Initial Difficulties in Learning the Physical Exam According to the Student’s Perception

Introduction: During Medical School, the student faces several situations that can generate insecurity and anxiety, and among them, the one that stands out is the first practical class with patients, which traditionally occur during the Medical Semiology course. Performing the first physical examination in a real patient is a potential stress-inducing situation for those who take their first steps towards building the necessary skills for a medical career. The way one deals with the stress generated by these situations is quite individual and is related to several factors inherent to the student and to the teaching model adopted. The present study aims to identify the main adversities reported by students in their initiation to physical examination. Method: An exploratory study with a qualitative approach was carried out during the activities of the Basic Horizontal Module 4 (MHB4), which is part of the curriculum of the fourth semester of the Medical School at Federal University of Paraíba. A sample of 35 students was divided into 6 focal groups. Data collection was performed in the eighth week of the semester and occurred simultaneously in all groups. The discussion began with the guiding question “What are the difficulties faced during the physical examination of the patient?”. The student’s speeches were recorded and then transcripted in full and the material was submitted to content analysis using the method recommended by Bardin¹. Results: The students’ statements were listed into 5 categories: insecurity and inexperience; patient’s submission; feeling of bothering the patient; gender targeting; selection of the patient for convenience. Based on this analysis it was possible to observe that the performance of the first physical examination is an event that causes much emotional stress to students. Issues such as insecurity, inexperience and the feeling of using the patient as an object are mentioned as factors that causes discomfort to students and hinder their learning process. Conclusions: The students’ perceptions are those of insecurity, inexperience and invasion of the patient’s privacy, who is in a passive situation. In this context, the process of facing the difficulties takes on bigger and unrealistic proportions in the learning process of physical examination.