[Theoretical, practical, and assessment modalities of urology teaching during the second cycle of medical training in France].

INTRODUCTION

To comply with current legislation, French medical schools organize theoretical speciality teaching for medical students in speciality poles or in global modules. The objective of this study was to assess the theoretical, practical and assessment modalities of Urology teaching based on a survey.

METHODS

In January 2004, a four-part questionnaire was sent to all urology teachers in 45 French universities. These 4 parts concerned: modalities of theoretical teaching, modalities of practical teaching, assessment modalities, evaluation of teaching, each evaluated by several questions.

RESULTS

The response rate was 64.4% (29/45). Twelve medical schools chose teaching by speciality poles and 15 chose modular teaching. CCAs (Senior Registrars) played a greater role in modular teaching than in speciality pole teaching (75% and 53.3% of medical schools). Among the 12 medical schools with a speciality pole organization, 7 provided integrated teaching. An average of 23% of students of any one year receive Urology teaching during their training. Most medical schools conduct evaluation of theoretical (82.7%) and practical teaching (65.5%).

CONCLUSION

Speciality teaching can be performed according to a polar or modular organization. A modular organization would be theoretically more appropriate to achieve the objective of a global approach to medicine, but artificial grouping of diseases can sometimes complicate speciality teaching in a speciality as diverse as Urology.