Enhancing and broadening clinical experience; use of sharing sessions before and after teaching clinics – student and staff perspectives

Abstract

Background: Small-group discussion seminars have been used before and after clinical sessions. Before, students present to their peers and supervisor what and how they are going to perform for that session. Supervisors questions and explore students understanding. After the clinical session supervisors guide students discussion on reflection on their skills performance and what new learning occurred. Aim and objectives: To evaluate the benefits of the briefing and debriefing sessions from student and staff perspectives Materials and methods: Evaluation questionnaire and focus-group interviews were administered for feedback from students and staff. A descriptive statistical analysis of the questionnaire was performed followed by a thematic content analysis of transcriptions. Results: 55 students (BDS 2020) completed the online questionnaire-100%. At the briefing before the clinic, students reported the discussion provided a broader and a richer learning experience. 90-100% students strongly agreed: briefings allows clarification of clinical procedures, improved clinical confidence, filled in knowledge gaps and that they learnt “something new”. Tutor questioning in the briefing facilitated deeper understanding and reduced student confusion. Hearing peers clinical presentations helped understand the treatment procedures and patient care better (92.5%).Tutors reported briefing sessions to be “useful” in screening the cases requiring more attention and to probe students’ understanding. At the debriefing after the session, students reported peers presentations helped them acquire broader clinical experience and knowledge (90.6%). Students reported learning from peers’ misconceptions and errors (86.8%) and that they learnt more from a group debriefing than an individual one (71.7%). Also, supervisor questioning helped their knowledge and understanding (83%). Students reported the debriefing was a “major learning part outside the clinical time” providing a more reflective way of learning. Conclusions: Briefing and debriefing discussion sessions were highly valued by students and staff. These serve difference purposes and enhance and broaden learning and prepare students and staff better for clinics.