Rheumatology education in Europe: results of a survey of young rheumatologists.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the level of education and participation in an internship abroad and to European league against rheumatism (EULAR) on line course of young rheumatologists. To define new tools for learning.
METHODS: Questionnaires were administered to 170 trainees and young specialists in 2008-2009 during official EULAR meetings or using the mailing list of European young rheumatologists in training. The questions with related visual analogical scale (VAS score 0-10) for satisfaction encompassed the following issues: languages, computer, daily hours employed, different items of medical culture, internship abroad, EULAR on-line course and bursaries. VAS>6 was considered a good level of satisfaction.
RESULTS: 170 young rheumatologists (113 trainees and 57 specialists, 33±4.2 years old) from 32 EULAR countries did not approve their own national training (42.3%), believed in an European common education system (90.5%), had a good knowledge of English (85.7%) and computer (90.5%) and spent the majority of time in clinical practice (57.5%) in comparison with study and research. The young rheumatologists had higher competence in drug management (93.5%) than in clinical assessment and knowledge of imaging and anatomy, and mostly suggested new ways of communication (61.4% on-line courses and 66.1% DVD) to improve their education. 38% made stage abroad and participated to EULAR on-line course, with high satisfaction, but only half of them were granted by bursaries.
CONCLUSIONS: Young rheumatologists are low confident in their own education and believe that visits to other training centers and new ways of learning (on line and DVD) might improve their competence.