Medical Students Can Improve Health Literacy: Training Students to Educate Patients About Obstetric Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Medical schools are increasingly emphasizing patient education in the clerkship year. Effective education is essential to increase patient buy-in when spearheading quality initiatives. This project was designed to train 3rd-year medical students in teach-back education while concurrently enhancing a departmental QI effort to increase obstetric VTE prophylaxis. METHODS: Ob-Gyn clerkship students watched a student-created instructional video on teach-back teaching and a case-based presentation on VTE prophylaxis. Students assessed three patients for VTE risk and counseled patients on interventions. Students recorded pre- and postcounseling assessments of patient knowledge and responded to a survey about their experience. RESULTS: During the first clerkship block, 26 students participated in counseling and 75 patients were counseled. Following student counseling, a significantly increased number of patients exhibited understanding of: definition and consequences of VTE (56.25% increase, P<.0001), VTE risk factors (212.5% increase, P<.0001) and prophylactic interventions (169% increase, P<.0001). Students agreed or strongly agreed that their participation improved: understanding of VTE prophylaxis (100%), confidence counseling patients (100%), quality of patient care (64%), and understanding of QI (93%). One hundred percent of students stated that they plan to use teach-back teaching in future patient encounters. DISCUSSION: Students felt that the experience was rewarding and contributed to their education, and students' assessment of patient understanding improved following counseling. This intervention demonstrates that medical students can effectively counsel patients and enhance a quality improvement intervention.