- About postgraduate study
- Part-time study
- Courses
- Order a Prospectus
- Faculties & Departments
- UK students
- EU students
- International Students
- How to apply for your course
- Handy Hints
- Open Events
- Student Recruitment
- Money Matters
- About Us
4 May 2011 15:44:04
The Dean of the University of Bedfordshire’s health faculty is calling for better legal teaching in the medical curriculum.
Professor Michael Preston-Shoot, Dean of the Health and Social Science faculty, has written a report for the Journal of Medical Ethics that suggests medical schools are failing to teach the necessary legal skills to students hoping to practise medicine.
He found that most medical students feel they lack the skills and legal knowledge required to challenge poor clinical practice and promote better patient care.
Professor Preston-Shoot is one of four authors who surveyed more than 1000 first, second and final year medical students at two UK medical schools on their knowledge and understanding of medico-legal rules and their perception of the law.
He said: “The students agreed that a sound understanding of law is essential to being a good doctor and in general had confidence in a range of skills, but were anxious about using legal rules and about challenging observed deficiencies in clinical practice.
“Confidence was notably low in the areas of the Coroners Act and working in court room settings, where knowledge and skill would be needed once qualified.”
The report suggests that there was little difference in the level of knowledge of first year and final year students in some legal areas, including the Bolitho principle (which is used to determine whether medical negligence has taken place), domestic violence and race relations.
These topics are covered early in the curriculum, and the report suggests that students might benefit from additional teaching on these topics in later years.
The authors concluded that greater attention and time should be given to the practical application of legal knowledge in clinical training. Professor Preston-Shoot added: “If young doctors do not feel confident, they are unlikely to challenge poor practice or show leadership in promoting better patient care through using legal rules and an understanding of how law relates to and underpins good medical practice.”
“Structured law teaching is required throughout qualifying programmes and this needs to be reinforced and practised in clinical attachments and continuing professional development, otherwise knowledge and skills, even when acquired, may decay.”
Latest news» 2011» May» Dean calls for better legal teaching in medical curriculum
