or second-year medical student, 74% were used at least one time, and only 26% were never used. These findings strongly suggest that the GMSS program successfully moved this group of first- and second-year medical students closer to at least understanding the content of many of the AGS competencies by providing them with geriatrics-related experiences and a geriatrics-related framework they could draw on when participating in curricular and extracurricular activities. The findings also point to the potential value of using reflective journaling as a tool for conducting process evaluation of medical education interventions.

Reflective Practice and Competencies in Global Health Training: Lesson for Serving Diverse Patient Populations

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“…• Aprendizaje de los principios éticos y otros aspectos difíciles de enseñar con métodos tradicionales (27,40).…”

“…Por tanto, es indispensable la creación de un ambiente de confianza en el que el estudiante pueda escribir de forma honesta y sin temor a represalias (2,9,24,33,36,47). En las prácticas clínicas de enfermería se describen aspectos con mucha carga emocional, que podrían omitirse en el diario por falta de confianza con el profesor (26,39,40).…”

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“…Goldenhar and Kues (2006) conducted a study at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine that required students in the Geriatric Medical Student Scholars program to journal about their practices. The results showed that reflective writing provided both personal and professional learning.…”