Home page of The Scottish Doctor comment on the SDMEG

Scottish Doctors 2

Mapping view

Scottish Doctors 3

Learning Outcomes for Clinical Skills

Level 1 - What the doctor is able to do

Level 2 - Outcomes for Clinical Skillslink to Tomorrows doctors

The new medical graduate should be able to demonstrate competency in a range of clinical skills unsupervised and to a predetermined standard.

Level 3

This could include: Level 4

Take a history from patients, relatives and others.link to Tomorrows doctors

All age groups; local multicultural/multiethnic factors; a wide range of different contexts and a patient-centred, sensitive, structured and thorough approach with demonstration of principles of good communication.

Undertake physical and mental state examination of patients.link to Tomorrows doctors

General and systems-based; appropriate for patient’s age, gender and state of mental and physical health, in a thorough, sensitive, efficient and systematic manner.

Interpret results of history taking, physical and mental state examination and investigations.link to Tomorrows doctorslink to Tomorrows doctors

Recognition of abnormality and correct interpretation of common investigative tests.

Requesting appropriate investigations.

Make a diagnosislink to Tomorrows doctorslink to Tomorrows doctorslink to Tomorrows doctorslink to Tomorrows doctorslink to Tomorrows doctorslink to Tomorrows doctorslink to Tomorrows doctors

Gathering and analysis of all available information.

Recognition of important, life threatening conditions requiring immediate treatment.

Formulate a management planlink to Tomorrows doctorslink to Tomorrows doctors

Focus on patient’s needs including the patient’s competence to cooperate, prioritise, involve patients and other members of the healthcare team and recognise own limitations.

Record findingslink to Tomorrows doctorslink to Tomorrows doctors

Records concerning all relevant communications with patients / relatives and colleagues. At a minimum records are legible, dated, signed, concise and contemporaneous.

Specific Issues

Exams are limited in terms of simulating the clinical setting realistically and in their ability to predict the performance of any individual in the future.

Recommended methods of assessment for Clinical Skills Outcomes include:
OSCE
Short cases
These are the currently the most reliable and valid methods available.

Other methods include:
OSLER
Logbooks
Case histories
These methods are either known to be less reliable and valid or require further evaluation in order to determine their usefulness.

Potential new methods of assessment include:
Linked OSCE and EMI questions in alternate stations
Linked OSCE stations
Addition of video to check reliability
Diagnostic Thinking Inventory