Educational Effects of Collaborative Teaching on Medical Students' Perception of Patient-Centered Care: A Mixed...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Interprofessional Collaboration
• Patient-Centered Care

Background:

• Patient-centered care (PCC) is linked to improved quality of life, but physicians and medical students show less favorable attitudes towards it.
• Physicians' limitations in teaching patient background contribute to this disparity.
• Medical social workers (MSWs) can bridge the gap by integrating social aspects into care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of an interprofessional joint lesson on PCC.
• To assess the impact of collaboration between MSWs and general practitioners (GPs) on medical students' PCC perceptions.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods design was used with 123 fourth-year medical students.
• An interprofessional collaborative teaching session was co-facilitated by an MSW and a GP.
• Qualitative data from interviews and quantitative pre-post data were analyzed.

Main Results:

• A significant increase in students' ability to explain PCC-related perceptions was observed post-intervention.
• Inductive content analysis revealed four key themes: exploring health experiences, understanding the whole person, reaching common understanding, and enhancing the patient-physician relationship.

Conclusions:

• Integrating MSWs into medical education enhances students' understanding and attitudes towards PCC.
• This collaborative model provides a holistic healthcare perspective by addressing both clinical and social aspects of patient care.