Perceptions of Third-year Medical Students of a Non-resident Hospitalist Rotation

Introduction Although medical students in the United States frequently rotate on a non-resident hospitalist team, there is a paucity of literature on their perceptions regarding such rotation. We sought to assess the perceptions of third-year medical students (M3s) regarding a non-resident hospitalist rotation. Methods We conducted a web-based survey of M3s who had previously rotated on a non-resident hospitalist service. We assessed their perceptions regarding patient assignments and complexities, rounding preferences, barriers to learning, and the benefits of the rotation. A descriptive analysis was performed on the responses. Results Out of 49 respondents, 47% preferred carrying a maximum of three patients during rounds and 57% preferred patients with fewer comorbidities. Fifty-one percent preferred rounding on all patients covered by the team as opposed to rounding on their assigned patients only. Despite several perceived benefits of the rotation, students also identified various barriers to learning while rotating in a non-resident hospitalist rotation. Conclusions Our study evaluated the perceptions of M3s regarding the ideal patient load, patient complexities, barriers to learning and various benefits of a non-resident hospitalist rotation. The students’ perceptions can potentially be addressed and incorporated to make the non-resident hospitalist rotation more educational for the students.