Easing specialty selection with a web-based shadowing programme.

摘要

Context and setting Finding ways of keeping medical students informed throughout the process of specialty selection is a great challenge. An elective course at our institution assists students in selecting a specialty. Enrolled students gain exposure to at least 6 different medical specialties per semester by shadowing 1 of several doctor volunteers. Students select shadowing opportunities according to their interests to enhance their understanding of the specialties they are most likely to consider as careers. Why the idea was necessary Given the expanding interest in the elective course among both students and doctors, considerable labour was required to match growing numbers of students with shadowing opportunities. This problem was confounded by fluctuating doctor schedules and by unexpected scheduling conflicts. What was done It was determined that a web-based scheduling programme would eliminate the need for an intermediary between doctors and students for scheduling purposes. Instead, doctors ortheir assistants would directly input available shadowing opportunities into an online computer database, and students would view an online schedule of upcoming events to make their selections.