title: Students' views on the impact of peer physical examination and palpation as a pedagogic tool for teaching and learning living human anatomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Modern medical education teaching and learning approaches now lay emphasis on students acquiring knowledge, skills and attitudes relevant to medical practice.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore students' perceived impacts of using hands-on approaches involving peer/life model physical examination and palpation in teaching and learning living human anatomy on their practice of physical examination of real patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used exploratory focus groups and a questionnaire survey of years 3-5 medical students.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The focus group discussions revealed new insights into the positive impacts of the hands-on approaches on students' clinical skills and professional attitudes when dealing with patients. Students' exposure to the hands-on approaches helped them to feel comfortable with therapeutically touching unclothed patients' bodies and physically examining them in the clinical environment. At least 60% of the questionnaire survey respondents agreed with the focus group participants on this view. Over 75% also agreed that the hands-on experiences helped them develop good professional attitudes in their encounter with patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study highlights the perceived educational value of the hands-on approaches as a pedagogic tool with a positive impact on students' clinical skills and professional attitudes that helps in easing their transition into clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Education, Peninsula Medical School, Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry, Universities of Exeter and Plymouth, St Luke's Campus, University of Exeter, UK. tudor.chinnah@pms.ac.uk
authors.forename: Tudor I
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Chinnah
authors.forename: Sam Regan
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: de Bere
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Collett
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000715:Anatomy / Q000193:education*; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D010173:Palpation / Q000592:standards*; D010379:Peer Group; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000592:standards*; D013337:Students, Medical; D055815:Young Adult