Students' ratings of otolaryngology clerkship activities: the role of residents.

The present study was conducted with a sample of junior medical students at Jefferson Medical College to investigate the factors that influence students' overall satisfaction with the otolaryngology clerkship. The most important factor related to their overall satisfaction in the clerkship was their experience with residents, followed by experience with attending physicians, quality of rounds, and of lectures. The number of patients the students encountered, and number of rounds and lectures were deemed less important. Based on these findings, the authors of this paper concluded that the residents' role in teaching should be emphasized and students' satisfaction with the otolaryngology clerkship may be enhanced by developing residents' skills in teaching students.