Outcomes of teaching medical students core skills for womenʹs health: the pelvic examination educational program

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of introducing an educational program that teaches medical students how to approach taking relevant and sensitive gynecologic histories and to perform pelvic examinations with the use of role-play with well women from the general community. Study design Medical students and the women recorded their perceptions of the program over a 2-year period. The outcomes of the program were evaluated by a comparison of medical student perceptions of confidence, competence, and anxiety; the mean number of pelvic examinations that were performed during their course both before and after the introduction of the program and results of studentsʹ continuous and summative assessment are given. Results In the year before the introduction of the program, students performed a mean of 2.6 pelvic examinations (95% CI, 2.1, 3.0) compared with 4.1 pelvic examination (95% CI, 3.8, 4.4) in the first year of implementation and 4.0 (95% CI, 3.7, 4.3) in the second year of implementation (P<.05). Students reported improved competence and reduced anxiety to perform a pelvic examination without supervision (P<.05). All students passed their continuous assessment. Between 92% and 100% of students and women agreed that the program had clear learning objectives, was well organized, and was a useful and appropriate method of teaching that helped prepare them for the clinical setting. Conclusion This pelvic examination educational program has been evaluated positively by students and participant women and has resulted in a significant improvement in the amount of pelvic examination experience that medical undergraduates obtain.