A DECREASE FROM 8 TO 6 WEEKS IN OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY CLERKSHIP -EFFECT ON MEDICAL-STUDENTS COGNITIVE KNOWLEDGE

We undertook this study to determine whether a decrease in the amount of time a third-year medical student spent in an obstetrics and gyneco logy clerkship would cause a decrease in the knowledge of the subject. We compared National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) obstetrics and gynecology subject examination scores of 168 students at the Universi ty of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston completing an 8-week obstetric s and gynecology rotation for the 1989-1990 academic year to scores of 187 University of Texas Medical Branch students completing a C-week r otation during 1990-1991. No significant change in the total mean NBME subject examination score in obstetrics and gynecology was noted afte r the decrease in rotation length. Passing scores were those greater t han 445 points. The failure rate for those students who completed the 8-week rotation was consistent throughout the 1989-1940 academic year. In contrast, those students who rotated through obstetrics and gyneco logy during the 6-week clerkship in the first half of the academic yea r had a failure rate that was statistically higher than those taking t he clerkship in the last half of the year. The length of the obstetric s and gynecology clerkship was shortened to 6 weeks without significan tly affecting students' overall performance on the NBME obstetrics and gynecology subject examination. However, a greater percentage of stud ents who completed the rotation during the first half of the year scor ed low on the NBME obstetrics and gynecology subject examination than did those taking the rotation and thus the NBME subject examination in the second half of the year.