1 research outputs found
Medical students maintain their humanistic and patient‑centred vocation throughout Medicine Degree in Spain: a study based on narratives
Narrative medicine has great educational potential in the degree of medicine. This
study explores for the frst time the use of narrative medicine in relation to longitudinal evolution of medical vocation for the same group of students. In the context of
the Degree in Medicine at the Universidad AutĂłnoma de Madrid (Spain), students
wrote narratives about what it meant to them to be a doctor at the beginning and
end of their studies. The narratives of 338 students of the academic years 2012/13–
2017/18 and 2013/14–2018/19 were analysed and compared. Students mostly pursued a degree in medicine on account of humanistic motivations, which are reinforced throughout their degree. In contrast, up to 10% of students reference to have
experienced vocational crises and sufered frustration, with up to 25% of the references pertaining to having made signifcant sacrifces. Students maintain and evolve
their humanistic, patient-centred vision throughout their degree studies, despite the
difculties they appear to encounter. We suggest that eforts must be made to include
more humanistic perspectives in the medical degree to keep this trend, which may
improve both the educational experience created in universities and the health care
given to patient