Physician teacher perceptions of undergraduate medical students' four week integrated community experience / by Marsha Ann Reinikka.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of Northern Ontario physician-teachers with regard to second-year medical students who participated in a Northern Ontario Medicine (NOSM) four-week integrated community experience. A questionnaire, with follow-up interviews, was given to the physician-teachers to determine their perception of the impact of the NOSM students on the physician-teacher's medical practice, the participation of the students in the community, and the student performance on selected areas of the curriculum. Physician-teachers reported that the students had a small negative impact on the productivity of their practice and a positive impact on the professional aspects of their practice. The physician-teachers perceived that the second-year NOSM students participated in the community as much or more than third- and fourth-year elective students from other medical schools. The physician-teachers reported that the performance of the NOSM second-year students on selected areas of the curriculum was as good, if not better, than third- and fourth-year students on elective placements from other medical schools. Implications of results are discussed in reference to the key stakeholders.