[How does a patient-centered, future-oriented medical curriculum look like? The patients' view]

Area of Science:

• Medical Education Research
• Healthcare System Analysis
• Patient-Centered Care

Background:

• Medical training in Germany requires adaptation to evolving societal healthcare demands.
• Current medical curricula may not fully align with patient expectations.
• Understanding the patient perspective is crucial for curriculum reform.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate patient perspectives on medical student education.
• To identify key areas for improvement in medical training curricula.
• To inform the development of future-oriented medical education.

Main Methods:

• Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 patients (9 inpatient, 8 outpatient).
• Interviews were analyzed using computer-assisted methods guided by Grounded Theory.
• Data analysis involved 480 codings condensed into seven main categories.

Main Results:

• Key categories identified include Psychosocial Competence and Professional Environment/Health Care System.
• Patients highlighted the importance of psychosocial skills alongside medical knowledge.
• Significant findings emerged regarding the medical curriculum, value systems, and digital skills.

Conclusions:

• Psychosocial education is essential, complementing traditional medical knowledge.
• Future medical curricula should prioritize practice-oriented training and digital literacy.
• Integrating patient perspectives is critical for effective medical education research and reform.