PATIENTS PERCEPTIONS OF MEDICAL FINALS

The views of patients, who participated as clinical cases in a final M B examination, were elicited using a structured interview. Patients ge nerally regarded the students and the examination process favourably a nd such factors correlated strongly with their hypothetical marks for candidates. They were not able, however, to predict the examination ou tcome for candidates and further analysis suggests that patients and e xaminers hold different conceptions of student ability. The examinatio n performance of candidates who had psychiatric patients as long cases ' did not differ from other students. The implications of these findin gs are discussed.