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Exploring the effects of medical trainee naming: a randomized experiment Cover

Exploring the effects of medical trainee naming: a randomized experiment

Open Access
|Mar 2016

Figures & Tables

Fig. 1

Schema of experimental design

Table 1

Summary of survey questions

Question topics

Variable type

Demographic characteristics including age, sex, ethnicity, income, education, and region of residence

Varies by question

Healthcare information including insurance status, hospital type (academic centre or otherwise), and number of times in the past 12 months seeing a physician

Varies by question

Reported willingness to consent to be seen by medical traineea

Categorical (binary)

Perceived level of post-secondary education, medical education, and experience seeing patients

Numeric

Perceived certification status, legal responsibilities to confidentiality, and ability to prescribe medications

Categorical (binary)

Comfort with medical trainee conducting medical interview componentsa

Numeric

Comfort with medical trainee conducting physical exam componentsa

Numeric

Opinion of best title for trainee

Categorical

aAsked prior to and after informing participants about average medical trainee's training level and responsibilities.

Table 2

Sample descriptive statistics

Medical student n = 148 (%)

Student doctor n = 142 (%)

Student physician n = 142 (%)

Age

18–24

7 (4.7)

13 (9.2)

14 (10.0)

25–34

73 (49.3)

61 (43.0)

61 (43.0)

35–44

35 (23.6)

37 (26.1)

39 (27.5)

45–54

25 (16.9)

17 (12.0)

20 (14.1)

55–64

4 (2.7)

8 (5.6)

6 (4.2)

65 +

4 (2.7)

6 (4.2)

2 (1.4)

Sex

Male

70 (47.3)

74 (52.1)

69 (48.6)

Female

78 (52.7)

68 (47.9)

73 (51.4)

Race

Non-Hispanic White

105 (70.9)

110 (77.5)

104 (73.2)

Non-Hispanic Black

13 (7.8)

8 (5.6)

13 (9.2)

Hispanic

14 (9.5)

5 (3.5)

7 (4.9)

Asian

14 (9.5)

17 (12.0)

14 (9.9)

Other

2 (1.4)

1 (0.7)

4 (2.8)

Income

< 15

35 (23.6)

32 (22.5)

29 (20.4)

15–24 K

24 (16.2)

24 (16.9)

27 (19.0)

25–34 K

25 (16.9)

28 (19.7)

26 (18.3)

35–49 K

27 (18.2)

29 (20.4)

24 (16.9)

≥ 50 K

37 (25.0)

29 (20.4)

36 (25.4)

Education

Less than high school

2 (1.4)

3 (2.1)

2 (1.4)

Graduated high school

14 (9.5)

24 (16.9)

19 (13.3)

Attended/attending some college

52 (35.1)

48 (33.8)

50 (35.2)

Graduated from college

80 (54.1)

67 (47.2)

71 (50.0)

Region of residence

Northeast

32 (21.6)

30 (21.1)

29 (20.4)

Midwest

28 (18.9)

31 (21.8)

25 (17.6)

South

50 (33.8)

46 (32.4)

41 (28.9)

West

32 (21.6)

31 (21.8)

40 (28.2)

Unknown

6 (4.1)

4 (2.8)

7 (4.9)

Table 3

Comparison of subjects’ reported comfort by medical trainee title and pre-post educational intervention

Mean (SD)

Significance across titles

Significance pre versus Post

Pre-informing average exam comfort

Combined

6.49 (2.43)

Medical student

6.58 (2.37)

Student doctor

6.55 (2.40)

0.661

Student physician

6.34 (2.53)

Post-informing average exam comfort

< 0.001

Combined

6.68 (2.41)

Medical student

6.74 (2.32)

Student doctor

6.74 (2.47)

0.769

Student physician

6.55 (2.62)

Pre-informing average interview comfort

Combined

6.10 (2.41)

Medical student

6.22 (2.48)

Student doctor

6.27 (2.14)

0.218

Student physician

5.82 (2.56)

Post-informing average interview comfort

< 0.001

Combined

6.53 (2.52)

Medical student

6.64 (2.48)

Student doctor

6.68 (2.31)

0.325

Student physician

6.27 (2.73)

Fig. 2

Graphical representation of subjects’ perceptions of medical trainees’ education and responsibilities by medical trainee title

Language: English
Page range: 114 - 121
Published on: Mar 14, 2016
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 1 issue per year

© 2016 Alexander Chaitoff, Joshua Joshua Niforatos, José Vega, published by Bohn Stafleu van Loghum
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.