Identifying core obstetric and gynecologic skills required of, and used by, graduates of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University

Background: Acquisition of core practical skills by students assures qualit y and relevance of medical education. Purpose: To determine whether students and interns are acquiring core obstr etric and gynecologoic skills. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was sent to obstetric and gyneco logy clerkship coordinators (n = 3), consultants (n = 14), residents (n = 1 3); interns (n = 13) and final-year students (n = 29; n = 93, response rate = 77%, N = 72). The questionnaire contained a stimulus list of 21 clinical , 8 communication, and 5 professional skills. Results: Of 34 listed skills, 24 were identified res core skills. At least 50% of consultants, faculty and residents expected 28 core skills to be cov ered in the undergraduate program. At least 50% of interns believed that 21 core skills had been acquired at graduation, Conclusion: Our curriculum is facilitating acquisition of core obstetric an d gynecologic skills. Copyright (C) 2000 by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, In c.