Live Patient Encounters: A Perspective From Second-Year Medical Students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Reasoning
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• Interactive patient cases are recognized educational tools in medical training.
• Prior research highlights benefits for clinical reasoning but lacks student feedback on patient-as-teacher models.
• Limited data exists on medical student perceptions of live patient encounters in specific courses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate second-year medical students' perceptions of live patient encounters.
• To assess student feedback on the educational value of interactive cases in the Skin and Musculoskeletal System Course (BMS 6635).

Main Methods:

• A retrospective descriptive study analyzed survey data from second-year medical students (MS2s) at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine (2016-2022).
• Surveys were administered post-course completion, focusing on experiences with 4-5 live patient encounters involving dermatologic, autoimmune, and musculoskeletal conditions.
• Statistical analysis was conducted on 700 completed surveys assessing student perceptions.

Main Results:

• Ninety percent of students enjoyed the patient cases, and 92% found them appropriate for their education.
• Seventy-six percent agreed that patient cases aided material retention.
• While a slight decrease in enjoyment and perceived appropriateness was observed from 2016-2022, satisfaction remained above 80%.

Conclusions:

• Interactive patient cases are perceived as a valuable educational resource by medical students.
• These cases are beneficial for enhancing learning, improving material retention, and should be incorporated into medical curricula.
• Student feedback supports the continued use and integration of patient-centered learning experiences in medical training.