Introducing undergraduate medical teaching into general practice: an action research study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Primary Health Care
• General Practice Training

Background:

• Increasing medical school enrollment necessitates greater general practitioner (GP) involvement in undergraduate medical education.
• Students report positive experiences in general practices, appreciating the exposure to diverse clinical conditions and enhanced decision-making roles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the preparation and implementation of a general practice in South Wales for undergraduate medical education.
• To assess the impact of integrating undergraduate medical students into a general practice setting on the primary health care team, patients, and students.

Main Methods:

• An action research study followed a single general practice through the preparatory phase and first year of teaching undergraduate medical students.
• Key preparatory activities included summarizing patient notes, establishing a practice library, and arranging student accommodation.

Main Results:

• The Primary Health Care Team (PHCT) experienced enhanced morale, self-worth, and professional confidence.
• Patients felt more involved in their care, and students valued the personalized teaching and exposure to common illnesses and varied consulting styles.
• Doctors' initial anxieties about their clinical skills were unfounded.

Conclusions:

• Integrating GPs into undergraduate medical education offers significant benefits, including improved professional self-esteem and team morale for the PHCT.
• The study highlights positive outcomes for patients and students, suggesting value for practices considering undergraduate teaching roles.
• Generalizability is limited due to the single-practice focus.