Using community diagnosis on primary care placements for medical students

Over 35 years ago Julian Tudor Hart highlighted how medical undergraduate education needed to adapt to produce clinicians who were better situated in communities. However, we still struggle to engage medical students in understanding the social and environmental determinants of health, the value population level data and public health interventions. Our approach: Third year medical students carried out a community diagnosis project where they evaluated quantitative, qualitative and observational data for the community in which they were living. They examined Public Health England fingertips data to choose a topic, gathered and evaluated further information, considered potential solutions, and created a 5-min presentation for their small group tutorial. The students were supported by GP tutors from East London, allowing a novel role for GP tutors to teach on this topic.

GP tutors and students gave positive feedback on both the design and delivery of the module. Students frequently made the link between their previous theoretical teaching in public health and the application of it in the GPCD module, appreciated the value of investigating their local area and commented upon the opportunity to consider the wider determinants of health. The GP tutors felt the project gave the students an insight into the lived realities of others.

This module was an effective cross-collaborative approach between primary care and public health. It gave a practical application to build on previous theoretical public health learning, and evidence of transformational learning for the students, helping them to understand the impact of health inequalities.