Associate Professor University of Louisville, United States
Introduction/Rationale: In the last few years, the performance of medical students on the Step 1 exam has decreased at the national level. There are various reasons that can explain this outcome, 1) medical students do not use effective metacognitive strategies and are unable to recall information optimally, 2) the covid pandemic negatively impacted student’s ability to learn, 3) student’s demographic has changed, 4) and students lack skills for critical thinking.
Methods: To address this issue, we conducted a survey with M2 and M4 students to assess their needs and discuss options and potential barriers to address those needs. We also determined actionable steps through a focus group with M4 students facilitating Problem-based learning (PBL) and meeting with individuals who train students involved in medical education.
Results: We found that M2 and M4 students wished they had received some training to help them develop skills for critical thinking to perform better during PBL, clerkship courses and clinical rotations. 80% of M2 students and 70 % of M4 students believed that 2 sessions with a M4 and a small number of incoming students would be helpful to discuss development of skills for critical thinking and effective metacognitive strategies. The focused group proposed a plan for those sessions including the number of sessions, their content and the optimal time frame for training the M4 students facilitating those sessions. We also identified a plan to centralize the training and standardize the curriculum for the different groups of medical students involved in medical education, including the potential individuals who would provide this training.
Conclusion: By taking advantage of PBL groups, it may be possible to hold a few sessions facilitated by senior medical students who have been trained appropriately to help with the acquisition of very valuable skills. This strategy may enhance the performance of incoming medical students in all aspects of their medical education including Step 1 exam.
