Medical students' attitude toward patient-centeredness: A longitudinal study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education Research
• Healthcare Professional Development
• Patient-Centered Care Studies

Background:

• Patient-centeredness is crucial for effective healthcare delivery.
• Understanding the evolution of patient-centered attitudes in medical students is essential for optimizing training.
• Longitudinal data on medical student patient-centeredness trajectories are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the developmental trajectories of patient-centered orientation among Italian medical students.
• To identify patterns in the changes of patient-centeredness (Caring and Sharing) throughout medical school.
• To examine demographic influences, such as gender, on these trajectories.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal assessment of four student cohorts at the second (T0) and fifth year (T1) of medical school.
• Utilized the validated Italian version of the Patient-Practitioner Orientation Scale (PPOS).
• Statistical analysis of data from 352 students who completed both assessments.

Main Results:

• Students demonstrated increased patient-centeredness in Sharing, but not Caring, by the fifth year.
• Distinct developmental trajectory patterns for Caring and Sharing were identified.
• Students initially high in patient-centeredness showed decreased scores, while those initially low showed increases; female students consistently scored higher than males.

Conclusions:

• Medical school curricula require innovative strategies to sustain and foster patient-centeredness.
• Continuous assessment and monitoring of patient-centeredness can inform targeted educational interventions.
• Further research should identify specific curriculum elements that enhance student patient-centeredness.