Is the Irish bedside best?
BACKGROUND
The use of the bedside to teach the art of clinical medicine is controversial. Rising student numbers can limit patient availability. Studies examining inpatient attitudes to bedside teaching are few.


OBJECTIVE
We examined inpatients' attitudes to bedside teaching of undergraduate medical students.


METHODS
The study was carried out in a 439-bed teaching hospital. A questionnaire, numerically scored (0-10), was prospectively administered to 102 consecutive patients involved in bedside teaching of undergraduate medical students.


RESULTS
The results were available from 92 patients. Patients enjoyed the teaching process (mean score 9.13 +/- 1.16) and benefited from a better understanding of their illness (7.11 +/- 2.57). Patients appreciated their role in educating future doctors (mean score 9.52 +/- 1.11) but demonstrated less confidence in their personal contribution to the teaching process (7.81 +/- 1.89).


CONCLUSIONS
Inpatients are very willing participants in bedside teaching of undergraduate medical students.
Callaly
E L
EL
Department of Medical Education, Academic Centre, Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, Ireland. ecallaly@rcsi.ie
Yusra
M
M
Sreenan
S
S
McCormack
P
P
D002983:Clinical Competence; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004522:Educational Status; D005180:Faculty, Medical; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching