RT Article
T1 Readiness for legally literate medical practice? Student perceptions of their undergraduate medico-legal education
JF Journal of medical ethics
VO 37
IS 10
SP 616
OP 622
A1 Preston-Shoot, Michael
A1 McKimm, Judy
A1 Kong, Wing May
A1 Smith, Sue
A2 McKimm, Judy
A2 Kong, Wing May
A2 Smith, Sue
LA English
YR 2011
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1816142247
AB Medical councils increasingly require graduates to understand law and to practise medicine mindful of the legal rules. In the UK a revised curriculum for medical law and ethics has been published. However, coverage of law in medical education remains variable and doubts exist about how far students acquire legal knowledge and skills in its implementation. This survey of students in two UK medical schools measured their law learning and their confidence in using this knowledge. Concept maps and a self-audit questionnaire were used to capture students' understanding and perceptions of this knowledge domain and self-assessments of their legal knowledge and skills. A large sample was achieved across first, second and final year students. Students agree that a sound understanding of law is essential to being a good doctor. Their perceptions of law are generally positive but the interface between the legal rules and codes of medical ethics creates difficulty. In some areas students offer relatively confident self-assessments of their legal knowledge and skills for practising law. However, levels of confidence in other areas of their law learning raise doubts about the degree to which they can advocate for and protect their patients. Conclusions are drawn about the effectiveness of students' law learning and recommendations made for further research.
DO 10.1136/jme.2010.041566