Implementation and evaluation of a novel operating room curriculum for the obstetrics and gynecology clerkship

Abstract

Objective: Primary objective is to estimate the effect of an operating room (OR) curriculum on obstetrics and gynecology (Ob/Gyn) students' clinical knowledge related to the OR. Secondary objective is to estimate the effect of the curriculum on student confidence and satisfaction related to the OR experience.

Study design: Prospective cohort study of 6 Ob/Gyn clerkship groups from September 2011 to June 2012. Three control groups received usual teaching and 3 intervention groups received the OR curriculum plus usual teaching. The primary outcome was the measurement of student knowledge using preclerkship and postclerkship questionnaires. Student confidence and satisfaction related to the OR experience were also measured using questionnaires. Standard clerkship evaluations were reviewed to rate the quality of faculty teaching. Between-group scores were compared using Student t test. A total of 26 students per group were needed to detect a 20% difference in between-group change in clinical knowledge (α = 0.05, 80% power).

Setting: Women and Infants' Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, a tertiary care teaching hospital for the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

Participants: Ob/Gyn clerkship students.

Results: Overall, 70 students were enrolled-68 completed evaluation measures immediately after clerkship and 27 at 6 months after clerkship. More intervention subjects were fourth-year students (p = 0.03) and had completed surgery clerkships (p = 0.003). At baseline, groups demonstrated similar clinical knowledge and confidence (p > 0.05). Although there was no difference between groups in knowledge scores immediately after clerkship, at 6 months, the intervention group had greater retention in clinical knowledge scores (1.2 ± 2.6 vs 3.5 ± 1.8; p = 0.02). At clerkship completion, intervention group was more satisfied with student-faculty interaction (mean sum score = 14.7 ± 3.5 vs 16.9 ± 3.0; p = 0.01). On review of standard clerkship evaluations, intervention subjects gave significantly higher scores for quality of faculty teaching (3.82 ± 1.18 vs 4.39 ± 0.67; p = 0.01).

Conclusions: Our OR curriculum improved knowledge retention, increased student satisfaction with student-faculty interactions in the OR, and improved faculty teaching evaluation.

Keywords: Interpersonal and Communication Skills; Medical Knowledge; Patient Care; clerkship; curriculum; medical student; operating room.