Preoperative assessment clinic: a missed learning opportunity?

Abstract

The results clearly demonstrate that preoperative assessment is an arena that would give medical students two important opportunities: to examine objective clinical signs and to take histories of presenting complaints from the core curriculum. This learning opportunity would otherwise be missed.

Training tomorrow’s doctors in the preoperative clinic

“…Previous studies have shown that students enjoy learning in the preoperative assessment clinic, and that it presents the opportunity to take histories and examine patients with clinical signs 5,8 . This study shows that students can also gain experience in other Tomorrow’s Doctors outcomes, which form the basis for UK medical school curricula.…”

“…6 The experience of our students appears consistent with the findings of Bagenal et al: the majority of patients have presenting complaints and clinical signs relevant to our core curriculum, and represent a valuable and willing educational resource. 5 However, the potential of the preoperative assessment clinic extends beyond exposure to pathology, and this is of particular relevance as students approach graduation and must achieve competence in clinical reasoning, teamwork and communication, as stated in Tomorrow's Doctors. 7 In September 2011, a new preoperative assessment teaching programme was introduced for fourth-year medical students, who attend the general surgical preoperative assessment clinic for three half-day sessions during their surgical attachment.…”

“…Previous studies have shown that students enjoy learning in the preoperative assessment clinic, and that it presents the opportunity to take histories and examine patients with clinical signs. 5,8 This study shows that students can also gain experience in other Tomorrow's Doctors outcomes, which form the basis for UK medical school curricula. 18 of the 32 practical procedures listed in Tomorrow's Doctors were identified as 'sub outcomes' In particular, it is a useful environment to learn and teach clinical reasoning and decisionmaking skills, and to consider patients holistically, rather than as clearly defined 'medical' or 'surgical' cases.…”

“…In their recent paper, Bagenal et al defined the variety in clinical exposure that the preoperative assessment clinic may offer, and proposed that this clinical environment represents a ‘missed learning opportunity’ 5 . However, Keele University School of Medicine has pioneered the use of the preoperative assessment clinic as a formal teaching environment for several years.…”

The preoperative assessment clinic: the Keele experience

“…We were interested to read Bagenal et al. ’s paper indicating that the preoperative assessment area is suitable for teaching medical students 1 …”