MEDICAL-STUDENTS WILLINGNESS AND REACTIONS TO LEARNING BASIC SKILLS THROUGH EXAMINING FELLOW STUDENTS

We have investigated the attitudes of students to learning basic clini cal skills through examining fellow students. The result of a general survey of all students demonstrated that a small minority were unwilli ng to learn in this way, chiefly for religious reasons. The questionna ire also revealed some unwillingness to take responsibility for learni ng, doubt about the educational value of examining 'the normal', and s exual insecurity. We then investigated in detail the reactions of coho rt of 96 students who were just starting to learn clinical skills. Fif ty-six (58%) students attended workshops (median 3) to learn a variety of clinical skills through peer examination. Evaluation questionnaire s were completed by 78 (81%) students prior to, and 84 (88%) after the workshops had been completed. The most common reason for not particip ating was full sessions' (56%). Sixty-two (73%) students thought that we should run the workshops again. Comparing attitudes before and afte r the workshops, there was an increase in the number of students unwil ling to examine male genitalia (p = 0.02), or to have the inguinal reg ion examined (p = 0.003). Breast examination remained unacceptable. In conclusion, apart from certain body regions, students valued the oppo rtunity to acquire basic skills through examining each other However, peer physical examination would be inequitable within a multicultural cohort if all students were compelled to participate.