• Katie Leslie and Kevin McConville.
• University of Dundee.
• Br J Gen Pract. 2024 Jun 20; 74 (suppl 1).

BackgroundGiving students more responsibility for real patients during medical school may help prepare them for their transition to clinical practice. Student-led clinics (SLCs) may facilitate this. Within SLCs, students take the lead role in delivering patient care while being supported and supervised by qualified clinicians. A general practice SLC was established in Dundee, with four final-year medical students and one GP involved in each clinic.AimThis study aimed to explore students' and educators' experiences and perceptions of this SLC.MethodThis was an exploratory case study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 students and three educators, and 18 hours of observation were conducted over six clinics. Interview transcripts and fieldnotes were integrated and thematically analysed.ResultsOverall, students' and educators' experiences and perceptions were positive. Students thrived in their lead role in patient care, gaining a sense of empowerment and developing confidence in their abilities. Both students and educators felt comfortable with students having this level of responsibility due to the students' stage of training and the supervision provided by educators. Teaching within the SLC involved individual discussions and group debriefs. Students felt a sense of belonging as a result of their relationships with their peers and educators. Challenges arose when the clinic ran behind schedule due to unexpected complex patients or lengthy individual discussions.ConclusionThe findings suggest that giving students responsibility for real patients is beneficial and feasible when adequate support is provided, and that it is possible for one GP to supervise multiple students successfully.© British Journal of General Practice 2024.

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