Where is my chaperon? Patients attitude towards participation of medical students in their management in Obstetrics and Gynaecology wards in a teaching hospital

Abstract

Objectives : A vital component  of medical undergraduate  education is learning through interaction and direct contact with patients and a patient’s willingness to involve students  in his or her care is important.To describe  patients’  attitude towards medical students’ participation in their care in gynaecology and obstetrics wards.

Method: A descriptive cross sectional study involving 384 patients in three obstetrics and gynaecology wards of Colombo South Teaching Hospital. Self administered questionnaire was administered in the mother language of patients.

Results: Almost all patients (99.2%) believed that proper training of medical students is important and most of them(88.2%) feel that both parties benefit equally by the presence of medical student in their management.

However, 15% of them felt their privacy was affected  by the presence of medical students, 6.5% felt students did not obtain consent and 13.4% of the time an explanation was  not given prior to examination . Although three fourth (76%)of male students had a female chaperon during examination 25% had performed examination without a chaperon. There is an overall preference for female students over male students in this setting and younger patients and the primipara were more likely to be sensitive to the students’ gender.

Conclusions: Majority of patients in this study had more positive attitude towards medical students and felt comfortable in interactions with them. However it is necessary to insist that basic ethical standards of a doctor patient relationship are maintained by all medical students in interactions with patients.