474 - Pregnancy, Birth, and Infancy: A Mixed methods Analysis of a Preclinical Elective Pairing Students with Pregnant Community Partners
Friday, April 28, 2023
5:15 PM – 7:15 PM ET
Poster Number: 474 Publication Number: 474.123
Jessica Lee, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, United States; Margaret Sherin, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, norwich, VT, United States; Alison Holmes, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Etna, NH, United States
Medical Student Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth Lebanon, New Hampshire, United States
Background: Preclinical undergraduate medical education has minimal maternal child health content, which can limit early exposure to careers in pediatrics or women’s health. We created an enrichment elective for first-year medical students interested in OB/GYN or Pediatrics in which they are paired with a pregnant community member. The longitudinal course combines classroom sessions with patient-centered clinical experiences as students accompany their partners to prenatal visits, labor and delivery, and well-child visits. Objective: This course was designed to: 1) allow for earlier clinical exposure in maternal-child health care for medical students, 2) introduce pre-clinical students to clinical students, residents, attendings, and nurses in OB/GYN and Pediatrics, and 3) allow pregnant patients to influence the development of future physicians. Design/Methods: Over two academic years, 14 first-year medical students have enrolled in the elective and attended twelve interactive seminar sessions on high-yield obstetric and pediatric topics. Seminars are run by fourth-year medical students, residents, midwives, and attending physicians. Students completed a survey before the enrichment elective, at the midpoint, and at the end of the seminar series. Students who completed the experience with a pregnant partner have written reflections on their experiences. Results: All students who completed the midpoint surveys would recommend this elective to other students. Almost all but one student reported that the elective made them more interested in OB/GYN or Pediatrics. A student who was paired with a community partner reported that the elective was “an experience [she] will carry with [her] for the rest of [her] life” and that it “prepared [her] to be a compassionate physician and . . .resident.” Areas for improvement included earlier matching with pregnant partners, more hands-on experience, and hearing more about physician lifestyle.
Conclusion(s): This elective was well-received by students and increased interest in OB/GYN or Pediatric careers. Limitations include small sample size, limited data points, and some COVID-19 related logistical challenges. Areas for improvement include improving the matching of students with pregnant partners and allowing for more hands-on experience.
.jpg "Jessica Lee, BS (she/her/hers) photo")
