Primary Care Physicians' Attitudes to Community-Based Medical Education and the Wave Model as a New Teaching Method in Ambulatory Care Settings

Kim, Kyoung kon; Kang, Hee cheol; Kim, Chan kyong; Cho, Hi jung; Youn, Bang bu

Abstract

PURPOSE
In order to expand and improve community-based medical education (CBME), we attempted to delineate the characters of the primary care physicians interested in medical education and their opinions on the new medical teaching method for ambulatory care settings, Wave model. METHODS: Through mailed questionnaires, we asked the Seoul members of the family physician association and the internal medicine physician association about their interest and opinions of CBME and the Wave model. RESULTS: We received 186 replies from the total 1088 questionnaires (17.1%) sent out. Many of the primary care physicians (141/186; 75.8%) had no experience with CBME. However, 127 (68.7%) were interested in CBME and 121 (65.4%) answered that they were interested in teaching students in their clinic. There were 128 (69.2%) affirmative responses to the Wave model, which was much higher than that to the observation-centered method, 53 (30.3%) (p < 0.0001). Primary care physicians who have affirmative attitudes to adopting the Wave model would select this model as their CBME program (p < 0.0001). Primary care physicians willing to teach students tend to be males (p=0.0085) and younger in age (p=0.0003), have examination rooms for student-patient contact (p < 0.0001), and possess positive attitude to adopting the Wave model (p= 0.0018). CONCLUSION: There are many primary care physicians eager to participate in CBME. They view the Wave model as an effective teaching method. Factors associated with the desire to work as a preceptor include being male and younger in age. having examination rooms for student-patient contact, and possessing a positive attitude to adopting the Wave model.