Elective courses for medical students during the preclinical curriculum: a systematic review and evaluation

Abstract

ObjectivePreclinical medical student electives are prevalent at medical schools across the United States, but the range of electives available and their impact on medical student education are not well described in the literature. The objective of this article is to review the literature relating to preclinical medical student electives and their impact on medical student educational outcomes.MethodsWe reviewed studies that met the following criteria: English-language articles describing preclinical US-based medical electives. We used PubMed journal databases and limited our search for the time period 1999–2014. We excluded electives based in other countries or electives designed for third or fourth year students. Data abstracted included the topic of the elective, qualitative descriptions of the electives, and any associated surveys or exam data associated with the electives. Data were synthesized using descriptive tables sorting electives by broad topic. Reported outcomes and statistical methods were analyzed to assess study quality.ResultsWe found a wide range of subjects taught in the form of preclinical medical school electives. We identified electives in clinical skills, the humanities, student lifestyle, specialty-specific electives, and an assortment of other miscellaneous electives. Surveys and exams administered to students showed that the electives were universally well received by students. Of the 37 electives identified, 15 electives used quantitative objective assessments, such as knowledge exams, while the remaining tended to use student self-reported results.ConclusionsPreclinical medical student electives are prevalent at medical schools across the United States and have a significant impact on medical student education.

How optional should regional anatomy be in a medical course? An opinion piece

“…From our own survey of information about optional/elective courses available on the internet, we agree with Agarwal et al () that there is a paucity of available information that is useful to evaluate pedagogic efficacy. We have particularly observed that many, if not most, medical schools in the USA have embraced the concept.…”

“…Agarwal et al () have recently provided a systematic evaluation of ‘preclinical’ elective courses in the medical curriculum and have reported that “the range of electives available and their impact upon medical student education are not well described in the literature.” It is recognized that the prime purpose of such courses is to introduce flexibility in the medical course and to allow the students to following their own individual pathways by pursuing their own personal interests. In addition, Agarwal et al () stated that electives “teach medical students useful skills, increase student wellness” (although no evidence was provided to support this) and “impact eventual career choices” (again no evidence was made available for this assertion). Of course, anatomists have developed gross anatomy electives (sometimes with dissection) for ‘political’ reasons in order to counter the loss of gross anatomy or practical training within the ‘core’ courses.…”

Participation in an Interprofessional Health Fair: Student Perceptions of Teamwork and the Role of Faculty

“…Numerous institutions have demonstrated the feasibility of using a community health fair for interprofessional education (Agarwal et al, 2015;Bridges, Davidson, Odegard, Maki, & Tomkowiak, 2011;Haber et al, 2014;Hope et al, 2005;Odegard et al, 2009. However, studies demonstrating the effectiveness of a health fair for increasing students' interprofessional skills are limited.…”

“…One method that has been widely employed for providing students with an opportunity for an interprofessional educational experience is the implementation of an interprofessional health fair (Agarwal, Wong, Sarfaty, Devaiah, & Hirsch, 2015;Bridges, Abel, Carlson, & Tomkowiak, 2010;Diwan, Perdue, Lee, & Grossman, 2015;Haber, Spielman, Wolff, & Shelley, 2014;Hope et al, 2005;Kolomer, Quinn, & Steele, 2010;Odegard et al, 2009;Towle, Godolphin & Kline, 2015). However, as the IPE experience concept has evolved, comparisons of different experiences have proven difficult, typically due to the broad range of outcomes approaches used, diversity in models, and somewhat limited descriptions of learning objectives (Davidson, Smith, Dodd, Smith, & O'Loughlan, 2008).…”

Valgfrie emner i medisinstudiet

“…It is common practice in other countries for electives to form part of their medical degree programmes (1)(2)(3). For example, in 1993, Great Britain saw the nationwide introduction of electives as a mandatory component in all medical degree programmes (4).…”