How relevant is undergraduate medical law teaching to clinical practice? A graduates' perspective

The Monash University medical law tutorial program was implemented in 2002. A major aim of this program is to enable medical students to recognise and understand their legal obligations in clinical practice, thereby improving clinical standards and contributing to better patient outcomes. The present study examined whether, from a graduate perspective, the medical law tutorial program provides adequate legal information of relevance for a clinical context. Monash University medical graduates from 2007 to 2009 who were working at a Victorian hospital or who were members of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners were invited to participate in the study. Fifty-six participants completed the survey. Overall, participants had positive perceptions of the medical law program. The medical law program is an essential component of students' medical education and provides information relevant to future clinical practice.