The 50/50 Block Schedule: Impact on Residents' and Preceptors' Perceptions, Patient Outcomes, and Continuity of Care.

Problem: Traditionally, internal medicine continuity clinic consists of a half day per week, regardless of rotation, which may create conflict with ongoing inpatient responsibilities. A 50/50 block schedule, which alternates inpatient and outpatient rotations and concentrates continuity clinic during outpatient rotations, minimizes conflicting responsibilities. However, its impact on patient care has not been widely studied.

Exploring Clinical Reasoning Strategies and Test-Taking Behaviors During Clinical Vignette Style Multiple-Choice Examinations: A Mixed Methods Study.

Background: Clinical vignette multiple-choice questions (MCQs) are widely used in medical education, but clinical reasoning (CR) strategies employed when approaching these questions have not been well described.

Objectives: The aims of the study were (1) to identify CR strategies and test-taking (TT) behaviors of physician trainees while solving clinical vignette MCQs; and (2) to examine the relationships between CR strategies and behaviors, and performance on a high-stakes clinical vignette MCQ examination.

Methods: Thirteen postgraduate year-1 level trainees completed 6 clinical vignette MCQs using a think-aloud protocol.

Simulation in the internal medicine clerkship: a national survey of internal medicine clerkship directors.

Background: Simulation in medical education offers the promise of safely and effectively preparing trainees for a variety of tasks encountered in clinical medicine.

Purpose: The objective was to determine internal medicine (IM) clerkship directors' perceptions of the use of simulations during the medicine clerkship.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 110 Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine (CDIM) institutional members was presented.

Resource utilisation patterns of third-year medical students.

Background: In spite of published learning objectives for generally accepted clinical competencies, little evidence-based data exist regarding how clerkship students achieve them. We queried how clerkship students' learning resource use correlates with clerkship outcomes. However, little evidence-based data exist regarding how to accomplish these goals.