Factors influencing the inclusion of diverse volunteer patients within medical student primary care placements.

Abstract

Introduction: Research shows that medical students are graduating with inadequate teaching on diverse patients and insufficient experience of working with diverse patient groups. The inclusion of patients from diverse groups is necessary in healthcare teaching to ensure medical students are adequately prepared for practice. In this study, we explored the perspectives of General Practitioner (GP) tutors on the recruitment of diverse volunteer patients for medical student primary clinical care placements. In particular, we focused on the current representation of diverse volunteer patients, barriers affecting their inclusion and recommendations to help with this.

Methods: Focus groups were carried out with GP tutors involved in the recruitment of volunteer patients from one region in the United Kingdom. Transcripts were analysed using Thematic Analysis.

Results: Participants acknowledged the importance of ensuring that medical students have clinical experience in assessing and managing patients from diverse populations, but most did not actively think about the diversity of the patients they were recruiting. Instead, recruitment was driven by the need to cover the curriculum and teaching requirements. To ensure that students' learning was not diminished and recognising time was a significant factor, participants automatically discounted certain patients from being a volunteer patient. They acknowledged that they did not feel comfortable identifying patients based on their demographics and were more likely to invite patients who had been volunteer patients before.

Discussion: Suggested solutions to overcome the factors affecting the recruitment of diverse patients are presented. Patient populations will continue to become more diverse, and therefore, medical schools must prepare their students for this and encourage GP tutors to make a conscious effort to recruit diverse patient volunteers for teaching.