Background: Whiston Hospital hosts third-year medical students from the University of Liverpool for a four-week paediatric rotation. Prior to September 2024 there was no structured teaching programme in place with students relying on ad hoc ward-based learning and occasional consultant-led sessions. Feedback consistently highlighted dissatisfaction prompting the implementation of a structured, student centred programme.
Aims: To improve student confidence in answering multiple choice questions (MCQ) and OSCE-style questions in paediatrics. A secondary aim was to increase overall student satisfaction with the teaching programme by at least 20% through iterative, feedback-driven improvements.
Methods: A four-week teaching programme was developed, comprising of weekly sessions delivered by a paediatric junior clinical fellow. Teaching combined case-based discussion and bedside teaching. Five student groups took part between September 2024 and May 2025. Students completed pre- and post-rotation questionnaires assessing confidence in answering paediatric MCQ and OSCE questions, alongside rating their satisfaction with the teaching programme and providing qualitative feedback to guide ongoing improvements.
Results: Average confidence in answering MCQs increased from 4.40 to 7.64 out of 10 (a 42% increase), and OSCE confidence increased from 4.06 to 7.76 out of 10 (a 48% increase). Overall, students’ satisfaction with the teaching programme rose from an average of 7.66 out of 10 in Group 1 to 9.60 out of 10 in Group 5, exceeding the target of a 20% increase.
Conclusion: The introduction of a structured paediatric teaching programme at Whiston Hospital significantly improved third-year medical students’ confidence in answering paediatric exam questions. The use of continuous, feedback-driven adjustments led to marked improvements in student satisfaction. This highlights the importance of adapting education programmes to the needs and preferences of the students. The success of this project suggests that similar QIPs could be effectively applied across other areas of the undergraduate medical curriculum to enhance learning outcomes.
