Residents as Medical Student Mentors During an Obstetrics and Gynecology Clerkship.

BACKGROUND

Resident physicians provide much of the clinical teaching for medical students during their clerkship rotations, but often receive no formal preparation or structure for teaching and mentoring students.

OBJECTIVE

We sought to evaluate a medical student mentoring program (MSMP) for students during their obstetrics and gynecology clerkship at a midwestern teaching hospital during the 2013-2014 academic year.

METHODS

A senior resident physician was assigned 1 to 2 medical students for a 6-week rotation. Students were provided MSMP information during clerkship orientation; residents were given information on MSMP requirements and were randomly assigned to students. We surveyed students and residents about their experience with the MSMP.

RESULTS

Of 49 eligible medical students, 43 (88%) completed postsurveys. All students reported not having a mentoring program on other clerkships. Postclerkship, students indicated that they would participate in the MSMP again (32 of 38, 84%), and felt that having a mentor on other clerkships (30 of 36, 83%) would be beneficial. Students reported receiving educational (20 of 41, 49%) and procedural (33 of 41, 80%) instruction, personal development feedback (23 of 41, 56%), and career advice (14 of 41, 34%) from resident mentors. Out of a total of 45 possible surveys by residents, 17 (38%) were completed. Residents did not feel burdened by students (14 of 17, 82%), and all responded that they would participate in the MSMP again.

CONCLUSIONS

Feedback from medical students suggests that a mentoring program during clerkships may provide potential benefits for their careers and in 1-on-1 instruction.