Recently-released results from the 2014 Medical School Graduation Questionnaire (GQ) – a national survey administered annually by the Association of American Medical Colleges – show that 2014 graduates of the University of Vermont College of Medicine are very satisfied with their medical education, and in many areas significantly more so than their peers nationally.

The GQ survey provides aggregate data from graduating students (82 percent of the 18,057 medical school graduates participated nationally) at the 131 U.S. medical schools accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, as well as individual data for each of the participating schools, including UVM, where 91 percent of the Class of 2014 participated.

UVM graduates reported high satisfaction rates overall and with their pre-clerkship and clinical clerkship experiences, and felt more prepared than their national counterparts to enter residency. Highlights of the new GQ include:

• High Overall Satisfaction Rates: Responding to the statement “Overall, I am satisfied with the quality of my medical education,” 98 percent of UVM graduates agreed or strongly agreed (up from 96 percent in 2013), versus 91 percent of their peers nationally.
• Basic Science and Clinical Relevance: 86 percent of UVM graduating students agreed or strongly agreed that the basic science curriculum has clinical relevance, versus 75 percent of their peers nationally. Additionally, 85 percent of UVM students felt basic science content provided preparation for clerkships, versus 80 percent of students nationally.
• Advanced Integration: The UVM Class of 2014 reported that the final year was helpful for preparation for residency (88 percent agreed or strongly agreed, versus just 74 percent of their peers nationally) and 76 percent of UVM students felt elective time was adequate versus 61 percent of students nationally.
• Growth in Interprofessional Health Education: 96 percent of UVM students, versus just 78 percent nationally, said “Yes,” to “Have you participated in any required curricular activities where you had the opportunity to learn with students from different health professions?” indicating continued growth at UVM – from 92 percent in 2013 – in students’ reports of their involvement in interprofessional learning activities in the last four years, also coinciding with the increased growth in this area nationally.
• Public Health Instruction: While just 69 percent of students nationally rated their public health instruction as appropriate, 81 percent of UVM Class of 2014 expressed that their instruction in public health was appropriate.

Since it was established in 1978 by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the Graduation Questionnaire (GQ) has been a tool used by medical schools, faculty, students, researchers, and the LCME to identify and address issues critical to the future of medical education and the well-being of medical students, and for benchmarking and improving medical education.