Link to full text: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/tct.13402
Access: Institutional Access
Publication year
2021study description
Cross-sectional survey.core topic(s)
Reach Out and Read (ROR)Population Characteristics
Medical TraineesExposures, Outcomes, Other
Medical Training/Education , Provider Behaviors and Skills , Provider Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefsobjectives
This study describes medical student training, awareness, experiences, and attitudes towards early literacy and the 'Reach Out and Read' (ROR) initiative.exposure
Reach Out and Read (ROR) training.outcomes evaluated
Attitudes, experiences, and training around ROR and early literacy promotion.setting
Two Midwestern medical school campuses.methods
An anonymous online survey was sent to all medical students at a medical school in the Midwest with two campuses. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.sample size
n=257 (medical students)measures
Measure of Attitudes, Experiences, and Training: 31 question survey adapted from Caldwell to assess demographics, early literacy promotion training, experiences and attitudes, using 5-point Likert scales to assess agreement with statements regarding ROR and early literacy:
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- clinician perceptions about the importance of early literacy
- clinician knowledge around ROR
- clinician comfort with ROR
results
We received data from 275 medical students. Almost half (46.5%) had completed their paediatric clerkship, 22.9% had observed ROR, and only 2.9% had received any training. Most (67%), wanted to learn more about early literacy, and 59% expressed a desire for more ROR training. Most respondents expressed preference for learning from residents and faculty in clinic followed by online training. 47% agreed that it was a role of medical students to assess and encourage reading.conclusions
Medical students understand the importance of early literacy in primary care and emphasizing this during clinical encounters. Most are eager to learn more about early literacy promotion and ROR. This interest decreases during third and fourth year so targeting the first 2 years of medical school is an important strategy. Providing formal literacy promotion training and education for medical students should be considered during this critical time in their education.limitations
This study is limited to data from only one institution, so it may be limited in the potential to provide broad generalizations but it does represent two separate campuses in different cities. In addition, this study did not assess the impact of trainings received by medical students. Further studies of this nature among other groups of medical students and other medical professions students are needed to better understand the early literacy training and early literacy experiences that medical students and medical professions students experience.ROR