Challenges of Effective Clinical Teaching Organization at Public Medical Universities in Poland: A Delphi Method Study

Background/Objectives: Clinical teaching as a form of interpersonal education organized in a real clinical setting is very dynamic and sensitive to many factors that may influence its effectiveness. To strengthen clinical education organization, responsible bodies should meet emerging challenges, which are best understood from the perspective of the direct recipients and providers of clinical teaching. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore and analyze the existing challenges of clinical teaching organization in public medical universities in Poland from students’ and academics’ perspectives. Methods: A modified two-round Delphi study was conducted in six Polish medical universities. Round 1 included 218 experts (131 students and 87 academics), while 124 experts completed Round 2 (attrition rate: 43.1%). Consensus was predefined as a median score ≥ 4.0 and IQR ≤ 1.0. Results: Items with the highest mean values (approximately 4.4 on a five-point Likert scale) indicated a clear perception of space shortages and demand for updated teaching methods. The exploratory correlation revealed two broad thematic patterns: (1) space and overcrowding; (2) teaching methods. Conclusions: The findings suggest that stakeholders perceive educational space, overcrowding and modernization of teaching methods as important areas for improvement in clinical teaching.