Developing, conducting and evaluating the internship preparatory program (Ipp)

BACKGROUND: Medical schools worldwide have employed different practices to facilitate a smooth transition from medical school into the internship phase to promote success in graduates’ future professional life. The College of Medicine at Princess Nourah University (PNU) has developed a unique internship preparatory program focusing on soft and clinical skills. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the internship preparatory program (IPP) and evaluate its effectiveness in improving medical students’ transition to internship. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The IPP for fifth-year medical students at PNU was planned and designed based on students’ needs, the Saudi-Med framework, and similar national/international programs. The one-year longitudinal IPP in 2016–2017 covered four modules conducted as ten workshops focusing on soft skills, clinical skills, and professional development for the future. All data were analyzed by using SPSS version 20. RESULTS: The IPP was attended and evaluated by 48 participants; 70% of them attended 80% of the IPP workshops. The satisfaction rate for workshop participants was 6.8–8.8 out of 10. Most participants were either satisfied or strongly satisfied with respect to each item on the IPP satisfaction scale; the median satisfaction score was 4 out of 5. A positive significant correlation between the satisfaction score and the number of workshops attended was detected. CONCLUSION: The IPP was a satisfying initiative for most participants. It refines their clinical and soft skills, facilitates future planning, and provides a smooth transition from medical school to internship.