Evaluation of the contribution of educational family health centers to the education process from the perspectives of family medicine specialty students

Evaluation of the contribution of educational family health centers to the education process from the perspectives of family medicine specialty students INTRODUCTION AND AIM: Educational Family Health Centers are fundamental requirements for field training in family medicine specialization and have been increasingly established in our country in recent years, serving as practice areas for training clinics. This study aims to evaluate the contribution of Educational Family Health Centers to the educational processes from the perspective of family medicine specialty students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This dissertation study is descriptive in nature and was conducted using qualitative methods. Family medicine specialty students in the province of Sakarya participated in the study. Data were collected using a semi- structured interview form that assessed socio-demographic characteristics and the contributions of Educational Family Health Centers to educational processes. The opinions were categorized into sub-themes and themes. RESULTS: A total of 21 family medicine specialty students participated in our study, of whom 16 were female (76.19%) and 5 were male (23.81%). Among the participants, 5 (23.81%) had worked in a Family Health Center (FHC) before starting their specialty training, while the remaining 16 (76.19%) had no prior experience working in an FHC. The data obtained from the participants were analyzed in two categories: the contributions of E-FHCs to patient management and to FHC management. The prominent sub-themes were Management of undifferentiated diseases at the first point of contact of health services, experiencing the wait-and-see approach, opportunity to practice in terms of administrative responsibilities and patient communication. CONCLUSION: As with every specialty training, practical training occupies a significant place in family medicine specialization. Due to the fundamental characteristics of the family medicine discipline, it is important that this practical training be conducted in Training Family Health Centers and that academics are encouraged in this regard. Keywords: Education family health center, family medicine, primary care, specialty training.