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.