Abstract
ObjectiveFrom 2012 to 2015, two Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and two Departments of Pediatrics at the University of Copenhagen implemented an English medium international project. The project allowed international students to work in pairs with local Danish speaking students in a clinical setting. The student cohort was supported by Danish doctors who were responsible for student-pair supervision in English and, ultimately, patient care. Drawing on survey responses of 113 Danish doctors, this study considers the doctors’ overall evaluation of the program and their perception of the international students’ knowledge, skills and attitudes compared with local students.ResultsThe Danish doctors rated the international and local students comparable in respect to professional commitment (p = 0.347), academic level (p = 0.134), and English proficiency (p = 0.080). The Danish doctors rated the international students significantly lower than the local students regarding communication with Danish doctors, other hospital staff, and patients (p < 0.001 in all cases). Ninety percent of the doctors involved in the project supported continuing working with internationalization if it included mixed pairs of students and a Danish doctor assigned each day to be exclusively responsible for student supervision. Language barriers for international medical students could be overcome but required substantial faculty support.
Highlights
Ninety percent of the doctors involved in the project supported continuing working with internationalization if it included mixed pairs of students and a Danish doctor assigned each day to be exclusively responsible for student supervision
This study showed that Danish doctors found it was a challenge to let international non-Danish students work with Danish speaking patients
90% of the doctors supported continuing the program contingent on the international students working in pairs with Danish speaking students in the clinical setting, and doctors assigned to work in English with the students and be responsible for both student-pair supervision and patient care
Summary
Of a total of 205 possible doctors at the four departments, 113 surveys were collected; a response rate of 55% (113/205). 90% of the doctors who had worked with pairs of students reported giving feedback to the students involved These respondents rated this experience as good, at a median of 6 (range 3–7) with, only 2% (1/50) rating this unacceptable. Comments noted additional stress and responsibilities in relation to scheduling when working with international student on the ward and in the clinics., e.g., “it was difficult when the Danish student was not present and the doctor had the international student alone” Opportunity to develop medical and academic English proficiency Pair work (translation) mandatory for interaction with patients Limitation for learning for the international students since patient history is often told in Danish Reduced number of critical questions at meetings Reduction of number of spontaneous discussions Occasional problems for students at examinations due to cultural/linguistic differences. The international students are very sweet and interested, as well as a breath of fresh air” (respondent no. 74)
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