ACCP Teaching Resources
ACCP CME Research Highlights - June, 2005
Medical Students' Knowledge of the US Health-Care System and Their Preferences for Curricular Change: A National Survey
Agrawal J, Huebner J, Hedgecock J, et al. Acad Med 2005; 80:484-488
Overview: This study reports a small sample of first-year and fourth-year medical students assessment of their knowledge of central issues in the current US health-care system.
Methodology: A questionnaire was developed using facts from recent national and international health reports to test students' knowledge of health policy. The instrument, containing 14 questions about health policy and four questions about school curriculum on health policy, was mailed to a national probability sample of 516 first-year and 847 fourth-year students in the United States. Chi-square and t tests were used to compare the responses of first- and fourth-year students. Survey tool indicated that health policy issues are important for physicians, but results seemed to indicate that medical students do not receive much instruction in this area in their medical school curriculum.
Limitation(s): Not Identified
Teaching/Learning Implication: Many of the students have significant gaps in their understanding of US health-care system. Many throughout ACCP membership have been searching on how to best work toward an improved health-care system in the US through our advocacy efforts. Knowing the changes within the health-care system are inevitable, having future physicians educated about the system is essential, and we should consider how this is highlighted, where appropriate, in our educational curriculum.
For more information on this article, go to http://www.academicmedicine.org/cgi/content/abstract/80/5/484 |
