Trends in patient encounters: implications for family medicine clerkships.

Background And Objectives: Adequate and equivalent clinical experience is related to the number and diagnoses of patients encountered and should provide students with experiences similar to community practice. This study compares the distribution of diagnoses family medicine clerkship students encountered at a Midwest medical school during 2009-2011 with both 1997-1999 data and the 2010 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) samples of family physicians and all physicians.

Methods: Electronically submitted encounter data (2009-2011) were compared to logbook data (1997-1999) and to the 2010 NAMCS data listing primary diagnoses at office visits in the United States by major disease category.

Medical students' experience with musculoskeletal diagnoses in a family medicine clerkship.

Many US medical schools require a family medicine clerkship, yet little is known about the quantity and diversity of the diagnoses the students experience. This study examines patients encountered with musculoskeletal diagnoses using quantitative data collected by family practice clerkship students. Over a two-year period, 445 students completed 7,202 patient encounter forms for patients with a musculoskeletal diagnosis, noting their confidence level and responsibilities.

Students' experience with women's health care in a family medicine clerkship.

Unlabelled: Clerkship encounter forms were used to assess the types of diagnoses seen, the level of activities performed (student responsibility), and self-reported competence (comfort level) in dealing with patients.

Introduction: Many medical schools require a family medicine clerkship, yet little is known about the quantity and diversity of the diagnoses encountered by the students. This study examines clerkship students' experience with women's health care diagnoses.