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Original ArticleOpen Access
The Effect of a Continuity of Care Clinic Curriculum on Cardiovascular Risk Management Skills of Medical School Graduates
Pandejpong D 
,
Nopmaneejumruslers C ,
Chouriyagune C
,
Nopmaneejumruslers C ,
Chouriyagune C Background: The continuity of care clinic (CCC) curriculum has been added to final-year medical students,
class of 2008. The goals were to improve cardiovascular risk management skills for medical students and to
develop competent doctors to serve the public.
Objective: To study the effectiveness of the curriculum by directly comparing postgraduate patient care
performance between CCC participants (class of 2008) and non-CCC participants (class of 2006 and 2007).
Material and Method: We collected information about both groups of graduates, when they started their
doctor careers. With hospitals’ permission, medical charts audits were performed and scored with a 12-task
checklist of cardiovascular risk management. The scores from both groups were compared with statistical
analyses.
Results: Among 266 charts from 17 hospitals, there were 123 charts from 38 CCC participants and 143 charts
from 52 non-CCC participants. On 9 of 12 tasks of the checklist, proportionately more CCC participants
carried out the tasks than non-CCC participants. Statistical significance was shown on 5 tasks. These were
ability to properly adjust antihypertensive medication (13.4% more; p = 0.002); requesting for urine protein
screening (12.1% more; p = 0.006); recommending life-style modification (24.9% more; p < 0.001); requesting
for serum lipid profile (25.5% more; p < 0.001); prescribing aspirin as primary prevention for cardiovascular
disease (13.1% more; p = 0.007). There was no statistically significant difference for the other 7 tasks.
Conclusion: Cardiovascular risk management performance of CCC participants was better than non-CCC
participants in the same period after graduations. The curriculum helped improve the cardiovascular risks
management skill of postgraduates. In the public interest, this study recommends further implementation of
such a program in the future.
Keywords: Clinical competence, Continuity of patient care, Curriculum, Education, Medical, Graduate,
Educational measurement, Program evaluation
class of 2008. The goals were to improve cardiovascular risk management skills for medical students and to
develop competent doctors to serve the public.
Objective: To study the effectiveness of the curriculum by directly comparing postgraduate patient care
performance between CCC participants (class of 2008) and non-CCC participants (class of 2006 and 2007).
Material and Method: We collected information about both groups of graduates, when they started their
doctor careers. With hospitals’ permission, medical charts audits were performed and scored with a 12-task
checklist of cardiovascular risk management. The scores from both groups were compared with statistical
analyses.
Results: Among 266 charts from 17 hospitals, there were 123 charts from 38 CCC participants and 143 charts
from 52 non-CCC participants. On 9 of 12 tasks of the checklist, proportionately more CCC participants
carried out the tasks than non-CCC participants. Statistical significance was shown on 5 tasks. These were
ability to properly adjust antihypertensive medication (13.4% more; p = 0.002); requesting for urine protein
screening (12.1% more; p = 0.006); recommending life-style modification (24.9% more; p < 0.001); requesting
for serum lipid profile (25.5% more; p < 0.001); prescribing aspirin as primary prevention for cardiovascular
disease (13.1% more; p = 0.007). There was no statistically significant difference for the other 7 tasks.
Conclusion: Cardiovascular risk management performance of CCC participants was better than non-CCC
participants in the same period after graduations. The curriculum helped improve the cardiovascular risks
management skill of postgraduates. In the public interest, this study recommends further implementation of
such a program in the future.
Keywords: Clinical competence, Continuity of patient care, Curriculum, Education, Medical, Graduate,
Educational measurement, Program evaluation
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