Patient Perception of Medical Student Engagement in Community- Based Outreach Activities During Community Health Clerkship: A Q-Methodology Study

Abstract

The essence of the medical profession is providing service not only to individual patients but to the community at large. The patient-physician interaction is essential in community-based learning delivered through the Community-Based Medical Education (CBME) Program component of the medical curriculum of the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery (UST-FMS) students for more than five decades. The covenant relationship is a valuable concept in the context of healing that emphasizes interdependence between the patient and his physician (1). The modern view of the patient however, is now veering away from paternalism. Today, the patient is the most important member of the health team, an ‘evaluator of care’ and a potential ‘agent of change’ (2).  Evidence-based guidelines on health promotion in adult patients recommend giving them “voice” and involving them in projects (3). Interventions may be considered worthless if they are inconsistent with the beliefs, attitudes and expectations of patients. Attitudes and expectations of adult patients regarding the role of the medical students in community-based projects are as yet unreported. Limited data are available concerning the opinions of patients towards the respective services offered in programs integrated as part of the community outreach activities involving medical students in Community Health Clerkship, a four-week highly individualized rotation.