Multicenter trial of the clinical activities tool to document the comparability of clinical experiences in obstetrics-gynecology clerkships

Purpose: To assess the implementation of the Clinical Activities Tool (CAT) for facilitating Liaison Committee on Medical Education-required documentation of the comparability of obstetrics-gynecology (ob/gyn) clinical experiences and midclerkship feedback at multiple sites during one academic year. Method: Ob/gyn clerkship students at six U.S. medical schools were given CATs to guide and document clinical experiences from June 2006 to June 2007. Students used a paper CAT at five institutions and an electronic version at one. CATs listed procedures, skills, and topics recommended by the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics and included a midclerkship feedback section. Resident/faculty signatures documented completion of items for paper CATs. Electronic CAT item completion was self-documented by students. Students completed a questionnaire on CAT use. Results: At the six schools, 876 medical students rotated on ob/gyn clerkships; 808 (92%) submitted CATs. Mean item completion rate was 72%. Five of six schools achieved ≥70% completion rates. Midclerkship feedback signature rates ranged from 0% to 97.8% with four of six schools reporting ≥65% feedback. Comparability of clinical experiences and midclerkship feedback was successfully documented across sites for each institution (number of sites: range = 1-9; median = 5). Questionnaires on CAT use were submitted by 231 students (26%). Students using paper CATs reported that doing so clarified course objectives (93%), provided clerkship guidance/structure (93%), and facilitated interaction with faculty/residents (76%/74%). Students rated the electronic CAT significantly less favorably. Conclusions: CAT implementation at multiple institutions for documentation of student clinical experience comparability and midclerkship feedback was successful. Students evaluated the paper CAT positively.