The benefits of including medical students in the ward huddle

Abstract

This personal view, about the role of medical students in huddle, is based on my own experience as an undergraduate. The huddle is a gathering of the multidisciplinary team on the ward to discuss patients, their safety and raise concerns. However, medical students are not actively invited to join these meetings. Students regularly report feeling out of place and excluded during ward activities, fostering a sense of redundancy. This can lead to a vicious cycle of student disaffection and reduced attendance. I highlight the use of the huddle to enable medical students to take a more active role in the ward team, encourage an inclusive environment during clinical placements and importantly, to introduce themes of patient safety and raising concerns earlier in their training.

Disclosure statement

The author reports no conflicts of interest. The author alone is responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lucy Fox

Lucy Fox, fifth-year medical student, University College London Medical School, London, UK and having completed an iBSc in Global Health.