Attitudes and Personal Attributes Regarding Patient Receptivity towards the Participation of Medical Students in Gynecological Consultations: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the association between the acceptance on the part of the patients and their reasons to consent to or refuse medical student attendance during gynecological outpatient care, considering the participants' demographic characteristics, consultation experience, and gender bias or lack thereof. Methods Face-to-face interviews with patients waiting for gynecological consultations that had been scheduled in advance at Hospital Universitário de Brasília. Contingency analyses were used to determine the levels of association among the patient variables. The accepted significance level was values of p < 0.05. Results We interviewed 469 patients. The comfort level with the presence of a student was strongly related to the number of students present during the consultation (Cramér V = 0.671). The inclination to grant consent (a series of reasons to consent to or refuse student attendance) was significantly related (p < 0.001) to the overall receptivity to student participation (ρ = 0.482), the positive appraisal of student-doctor demeanor in previous consultations (ρ = 0.253, N = 408), and to greater levels of schooling (ρ = 0.158). The patients' receptivity was significantly related (p < 0.001) to the lack of bias regarding the gender of the physician (Cramér V = 0.388), previous experience with students (Cramér V = 0.235) and awareness of the fact that they would be present (Cramér V = 0.217), older age (ρ = 0.136, p = 0.003), and multiparity (ρ = 0.102, p = 0.027). Conclusion Greater receptivity to student participation related significantly to five conditions in decreasing order of strength of association: lack of bias regarding the gender of the Ob-Gyn, previous experience with student involvement, awareness of the presence of students, older age, and multiparity. We also found that a more positive inclination to consent to student attendance correlated positively with a greater receptivity to student participation and to a suitable student-doctor demeanor.

Receptiveness to students’ presence at gynecological consultations: patients’ motives and appraisal of learners’ interpersonal communication skills

“…Nonetheless, the study shows strengths, including the participants' sample size and excellent response rate. The study also upholds the credibility of the reported findings 10 , explains the positive influence of prior experience and hints at the potential usability of that explanation in grounding research from a qualitative outlook to the interest of patient-physician partnership in public health services 20 .…”

“…From the patients' viewpoint, the learners show abilities and help with the consultation through some means, while the women themselves want to help the students' medical education. As remarked elsewhere, reciprocal altruism may underlie the student-patient relationship 10 .…”

“…Several studies found a mostly facilitating influence of prior acquaintance on the patients' willingness to accept and feel at ease with the learners' presence 1, 3,7,8 . Two Brazilian studies revealed similar effects in the setting of women's outpatient care at public hospitals 9,10 . What features of a prior appointment experience would impact the patients' intended attitudes?…”

Feasibility of Wearable Display Glasses for Medical Students in the Endoscopy Room

“…With the increasing protection of patients' personal information and rights, medical students have decreased opportunities to participate in bedside education. 12,13 Moreover, with the recent emergence of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), all sectors of society are changing to non-face-to-face forms. Students previously studying at school are now instead watching lecture videos online at home.…”

“…Many changes, especially regarding patients’ right to privacy, in the medical setting are required in the existing methods of endoscopic education. With the increasing protection of patients’ personal information and rights, medical students have decreased opportunities to participate in bedside education [ 12 , 13 ]. Moreover, with the recent emergence of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), all sectors of society are changing to non-face-to-face forms.…”