Evaluating the Impact of the Core Geriatric Clerkship

Purpose: Clinical clerkships provide training for medical students in concentrated areas of study. A component of the Reynold’s Interprofessional Geriatric Education & Training in Texas (IGET-IT) program is the Core Geriatric Clerkship. Knowledge of geriatrics is gained through self-study, case reviews, and clinical case discussions. The goals of the clerkship were aligned with the eight AACOM Osteopathic Core Competencies for medical students, including Osteopathic Principles and Practices, Medical Knowledge, Patient Care, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Professionalism, Practice-Based Learning and Improvement, Systems-Based Practice, and Health Promotion/Disease Prevention. This study examined the geriatric clerkship and whether or not it improved the ability of medical students in AACOM competency areas. Methods: Students were required to take a pre and post self-assessment of ability in nine competency areas. The instrument asked students to rate their ability on a 4-point Likert scale, ranging from 1-4; (1) no ability, (2) some ability, (3) significant ability, and (4) complete ability. Data were collected over a five year period (2011-2016) with a total of N=1024 responses collected. A paired T-test for significance as well as mean responses were calculated using SAS Version 9.3. Results: A statistical difference (pEnd of Life Care with a 51% increase between pre- and post- assessment results and Community Resources (48%) ; with somewhat less increase in Continuum of Care (46%) , Neuropsychological Testing (44%), and Geriatric Syndromes (34%). Lowest levels of improved ability were found in Home Safety Evaluation (32%), Medication Reviews (27%), Osteopathic Principles (22%), and Professionalism (10%). Conclusions: Including a mandatory geriatric clerkship for fourth year students provided a way for undergraduate medical students to increase their knowledge and self-efficacy in the care of aging adults. The core geriatric clerkship pre- and post- survey results showed increased confidence levels in all the competency areas measured.