Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellow Physician University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
Background: Pediatrics clerkships affect student attitudes and increase interest in careers in pediatrics. However, pediatrics clerkships are particularly challenging because medical students are expected to work with children in multiple settings and may find it difficult to provide guidance and reassurance to parents. Objective: We sought to identify whether medical students currently on pediatrics clerkships and with different years of experience would find optional didactics helpful for their clerkships, future careers, and improving comfort when caring for children. Design/Methods: Optional didactics were held monthly for medical students who are members of the pediatrics interest group at our institution or currently on a pediatrics clerkship beginning in January 2022. The fellow-led didactics focused on common presentations including abdominal pain, fever, and respiratory conditions. In addition, specific topics including over-the-counter products, anticipatory guidance, adolescent examination, and bedside procedures were covered. Following each session, students completed an evaluation that utilized a 5-point Likert scale to evaluate interest and comfort. For nonbinary questions, the lowest rating was 1, which was defined as not interested or comfortable, and the highest rating was 5, which was defined as very interested or comfortable. The two-sample t-test was used to analyze survey responses from students currently on clerkships and in different years of medical training.
