Interprofessional student-led clinics: the volunteer patient experience
Abstract Background Learning from patients and gaining an understanding of their lived experience plays an important role in improving health professions education. However, opportunities for students to engage in interprofessional learning activities involving patients as partners remain limited. I...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-10-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-022-03760-6 |
| _version_ | 1798030026442014720 |
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| author | Annette Burgess Chris Roberts |
| author_facet | Annette Burgess Chris Roberts |
| author_sort | Annette Burgess |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Learning from patients and gaining an understanding of their lived experience plays an important role in improving health professions education. However, opportunities for students to engage in interprofessional learning activities involving patients as partners remain limited. In 2018, we developed an interprofessional student-led clinic where people living with Parkinson’s Disease voluntarily participated as ‘patient-partners’. The aim of this pilot study was to explore patients’ experience and motivation for participation. Methods In 2018 the clinic was implemented five times. Four patient volunteers and six to eight students from a mix of disciplines attended each clinic. Qualitative data were collected via semi-structured focus groups with patients. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results Eleven patients participated in the focus groups. Patients found the interprofessional nature of the clinic beneficial to their health goals. Their interactions with students from different disciplines helped to build their healthcare knowledge and confidence to ask additional questions of health professionals. Patients felt they offered unique perspectives to students of their own lived experiences. They found sharing their stories with students and each other built a sense of community. Conclusion Patients felt they enriched the learning environment, helping students to build their knowledge and skills by providing authentic patient perspectives. The interprofessional aspect enhanced the patient experience in a number of ways. Patients found the multiple perspectives of healthcare helped them to build their own knowledge, and reflect on their changing needs. Warranting further investigation, our findings indicate that participation in the clinics may have positively influenced patients’ health seeking behaviours. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T19:33:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ef53e274901141d5b08428ab1a9afad6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6920 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T19:33:35Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-ef53e274901141d5b08428ab1a9afad62022-12-22T04:06:56ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202022-10-012211610.1186/s12909-022-03760-6Interprofessional student-led clinics: the volunteer patient experienceAnnette Burgess0Chris Roberts1The University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney Medical SchoolThe University of Sydney, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney Medical SchoolAbstract Background Learning from patients and gaining an understanding of their lived experience plays an important role in improving health professions education. However, opportunities for students to engage in interprofessional learning activities involving patients as partners remain limited. In 2018, we developed an interprofessional student-led clinic where people living with Parkinson’s Disease voluntarily participated as ‘patient-partners’. The aim of this pilot study was to explore patients’ experience and motivation for participation. Methods In 2018 the clinic was implemented five times. Four patient volunteers and six to eight students from a mix of disciplines attended each clinic. Qualitative data were collected via semi-structured focus groups with patients. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results Eleven patients participated in the focus groups. Patients found the interprofessional nature of the clinic beneficial to their health goals. Their interactions with students from different disciplines helped to build their healthcare knowledge and confidence to ask additional questions of health professionals. Patients felt they offered unique perspectives to students of their own lived experiences. They found sharing their stories with students and each other built a sense of community. Conclusion Patients felt they enriched the learning environment, helping students to build their knowledge and skills by providing authentic patient perspectives. The interprofessional aspect enhanced the patient experience in a number of ways. Patients found the multiple perspectives of healthcare helped them to build their own knowledge, and reflect on their changing needs. Warranting further investigation, our findings indicate that participation in the clinics may have positively influenced patients’ health seeking behaviours.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-022-03760-6InterprofessionalPatient safetyStudent-led clinicPeer learning |
| spellingShingle | Annette Burgess Chris Roberts Interprofessional student-led clinics: the volunteer patient experience BMC Medical Education Interprofessional Patient safety Student-led clinic Peer learning |
| title | Interprofessional student-led clinics: the volunteer patient experience |
| title_full | Interprofessional student-led clinics: the volunteer patient experience |
| title_fullStr | Interprofessional student-led clinics: the volunteer patient experience |
| title_full_unstemmed | Interprofessional student-led clinics: the volunteer patient experience |
| title_short | Interprofessional student-led clinics: the volunteer patient experience |
| title_sort | interprofessional student led clinics the volunteer patient experience |
| topic | Interprofessional Patient safety Student-led clinic Peer learning |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-022-03760-6 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT annetteburgess interprofessionalstudentledclinicsthevolunteerpatientexperience AT chrisroberts interprofessionalstudentledclinicsthevolunteerpatientexperience |