Developing an Internship Preparedness Program for Final Year Medical Students

Abstract

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Introduction: Medical students undertake extensive training yet often feel they lack the practical non-medical skills required for successful transition to internship. While research provides evidence for student perceptions and experiences regarding internship, there is little information regarding how students can be 'taught' work-readiness through learning non-medical skills. Methods: By reducing cognitive load when structured using a flipped classroom method, active learning resources may provide an effective approach to prepare medical students to be work-ready interns. Using a blended instructional method, the University of Queensland's Rural Clinical School (UQRCS) integrated face-to-face and online learning, to develop an Intern Preparedness program. Discussion: The Intern Preparedness program promotes student interaction in a range of active learning tasks to improve learning and engagement in a difficult and often neglected area of professional training. The program focused on providing knowledge and skills to increase competency in non-medical skills including time management on the ward, patient-focused prioritisation of tasks, and clinical conversations with the healthcare team. Conclusion: This program has become an integral part of the student learning experiences at the UQRCS as it continues to elevate student preparedness for internship. The program has become a fundamentally important aspect of improving cognitive skills such as critical thinking and reasoning, as well as soft skills, which are all essential for successful transitions to internship. A very high uptake and completion of program activities provided further incentive for program developers to continue its improvements over time.