Outpatient teaching in specialist practices – a qualitative study with doctors about attitudes, influencing factors and specialist features

AIM: The aim is to record existing attitudes, influencing factors and specialised requirements with regard to the training of medical students in specialist outpatient care with doctors working in outpatient care. METHOD: Between September 2020 and May 2021, individual interviews with 15 specialists employed in outpatient care were held as part of this qualitative study. The recorded interviews were evaluated structurally in accordance with the Kuchartz method. RESULTS: Enhanced outpatient training for medical students in specialist teaching practices was considered as important by all participants. Among other things, motivational factors were pleasure in teaching, a feeling of duty, the desire to pass something on, the need to convey one’s own ideas and to generate future talent for the field. A lack of time, greater organisational effort and legal concerns were stated as hurdles. Reducing organisational effort for teaching practices, appreciation of their teaching activity and financial considerations were in particular given as significant incentives for participating. The attitude of participants towards financial remuneration was heterogeneous. Different specialist features and requirements for student training were mapped out. CONCLUSION: This study provides, for the first time, findings about teaching in specialist outpatient establishments. They point to a great degree of willingness of specialist doctors to undertake teaching and provide starting points for creating concepts about producing teaching practices in specialist fields. Further quantitative investigation is required to substantiate the findings before us.