Difficulties encountered at the beginning of professional life: results of a 2003 pilot survey among undergraduate students in Paris Rene Descartes University (France)

Abstract

In addition to dental hospital clinical activity, dental students at Paris Rene Descartes University have the opportunity in their final year of study to practise clinically in a dental office, as associates. This paper outlines a pilot, experimental study designed to assess student reaction to this Vocational Clinical Activity (VCA) in order to identify relevant weaknesses of the undergraduate programme. Using questionnaires, data were collected for each of the following clinical or management skills: clinical difficulty, therapeutic decision-making, patient/practitioner relationship, time management, administrative matters and technical problems. Students were asked to rank each item in order of difficulty (1, high level to 6, low level). A high response rate was observed (90%) among the 50 undergraduate VCA students. The results pointed out three main difficulties encountered by undergraduate students during the VCA: time management (90% of the students), administrative matters (85% of the students) and clinical decision-making (80% of the students). These preliminary results need further investigation. However, they give us the incentive to carry on with this type of assessment and to extend it to young, qualified colleagues' perceptions and to other French Universities.

A cross-sectional study of dentists about the need for a practice management course in undergraduate dental program

“…Further, a literature review of previous studies was conducted to evaluate different topics related to practice management course. [ 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 18 ]…”

“…[ 9 ] In France, undergraduate students pointed out time management and handling of administrative tasks as the main challenges at the start of their career. [ 10 ] More than half of dentists in the Netherland reported that they were not prepared for the management of dental staff, the organization of practice, legal aspects of dentistry, and matters related to dental insurance. [ 11 ] Similarly, dental practitioners were concerned about managing financial and legal matters, understanding dental market and culture, and dealing with occupational health problems in Mexico.…”

Soft skills and dental education

“…In the Benbelaid et al. study, the dental students identified difficulties in explaining treatment options to the patient. This may be related to their lack of experience or inability to integrate what they have learned in the dental clinics.…”

“…The studies by Razak et al (3) and Yusof et al (47) highlighted the deficiencies in the aspect of critical thinking in competencies displayed by dental graduates. In the Benbelaid et al (48) study, the dental students identified difficulties in explaining treatment options to the patient. This may be related to their lack of experience or inability to integrate what they have learned in the dental clinics.…”

Professionalism: what is it, why should we have it and how can we achieve it?

“…Nowadays, however, newly graduated dentists are generally unprepared for independent practice and need support for at least the first 3-4 years after graduation. 24,25 Skills in management and clinical decision-making need to be honed early in their careers and new graduates need to be motivated to seek appropriate CPD in order to maintain the currency of these skills. 26 Likewise, a preparedness to engage in practice on these terms is required of new graduates, as is understanding and acceptance on the part of established members of the profession, that these developments simply reflect how things have changed (and continue to change) over their working lives.…”