A Clinical Procedures Course for Medical Students

INTRODUCTION: Doctors perform many clinical procedures throughout their careers. It is important for students to learn these procedures in a nonthreatening environment. This clinical procedures course introduces students to several basic diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, both invasive and noninvasive. These include managing pediatric and adult airways, starting intravenous lines, inserting arterial and central lines, inserting Foley catheters and nasogastric tubes, and performing lumbar punctures and paracentesis. METHODS: Small-group teaching is used to achieve these objectives; over the course of 4 weeks, the medical students meet once a week for 4 hours. Each meeting includes teaching and demonstrations of the procedures by faculty instructors and residents. This is followed by practice of the procedures on mannequin simulators and partial task trainers by the students. Feedback is then given to the students by the instructors. RESULTS: Based on conversations during the feedback sessions, the students feel that the materials used in the course are helpful in learning these clinical procedures. DISCUSSION: The medical students feel that the course familiarizes them with clinical procedures they may be asked to perform on patients during their clinical rotations and postgraduate training.