Patient participation in general practice based undergraduate teaching: a focus group study of patient perspectives

Patients make a crucial contribution to undergraduate medical education. Although a national resource is available for patients participating in research, none is as yet available for education.

This study aimed to explore what information patients would like about participation in general practice based undergraduate medical education, and how they would like to obtain this information.

Two focus groups were conducted in London-based practices involved in both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.

Patients both with and without teaching experience were recruited using leaflets, posters, and patient participation groups. An open-ended topic guide explored three areas: perceived barriers that participants anticipated or had experienced; patient roles in medical education; and what help would support participation. Focus groups were audiorecorded, transcribed, and analysed thematically.

Patients suggested ways of professionalising the teaching process. These were: making information available to patients about confidentiality, iterative consent, and normalising teaching in the practice. Patients highlighted the importance of relationships, making information available about their GPs' involvement in teaching, and initiating student-patient interactions. Participants emphasised educational principles to maximise exchange of information, including active participation of students, patient identification of student learner needs, and exchange of feedback.

This study will inform development of patient information resources to support their participation in teaching and access to information both before and during general practice based teaching encounters.