thinking that Consultants should introduce a medical student to you?

[BlazingBlaster]

Had a hospital apt today with a consultant, when I walked in the room there was a medical student sitting adjacent to him (I hadn’t been pre-warned about this and I wasn’t phased by it).

AIBU to think it would have been polite to introduce the medical student? I said hello but the consultant didn’t even acknowledge he was there with him.

Whenever there’s been a medical student in with my GP we are pre-warned and introduced to them.

Have attended many appointments where medical students are in the room and they have always been introduced and I have been asked if I mind. The problem is with your particular Consultant who, for whatever reason - probably because they are overworked - forgot to mention it for possibly the umpteenth time that day.

I think you should have been asked if you minded them being there tbh. I'd rather not have anyone else in when I'm seeing a consultant, it puts me off.

The worst experience I had was of someone being in the same room when I was having an internal examination was that the HC assistant came and stood at the bottom of the bed! Still get cross at this years on.

I love a good medical student. What do you think is the diagnosis?

Followed by 10 minutes private guffawing before the consultant asks you to put them out of their misery.

"The worst experience I had was of someone being in the same room when I was having an internal examination was that the HC assistant came and stood at the bottom of the bed! Still get cross at this years on."

It should have been explained to you that the HCA was likely acting as the chaperone for the doctor and had to stand where they could ensure that the doctor (really for their own protection as much as yours) wasn't doing anything that they shouldn't have been. Chaperones shouldn't be on the other side of the curtain.

You are absolute right. I am a doctor. I always introduce the student and ask the patient if they mind the student joining us.

Yes I knew who she was, she'd been sat in the room whilst I was having the consultation, she could have stayed behind the curtain or at the top end of the bed, I'm no prude but felt pretty vulnerable having her standing there at the bottom of the bed with her arms folded.

I think it's really important for a patient to know who's there - whether a HCA chaperoning or a nearly-qualified doctor or a staff nurse or whoever. Even if the consultant takes ten seconds to say "these are students from ".

Come to that, isn't it recommended practice for HCPs to introduce themselves at least the first time?

Yes and I actually raised this with PALS recently after an appointment. The doctor didn’t even know the name of the student until he asked her to help with the procedure I was there for. He also didn’t introduce himself so I wasn’t particularly impressed with him.

I'm a vet and always try to ask the owner if they mind a student being there, and get the student to leave if it looks like being an emotionally challenging time for the owner. But sometimes I forget to introduce the student - simple oversight in a long list of 15+ consultations. It may well just have been an oversight like that.

Definitely should be introduced to you!
However I don't agree with pp saying they wouldn't have them in its so important they get to learn!!
When DS was in hospital the peadriatric doctor who saw to him had 6 students following him and asked if they could all listen to his chest! We was more than happy for them to listen as they could be the next generation treating our son their education is so important!

The Consultant left me alone in the room with him while he went to fetch prescription papers.

I couldn’t sit there in silence so I asked if he was a medical student. He was lovely, we had a little chat and then the consultant came back in.

The nature of my illness is something which could be highly personal to some patients, if that makes any difference.

I'm reminded that our student arrived literally two minutes too late for our home birth ... but she was in time to see some of the resuscitation I think, and she was definitely in time for the placenta (her first unassisted placenta - can't think of the technical term - physiological?).

You should be asked before you go into the room whether you mind a student being present (super awkward for everyone if you decline once you’re in the room). Then they should be introduced. I always say ‘hello, I’m Miss Welsh and I’m the consultant surgeon. This is X, one of the student doctors working with me in clinic today’ and they usually say hello to the patient too. It’s just polite!

No YANBU. Whenever there’s been a student either at our GPs or hospital outpatients there’s either a notice in reception saying that Dr X has a student with her and if you aren’t ok with that to let receptionist know. In hospital the students have always been introduced and I’ve always been asked if its ok for them to stay in the room.

I'll never forget the time I went for a full sexual health check up and just after I'd got on the bed, a guy a few years younger than me walked in, the nurse said his name and that I wouldn't mind a student being there, would I? I had no clue what to say so just agreed as I was already exposed.
It was one of my brother's friends. Awful.

I have to be weighed before I see the consultant, I had time to be told when I handed my apt letter to the HCA, when she weighed me and when she told me to take a seat and wait to be called.

Maybe the Consultant thought patients were being informed already?

Still, I found it a little bit rude not being introduced.

Should have been introduced/introduced themselves. There’s been a lot around the “hello, my name is” campaign to do away with this. Pretty bad, actually.

If I have someone sitting in, I always explain who they are and ask if that's alright. Would seem wrong not to. But then Kate Granger (originator of the "hello my name is" campaign) was always a bit of a hero of mine.

You should have been asked to agree to the student observing the consultation before you went in, and you should have been introduced to him on meeting.
Not only is this sound medical protocol, protecting confidentiality for example, it is basic politeness. I would be amazed if the hospital trust did not have a protocol in place for this.

They should have been introduced and permission sought for them to be in the room.

A student opthamologist did ds test a few weeks back and managed to notice a condition which had been previously missed by at least two consultants and an othoptist so I have no issue with the students but it shouldn’t just be dumped upon hou!

My consultant letters always have a 'student may be there' type disclosure.

I am no medic (HPC) but take students and I always ask permission for them to be with me.

I actually missed an great opportunity to show a student my features of a medical condition, I was there about something sort of unrelated, but it is still a very important part of my medical history. Really kicked myself afterwards as it wouldn't be something they would see very often at all. I should have spoken up to the consultant and offered to let the student have a good look at me.

@welshweasel hope you'd call me Mrs Sparkles, Miss Welsh, and not assume you, or anybody else may use my first name. I expect all humans to behave as though they are equals.

Quite rude indeed. You should have been asked permission for the student to remain and if you give it, at the very least they should be introduced.