Pre-Clinical Medical Students’ Perception regarding Patient Safety in Primary Care

Abstract

Patient safety is a new and challenging discipline in primary care. Medical students need to understand and demonstrate appropriate patient safety skills in professional education. Pre-clinical students at Oman Medical College (OMC) have clinical skills training in primary care as well as in the hospital. The present study aimed to seek pre-clinical medical students' perceptions of their individual performance at a range of safety skills. A cross sectional study conducted at OMC. Data was collected by self-administrated questionnaire to a simple random sample of 50 medical students in pre-clinical years after finishing Family Medicine rotation. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. Most participants (88%) agreed the importance of patient safety. Self-rated general knowledge on patient safety on good level (72%) compared to (27%) for the specific knowledge issues score. In medical error management 75% willing to report medical errors, more than half willing to disclose error to patient and faculty and 89% agreed introducing patient safety topic in undergraduate medical schools curricula. Students had a favorable opinion of their own safety skills. However, specific knowledge question revealed some misconceptions. Most participants recognized the importance of patient safety topic in curriculum. Students are fair and honest to report medical errors. They considered competent physician don't make errors.