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Readiness for legally literate medical practice? Student perceptions of their undergraduate medico-legal education

  • Michael Preston-Shoot
    ,
  • Judy McKimm
    ,
  • Wing May Kong
    ,
  • Sue Smith
Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Abstract

Medical councils increasingly require graduates to understand law and to practise medicine mindful of the legal rules. In the UK a revised curriculum for medical law and ethics has been published. However, coverage of law in medical education remains variable and doubts exist about how far students acquire legal knowledge and skills in its implementation. This survey of students in two UK medical schools measured their law learning and their confidence in using this knowledge. Concept maps and a self-audit questionnaire were used to capture students' understanding and perceptions of this knowledge domain and self-assessments of their legal knowledge and skills. A large sample was achieved across first, second and final year students. Students agree that a sound understanding of law is essential to being a good doctor. Their perceptions of law are generally positive but the interface between the legal rules and codes of medical ethics creates difficulty. In some areas students offer relatively confident self-assessments of their legal knowledge and skills for practising law. However, levels of confidence in other areas of their law learning raise doubts about the degree to which they can advocate for and protect their patients. Conclusions are drawn about the effectiveness of students' law learning and recommendations made for further research.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 616

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Journal of Medical Ethics (Volume 37, Issue 10)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 01/05/2011

Publication status

Published - 01/05/2011

ISSN

0306-6800

External Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/229371
  • Scopus: 81555214441

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