Pilot qualitative exploration of the impact of community asset mapping within the undergraduate psychiatry curriculum at an Irish medical school

Introduction Providing an effective response to global health disparities requires that future doctors are better prepared to embrace a public health ethos. Asset-based approaches see people and communities as coproducers of health and well-being and have begun to influence healthcare policy and the training of health professionals. However, to date, there is scant research in this area within undergraduate medical education. Objectives To explore: (1) whether an asset-mapping assignment enhances medical students' experience and understanding of psychiatry. (2) The extent to which asset mapping promotes engagement of students with the clinical teams and communities in which they are placed, as perceived by students, clinical tutors and other team members. Design Using a qualitative case study approach, semistructured interviews were completed with 16 students, 8 psychiatry tutors and 3 multidisciplinary team members (MDTMs) to explore their experiences of the initiative. Interview transcripts were thematically analysed, based on the study aims. Setting This research was carried out at Ireland's largest medical school, among undergraduate medical students following a 6-week psychiatry clerkship. Intervention Students completed a team-based assignment to elicit information on community assets from patients and presented an asset map to their host clinical team at the end of the clerkship. Results We identified three over-arching themes within the data: (a) connecting the individual patient with the community; (b) relationship building; and (c) pedagogical challenges and rewards. Students found the asset-mapping assignment not only challenging but also rewarding and supported its retention within the curriculum. Tutors were predominantly positive, but some felt that the social focus diluted students' professional identity. MDTMs welcomed the initiative and wished to be more involved. Conclusion Our findings suggest that community asset mapping offers added value within the undergraduate medical curriculum, sensitising students to the importance of exploring patient-perceived community assets.