Sabzwari S R, Bhanji S, Zuberi R W
Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Educ Health (Abingdon). 2011 Dec;24(3):622. Epub 2011 Dec 15.
In the last decades there has been a sharp rise in the elderly population throughout the world. The unique needs of the elderly require a multidisciplinary and comprehensive medical approach. None of the 50 medical schools in Pakistan teach geriatrics in their undergraduate or postgraduate training. This paper discusses the development and implementation of the first geriatric curriculum in a medical school of Pakistan and its effect on knowledge and attitudes of third-year medical students.
The curriculum was designed through collaboration and approval of various academic departments at the Aga Khan University in Karachi Pakistan. After a review of existing geriatric curricula at other institutions, a problem-based, inter-disciplinary spiral curriculum was designed. Strategy of student and course evaluation was planned and incorporated in the curricular program. No extra resources or funds were used. A component of the new curriculum was assessed by evaluating pre- and post- course knowledge, and seeking feedback from participating third-year students.
A significant improvement in mean scores for summed overall knowledge in geriatrics (pre-test mean 4.7 vs. post-test mean 6.4, p value of <0.001; out of a maximum possible of 9 was noted. Breakdown of knowledge mean scores into component areas of knowledge showed a significant increase in understanding in aging demographics (pretest 0.7 vs. post-test 1.7, p value of <0.001), geriatric history taking (pretest 0.64 vs. post-test 0.88, p 0.001) and geriatric assessments (pre- test 1.4 vs. post- test 1.7, p value 0.01). A strong majority (87%) of the students felt that the overall course objectives were achieved. All students were satisfied with the quality of teaching, 90% rating it good or higher.
An important advance in medical education was achieved via integration of a low cost, spiral geriatrics curriculum in a medical university of Pakistan. We found that introduction of the geriatric curriculum improved the knowledge of third-year medical students. This was our school's initial step towards building professional capacity in response to a rising elderly population.
在过去几十年里，全球老年人口急剧增加。老年人的独特需求需要多学科、综合性的医疗方法。巴基斯坦的50所医学院中，没有一所院校在本科或研究生培训中教授老年医学。本文讨论了巴基斯坦一所医学院首个老年医学课程的开发与实施，以及该课程对三年级医学生知识和态度的影响。
该课程由巴基斯坦卡拉奇阿迦汗大学的各个学术部门合作设计并批准。在审查了其他机构现有的老年医学课程后，设计了一个基于问题的跨学科螺旋式课程。规划了学生和课程评估策略并将其纳入课程计划。未使用额外的资源或资金。通过评估课程前后的知识，并征求参与课程的三年级学生的反馈意见，对新课程的一个组成部分进行了评估。
老年医学综合知识的平均分数有显著提高（预测试平均分为4.7，后测试平均分为6.4，p值<0.001；满分9分）。将知识平均分数细分为各个知识领域，结果显示在老年人口统计学理解方面有显著提高（预测试为0.7，后测试为1.7，p值<0.001），老年病史采集方面（预测试为0.64，后测试为0.88，p = 0.001）以及老年评估方面（预测试为1.4，后测试为1.7，p值= 0.01）。绝大多数（87%）学生认为总体课程目标得以实现。所有学生对教学质量都很满意，90%的学生将其评为良好或更高。
通过在巴基斯坦一所医科大学整合低成本的螺旋式老年医学课程，医学教育取得了一项重要进展。我们发现引入老年医学课程提高了三年级医学生的知识水平。这是我们学校为应对不断增加的老年人口而建立专业能力的初步举措。
