Effectiveness of early clinical exposure as a learning tool among 1st and 2nd year MBBS students’ perspective

Kori, SPC, N.2025-05-142025-05-142024-12Kori SP, C N.. Effectiveness of early clinical exposure as a learning tool among 1st and 2nd year MBBS students’ perspective . National Journal of Physiology, Pharmacy and Pharmacology. 2024 Dec; 14(12): 2660-26642231-32062320-4672https://imsear.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/247846Introduction: Early clinical exposure (ECE) is a teaching-learning methodology that fosters the exposure of medical students to patients as early as the first year of medical college. ECE is a form of vertical integration pattern between preclinical subjects and clinical subjects. It is basically “A teaching and learning methodology which fosters exposure of medical students to patients (actual human contact) as early as the first year of medical college, in a social or clinical context that enhances the learning of health, illness or disease, and the role of the health professional.” With this background in the present study, we tried to explore the opinion of 1st and 2nd year students on early clinical exposure. Methods: The study was carried out on a total of 200 students including both 1st and 2nd year MBBS students. They were subjected to a set of internally validated questionnaires. Responses were collected in Likert scale format and tabulated and statistical analysis was done to compare the perspectives of 1st and 2nd year students. Results: The unpaired t-test done on 5-point Likert scale scores for 1st and 2nd year students showed a statistical value of 0.736 with p-value of 0.463 which is statistically not significant. Conclusion: The findings of this study highlight the significant role of ECE in shaping the learning experience of 1st and 2nd year MBBS students. The data collected from the validated questionnaires reveal that students generally perceive ECE as a valuable component of their medical education that enhances their understanding of health and illness, as well as the role of healthcare professionals.ECELearning toolMBBS studentsEffectiveness of early clinical exposure as a learning tool among 1st and 2nd year MBBS students’ perspectiveJournal ArticleIndiaEast Point College of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Bengaluru, Karnataka, IndiaEast Point College of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India