EFFECT OF STUDENT AND PRECEPTOR GENDER ON CLINICAL GRADES IN AN AMBULATORY CARE CLERKSHIP

Background. Although several studies have addressed the effect of stud ent gender on clinical performance evaluation, none has looked at the effect of preceptor gender or the interaction of preceptor gender and student gender. We investigated the possibility of gender effects in a n ambulatory care clerkship where the preceptor-student ratio is usual ly one to one. Method. Clinical grades given by preceptors to third-ye ar students after a required one-month ambulatory care medicine clerks hip were analyzed by student gender, preceptor gender, and preceptor-s tudent gender pairs. The study was conducted from August 1990 to Octob er 1992 at the Medical College of Wisconsin. A total of 121 preceptors (97 men and 24 women) and 375 students (233 men and 142 women) partic ipated. Analyses of variance were used to detect significant differenc es. Results. On a scale of 0 to 4, the female students received a high er mean clinical grade than the male students (3.1 versus 3.0, p < .04 ). Preceptor gender had no effect on clinical grades until student gen der was considered. The highest mean grade of 3.3 was given by male pr eceptors to female students, and the lowest mean grade of 2.9 was give n by female preceptors to male students (p < .01). Conclusion. The fem ale students received higher clinical grades in the ambulatory care cl erkship, especially when the preceptor was male. Perhaps gender intera ction should be considered when assigning students to preceptors and e valuating grading practices.