Bedside Teaching for Medical Students at Srinagarind Hospitalduring Clinical Rotation

Abstract

Background and Objective: Bedside teaching (BST) is conducted during the clinical years at the Faculty of Medicine in our teaching hospital. Instruction on how BST should be provided and conducted has not been studied at our school. To study current BST, perceptions and opinions of it among medical students.

Method: The descriptive study used self-administer questionnaire. A clinical rotational medical student who enrolled in Srinagarind Hospital, except researchers (6 people) was included. Overall 476 clinical rotational medical students were enrolled. Data analysis was used descriptive statistic (percentages, means and standard deviations) and was applied using SPSS-PC version 17.

Results: The response rate was 79%. Most groups comprised 4-6 people(46%). The duration of each lesson averaged 1 h(68%) and most of the students reported having 2 hr of BST per week(55%).Most (87%) students preferred just 4-6 people per group per class.  The duration should be 1 h(76%), twice a week (55%). Learning BST, they felt, helps to improve their (a) history-taking skills (98%), (b) physical examination skills (96%), (c) critical thinking and diagnosing skills (99%) and (d) linking theoretical knowledge with actual practice (98%).

Summary: Overall, students felt bedside teaching was satisfactory; in terms of (a) the number of students (b) class duration and (c) the teaching pattern.  Medical learning and practice, they believed, benefitted from BST.