Mentally ill inpatients’ experiences and opinions on seeing medical students: a questionnaire study

Abstract

Research involving general patients suggests that most patients agree to be involved in medical education but prefer not to discuss personal or stress related issues with/in front of medical students. We explore the opinions and experiences of mentally ill in-patients of their involvement in undergraduate medical education in psychiatry. The study shows that patients attach importance to students seeing real patients and that the patients are happy to be seen by medical students. Most patients benefit from seeing a student and few suffer detriment. They experience anxiety prior to the student-patient interview which dissipates during the interview. Mentally ill patients agree to see medical students for similar reasons to other patients. It is important to obtain full consent from patients who see medical students.

Psychiatric patients’ perspectives of student involvement in their care

“…Patients commented that it was important for students to be involved in health care, and that they have to be taught “empathy and not only theory”. Patients in psychiatric care have, in previous research, perceived the importance to help students learn with real patients [ 18 ] and felt they had something important to offer as well as a sense of giving back [ 19 ]. Even unprepared patients in general care think of themselves as contributors to and facilitators of learning, particularly in professional skills and attitudes [ 10 ].…”

“…The results showed high levels of satisfaction with the student-patient relationship, and patients felt that the students made positive contributions to their treatment [ 17 ]. In two small questionnaire studies, patients in psychiatric wards were asked about their experiences of participating in interviews in order to teach and train medical students [ 4 , 18 ]. Overall, the patients were positive and would be willing to repeat the experience if asked again [ 4 , 18 ].…”

“…In two small questionnaire studies, patients in psychiatric wards were asked about their experiences of participating in interviews in order to teach and train medical students [ 4 , 18 ]. Overall, the patients were positive and would be willing to repeat the experience if asked again [ 4 , 18 ]. Patients with mental disorders from community settings have described specific therapeutic gains in their meetings with students, even though participating was sometimes perceived as distressing [ 19 ].…”

Supporting medical students’ workplace learning: experience-based learning (ExBL)

“…They envy their ability to make a difference; at the same time, students aspire to be like their role models, but are afraid of doing more harm than good when given responsibility. However, students can make a difference even before they are clinically competent: nine out of 10 unselected patients find it beneficial to contribute to students’ learning, 3,4 so skilled teachers can conduct consultations to both students’ and patients’ mutual benefit. Bedside teaching, in contrast, is a rich source of mutual harm, when all parties except an insensitive teacher are embarrassed by the collective invasion of a patient’s privacy.…”

When patients decline medical student participation: the preceptors’ perspective

“…A growing number of studies have reported that, generally, patients have an open and positive attitude towards medical student involvement in clinical care (Devera-sales et al 1999;Fortier et al 2006;Mavis et al 2006;Doshi et al 2006;Ryder et al 2005;Simons et al 1995;Bishop et al 1991;Ching et al 2000;O'Flynn and Rymer 2002;Shann and Wilson 2006;York et al 1995;Townsend et al 2003;Passaperuma et al 2008). In fact, among 575 patients attending community and academic-based primary care clinics, Devera-Sales et al (1999) found 90% were receptive to medical students taking part in their clinic visit.…”