The Anonymous Widower

Is It Advantageous For Student Doctors To See Patients Earlier In Their Careers?

I’m asking this for a friend.

I asked Google AI the question in the title of this post and received this answer.

Yes, it is advantageous for student doctors to see patients earlier, as it can increase motivation and confidence, provide a better theoretical understanding, and help them develop clinical and communication skills earlier. Early patient contact also helps students build professional identity, gain comfort with patient encounters, and better understand the realities of being a physician, which can also improve patient experiences and facilitate the transition to becoming a junior doctor

That all sounds pretty sensible to me.

These are some thoughts.

Could The Same Philosophy Be Used For Other Health Professionals Like Nurses, Pharmacists And Radiographers?

I don’t see why not!

I actually feel, this philosophy might be already being used by the City University, who train radiographers at Homerton Hospital in Hackney.

I Was Used By University College For Interview Practice

A few years ago, I spent four nights in University College Hospital.

  • I had my own single room.
  • They wanted to do a few more tests.
  • So one of the Senior Tutors asked if I’d mind being interviewed by student doctors for practice.

As I said, I wouldn’t mind, I was interviewed by four student doctors over two nights.

It certainly relieved some of my boredom and at least two of the students had never met a coeliac before.

Conclusion

I believe this patient/student interaction could be used very much to the advantage of both groups.

 

October 21, 2025 Posted by | Health | , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment