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The effects of contributing to patient care on medical students' workplace learning
Author(s) -
Smith Samantha E,
Tallentire Victoria R,
Cameron Helen S,
Wood S Morwenna
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
medical education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.776
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1365-2923
pISSN - 0308-0110
DOI - 10.1111/medu.12217
Subject(s) - medical education , medicine , psychology , medline , nursing , family medicine , political science , law
Context Previous research has suggested that as medical students become more senior, they should increasingly take on the roles they will enact as newly qualified doctors by contributing to patient care. However, student contribution to patient care carries inherent risks to patient safety. This study aimed to provide students with a new opportunity to contribute to patient care and to use this as a platform from which to explore the influence of contributing to patient care on medical student learning. Methods This study took place in the context of final‐year medical student prescribing education at the U niversity of E dinburgh, Edinburgh, UK . Students on attachment at a district general hospital were afforded a unique opportunity to learn prescribing by completing in‐patient drug charts in a process termed ‘pre‐prescribing’. All students were invited to participate in focus groups conducted by the principal researcher. Focus group discussions were audio‐recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Results Six focus groups, each lasting 20–50 minutes, were conducted with four to seven participants (33 students in total). The emerging themes took the form of developmental outcomes and learning processes. Developmental outcomes included ability to perform the task, modification of attitudes towards the task, formation of a professional identity, and development of relationships within the team. The central feature of the experience which influenced all developmental outcomes, was making mistakes. The themes interact in complex ways and all contribute towards development as a professional. Conclusions This study has demonstrated that contributing to patient care enhances students' development as professionals. Some of these developmental outcomes, such as improvements in knowledge and skills, may be achievable to some extent within the classroom. Other changes, such as developing relationships, forming a sense of professional identity and modifying attitudes, might arguably be achievable only within the context of contributing to patient care.