Exploring Medical Student Experiences With Direct Observation During the Pediatric Clerkship.

This study revealed that students are not being assessed for performing vital clinical skills in the inpatient setting by attendings as frequently as previously believed. When observers set expectations, create a safe learning environment, and follow up with actionable feedback, medical students perceive the experience as valuable; however, the DO experience is currently suboptimal. Therefore, a high-quality, competency-based clinical education for medical students is necessary to directly drive future patient care by way of a competent physician workforce.