Date of Award
12-12-2024
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Health Professions Education
First Advisor
Dr. Sana Saeed
Second Advisor
Dr. Shazia Babar
Third Advisor
Dr. Zubair Amin
Department
Educational Development
Abstract
Background: Clinical competence, defined as the ability to make accurate decisions while prioritizing patient care and confidentiality, is a vital attribute for physicians. In medical education, developing clinical competence in undergraduate medical students is crucial for preparing them to become efficient physicians. However, deficiencies in these essential skills have been reported in recent years, prompting the need for a revised approach to clinical training in medical curricula with transferability of that training to real patient encounters being cornerstone.
Aim: The aim of the research was to explore in detail the views and experiences of clinical faculty, final year MBBS students and house officers about current clinical skills teaching and learning practices and the development of clinical skills in medical graduates of Jinnah Medical and Dental College. Patients’ views regarding clinical encounters were also explored as they are also key stakeholders of clinical teaching and are recipients of care.
Methodology: This qualitative study, conducted at Jinnah Medical & Dental College Karachi, involves in- depth interviews and focus group discussions with a semi-structured interview guide to gather in-depth insights of clinical faculty, final-year medical students, and house officers regarding the teaching and learning of clinical skills. The study additionally includes interviews with patients visiting the affiliated hospitals, questioning them on their experiences with medical students during patient encounters. The interviews were recorded and transcribed in English. Content analysis was performed, key concepts were extracted and coded manually, and themes were generated.
Results: Four common themes were identified after inductive analysis; The Saftey Harness (stands for the safeguards provided by simulation, allowing safe practice in a controlled environment, similar to life boats and safety gear on a ship), The Underwater Life (symbolizes the dynamic, everchanging and unpredictable environment involving patients and bedside teaching and learning), The Stormy Seas (depict the challenges in clinical teaching), The Ship (is symbolic with the student who has to acquire the qualities and skills required to become a good medical graduate). Two independent themes were identified; The Guiding Compass (is analogous to the direction provided by seasoned faculty who help steer the learners, and The Engine Room Tools (represents the diverse teaching and learning formats, each contributing uniquely to the learning experiences). The faculty highlighted the importance of using a variety of formats for the teaching of clinical skills. Faculty and students enumerated the challenges encountered by each of them in the teaching and learning of clinical skills. Both groups shared their impressions on today’s medical graduate with regards to clinical competence. Patients shared their views on their role in clinical teaching and on the qualities, they think make good doctors.
Conclusion: This study underscores the complexities of clinical teaching and learning in undergraduate medical education, revealing both benefits and drawbacks of various teaching methods. It also sheds light on the challenges faced by the students, clinical faculty and patients. Notably, the findings emphasize the pivotal role of patients in clinical teaching, highlighting the human dimension of the doctor-patient relationship as essential to developing competent medical graduates.
First Page
1
Last Page
126
Recommended Citation
Sohail, F. A.
(2024). Perceptions of faculty, students and patients about clinical skills teaching and learning at a private medical college in Pakistan- a qualitative study. , 1-126.
Available at:
https://ecommons.aku.edu/etd_pk_mc_mhpe/45