Introduction: Teddy Bear Hospital is a strategy used to help reduce children's fears of the healthcare system and teach them about health-related issues. It involves mock consultations where medical students play the role of a "teddy doctor" and children act as the carer of teddy, or another soft toy, requiring consultation. This provides medical students with the opportunity to interact with children and develop communication skills while children are introduced to the medical consultation process. The aim of this study was to evaluate the medical student experience of Teddy Bear Hospital as part of a paediatric curriculum. Methods:We conducted a qualitative observational study using observations and focus group interviews with third-year postgraduate medical students. Strategies for engaging children and medical student behaviours were observed. In focus groups, students discussed their experience and the benefits of involvement they perceive. Inductive content analysis was performed, guided by a phenomenological approach, to identify themes.Results: Three major themes were identified: student discomfort, adapting communication to child temperament and developmental age and how the Teddy Bear Hospital context impacts learning. Students experienced discomfort approaching families and through disclosure of medical information. Despite this, students described it as an enjoyable learning experience that taught them to adapt communication to the child. Students also recognised greater challenges in a hospital-based event than one in the community.

Objective This study sought to quantitatively characterize medical students' expectations and experiences of an electronic health record (EHR) system in a hospital setting, and to examine perceived and actual impacts on learning. Methods Medical students from July to December 2016 at a tertiary pediatric institution completed pre- and postrotation surveys evaluating their expectations and experience of using an EHR during a pediatric medicine rotation. Survey data included past technology experience, EHR accessibility, use of learning resources, and effect on learning outcomes and patient–clinician communication. Results Students generally reported high computer self-efficacy (4.16 ± 0.752, mean ± standard deviation), were comfortable with learning new software (4.08 ± 0.771), and expected the EHR to enhance their overall learning (4.074 ± 0.722). Students anticipated the EHR to be easy to learn, use, and operate, which was consistent with their experience (pre 3.86 vs. post 3.90, p = 0.56). Students did not expect nor experience that the EHR reduced their interaction, visual contact, or ability to build rapport with patients. The EHR did not meet expectations to facilitate learning around medication prescribing, placing orders, and utilizing online resources. Students found that the EHR marginally improved feedback surrounding clinical contributions to patient care from clinicians, although not to the expected levels (pre 3.50 vs. post 3.17, p < 0.01). Conclusion Medical students readily engaged with the EHR, recognized several advantages in clinical practice, and did not consider their ability to interact with patients was impaired. There was widespread consensus that the EHR enhanced their learning and clinician's feedback, but not to the degree they had expected.

Aim: Excellent communication is essential for health professionals working with children. Teddy Bear Hospital (TBH) is an innovative method of developing paediatric communication skills in health-care students. By exploring the child's perspective of medical students' communication at the TBH, we sought to better understand the role TBH plays in the development of the communication skills in medical students. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 31 children, aged 3-8 years old, who were attending a TBH run by third year medical students at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne. These interviews were recorded and transcribed after which themes were generated by inductive content analysis using the programme NVivo 12. Results: Children used mostly positive language when describing interactions with teddy doctors. However, almost half of the children could not recall the medical students explaining why their teddy was sick or how their teddy would get better. Furthermore, many teddies returned from TBH with medical issues different to their initial presentation. Conclusions: The communication described at TBH was overwhelmingly positive with children describing little difference between medical students and actual doctors. However, the mismatch in teddy medical issues before and after a visit to TBH along with the lack of understanding on teddy health management plans, suggests the need for further evidence-based training in communication skills for medical students to improve their ability to communicate with very young children.