Evaluating Unstructured Clinical Teaching During Rotations: How Medical Students' Experiences in Paediatrics and Gynaecology Influence Perceived Learning Outcomes.

Abstract

Objective: Learning in the clinical environment is crucial for students to enhance practical skills. However, due to the variability of clinical settings, providing consistent teaching and sufficient patient cases can be challenging. As a result, the perceived quality of rotations often varies. Previous studies have reported mixed findings on whether teaching quality or patient encounters influence students' perceptions of rotation quality or exam performance. Additionally, previous studies have often focused on structured teaching in clinical settings. We aimed to explore how students' evaluations of clinical teaching outside structured learning events during rotations impact the perceived achievement of learning goals.

Methods: We analysed student evaluations from paediatric and gynaecology rotations at Tampere University Medical School during the 2021-2022 academic year. Evaluations covered clinical teaching quality, opportunities to examine patients, and perform procedures. A linear regression model was used to assess the influence of these factors on the perceived achievement of learning goals, with the statement "I achieved the given learning goals" as the dependent variable.

Results: A total of 140 students evaluated the paediatric and 142 the gynaecology rotations, providing 833 and 1188 evaluations, respectively. All questions received mean scores above 5 on a 7-point scale. The mean for achieving learning goals was 5.6 for paediatrics and 5.7 for gynaecology. All independent variables showed significant associations with the dependent variable, with "The use of time was meaningful" having the greatest impact.

Conclusion: Students generally reported successfully achieving their learning goals in both rotations. Notably, the perceived meaningful use of time had the greatest impact on the perceived achievement of learning outcomes.