Maximizing clinical rotation placements for US medical students: exploring an optimization model

Figures & data

Table 1. Average patient visit numbers per clinical training site

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri
Clinic 1	77.42	91.79	60.11	76.53	59.53
Clinic 2	69.44	75.89	89.33	42.11	68.89
Clinic 3	182.00	178.60	161.80	168.00	166.40

Table 2. Students and patient-to-student ratio for each clinic

	Clinic 1					Clinic 2					Clinic 3
S = 7	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri
1	77.42		60.11
2		45.90		76.53
3		45.90			59.53
4						69.44		44.66
5							75.89		42.11
6								44.66		68.89
7											182.00				166.40
S = 8
1	77.42		60.11
2		45.90		76.53
3		45.90			59.53
4						69.44		44.66
5							75.89		42.11
6								44.66		68.89
7											182.00	89.30
8												89.30		168.00
S = 10
1	77.42		60.11
2		45.90		76.53
3		45.90			59.53
4						69.44		44.66
5							75.89		42.11
6								44.66		68.89
7											60.67	89.30
8											60.67		161.80
9											60.67				83.20
10												89.30			83.20
S = 15
1	77.42		60.11
2		45.90		76.53
3		45.90			59.53
4						69.44		44.66
5							75.89		42.11
6								44.66		68.89
7											45.50		53.93
8											45.50		53.93
9											45.50			42.00
10											45.50			42.00
11												44.65		42.00
12												44.65		42.00
13												44.65			55.47
14												44.65			55.47
15													53.93		55.47

S = student

Patient-to-student ratios are indicated for each student (S) by day of the week and by clinic for different numbers of students. All the values after assigning 15 students are above the optimized value of 42.

Table 3. Rotation plans and total number of patients seen by every student

	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Patients Seen
S1	C3	–	–	–	C3	100.97
S2	–	–	–	C3	C3	97.47
S3	–	–	C2	C2	–	86.77
S4	C2	C2	–	–	–	145.33
S5	C1	C1	–	–	–	123.31
S6	–	–	C1	C1	–	136.64
S7	C3	C3	–	–	–	90.15
S8	–	C3	–	–	C3	100.12
S9	–	–	C2	–	C2	113.55
S10	–	C3	C3	–	–	98.58
S11	–	C1	–	–	C1	105.42
S12	C3	–	–	C3	–	87.50
S13	–	–	C3	C3	–	95.93
S14	–	C3	C3	–	–	98.58
S15	C3	–	–	C3	–	87.50

S = student; C = clinic