MBBS Students’ Perspectives on the Benefits and Challenges of the Family Adoption Program: A Mixed-Methods Cross-Sectional Study of Medical Colleges in Uttar Pradesh, India

Introduction The Family Adoption Program (FAP) was introduced in medical colleges across India. It was done to provide early clinical exposure and incorporate a sense of social responsibility and empathy among medical students. The program involves students adopting families in the community to understand their health, socio-economic, and living conditions while facilitating primary healthcare. Objectives This study aims to assess the knowledge of first-year Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) students from three medical colleges about the objectives and overall expected outcome of FAP; to identify perceived challenges and benefits of the FAP to the medical students and to the adopted families; and to gather suggestions for the improvement of FAP. Materials and methods This is designed as a cross-sectional descriptive, mixed-methods approach study. The study population included first-year MBBS students (batch of 2024-25) from three medical colleges in Uttar Pradesh state of India. The principal investigator's college was selected based on convenience sampling and feasibility, and two other colleges were randomly selected for the study. The sample size for the quantitative study is expected to include all first-year MBBS students (400 students) from the three medical colleges. A pretested semi-structured questionnaire was administered online using Google Forms (Google, Mountain View, CA, US) to collect the quantitative data. The qualitative study was done using focus group discussion (FGD). Two FGDs with 10 participants each were conducted in each of the included medical colleges to understand the qualitative aspects of the FAP. Results About 81% of students participated in the study by filling out the Google Forms, and 60 students participated in the FGD. Around 90% of the students mentioned skill development and making students understand rural life and health problems as objectives of the FAP. Around 4% of students mentioned the dual purpose of FAP, which included skill development of the students and health improvement of the adopted families. The students mentioned learning communication skills, understanding social determinants of health, teamwork and leadership skills, and medical knowledge application as learning from FAP. The challenges highlighted by students included language barriers, communication gaps, logistics and transportation, inability to get cooperation from family members, and non-availability of family members. Health education, screening for diseases, early referral, and overall improvement of the health status of adopted families were perceived as benefits to the adopted families. Conclusion Overall, the medical students' knowledge and perspective seem to be very positive toward the FAP. FAP, incorporated into the undergraduate medical education curriculum, seems to be beneficial to all the stakeholders involved. FAP helps in achieving holistic learning for the medical students and also helps in the overall improvement of the health of the adopted families and, in turn, the community.