title: Patient participation in general practice based undergraduate teaching: a focus group study of patient perspectives.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients make a crucial contribution to undergraduate medical education. Although a national resource is available for patients participating in research, none is as yet available for education.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to explore what information patients would like about participation in general practice based undergraduate medical education, and how they would like to obtain this information.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two focus groups were conducted in London-based practices involved in both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients both with and without teaching experience were recruited using leaflets, posters, and patient participation groups. An open-ended topic guide explored three areas: perceived barriers that participants anticipated or had experienced; patient roles in medical education; and what help would support participation. Focus groups were audiorecorded, transcribed, and analysed thematically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients suggested ways of professionalising the teaching process. These were: making information available to patients about confidentiality, iterative consent, and normalising teaching in the practice. Patients highlighted the importance of relationships, making information available about their GPs' involvement in teaching, and initiating student-patient interactions. Participants emphasised educational principles to maximise exchange of information, including active participation of students, patient identification of student learner needs, and exchange of feedback.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study will inform development of patient information resources to support their participation in teaching and access to information both before and during general practice based teaching encounters.
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London Medical School, University College London, Hampstead, London.
authors.forename: Sophie E
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1521-2052
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London Medical School, University College London, Hampstead, London.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Allfrey
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London Medical School, University College London, Hampstead, London.
authors.forename: Melvyn M
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8766-7443
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London Medical School, University College London, Hampstead, London.
authors.forename: Jasprit
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chana
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London Medical School, University College London, Hampstead, London.
authors.forename: Ciara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Abbott
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London Medical School, University College London, Hampstead, London.
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Faircloth
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London Medical School, University College London, Hampstead, London.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Higgins
authors.affiliation: Research Department of Primary Care and Population Health, University College London Medical School, University College London, Hampstead, London.
authors.forename: Laila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Abdullah
mesh_terms: D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D017144:Focus Groups; D058006:General Practice / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D011364:Professional Practice; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013663:Teaching
keywords: general practice; medical education; medical students; patient participation; undergraduate teaching