Involving patients in undergraduate health professions education: What's in it for them?

OBJECTIVES: Patients have become more involved in research, policy, and health professions education. They are involved in teaching students competencies required for person-centred care, but patient benefits have not received proper attention. This exploratory study identifies how patient involvement in health professions education help patients to practice self-management and shared decision-making.

METHODS: Individual interviews were conducted with patients (hereafter 'experts by experience') (N = 11) who participated in the Patient As a Person Module, organised for students of health professions in The Netherlands. Additionally, one of their healthcare professionals (N = 10) and family members (N = 9) were interviewed. Directed content analysis was used.

RESULTS: Participants reported that sharing lived experiences helped experts by experience to reflect on their preferences regarding health and healthcare, accept their changed selves, and obtain a renewed sense of purpose. They reported gaining insight into the perspectives of healthcare professionals, which yielded more equal healthcare professional-patient relationships.

CONCLUSIONS: Sharing their lived experiences with health and health care with students could help patients in practising effective self-management and participate in shared decision-making.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Approaching patient involvement in health professions education from both the perspectives of students and experts by experience, as opposed to students alone, optimises its societal impact.