1. Results Student Engagement : Students generally found logbooks easy to use and practical in the hospital setting. Purpose : There appeared to be a perceived lack of understanding from students of the purposes of the logbook. Educational Value : The students found logbooks did not help them to become independent learners or help identify their strengths and weaknesses. Assessment :Logbooks were found not to serve as a performance guide or as a useful exam preparation tool. Reflection :The students did not think logbooks were a tool which stimulated reflection on performance. Data from the focus groups and questionnaires were used to generate a list of themes, which were further subdivided into strengths, weaknesses and improvements. Background Clinical experiences are important for training medical students to be tomorrow ’ s doctors. Logbooks are traditionally used by students to record these experiences and develop competencies in medical practice. It is designed so students can document their activities on wards and to help record learning and patient interactions. [1] Logbooks are variable; it may list clinical skills students should observe or perform, it may encourage feedback and reflection [1] and it can incorporate learning objectives for students ’ However, whether it is used as intended by medical students is unknown. There have been studies which suggest students feel it is nothing more than a 'tickbook' [2] and ‘ time- consuming ’. It has also been suggested that it ‘...reduces flexibility ’ [1] and ‘ trivialises learning ’ [3]. This research project investigated the application of logbooks in the undergraduate curriculum from the student perspective. Logbook Educational value Identifies learning needs Highlights important topics for learning Encourages self-directed learning Purpose To structure learning Record of learning Record of achievement of learning outcomes Student Engagement Standardised format Ease of use Layout easy to follow Reflection Enables personal & professional development Experiential learning Opportunity for Feedback Stimulate discussion Assessment Formative Summative Curriculum Aims The aims of this research were: To explore whether logbooks were used as intended from a student perspective. To create a model describing the intended use of logbook was created from a literature review. (Figure 1) Provide recommendations for improving the current SMD logbook. Methods Figure 1: Student Logbook ‘Model’ Conclusions Recommendations Strengths of logbooks included: the ability to direct student learning, the setting of the minimum standard of achievement, monitoring student attendance and progress and promoting student-teacher interaction. However, the weaknesses described by students included: excessive dependent learning, rigid and the mandatory structure detracted from seeking further learning experiences. It emerged that there was a perceived lack of guidance and understanding from students and staff regarding the logbook process. 1. Create a more flexible logbook, where students can seek personal interests and record own learning objectives. This may help develop a sense of self satisfaction in the clinical environment. 2.More instruction is needed for students and clinicians on how the logbooks can be used; 3.Logbooks should stimulate feedback from supervising clinicians and offer more opportunities for reflection. Centre for Medical Education, Institute of Health Sciences Education ‘Are logbooks used as they are intended: a student perspective’ Emranul Hoque BSc, Muhammad Kebreya BSc, Dr J H Fuller Barts and The London school of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, Centre for Medical Education, Institute of Health Sciences, Turner Street, London, E1 2AD http://www.ihse.qmul.ac.uk/cme//index.html Email: ha05320@qmul.ac.uk, bt06091@qmul.ac.uk Figure 2: Themes of Logbook strengths identified from student focus groups and questionnaires Figure 3: Themes of logbook weaknesses identified from student focus groups and questionnaires Figure 4: logbook improvements identified from student focus groups and questionnaires References 1 Dolmans, D. et al. (1999). ‘Does a student log provide a means to better structure clinical education?’ Medical Education, 33;089-094 2 Dennick, R. (2000) ‘Use of logbooks’ Medical Education, 34; 66-68. 3 Blake, K. (2001). ‘The daily grind- use of log books and portfolios for documenting undergraduate activities’ Medical Education, 35;1097-1098. A literature review described the intended use of logbooks, and the reported advantages and disadvantages. This shaped the model (Figure 1) which was further refined following semi structured interviews with senior academics at Barts and the London medical school. Following a pilot questionnaire, a self administered questionnaire was distributed to 4th year medical students. They rated their agreement against a series of statements about the logbook on a 6 point Likert scale. The questionnaire had a free comments section and the resulting quantitative and qualitative data were coded and analysed. Students who declared an interest, were recruited for focus groups to elaborate on themes. The recorded transcripts were again thematically coded and analysed.