Comparison of the effectiveness of exclusively facilitated clinical teaching as an alternative to traditional practice-based primary care placements

Tyrrell, Edward G; Knox, Richard; Saha, Runa; Berry, Kathryn; Taggar, Jaspal S

Abstract

Introduction: COVID-19 presented major challenges to undergraduate GP placement capacity and there was an increased reliance on clinical training using facilitated simulation. The authors present a novel comparison of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of delivering a one-week primary care course using entirely GP-facilitated clinical teaching outside the GP setting against traditional practice-based GP clinical education. Methods: A one-week GP placement was redeveloped from a traditional teaching model (TT-M) to an exclusively facilitated teaching model (FT-M) delivered outside the GP practice setting, using principles of blended learning, flipped classroom methods, e-learning and simulation. Both teaching models, delivered in different locations during 2022 to pre-clinical students, were evaluated using student feedback surveys for attainment of learning outcomes and course satisfaction. Results: The students reported their consultation skills and clinical knowledge (amalgamated mean score 4.36 for FT-M versus 4.63 for TT-M; P = 0.05), as well as preparation for the clinical phases (mean scores 4.35 for FT-M versus 4.41 for TT-M; P = 0.68), were well developed and similar for both courses. Students reported similar enjoyment across both teaching models (FT-M mean score 4.31 versus 4.41 for TT-M; P = 0.49). The costs for delivering teaching per 4-h session for 100 students were £1,379 and £5,551 for FT-M and TT-M, respectively. Conclusion: Delivery of a one-week primary care attachment to third year medical students using an FT-M was similarly effective and more cost effective than delivering it by a TT-M. FT-M potentially offers an important adjunct to clinical learning and resilience to capacity challenges for GP placements.

Citation

Tyrrell, E. G., Knox, R., Saha, R., Berry, K., & Taggar, J. S. (2023). Comparison of the effectiveness of exclusively facilitated clinical teaching as an alternative to traditional practice-based primary care placements. Education for Primary Care, 34(3), 152-160. https://doi.org/10.1080/14739879.2023.2217795

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 22, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Jun 6, 2023
• Publication Date: Jun 6, 2023
• Deposit Date: May 25, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 8, 2023
• Journal: Education for Primary Care
• Print ISSN: 1473-9879
• Electronic ISSN: 1475-990X
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 34
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 152-160
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14739879.2023.2217795
• Keywords: primary care education, medical education, facilitated teaching, clinical teaching, undergraduate teaching
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/21107924
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14739879.2023.2217795