Students' perceptions about the transition to the clinical phase of a medical curriculum with preclinical patient contacts; a focus group study

Table 2 Main themes and corresponding sub-themes discussed during interviews

Experiences	Experiences during first week Transition from Year 3 into the clerkships Role as a clerk Emotions Amount of structure offered during clerkship Workload and working hours Contact with other health professionals
Knowledge and skills	Level of knowledge Basic science knowledge Clerkship as a place for learning Preparation for clinical skills Integration of clinical skills Introductory week
Clinical reasoning	Clinical knowledge and reasoning skills Analytical reasoning and processes of recognition Diversity of patients Recognising pathology
Learning	Motivation Learning during clerkships Clinically oriented studying Balance between theory and practice
Preclinical patient encounters	Motivation Self-confidence Sense of responsibility Clinical reasoning skills Bridging a gap

ISSN: 1472-6920