Preparing Our Interns for Hospital Practice - What Makes for Success in Medical Education?

Abstract: Objective: To compare interns' self-reported preparedness for hospital practice following changes to the final two years of a traditional medical curriculum at the Tasmanian School of Medicine and to contrast this school's graduates' preparedness for hospital practice with previously published data from the University of Sydney's problem-based graduate entry program. Main outcome measure Interns reported on their perceived level of preparedness for hospital practice using the Preparedness for Hospital Practice Questionnaire (PHPQ) (Dean et al, 2003). Seventy-one per cent (71%) of interns who graduated from the Tasmanian School of Medicine in 2002 and 62% who graduated in 2004 returned completed questionnaires. Results: The results revealed a general trend towards improvement, continued significant strength in the science subscale and statistically significant improvement in the interpersonal skills subscale [t = -4.41(68), p<.001]. Conclusion: Tasmanian School of Medicine graduates showed a statistically significant improvement in the interpersonal skills subscale, between the 2002 and 2004 cohort, suggesting a curriculum responding well to the curriculum reforms implemented. The continued strength in the science subscale, compared with the University of Sydney problem-based graduate entry program, is consistent with other studies that have compared the basic science knowledge of problem- based learning (PBL) students with non-PBL students. When differences in basic science knowledge are found, these are usually in favour of non-PBL students (Vernon and Blake 1993). Albanese and Mitchell 1993).