In our working lives we spend a lot of time thinking about barriers and strategies to overcome them.
So how refreshing is it to read a report where the benefits of an educational intervention, clinical placements for medical students, outweigh the burden.
It is no secret that students come with a time and resource commitment. Have you given thought to how a medical student could add value to you as an individual and to the health service in which you work?
The report, prepared for the Medical Deans of Australia and New Zealand (MDANZ), identified both measurable and less visible benefits. Benefits included:
- Advocacy for patients.
- Improved workflow.
- Enhancing quality and safety.
- Encouraging senior staff to be reflective and accountable in their practices.
- Enhancing institutional reputation overall.
Researchers acknowledge further work is needed in comparing findings across various health settings. Investigation into how training programmes can be structured to improve medical students contribution to the quality of care provided is also suggested.
https://medicine.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/2800115/MDANZ_Project_Report_April-2018.pdf