A continuing clinical education course to maintain clinical competencies and foster new clinical knowledge during the graduate school years of MD-PhD training

Graham D Cochrane; Shima D Anwar; Alice N Weaver; Stephanie N Brosius; Catherine H Poholek; Heather Allen; Randy L Seay; Robin G Lorenz; Gregory A Payne; William M Geisler

doi:10.1017/cts.2023.694

A continuing clinical education course to maintain clinical competencies and foster new clinical knowledge during the graduate school years of MD-PhD training

J Clin Transl Sci. 2023 Dec 14;7(1):e270. doi: 10.1017/cts.2023.694. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Heersink School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
² Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
³ Division of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
⁴ Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
⁵ Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
⁶ Division of Hospital Medicine, Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA.
⁷ Department of Research Pathology, Genentech, South San Francisco, CA, USA.

Abstract

Introduction: Most students in MD-PhD programs take a leave of absence from medical school to complete PhD training, which promotes a natural loss of clinical skills and knowledge and could negatively impact a student's long-term clinical knowledge. To address this concern, clinical refresher courses in the final year of PhD training have traditionally been used; however, effectiveness of such courses versus a longitudinal clinical course spanning all PhD training years is unclear.

Methods: The University of Alabama at Birmingham MD-PhD Program implemented a comprehensive continuing clinical education (CCE) course spanning PhD training years that features three course components: (1) clinical skills; (2) clinical knowledge; and (3) specialty exposure activities. To evaluate course effectiveness, data from an anonymous student survey completed at the end of each semester were analyzed.

Results: Five hundred and ninety-seven surveys were completed by MD-PhD students from fall 2014 to 2022. Survey responses indicated that the majority of students found the course helpful to: maintain clinical skills and knowledge (544/597, 91% and 559/597, 94%; respectively), gain exposure to clinical specialties (568/597, 95%), and prepare them for responsibilities during clinical clerkships. During semesters following lockdowns from the COVID-19 pandemic, there were significant drops in students' perceived preparedness.

Conclusions: Positive student survey feedback and improved preparedness to return to clinic after development of the course suggests the CCE course is a useful approach to maintain clinical knowledge during research training.

Keywords: MD-PhD; clinical; education; knowledge; survey.