Students Ability and Learning Method for Understanding Patients' Needs in Medical Interviews

[Purpose] The purpose of this research was to clarify students’ ability to understand patients’ needs in a medical interview, and to investigate the learning method. [Subjects] The subjects were 15 second-year physical therapy students. [Methods] Using an Objective Structured Clinical Examination, the contents of a medical interview were divided into five elements: introduction, chief complaint, current ADL, past ADL, and demands. The time spent on each was measured and calculated as a ratio of the whole. We analyzed the scope and intent of questions about future daily living. [Results] The time required for the entire medical interview averaged 10.8 minutes. All 15 students conducted the interview covering the five elements, and the ratio of the time spent on current ADL was large. The questioning focused on future daily living and work, and confirmation of information obtained in advance was the main objective. [Conclusion] Formally carrying out a medical interview is a standard objective of school education, and in order for students to master the ability to understand individual patients’ needs, it is important for them to learn through the experience of clinical practice.