Abstract
Introduction
The prevalence of remote consultations and the use of electronic health records necessitate their meaningful integration into medical education. Remote consultations may offer medical students valuable opportunities for longitudinal patient interactions that complement traditional clinical learning. In this regard, the University of Aberdeen piloted the Digital Consultation Clinical Placement (DCCP), which aimed to equip early-year medical students with essential skills in carrying out remote consultations, conducting follow-up consultations and practising medical documentation. This study aimed to evaluate the DCCP's acceptability and explore its associated challenges and opportunities.
Methods
Acceptability of this novel placement was evaluated using questionnaires grounded in the theoretical framework of acceptability (TFA). Questionnaire data from 15 students, 4 tutors and 14 patient volunteers were analysed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative focus groups underwent thematic analysis to generate understanding of the challenges and opportunities of this innovative placement.
Results
At least 50% of stakeholders selected agree or strongly agree in the questionnaire responses across all TFA categories. Qualitative findings suggest that remote consultations could help achieve the benefits of longitudinal patient contact, and exposure to authentic digital healthcare technology could impact students' professional identity.
Conclusion
The DCCP was acceptable across all stakeholder groups, with a shared belief that it successfully achieved its intended purpose but with challenges and perceived opportunities for stakeholders, which should be considered in future placements. With further refinement, early exposure to this placement may support the development of patient-centred care skills and better prepare students for technology-enabled healthcare practice.
The prevalence of remote consultations and the use of electronic health records necessitate their meaningful integration into medical education. Remote consultations may offer medical students valuable opportunities for longitudinal patient interactions that complement traditional clinical learning. In this regard, the University of Aberdeen piloted the Digital Consultation Clinical Placement (DCCP), which aimed to equip early-year medical students with essential skills in carrying out remote consultations, conducting follow-up consultations and practising medical documentation. This study aimed to evaluate the DCCP's acceptability and explore its associated challenges and opportunities.
Methods
Acceptability of this novel placement was evaluated using questionnaires grounded in the theoretical framework of acceptability (TFA). Questionnaire data from 15 students, 4 tutors and 14 patient volunteers were analysed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative focus groups underwent thematic analysis to generate understanding of the challenges and opportunities of this innovative placement.
Results
At least 50% of stakeholders selected agree or strongly agree in the questionnaire responses across all TFA categories. Qualitative findings suggest that remote consultations could help achieve the benefits of longitudinal patient contact, and exposure to authentic digital healthcare technology could impact students' professional identity.
Conclusion
The DCCP was acceptable across all stakeholder groups, with a shared belief that it successfully achieved its intended purpose but with challenges and perceived opportunities for stakeholders, which should be considered in future placements. With further refinement, early exposure to this placement may support the development of patient-centred care skills and better prepare students for technology-enabled healthcare practice.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | e70526 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | The Clinical Teacher |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| Early online date | 15 Sept 2026 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 2026 |
Bibliographical note
Open Access via the Wiley agreementThe authors gratefully acknowledge the Digital Consultation Project advisory board (Dr Wendy Watson, Dr John Mckeown, Dr Leeanne Bodkin and Ashley Meldrum) for their support and constructive feedback on the planning of the placement and integrating it within the clinical placement curriculum. We are also grateful to Marie Douglas, the Patient Partner team and NHS Grampian clinicians for their valuable support in facilitating the recruitment of patient volunteers. We thank the MBChB administrative team and NHS Grampian IT department for their support and assistance throughout this project. Thank you to Wai-Lum Sung who optimised the design to Figure 2. Finally, we extend our sincere gratitude to all participating medical students, tutors and patient volunteers for generously sharing their time, experiences and insights.
Data Availability Statement
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.Funding
This project was awarded the ASME GMC Medical Education Excellence Award 2024. The funder had no role in study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation or manuscript preparation. Dr Tina Huang's post, as the Digital Consultation Project Lead, was funded through the Medical Additional Costs of Teaching (ACT) scheme, provided by the Scottish Government, which supports undergraduate medical education activities within NHS Scotland.
| Funders |
|---|
| Association for the Study of Medical Education |
| Scottish Government |
Keywords
- acceptability
- Digital Consultation Clinical Placement
- medical education
- medical students
- patient-centred care
- remote consultations
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