Attitude, Perception and Acceptability of Medical Students’ Involvement in Patient Management among Patients Attending Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria

Abstract

The involvement of medical students in patient clerkship, whether in outpatients or inpatients wards, is an important aspect of the training of medical students. During clinical clerkship, students extend their medical knowledge, practice procedural and communication skills, and develop clinical thinking to build their clinical proficiency. However, this is only possible if there are healthy, consensual, and professional patient–student interactions and when patients show a positive attitude towards student participation. This study aimed to determine the attitude, perception, and level of acceptability of medical students’ involvement in patient management among in-patients of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria. A cross sectional hospital-based study was conducted among 185 patients of ABUTH, Zaria using an interviewer administered questionnaires. One hundred and eighty-five consented respondents aged ≥15 years were enrolled and administered with the doctors during the ward round time questionnaire. Data collected were presented in frequency and percentages. Most of the respondents 169 (91.4%) reported to have history of previous contact with medical students in their previous hospitalization, and 125 (67.6%) showed good attitude, perception and high acceptance level toward involvement of medical student in their clinical management. However, 40 (23.5%) patients raised their concern towards informing them before involving medical students in their clinical care. Hence, it was recommended that patients should be informed and agreed before medical students are allowed to be involved in their care in ABUTH Zaria.