Last time, we started discussing the rather shocking levels at which misdiagnoses are made by physicians here in the U.S. and how some experts are now attributing part of this problem to the traditional clinical apprenticeship approach relied upon by the nation’s medical schools.
In general, the traditional clinical apprenticeship approach calls for the physician-in-training to develop and hone their diagnostic skills through careful consultations with more experienced physicians about patients under their care.
According to experts, however, this approach is not without its limitations and could actually serve to hamper the development of a young physician’s diagnostic skills.
Some of the reasons they provide for this position, include:
According to experts, some of the ways in which medical schools can compensate for these shortcomings are by extending the duration of clerkship programs, putting more of an emphasis on teaching students how best to administer tests and speak with patients, and incorporating more online patient simulations into curricula to supplement real world experience.
Only time will tell if medical schools prove willing to adopt any changes to the traditional clinical apprenticeship approach. Given the aforementioned statistics on misdiagnosis, such changes may be past due.
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