Failure to Obtain Informed Consent for Intimate Examinations by Medical Students

Objective: To study medical student's attitudes towards intimate physical examination during clinical rotations. Design: The study was performed at a University hospital setting during the years 2008-2009. Sample: The study included 100 medical students. At the time of the survey the students were at their clinical rotations of medical school. Methods: The students filled a questionnaire about their attitudes towards patients' pelvic examination by students. Setting: 4 Campuses of an academic hospital Main outcome: The rate of full patients' informed consent obtained for intimate examinations by medical students. Measures: Rate of students' reports about consent, importance, emotional and ethical aspects of intimate physical examination. Results: We have found that the practice of performing an intimate physical examination during anesthesia is without obtaining a specific consent is still common in our University Hospital setting. About a third of the examinations have been obtained without a patient's consent. Ninety percent of the medical students object this practice. The students are aware and encourage a change. They appreciate the importance of the intimate physical examination for their medical education but only thirty percent have discussed the emotional aspects related to issue. About ninety percent of the female medical students appreciate the importance of patient communication on the subject more than male students 49% (p<0.005). About half of the students would decline being examined by medical students themselves if theoretically they were patients more if the examiner would be from the opposite gender. Conclusions: The clinical task of performing an intimate examination is not receiving the appropriate teaching. Patient's informed consent is not obtained in many cases and not obtained appropriately in other.