As an OSU Health Plan member, there’s a good chance you’ll receive care at the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center. During your visit, you’ll often work with a resident physician or a medical student—a unique aspect of being seen at an Academic Medical Center. Health Plan members are sometimes unsure of the benefit of working with a student, but my own experience, as well as research, shows that there are many benefits.

I supervise a medical student and several residents during each of my emergency department shifts. I hate to say it, but the patients who I see with a student are often more satisfied and informed than those I see by myself. The medical students have extra time to spend researching a patient’s history, going over results, and answering questions. Patients often tell me at the end of their ED visit that the medical student was critical in helping them understand their diagnosis and follow-up steps.

You don’t have to only take my word about the benefits of working with students. Research demonstrates that a significant number of patients “learned more about my problem because a student was present” and “were given more time to talk about my problem because a student was present.[1] This extends to the overall performance of teaching hospitals with a recent national survey showing that respondents said teaching hospitals outperform other hospitals on 15 of the 16 attributes surveyed.[2]

So next time you’re at your doctor and a student asks if they can interview you, think about saying yes. You’ll not only be training a future clinician, you’ll be enhancing your own care and experience. 

1. Walker et al. “Does the presence of medical students affect quality in general practice consultations? Medical Education.  2008. Volume 42(4) 374-381. 
2. Kirsch, D. G. 2018, July 31. What Americans Think About Medical Schools and Teaching Hospitals. Retrieved from: https://news.aamc.org/patient-care/article/american-opinions-med-schools-teaching-hospitals/