Oliver J Dyar1, Dilip Nathwani2, Dominique L Monnet3, Inge C Gyssens4,5, Cecilia Stålsby Lundborg1, Céline Pulcini6,7. 1. Global Health - Health Systems and Policy, Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. 2. Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, UK. 3. European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Stockholm, Sweden. 4. Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. 5. Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium. 6. Université de Lorraine, EA 4360 APEMAC, Nancy, France. 7. CHRU de Nancy, Service de Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Nancy, France.
Abstract
Background: In an era of antibiotic resistance, medical students must be prepared to prescribe antibiotics responsibly. Objectives: To assess self-reported preparedness among final-year medical students at European universities, using a comprehensive set of topics related to prudent antibiotic use. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, multicentre, web-based survey. All medical-degree students in their final year of studies at European universities were eligible to participate. A preparedness score was calculated for each student and mean scores were compared at medical school and country levels. Comparisons were made with national-level data on resistance among four common bacterial pathogens. Results: In total, 7328 responses were included from 179/296 eligible medical schools in 29/29 countries. Students felt at least sufficiently prepared on a mean of 71.2% of topics assessed, ranging from 54.8% (Portugal) to 84.8% (Latvia). The proportion of students wanting more education on prudent antibiotic use or general antibiotic use ranged from 20.3% (Sweden) to 94.3% (Slovakia), with a mean of 66.1%, and was strongly inversely correlated with preparedness scores (Spearman's ρ = -0.72, n = 29, P < 0.001). Higher prevalence rates of antibiotic-non-susceptible bacteria were associated with lower preparedness scores and higher self-reported needs for further education (P < 0.01). Conclusions: Most final-year European medical students feel they still need more education on antibiotic use for their future practice as junior doctors. Patterns of preparedness on specific topics were identified, were highly consistent across countries, and correlated with both perceived need for further education and levels of antibiotic resistance among common bacteria.
Background: In an era of antibiotic resistance, medical students must be prepared to prescribe antibiotics responsibly. Objectives: To assess self-reported preparedness among final-year medical students at European universities, using a comprehensive set of topics related to prudent antibiotic use. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, multicentre, web-based survey. All medical-degree students in their final year of studies at European universities were eligible to participate. A preparedness score was calculated for each student and mean scores were compared at medical school and country levels. Comparisons were made with national-level data on resistance among four common bacterial pathogens. Results: In total, 7328 responses were included from 179/296 eligible medical schools in 29/29 countries. Students felt at least sufficiently prepared on a mean of 71.2% of topics assessed, ranging from 54.8% (Portugal) to 84.8% (Latvia). The proportion of students wanting more education on prudent antibiotic use or general antibiotic use ranged from 20.3% (Sweden) to 94.3% (Slovakia), with a mean of 66.1%, and was strongly inversely correlated with preparedness scores (Spearman's ρ = -0.72, n = 29, P < 0.001). Higher prevalence rates of antibiotic-non-susceptible bacteria were associated with lower preparedness scores and higher self-reported needs for further education (P < 0.01). Conclusions: Most final-year European medical students feel they still need more education on antibiotic use for their future practice as junior doctors. Patterns of preparedness on specific topics were identified, were highly consistent across countries, and correlated with both perceived need for further education and levels of antibiotic resistance among common bacteria.
Authors: Sameer Dhingra; Nor Azlina A Rahman; Ed Peile; Motiur Rahman; Massimo Sartelli; Mohamed Azmi Hassali; Tariqul Islam; Salequl Islam; Mainul Haque Journal: Front Public Health Date: 2020-11-04
Authors: David McMaster; Molly Courtenay; Catherine Santucci; Angharad P Davies; Andrew Kirby; Owen Seddon; David A Price; Gavin Barlow; Felicia H Lim; Bethany S Davies; Matthew K O'Shea; Paul Collini; Marina Basarab; Afshan Ahmad; Mahableshwar Albur; Carolyn Hemsley; Nicholas M Brown; Ciaran O'Gorman; Riina Rautemaa-Richardson; Geraint R Davies; Christopher N Penfold; Sanjay Patel Journal: JAC Antimicrob Resist Date: 2020-12-04
Authors: Carmen Espinosa-Gongora; Lisbeth Rem Jessen; Oliver James Dyar; Alain Bousquet-Melou; Bruno González-Zorn; Céline Pulcini; Giovanni Re; Stefan Schwarz; Dorina Timofte; Pierre-Louis Toutain; Luca Guardabassi Journal: Antibiotics (Basel) Date: 2021-03-30