The use of patient partners with back pain to teach undergraduate medical students

To assess the impact of teaching about back pain to medical students using trained patient partners (PP).

An initial training programme for four PPs (two with sciatica and two with ankylosing spondylitis) followed by teaching to alternate groups of medical students at the Whittington Campus of the Royal Free and University College Medical School (RFUCMS). A control group of students did not receive the PP teaching. All students received standard Whittington Campus rheumatology teaching. Performance in an end of year objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) was compared between the two groups. Student and PP perceptions of the teaching and training were evaluated using focus groups and questionnaires.

Students receiving the PP teaching performed significantly better in a summative OSCE, but no difference was seen in analysis of a single station assessing history-taking skills in a patient with back pain. Students felt that the PP teaching improved their ability to elicit information from a patient during the consultation. PPs enjoyed the experience of teaching and felt empowered to self-manage their medical conditions, and were better able to seek medical advice when needed.

Using PPs with back pain to teach medical students has a positive effect on student learning and patient well-being. The feasibility of delivering this programme will depend on faculty resources. The effects on examination performance are small but significant.