WMJ Vol 122 Issue 4: Teaching Students to Care (Coordinate): A Randomized Controlled Trial
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Interdisciplinary rounds are a vital part of discharge planning; however, medical students receive little training in how to contribute effectively. Many existing discharge planning curricula are either prohibitively time consuming or narrowly focused. Addressing this gap can help improve interdisciplinary care and enhance the role of medical students on inpatient teams.
Methods: We developed a 30-minute curriculum on the purpose of interdisciplinary rounds, expected presentation content, and team members’ roles and conducted a randomized controlled trial among medical students on their inpatient internal medicine rotation. Outcomes were measured using pre- and post-curriculum surveys and comparison of evaluations of student participation in interdisciplinary rounds.
Results: Eighty-six medical students participated in the study (59 intervention, 27 control), and we received 142 presentation evaluations (91 intervention, 51 control). There was significant post-curriculum improvement in all students’ understanding of and comfort presenting in interdisciplinary rounds and knowledge of team members’ roles. Presentation evaluations did not show a significant difference; however, students in the intervention group were better able to answer questions about their patients, with a difference approaching statistical significance (70% vs 57%, P = 0.069).
Conclusions: A brief, just-in-time curriculum improved learners’ knowledge of interdisciplinary discharge rounds and showed a trend towards improvement in their ability to answer questions during rounds. Our curriculum can empower medical students to help their inpatient teams by participating in discharge rounds and can be integrated into existing curricula with minimal disruption.
Intended Audience
The intended audience for this journal-based activity is healthcare providers caring for the people and communities of Wisconsin and beyond.
Learning Objectives
As a result of this journal-based activity, learners, as members of the healthcare team, will be able to:
- Discuss interdisciplinary rounds as a part of planning transitions of care from the inpatient setting.
- Summarize a care coordination curriculum presented in this article and its impact on cognitive and psychomotor outcomes in third- and fourth-year medical students on general internal medicine wards.
- Use this article as a springboard for reflection on the learner’s experience related to transitions of care and the roles played by different members of the interdisciplinary and/or interprofessional team in these transitions.
FACULTY DISCLOSURE
It is the policy of the University of Wisconsin–Madison Interprofessional Continuing Education Partnership (ICEP) to identify, mitigate and disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies* held by the speakers/presenters, authors, planners, and other persons who may influence content of this accredited continuing education (CE). In addition, speakers, presenters and authors must disclose any planned discussion of unlabeled/unapproved uses of drugs or devices during their presentation.
For this accredited continuing education activity all relevant financial relationships have been mitigated and detailed disclosures are listed below.
Name of Individual | Individual's Role in Activity | Financial Relationship Disclosure | Discussion of |
Marianna Shershneva, MD, PhD | Accreditation Specialist | No relevant relationships with ineligible companies to disclose | No |
Lara Voigt, MD | Author | No relevant relationships with ineligible companies to disclose | No |
James McCarthy, MD | Author | No relevant relationships with ineligible companies to disclose | No |
Ankur Segon, MD, MPH | Author | No relevant relationships with ineligible companies to disclose | No |
Elizabeth Bade, MD | Reviewer | No relevant relationships with ineligible companies to disclose | No |
Quratul Aziz, MD | Reviewer | No relevant relationships with ineligible companies to disclose | No |
Fahad Aziz, MD | Editor | No relevant relationships with ineligible companies to disclose | No |
Kevin Wyne, PA-C, MPAS, MSc | Reviewer | No relevant relationships with ineligible companies to disclose | No |
David Dwyer, PhD, RN, NE-BC | Reviewer | No relevant relationships with ineligible companies to disclose | No |
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*Ineligible companies are those whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on, patients.
The ACCME does not consider providers of clinical services directly to patients to be ineligible companies.
Accreditation
Accreditation Statement
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by the University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP and the Wisconsin Medical Journal. The University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team. |
Credit Designation Statements
American Medical Association (AMA)
The University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP designates this journal-based CE activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)
The University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP designates this journal-based CE activity for a maximum of 1.0 ANCC contact hour.
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS (AAPA)
The University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1.0 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Approval is valid until 9/30/2023. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation. |
Continuing Education Units
The University of Wisconsin–Madison ICEP, as a member of the University Professional & Continuing Education Association (UPCEA), authorizes this program for 0.1 continuing education units (CEUs) or 1 hour.
Available Credit
- 1.00 AAPA Category 1 CME
- 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
- 1.00 ANCC Contact Hours
- 1.00 University of Wisconsin–Madison Continuing Education Hours
- 1.00 Approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
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