Terese Stenfors

Aim & Background Patients are increasingly involved in many aspects of healthcare, both in their own care with growing attention towards patient-centredness, but also in the education of health professionals. While there has been some focus on patient involvement in formal, campus-based educational activities, there is a lack of research on patient involvement in clinical education. This project aims to explore the role of patients in workplace-based learning of undergraduate students. The central research question is how students learn from patients in the clinical workplace, and how such learning can be fostered? Design & Methods Study I is a phenomenographic study using individual interviews to explore how students, patients and supervisors understand the role of patients in student learning. Study II uses activity theory and observations of student-patient interactions to explore how students and patients interact in clinical practice, how this is influenced by the clinical context, and how it influences student learning. Study III will explore transferability of findings to other educational programmes within healthcare. Implications for education Patients have important experiences of illness and healthcare which in unique ways can contribute to students’ learning and professional development. By better understanding the role of patients in the clinical education, we can systematically work towards developing, supporting and sustaining patient participation in all aspects of health professions education, from undergraduate level to lifelong learning, emphasizing patients as the core of healthcare

The here proposed graduate school for teachers in HPE is a collaboration between Linköping University (LiU), Karolinska Institutet, (KI) and Stockholm University (SU), all offering programs for health professions education in all areas relevant to health care practice. The constellation of partners brings together Sweden´s leading health professions education researchers, contributing different theoretical and methodological perspectives into the Graduate School. All three sites also offer access to strong research environments in different subject matter areas and have clear international collaborations and opportunities for international exchange for doctoral students.   The objective is to strengthen the research connection for teachers in health professions education (HPE).  The integrative approach of the graduate school adds scientific value through offering a unique profile of research combining subject knowledge and pedagogical knowledge, that can be integrated into HPE and in clinical practice. The outcome of the graduate school will be teachers in HPE with profound knowledge in a relevant subject matter in combination with a research-based understanding of how this subject matter should be organized to best support learning, in education and in clinical practice. These qualifications are needed for high quality in teaching, design, organization, and leadership in HPE. The graduate school will attract doctoral students from all certified health professions.