One day to change 3 years of learning: the gamble of few students

Background: French medical studies are sanctioned by a national ranked exam (ECNi), which determine students’ specialty and town of residency. The training for this contest, from the 4th year to the end of the 6th, requires for students to acquire an effective working method. But it is easier said than done... That’s why some students decided in 2016 to take charge by creating themselves a time to learn how to work well. After a first successful edition in 2016, the student organizers decided to go further this year! Methods: On September 2017, few students organizers created a special half-day at the beginning of the 4th year to give confidence to students for the ECNi training. Concretely, 308 4th year students were divided into 12 small working groups animated by a trinomina composed of one 5th year student, one junior doctor and one teacher to discuss about pedagogical methods. Then, an initiation to self-hypnosis was proposed, along with a debate with human sciences teachers about students’ difficulties at hospital. Results: In our survey of satisfaction (184 answers), 93% answered that this day met their expectations, 97% want a new session next year, and the average grade of the quality of this half-day was 8.2/10. The students particularly appreciated the presence of the trinomina to answer all their questions from different point of views. Conclusion: This successful organisation was possible thanks to the skills of everyone implicated in this half-day: students’ motivation, residents’ willingness to help, teachers’ expertise and support. Faced with such an effective collaboration, the university was very favourable to this initiative as it created a positive and encouraging atmosphere for students before the start of the academic year. Take-home message: Alone, we go faster... Together, we go further! And this is exactly what this project illustrates: students, residents and teachers, working hand by hand to allow students to start the ECNi training on a strong foundation...