ISOLATION OF MEDICAL STUDENTS: COMMUNICATION BARRIER AND ITS EFFECT ON CAREER
Abstract
Background: Communication barriers affect student-student interaction and student-patientinteraction. This study is aimed at exploring the social, cultural and academic spheres where medicalstudents feel getting isolated. Method: Questionnaire based cross-sectional survey was undertaken atAyub Medical College, Abbottabad in the month of July, 2013. Cluster sampling technique wasemployed. Results: Linguistic problems in the college greatly affected medical students. Femalemedical student are comparatively more affected. These problems were less common in 1st year andmost common in 3rd year where clinical classes are started. There are distinct gender based problems incommunicating among male and female student with as many as 37.2% reported feeling difficulty incommunicating with students of opposite gender. However this difficulty in communication graduallyfaded on proceeding from 1st year towards final year. About frank interaction with opposite gender,65.9% students felt that society had negative impact upon it. While communicating with patients ofopposite gender, almost a quarter of students (27.3%) reported facing difficulties, 56.9% studentsreported to have abject apathy towards the colleagues of opposite gender. Conclusion: Linguisticissues, gender discrimination, negative impact of society and lack of concern for fellow colleagues isaffecting student-student interaction and student-patient interaction. There is need to create studentfriendly environment.Keywords: Linguistic issues, gender discrimination, medical studentsReferences
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