Impact of a Revised Curriculum Focusing on Clinical Neurology and Musculoskeletal Care on a Required Fourth-Year Medical Student Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clerkship. (29th November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Norbury, John W.; Faulk, Clinton E.; Harrell, Kelly M.; Lawson, Luan E.; Moore, Daniel P.
• Other Names: Ceravolo Maria Gabriella Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Rehabilitation research and practice. Volume 2016(2016)
• Publication Date: 2016-11-29
• Subjects: Rehabilitation -- Periodicals; Physical therapy -- Periodicals; Rehabilitation; Rehabilitation, Vocational; Physical therapy; Rehabilitation; Periodicals; 617.103
• DOI: 10.1155/2016/6197961
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2090-2867

Abstract

Abstract : Background . A Required Fourth-Year Medical Student Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) Clerkship was found to increase students' knowledge of PM&R; however the students' overall rotation evaluations were consistently lower than the other 8 required clerkships at the medical school. Objective . To describe the impact of a revised curriculum based upon Entrustable Professional Activities and focusing on basic pain management, musculoskeletal care, and neurology. Setting . Academic Medical Center. Participants . 73 fourth-year medical students. Methods . The curriculum changes included a shift in the required readings from rehabilitation specific topics toward more general content in the areas of clinical neurology and musculoskeletal care. Hands-on workshops on neurological and musculoskeletal physical examination techniques, small group case-based learning, an anatomy clinical correlation lecture, and a lecture on pain management were integrated into the curriculum. Main Outcome Measurements . Student evaluations of the clerkship. Results . Statistically significant improvements were found in the students' evaluations of usefulness of lecturers, development of patient interviewing skills, and diagnostic and patient management skills ( p ≤ 0.05 ) . Conclusions . This study suggests that students have a greater satisfaction with a required PM&R clerkship when lecturers utilize a variety of pedagogic methods to teach basic pain, neurology and musculoskeletal care skills in the rehabilitation setting rather than rehabilitation specific content.