Uncovering the informal learning of patient safety in undergraduate clinical clerkships: a qualitative study of patient safety specialists’ perspectives

BACKGROUND: Although the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes patient safety as a core competency, formal educational opportunities in clinical settings remain limited. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of patient safety specialists regarding the informal learning opportunities that expose medical students to patient safety competencies during clinical clerkships. METHODS: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted with 34 of 36 patient safety specialists at Japanese national university hospitals. Data were collected via an online open-ended questionnaire regarding safety-related behaviors students engaged in during clinical practice. The responses were analyzed using conventional content analysis. RESULTS: The analysis identified 14 learning categories situated within four clinical contexts: receiving instructions, invasive procedures, interprofessional communication, and incident response. These competencies are closely aligned with the WHO Patient Safety Curriculum Guide. However, the learning related to quality improvement was notably limited. Participants proposed specific support measures such as utilizing incident reports for education and facilitating student participation in safety conferences to further enhance these informal learning opportunities. CONCLUSION: Clinical environments provide latent opportunities for students to engage with essential patient safety competencies through informal participation in clinical practice and complementing formal curricula. Clinical educators should recognize the value of these situated learning opportunities and intentionally facilitate informal learning environments to complement formal education.