“My way of giving something back”: Patient and carer experiences of involvement in medical education

Background: Patient involvement initiatives in medical education traditionally focus exclusively on the rationale, need, and potential benefits to learners in developing patient-centred practice. Objectives: This study explores the impact of involvement on patient educators working in medical education. Method: A mixed methods approach was used to generate data for content analysis. Participants completed a questionnaire (n= 49) and were then invited for a follow-up interview (n=20), both methods explored views on involvement, motives for taking part and the impact involvement has had on their lives. Results: Participants reported that they valued opportunities to take part in medical education. This provided a means to reflect on their health condition and patient experience; had perceived and real benefits for their health and wellbeing and provided an opportunity to educate students in ways which participants felt had wide-ranging benefits. Conclusions: There is a need to further develop theoretical understandings of patient involvement in medical education. In adopting a Bourdieuian analysis of involvement the results of this study suggest there is a need both to prepare patient educators for involvement and to provide on-going support to enable individuals to realise the benefits of involvement, which are not automatic.