What gets in the way of clinical contact? Student perceptions of barriers to patient contact.
OBJECTIVE
Students clearly need to have direct clinical contact with patients during their training. However, students complain that the opportunities for this are inadequate. This study aims to describe students' perceptions of internal and external factors that may impede clinical contact.


METHODS
A questionnaire was developed from a literature review and a focus group discussion. Participants were medical students who had just completed their fourth year at Otago University, Wellington, where the curriculum is integrated with clinical contact. Questionnaire responses included Likert scale scores and written responses to open questions.


RESULTS
Sixty-four percent of the year group participated (45/70). Likert scale responses were categorised into high scoring (three or more; with a maximum of five) and low scoring (two or less) and into "internal" (13) and "external" (12) factors. Sixty-nine percent of respondents endorsed six or more high-scoring items. No significant differences were found between internal and external barriers, but female students were significantly more likely to endorse internal factors. Forty-nine percent of students commented in response to the open questions that direction to appropriate patients by a supervisor would help.


CONCLUSIONS
Students identified a number of barriers to clinical contact with patients. This research suggests that access to clinical contact could be improved.
Mathieson
Fiona
F
Department of Psychological Medicine, Otago University, Wellington, Wellington South, New Zealand. Fiona.mathieson@otago.ac.nz
Barnfield
Tracey
T
Young
Greg
G
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003142:Communication; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D009520:New Zealand; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult