How to Assess the Practical Training Courses in Family Practice?
DOI: 10.3238/zfa.2012.0111-0116
Evaluationsmethoden und -inhalte
german translation / full articleKeywords: Evaluation Practical Training Cours Family Medicine Undergraduate Medical Education
Methods and Topics of Evaluation
Background: Practical training in family practice, the so called Blockpraktikum (BP), is integral part of German undergraduate medical education. The departments of family medicine plan and organise their BP individually. According to the framework law on universities and colleges, all courses must be evaluated. This study aims to analyse the used methods and contents of BPs’ evaluation in family practice in Germany.
Methods: This cross sectional study is based on two parts. The first part includes collection and content analyses of the used evaluation instruments. The second part consists of a survey using a partly standardised questionnaire to examine a) organisation and topics of the BP and b) conceptualisation and application of BPs’ evaluation at departments of family medicine at German medical schools.
Results: 29 (80.6 %) of 36 departments of family medicine provided information about the evaluation of their BP. In all departments that organise an individual evaluation of BP (n = 23), the students assessed the BP using a partly standardized questionnaire. There were differences concerning topics of the evaluation, design of the questions and answers/scales, point of time of evaluation and voluntariness of evaluation.
Conclusions: Comparing the different departments, high heterogeneity of evaluations concerning organisation, methods and topics was observed. Perspectively, the implementation of a standardised evaluation instrument with modular design should be considered. Comparability of evaluations in different departments could be used for improving BP.
(State: 18.03.2013)
