Patient attitudes to being treated by junior residents in the community.

OBJECTIVE: Understanding the attitudes of patients to being treated by residents in the community.
METHODS: A questionnaire was administered to patients visiting community family medicine teaching clinics. The study methodology included statements to which they agree or disagree.
RESULTS: Three hundred and four questionnaires were completed by patients; 94% had visited a resident in the past year; 78.9% agreed that residents were as skilled as senior doctors, but only 45.4% felt that they were as quick at diagnosis as the senior doctors; 73.0% felt that residents spent more time with them; 40.0% were not pleased by the constant change of the residents attending on them. Analysis by logistic regression showed that men had a more positive attitude to the competence of the residents as well as their professionalism (OR 2.73, 95% CI, 1.45-5.10). Frequent visitors to the clinic had a more negative attitude to the residents' professionalism (OR 0.91 (0.85-0.98)) and were more likely to agree with the statement "I would prefer to see the regular doctor and not a different resident each time" (OR 1.09 (1.01-1.18)). Those who were attended more by residents on their visits showed a positive attitude to the professionalism of residents (OR 1.14 (1.01-1.28)) and were less likely to agree with the statement "I would prefer to see the regular doctor and not a different resident each time" (OR 0.90 (0.84-0.98)).
CONCLUSIONS: Patients have a positive attitude to being treated by residents in ambulatory clinics, which is associated with repeat exposure to care by residents. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Departments with ambulatory training should consider having constant presence of residents in their teaching clinics, and teaching staff in the clinics should develop ways to recommend patients to be seen by residents.