Use of Electronic Resources for Psychiatry Clerkship Learning: A Medical Student Survey

Objective The primary aim of this study is to examine medical students’ use patterns, preferences, and perceptions of electronic educational resources available for psychiatry clerkship learning. Methods Eligible participants included medical students who had completed the psychiatry clerkship during a 24-month period. An internet-based questionnaire was used to collect information regarding the outcomes described above. Results A total of 68 medical students responded to the survey. Most respondents reported high utilization of electronic resources on an array of devices for psychiatry clerkship learning and indicated a preference for electronic over print resources. The most commonly endorsed barriers to the use of electronic resources were that the source contained irrelevant and non-specific content, access was associated with a financial cost, and faculty guidance on recommended resources was insufficient. Respondents indicated a wish for more psychiatry-specific electronic learning resources. Conclusion The authors’ results suggest that a demand exists for high-quality electronic and portable learning tools that are relevant to medical student education in psychiatry. Psychiatry educators are usefully positioned to be involved in the development of such resources.