Shared decision making in senior medical students: results from a national survey.
To explore perceptions and experiences of Peruvian medical students about observed, preferred, and feasible decision-making approaches.



We surveyed senior medical students from 19 teaching hospitals in 4 major cities in Peru. The self-administered questionnaire collected demographic information, current approach, exposure to role models for and training in shared decision making, and perceptions of the pertinence and feasibility of the different decision-making approaches in general as well as in challenging scenarios.



A total of 327 senior medical students (51% female) were included. The mean age was 25 years. Among all respondents, 2% reported receiving both theoretical and practical training in shared decision making. While 46% of students identified their current decision-making approach as clinician-as-perfect-agent, 50% of students identified their teachers with the paternalistic approach. Remarkably, 53% of students thought shared decision making should be the preferred approach and 50% considered it feasible in Peru. Among the 10 challenging scenarios, shared decision making reached a plurality (40%) in only one scenario (terminally ill patients).



Despite limited exposure and training, Peruvian medical students aspire to practice shared decision making but their current attitude reflects the less participatory approaches they see role modeled by their teachers.
CONEVID-Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru (CZP, NM, RQ, VMM, GM)|Knowledge and Evaluation Research Unit at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN (CZP, VMM)
Claudia
C
Zeballos-Palacios
CONEVID-Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru (CZP, NM, RQ, VMM, GM)|CRONICAS Center of Excellence in Chronic Diseases-Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru (RQ)
Renato
R
Quispe
CONEVID-Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru (CZP, NM, RQ, VMM, GM)
Nicole
N
Mongilardi
Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru (CDA)
Carlos
C
Diaz-Arocutipa
Universidad Privada Antenor Orrego, Trujillo, Peru (CMD)
Carlos
C
Mendez-Davalos
Universidad Catolica Santa Maria, Arequipa, Peru (NL)
Natalia
N
Lizarraga
Universidad Privada Antenor Orrego, Piura, Peru (AP)
Aldo
A
Paz
CONEVID-Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru (CZP, NM, RQ, VMM, GM)|Knowledge and Evaluation Research Unit at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN (CZP, VMM)
Victor M
VM
Montori
CONEVID-Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru (CZP, NM, RQ, VMM, GM)
German
G
Malaga
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003657:Decision Making; D005178:Faculty; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010568:Peru; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
Peru; decision making; medical education; patient-centered care; students