Learning core clinical skills—a survey at 3 time points during medical education

BACKGROUND: It is generally unknown which clinical skills students acquire during medical education and which factors influence their levels of competence. METHODS: We asked German medical students how competent they felt in performing individual clinical skills. RESULTS: Third year students evaluated their competence in clinical skills, on average, not better than 4.7 on a Likert scale ranging from 1 (= 'excellent') to 6 (= 'insufficient'). The average score for fifth year students was 4.1, for final-year students 3.3. Deficits in all groups of students were most prominent in communication skills and diagnostic skills. CONCLUSIONS: These results are a plea for a structured curriculum including training courses to practice clinical skills.