Beyond the H&P: Writing Clinical Notes as a Junior Medical Student

Abstract

The assessment and evaluation of written communication is included within the sex competencies established by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.1 Additionally, these skills are widely represented in American medical curricula.1 Still, few studies have identified the types of written documentation that are evaluated or how these are assessed.2 There is relatively little published literature regarding the challenges that writing patient care notes as a junior medical student present. However, numerous posts and inquiries on web-based resources for medical students indicate that many students struggle with patient care notes as they begin their clerkships. Additionally, the large volume of resources made available on the websites of individual medical institutions may support the notion that these challenges persist year after year for some time now. [Introduction]