The case for patient involvement in medical curriculum development

Historically, patients were “wheeled in” to lecture theatres, often without consent, to demonstrate illnesses to students.1 The shift to patient centred care and shared decision making over the past few decades has led to more active and prominent roles for patients and carers (here we use “patients” to include both for succinctness) in medical education.234 However, involving patients in developing curriculums seems to be less common, particularly in the UK.23 This is despite the General Medical Council (GMC) requirement that curriculum development be informed by “patients, families and carers”5 and contrasts with medical research, in which patient and public involvement from design to dissemination is often required.6

Patient involvement in medical curriculum development has been shown to improve patient centred care and practitioner wellbeing by enhancing empathy.78 Given the UK’s current crises with medical student910 and healthcare practitioner burnout,11 and the record low patient satisfaction with the NHS,12 action to increase patient involvement in curriculum development is timely.