Developing a “killer” orientation for medical students

WRME 9/25/15

Lisa Grill Dodson, MD Campus Dean, MCW Central Wisconsin ldodson@mcw.edu

Orientation can serve many purposes

Orient

Where is the bathroom?

Integrate

What is your role? What will the students role be

Align

How do you fit in to the big picture? How can they help?

Coordinate

Who will the student connect with?

Bad first days

No welcome

No preparation (send schedule and materials in advance)

No schedule

No contacts list

No space

No plan

No buddy (think Jr High lunch table)

“Busy work”

3

Good orientations

Welcoming

Structured

Appropriately comprehensive

Occurs over time (not overwhelming/no fire hoses)

Sets expectations, reduces anxiety

Saves time

Involves the entire staff

Active/Not boring

Written back up/handbook

Mentored, includes values, history

Overview of each department/function

4

Generational differences (stereotypes)

Four different generations, typically referred to as: Traditionalists “silent generation” (born 1900-1945),

Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964),

Generation X (born 1965-1981)

Generation Y “Millenials” (born 1981-2000)

5

Millenial students--generalizations

Have been described as “Special” or “trophy generation”: sheltered, confident, team-oriented, pressured, impatient, hopeful, narcissistic, entitled, familiar/less hierarchical

Helicopter or snowplow parents

Less traditional academic literacy (memorization)

More media literacy/tech savvy/digital natives

Desire authenticity

Tolerant, value diversity and change

Community oriented (global and local)

Need things to be spelled out (Hence, the value of orientation!)

6

NUTS and BOLTS

Section 1

7

Orientation as an organizational tool

Schedule, schedule, schedule

Use checklists

Orientation should start the final evaluation process.

Evaluation tool front and center

Establish checkpoints (schedule time)

midterm evaluation

final evaluation

specific student tasks/competencies

8

Rule number one: Have a plan

Day 0: Send ahead of time

Consider checklists

Welcoming letter

Lead contact

Paperwork to be completed

First day (week) scheduleWhere to show up, where to park

Who to check in with

Dress Code

Anything else required for first day duties9

Day 1 plan and beyond

Schedule essential functions for day 1 (Arrival day)

Security/badge/photo

EMR set up (* if not able to do ahead of time)

Introductions

Schedule other orientation activities for later

10

Rule number two: Involve your staff

Frees up your time

Staff are better equipped to do some parts

Gives staff an investment in the student

Demonstrates teamwork to student

Gets the job done

11

Nuts and Bolts for staff

Preparation• Who is responsible for the student?

• What type of student are they?

• What is their level?

• What can they do?

• Who should the student be introduced to and when?

• How often and how long will the student be here?

12

Consider having….

Education committee/ lead education staff person

Education bulletin board

keep photos of each student

current student bio/photo

staff space, newsletter, front desk

Patients involved in key patient “encounters”

13

Preceptor specific orientation

Get to know each other

Teaching methods

Clarify expectations

hours, call

presentations

giving feedback

grades (“to achieve an honors grade you must…”

social

15

Instant productivity

Orientation helps students integrate

• Authentic experiences

• To be useful

• Reduced anxiety

Figure out what the student knows how to do

• Checklists of procedures/conditions• Prep for sterile procedures

• Tasks • Writing notes, prescriptions

• Follow ups, return phone calls16

Make it active

Scavenger hunt (practice and/or community)

MapQuest

Newlywed game approach (guess how the other person will answer)

Jeopardy

Match game

Simulated practical experiences

Prep for sterile procedures, prescriptions, notes

“Leave a legacy” projects (for students, patients, staff, docs)

Specifics

Cheat sheet of jargon or terms specific to your organization

Do’s and don’ts

EMR access and rules

Dates/times for grand rounds, conferences, meetings

Community and clinic activities

18

What to do when you are busy (that isn’t just busy work)

Designate a scheduler

Designate a back up preceptor

Develop a case library

“Top 10” diagnoses: reading, cases

Lab, radiology, ekg interpretations

Schedule students to work with staff (MA, billing, front office)

Assign student presentations (present to staff, patients or physicians)

THANK YOU.