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Informed consent policies governing medical students' interactions with patients
D L Cohen1, L B McCullough, R W Kessel
1Department of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences F. Edward Hébert School of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland.
Journal of Medical Education
|October 1, 1987
Summary
Many teaching hospitals fail to inform patients about medical student involvement in their care. This study highlights incomplete compliance with informed consent ethical requirements in medical education.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Bioethics
- Healthcare Policy
Background:
- Medical students' participation in patient care raises ethical and legal concerns regarding informed consent.
- Compliance with U.S. government and Joint Committee on Accreditation of Hospitals guidelines is crucial for patient rights.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess teaching hospitals' and medical schools' adherence to informed consent policies concerning student involvement in patient care.
- To identify gaps in current practices regarding patient notification and student role clarification.
Main Methods:
- A survey was distributed to hospital administrators, medical school department chairpersons, and deans.
- High response rates (82.3–95.1%) ensured robust data collection on institutional policies.
Main Results:
- Only 37.5% of surveyed teaching hospitals explicitly informed patients about student involvement in their care.
- Just 51% of medical schools with patient interaction policies mandated that students identify themselves as students.
Conclusions:
- Medical educators demonstrate incomplete compliance with the ethical mandates of informed consent.
- There is a significant need to improve patient communication and transparency in medical training settings.