Participation in the Patient as Teacher program can have positive, powerful, and lasting impacts on both undergraduate medical students and patients as teachers.

 

Benefits for Patients as Teachers:

• engage in self-reflection and personal learning through sharing stories and past experiences with students¹
• social and therapeutic benefits such as gaining a sense of community amongst fellow patients as teachers, a deeper understanding of the doctor-patient relationship, and increased empowerment^{1, 2, 3}
• build communication skills through expressing thoughts, feelings, and experiences
• contribute to the future of medical education and make a lasting difference in the delivery of humanistic and compassionate patient-centred care^{1, 3}

 

—

Selected References and Further Reading

1. Luckner H, Daucet S, Wells S. 2012. Patients as educators: the challenges and benefits of sharing experiences with students. Medical Education, 46: 992-1000.
2. Jha V, Quinton ND, Bekker HL, et al. 2009. Strategies and interventions for the involvement of real patients in medical education; a systematic review. Medical Education, 43: 10-20.
3. Towle A, Bainbridge L, Godolphin W, et al. 2010. Active patient involvement in the education of health professionals. Medical Education, 44: 64-74.