Medical Student and Faculty Perceptions of Learning From Pediatric Patients and Families: A Multicenter Qualitative...

To explore how medical students and faculty navigate the dynamic of the learner-physician-patient/family relationship in pediatric undergraduate medical education.

The authors conducted focus groups of medical students and pediatric faculty educators from 3 institutions. Questions explored participants' perceptions of the role of pediatric patients and their families in student education and possible benefits and dilemmas associated with such learning. Two investigators independently coded the transcripts, reconciled discrepancies, and generated themes.

Twenty-seven students and 18 faculty participated in 6 focus groups that achieved thematic saturation. Codes from student and faculty focus groups were similar and integrated into 4 themes: appreciation of the mutual value arising from student interactions with children and their families, awareness of the unique challenges when students learn from children, recognition of the potential risks involved in student-patient/family interactions, and the adoption of varying strategies to navigate educational experiences, from rationalizing to avoidance.

While the value of medical student involvement in the care of pediatric patients is widely recognized, challenges and risks may limit learning. Given the need for students to gain this specific skillset, programs must develop strategies to ensure learning occurs in ways that maximize the benefits to children and families, including preparing students for experiences, incorporating students as active members of the team, providing close supervision, allowing individualized student participation based on competency, considering children's and families' vulnerabilities and agency to provide true consent/assent, and empowering patient/families to participate actively in teaching and learning.