Active and direct patient participation in health professions education: A narrative overview of literature from the global south

Abstract

Objectives

Patients traditionally played a passive role in health professions education (HPE). However, their active involvement is increasingly valued, particularly in higher-resourced regions of the world known as the Global North. This study explores active and direct patient involvement in HPE contexts in the Global South (GS) regions of the world.

Methods

A narrative review of literature was conducted, utilising a systematic search of multiple electronic databases. 3966 abstracts were identified, and 80 full texts were reviewed. Ultimately, five papers were included in the final corpus.

Results

The selected studies were set in five GS countries, involving undergraduate, postgraduate medical and pharmacy training. Real patients, their caregivers and standardized patients acted as teachers or assessors focusing on learners' history-taking, communication skills, and professionalism. Challenges included cultural sensitivity and safety concerns, e.g. during home visits. Educators faced difficulties in patient recruitment, training and compensation.

Conclusion & practice implications

Active and direct patient involvement in HPE within GS contexts remains limited. Current efforts focus on patients as teachers or assessors, with little contribution to educational design, instruction and mentoring. Educators may be overlooking the potential of diverse cultural perspectives to enhance patient engagement in HPE, making this a valuable area for future research.