| Abstrakt: |
In the practice of healthcare, a new paradigm has emerged that perhaps challenges traditional notions of patient-clinician relationships. This shift involves recognising the invaluable role of expert patients, individuals who possess first-hand experience of life with their specific health conditions or chronic illnesses. These individuals have gained deep practical insights, knowledge, and coping strategies through their personal journeys. Modern healthcare practice focusing on individualised care necessitates that patients and their experiences become integral to the education of future healthcare professionals, from the start of their learning journeys, steering us toward more compassionate and person-centred approaches. This communication article underscores the importance of developing structured, coordinated programs that involve patients in curriculum design, implementation, and evaluation. By fostering authentic partnerships, medical education can create richer learning environments that promote compassionate care and better prepare future healthcare professionals. Ultimately, embracing patient perspectives as integral to the educational process is essential for improving healthcare delivery and outcomes. Plain English summary: This comment article examines the evaluation of expert patients—individuals with personal health condition experiences—on their involvement in early years medical education. Recently, the amount of early clinical exposure provided by UK medical schools has fallen, with medical education institutions urged to consider alternative ways, such as expert patients to impart this experience to early years medical students. The purpose of incorporating expert patients' feedback is to optimise their involvement by addressing their opinions on session formats, accessibility, and clarity, thereby enhancing the learning experience for both students and patients. This involvement benefits patients by boosting their self-confidence, satisfaction, and understanding of their conditions, while allowing them to contribute meaningfully to the healthcare system. For medical students, it enhances communication skills, empathy, and understanding of patient perspectives. Co-created by expert patients from the Silver Lining Brain Injury Charity and academics from Aston Medical School, the article presents feedback aimed at refining Expert Patient (EP) sessions. It also addresses challenges like inconsistent terminology and lack of standardised assessments and calls for institution-wide programs that integrate patient perspectives throughout medical education. The article emphasises the need for ongoing collaboration to ensure that patient voices shape educational experiences, thereby enhancing person-centered care and improving healthcare outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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