Patients and students: an attitudinal survey

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Patient Experience
• Family Medicine

Background:

• Academic Family Practice Units serve as crucial training grounds for future physicians.
• Understanding patient perceptions of medical student involvement is vital for optimizing healthcare delivery and training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess patient satisfaction and identify concerns regarding medical students' roles in academic Family Practice Units.
• To explore the impact of medical student participation on the doctor-patient relationship.

Main Methods:

• A self-administered questionnaire was used to gather data from 68 patients who received care primarily from a medical student.
• The study was conducted in an academic Family Practice Unit setting.

Main Results:

• A majority of patients reported satisfaction with their interactions with medical students.
• A notable minority of patients expressed dissatisfaction, primarily citing concerns about the fragmentation of the doctor-patient relationship.

Conclusions:

• While patient satisfaction with medical students is generally high, concerns regarding relationship continuity exist.
• Further investigation into patient reactions within academic Family Practice Units is warranted to improve both patient care and medical training.