Abstract
Background: In the revised undergraduate medical programme at the University of Dundee, medical students visit a patient with a chronic illness in the patient's own home. Students’ learn about the patient's experience of their chronic illness/disease over time. It is known as ‘the patient journey’. The concept of ‘the patient journey’ emerged from Tomorrow's Doctors (2003) in light of the need to increase community-based education.
Description: The evaluation was carried out using a focus group. Students indicated that community-based education can show them real life in a home context; early contact with a patient enabled them to have a better understanding of patient-centred medicine; meeting a patient early brings reality and continuity to their careers and a clearer understanding of the patient's condition.
Conclusions: Further work may clarify the specific long-term values of the patient visit and how it may support teaching and learning within the first three years of the curriculum.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Fiona Muir
FIONA MUIR, RGN, RSCN, BA, MEd, PG Cert HE is a Teaching Fellow at the University of Dundee. She works within the DPaC part of the undergraduate medical programme.