Impact Of Electronic Medical Record Transitions On The Educational Experiences Of Medical Students

Abstract

ittle is known about the impact of major technological transitions (such as the adoption of a new electronic medical record) on the educational experiences of medical students supervised by residents. All visiting students whose rotation at Mayo Clinic in Arizona occurred during an EMR transition in September, 2010, were surveyed. Eight of twelve students (75%) agreed to participate. Although all students reviewed clinical notes and clinical data, only one (12.5%) used the new system to enter orders. Students reported an adverse effect on learning climate and time for resident- and faculty-directed teaching. Six of eight students (75%) felt that, despite the adverse consequences they noted, it was important to continue to offer clerkships during future transitions. These findings suggest that offering special computer training to students and adjusting the schedules of supervising faculty can only go so far in allaying the adverse effects of a major technological transition. The experiences of students at academic institutions facing similar technological transitions in the future can be improved if the educational leadership plans resident schedules during the transition with the
impact of student teaching in mind and actively ensures students are entering orders on the day of go-live.