Patient participation in medical student teaching: a survey of hospital patients

Abstract

Background: Despite the common practice of involving in-patients in the teaching of medical students little is known about the experience for patients. This study investigated inpatients' willingness, motivations and experience with participation in medical student bedside teaching. Methods: In-patients at a tertiary hospital who participated in medical student teaching answered a 22 question survey. The survey examined the motivations, impact and overall experience for these patients. Results: During July and August of 2019, 111 patients aged 19-93 years completed the survey. Most patients who were approached by preceptors to participate in teaching agreed to participate (74%). Ninety-six percent of patients felt like they could have said no if they had not wanted to participate in medical student teaching. Ninety percent of patients valued the time they spent with students. Conclusions: Most hospital inpatients are willing to participate in medical student teaching in order to be helpful, and most have a positive experience. Preceptors in undergraduate medical education should prioritize a quality informed consent process and understand that the teaching experience can be mutually productive for patients and students.

Patient outlook on bedside teaching in a medical school

“…Such same-sex preferences among female patients more than male patients was also evident in an Oxford study 10 and a GUM clinic survey. 9 There were varied responses in different studies: some female patients felt that participating in bedside teaching made their hospital stay better, 16 whereas others had a negative attitude towards student participation in their care and treatment, compared to male patients. 20…”

Point/Counterpoint: Should patients be presented before entering the room during ward rounds?

“…For example, a bedside case presentation might be focused on observation and feedback of a learner's clinical reasoning and demonstration of physical exam skills. For that encounter, patient counseling may only arise briefly at the end, a focus that patients are quite accepting of when the structure and goals are clearly explained to them 11 . Alternatively, family‐centered bedside rounds might focus on identifying and addressing a patient's home‐going discharge needs without explicitly dedicating time to trainee teaching.…”

“…For that encounter, patient counseling may only arise briefly at the end, a focus that patients are quite accepting of when the structure and goals are clearly explained to them. 11 Alternatively, family-centered bedside rounds might focus on identifying and addressing a patient's home-going discharge needs without explicitly dedicating time to trainee teaching. Both strategies are valid but represent very different goals that may be in tension during the encounter.…”

Focus on patients in medical education

“…The benefits for patients include satisfaction from using their personal experiences in medical education and greater confidence in their knowledge of their own health or illness. Patients agree to be teaching subjects because they want to help and perceive it as an expression of altruism [ 11 ].…”