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Chapter 7172Practitioners’ personal experiencesAs mentioned, practitioners integrate multiple sources of knowledge to provide person-centred care to their patients. Personal experience plays an important role in this integration. 41 When there is limited evidence-based knowledge, as is the case in providing care to patients with both MID and MH problems, practitioners have to rely more on their personal experiences. When this is also limited, it can create insecurity in the practitioner and the provision of insufficient care (Chapters 2 and 6). 50 Gaining experience with patients with MID, with or without MH problems, should commence early in the general medical curriculum. It is known that the use of patient educators early in the medical curriculum has a positive effect throughout students’ medical career: it provides more insight into patients’ perspectives and how patients experience care, and students can apply their knowledge to simulated patients directly. 51 The early involvement of patients with (M)ID also contributes to students’ knowledge about, and confidence in, caring for the patient group that is topic of this thesis. 52Additionally, it is shown that students who undergo an internship in elderly care acquire knowledge and experience that has a positive effect on care for the elderly in general. 53 Therefore, offering and promoting more opportunities for internships in the ID field will help students gain experience in care for patients with (M)ID. The above examples are also relevant for the GP and the MHNP curriculum and for postgraduate training for practitioners. 5However, although practitioners are willing to gain more experience, in practice it is a challenge to engage them in training concerning this topic because of the variety of competing medical issues demanding attention (Chapters 2 and 6). 54 When practitioners find that they lack experience, it can be valuable for them to know where this experience can be obtained. This can be a GP or an MHNP in the same practice or in the region, or an ID physician who can be approached easily for consultations. If knowledge is consistently and frequently lacking, the previously mentioned ID-NP, with specific experience and knowledge about this patient group, could be a (regional) solution. However, this needs further research and development (see also, the opportunity: ‘Longitudinal and relational continuity of primary care’).Katrien Pouls sHL.indd 172 24-06-2024 16:26