Self-report of quality of medical student health care.
OBJECTIVE
To summarise survey results for the quality of medical students' personal health care, characterise the results according to the demographics and career orientations of the students, and evaluate the relationship between the perceived quality of health care received and the degree of emphasis on prevention in the health care provided.


METHODS
We carried out a cross-sectional study with 2316 medical students in the class of 2003 from 16 medical schools, surveyed at 3 points during their training. We used a self-administered questionnaire designed to assess personal health care and related variables in medical students.


RESULTS
The majority (92%) reported receiving health care that was at least good, but only a minority (23%) said they received excellent health care. Half had a regular doctor. Health care quality was rated more highly at Year 1 orientation than at later timepoints by students who had a regular personal doctor, and especially by those with personal doctors who emphasised prevention.


CONCLUSIONS
The majority of medical students perceived that they had received health care that was good or better, but most did not believe it was excellent. As the provision of preventive care is important to students, increasing the amount of preventive care provided to students may both increase their personal satisfaction with their health care and model good clinical preventive practices for them.
Henderson
Susan J
SJ
Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgi 30303, USA.
Elon
Lisa
L
Frank
Erica
E
D000328:Adult; D002321:Career Choice; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D013333:Student Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires