Medical Student Preparedness for Limited English Proficiency Patients
Author Information
Author(s): Rodriguez Fatima, Cohen Amy, Betancourt Joseph R, Green Alexander R
Primary Institution: Harvard Medical School
Hypothesis
How well do medical students feel prepared to care for patients with limited English proficiency?
Conclusion
Medical students' preparedness to care for LEP patients is significantly influenced by their self-perceived skill level in working with interpreters and their race/ethnicity.
Supporting Evidence
- 20% of medical students felt well-prepared to care for LEP patients.
- Students in their third and fourth years reported higher preparedness.
- Self-perceived skill with interpreters was a strong predictor of preparedness.
Takeaway
Medical students need to learn how to work with interpreters to help patients who don't speak English well, and having more diverse students can help improve care.
Methodology
An electronic survey was conducted among medical students to assess their self-rated preparedness to care for LEP patients, using bivariate and multivariate analyses.
Potential Biases
Self-reported data may not accurately reflect actual preparedness or skills.
Limitations
The study's cross-sectional design limits causal inferences, and the response rate of 64% may introduce bias.
Participant Demographics
Participants included medical students from one northeastern US medical school, with varying race/ethnicity and training years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
(5.24, 21.4)
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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