Clinical learning environment in government and private hospitals in relation to gender in Karachi, Pakistan - a comparative study

Abstract

Introduction: Background: The Medical Education has two most essential basis, sound theoretical knowledge and proficient clinical skills. Both of these factors depend on an efficient method of teaching in a proper clinical set-up. So that the medical students get most of the benefit out of it by learning and developing their clinical skills. Objective: The main objectives of this study are to determine the presence of difference in the learning environment in government and private hospitals of Karachi and to determine whether there is any biasness present in these systems on the basis of gender of students.

Methods: Four renowned university hospitals were selected: two private and two government-based. 150 samples were collected from each university by a self-administered questionnaire. The analysis has been performed using SPSS 20 and the results are presented using chi square.

Results: The study established that there is a striking difference between the learning environment in these clinical set-ups based on the theoretical knowledge of the students, the proper schedule of classes, hands on experience gained in the ward, new knowledge gained at the end of a wards rotation, doctors’ interaction with the students and the students’ motivation. This was represented by the 2 = 10.173 and p .00001. MG = 5.73 with a SD = 1.815 while MP = 6.76 with a SD = 1.883 (M = mean, G = Government hospital environment, P = Private hospital environment). According to the study there is no difference in treatment of the students on the basis of gender represented by the 2= 3.168 and a p is between .05 and .1.

Conclusions: The private hospitals provide a sound theoretical knowledge to the students they lack the provision of optimum opportunities for the students to develop their clinical skills in comparison with government hospitals. It is however recommendable that both the systems lack any biasedness among the students on the basis of gender.