Experiment tested students' attitudes to hand washing

Editor - Thorpe and Lloyd in their letter highlight the apparent lack of hand washing during examinations to pass finals.¹ A clever, some may say devious, method was applied by our examiners during our objective structured clinical exam at the end of our year last summer, which in hindsight I can only assume was used to examine our attitude to the need for hand washing after examining patients.

The exam was held in a large room, partitioned into smaller areas, with a series of side rooms and toilet facilities some three minutes walk away. Within the 20 odd stations were a number of rest stations. Having completed four consecutive stations where hands-on examination of patients was necessary, including testicular examination, I came to a "rest station" where the OSCE organiser greeted me with a smile and a platter of sandwiches. I declined the offer of a sandwich but was amused by the fact that some of my colleagues had by all accounts been "tucking in" quite contentedly.

When we were sent a breakdown of our results no marks were available for high. lighting the apparent lack of hand washing facilities. I'm glad to say, however, that I have been assured that access to a sink will be available before the "sandwich stop" next year, and, you never know, maybe after each patient.

Gary Howsam, fourth year medical student, Guy's, King's, and St Thomas Hospitals Medical School, London SE1 9RT
Email: gary_howsam@hotmail.com


studentBMJ 2000;08:89-130 April ISSN 0966-6494

1. Thorpe M, Lloyd BW. Can British medical students pass their final examinations without washing their hands? studentBMJ 2000;8:80. (March.)