CERA: Clerkships Need National Curricula on Care Delivery, Awareness of Their NCC Gaps.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The Society of Teachers of Family Medicine's (STFM) National Clerkship Curriculum (NCC) was created to standardize and improve teaching of a minimum core curriculum in family medicine clerkships, promoting the Triple Aim of better care and population health at lower cost. It includes competencies all clerkships should teach and tools to support clerkship directors (CDs). This 2014 CERA survey of clerkship directors is one of several needs assessments that guide STFM's NCC Editorial Board in targeting improvements and peer-review processes.

METHODS: CERA's 2014 survey of CDs was sent to all 137 CDs at US and Canadian allopathic medical schools. Primary aims included: (1) Identify curricular topics of greatest need, (2) Inventory the percent of family medicine clerkships teaching each NCC topic, and (3) Determine if longitudinal or blended clerkship have unique needs. This survey also assessed use of NCC to advocate for teaching resources and collaborate with colleagues at other institutions.

RESULTS: Ninety-one percent of CDs completed the survey. Sixty-four percent reported their clerkship covers all of the NCC minimum core, but on detailed analysis, only 1% teach all topics. CDs need curricula on care delivery topics (cost-effective approach to acute care, role of family medicine in the health care system, quality/safety, and comorbid substance abuse).

CONCLUSIONS: Single-question assessments overestimate the percentage of clerkships teaching all of the NCC minimum core. Clerkships need national curricula on care delivery topics and tools to help them find their curricular gaps.