Ethics of patient participation in long case assessments

The long case is a key hurdle in the assessment of medical students and physician trainees. They involve detailed interviews with volunteer patients and presentation of their health issues by the interviewing trainee. There is a paucity of research focussed on patients' experiences and on the ethical issues of patient participation in long cases specifically. This commentary presents preliminary analysis of the ethics of patient participation in physician long cases, with the goal of stimulating further research in this area. Long cases reportedly have high educational value and should remain as an assessment tool. Long cases can also promote respect and patient autonomy and have the potential to bridge gaps within patients' medical care. We argue that long cases can become more beneficial to the participating patients. Future studies should explore patients' experience of participation in long cases specifically and what impact it had on their healthcare and prognosis.