BACKGROUND: Assessment of attitudes towards addiction in medical students has largely gone unexplored. This study examines the impact of a supplemental substance use disorder curriculum in the psychiatry clerkship on medical student attitudes towards addiction. METHODS: The curriculum was only administered to students at one clerkship site. Subsequently, medical students were surveyed across all sites regarding their attitudes towards addiction. RESULTS: The survey response rate was 37.5% (N = 75/200), with 25 (33%) completing the supplemental addiction curriculum. In bivariate analysis, medical students receiving the curriculum were more likely to express confidence in managing patients with alcohol and opiate use disorders (T = 2.01, p = 0.05) and were more knowledgeable about Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) as a treatment option available to patients (T = 2.27, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: A supplemental addiction curriculum can improve medical student confidence in managing substance-using patients as well as improve knowledge of AA.
BACKGROUND: Assessment of attitudes towards addiction in medical students has largely gone unexplored. This study examines the impact of a supplemental substance use disorder curriculum in the psychiatry clerkship on medical student attitudes towards addiction. METHODS: The curriculum was only administered to students at one clerkship site. Subsequently, medical students were surveyed across all sites regarding their attitudes towards addiction. RESULTS: The survey response rate was 37.5% (N = 75/200), with 25 (33%) completing the supplemental addiction curriculum. In bivariate analysis, medical students receiving the curriculum were more likely to express confidence in managing patients with alcohol and opiate use disorders (T = 2.01, p = 0.05) and were more knowledgeable about Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) as a treatment option available to patients (T = 2.27, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: A supplemental addiction curriculum can improve medical student confidence in managing substance-using patients as well as improve knowledge of AA.
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Keywords:
Addiction; Attitudes; Curriculum; Medical student