Academic activities in clinical contexts by medical specialty: students´ perception

Abstract

Introduction: This paper seeks to identify the frequency with which residents from different specialties use diverse learning methods in their training and assessment.

Objectives: 1) Compare the perceptions of residents from different medical specialties about the frequency with which learning methods are used in academic theory, practice and care in clinical settings. 2) Identify whether there is relationship between the specialty and the type of academic activity that they practice. 3) Compare the desired learning methods from the residents´ point of view with the ones they practice every day.

Material and methods: The questionnaire of the “Survey of Students of PUEM 2010” included 19 questions on learning methods and 11 of desired learning methods. Academic activities were considered (theoretical, practical and healthcare assistance) in ten specialties of PUEM. The sample of 1 837 cases was analyzed to find significant associations between variables (p<0.05).

Results: When comparing the frequency of academic activities, considering the sum of the response options “always” and “almost always”, the most common was care (61.2%), followed by theoretical activities (59.4%) and practices (50%), although the difference between them did not exceed 12%. The type of academic activities most valued by residents for development of his professional competences were the practical followed by the healthcare assistance and theoretical, which did not match with the daily practice of these activities.

Discussion: The residents in surgical specialties are most often involved in clinical surgical demonstrations; while clinical reasoning was more common in clinical and community areas.