The potential of a medical student patient navigator program: An analysis of partners against cancer.

34 Background: The Partners Against Cancer (PAC) program pairs first and second year medical student volunteers with individual cancer patients in need at the Division of Hematology/Oncology at Creighton University Medical Center. A review of the scientific literature yields no publications about student run programs at medical institutions pairing students with cancer patients. Methods: Prior to beginning the program, each student completed an entry survey. While in the program, students were asked to submit log entries after each patient encounter. A total of 137 student logs from 30 students were surveyed for themes (e.g. student addressing patient’s physical needs), which were counted. Results: PAC trained 129 medical students about patient resources and matched over 51 patient-student pairs. In the entry surveys, 98.5% of students entering the PAC program wanted to learn more about the psychosocial issues cancer patients experience and their quality of life. Most students (98.5%) wanted to gain more experience talking about death and dying with patients and working with a dying patient. Of reported patient contact, 39% was in clinic, 44% phone, 8% email, and 6% was an inpatient or treatment facility visit. In the log data, students noted helping patients emotionally (85%) and with access to resources or promoting health and compliance (28%). Medical students demonstrated empathy in 75% of logs and gaining knowledge of medicine in 26%. 12% of logs noted schedule conflicts or contact difficulties. Conclusions: PAC is a longitudinal experience where medical students play an active role in their individual patient’s care. Students provide physical assistance to patients, such as helping with access to resources, and emotional assistance by listening to the patient. In return, the student has the opportunity to learn empathy by understanding the impact of chronic and, often terminal, disease on the patient. The challenges of the program have included scheduling difficulties and student confusion with the program. A website and mentor program have been developed to address these issues. Despite challenges, PAC exhibits great potential for enhancements in patient care and medical education, most notably empathy.