First-year Medical Student Clinical Confidence on Global Health Immersion Trip

Abstract

Introduction There are few reports demonstrating the clinical benefits of global health trips specifically for first-year medical students. The aim of this study was to determine whether first-year medical student confidence in clinical diagnosis improved over their week-long global health immersion trip and to determine what kinds of diagnoses medical students felt confident in making in a global health setting after their first year of medical school education. Methods This study was a survey involving confidence ratings in diagnoses provided by University of Arizona College of Medicine- Phoenix first year medical students who participated in a weeklong medical trip to bateyes (rural communities of sugar cane workers) surrounding Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in 2019. This study received IRB approval. Confidence in diagnosis was determined by a five-point Likert scale. Diagnoses were separated into categories by body system. Results There were no significant differences in student confidence ratings over time when including all time points. There was a statistically significant increase in confidence from 5/28 and beyond (p=0.001). There were no significant differences in student confidence ratings amongst category of diagnosis. Discussion The results demonstrated that overall, students reported similar confidence throughout the trip. There was a large decrease in confidence level from the first to the second time point and this is likely attributable to being redirected by attending supervision. Confidence then gradually increased throughout the trip. Unfortunately, weaknesses in certain subject areas were not able to be elicited as students reported similar confidence for all categories