MEDICAL STUDENTS AND THE ACCEPTANCE BY PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS

ABSTRACT

Introduction   Psychiatric interviewing skills with real psychiatric patients are important for medical students. There are many factors regarding the patient acceptance being interviewed by students. Objective To investigate the acceptance of fifth-year medical students by psychiatric patients with variety of diagnoses who came for mental health care service at a university hospital in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Method A cross-sectional 3-month survey was conducted with regard to the patient attitude, satisfaction and acceptance of being interviewed by medical students. Information associated with language used and general appearance such as appearance, were explored. Results Among 197 participants, satisfaction with the interview by medical students was 72.0%. Willingness to accept further interviews was 78.2%. Having an opportunity to contribute themselves for medical education was the main reason that the patients allowed the students to interview (76.6%). Conclusion The acceptance for interview by fifth-year medical students was high. Culture had influences on language used and general appearance of medical students. Chiang Mai Med Bull2005;44(4)147-153.