School of Medicine, Office of Professional Development and Educational Scholarship, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
BMC Med Educ. 2022 Jul 21;22(1):562. doi: 10.1186/s12909-022-03636-9.
With over 26% of Canadian adults living with obesity, undergraduate medical education (UGME) should prepare medical students to manage this chronic disease. It is currently unknown how the management of patients living with obesity is taught within UGME curricula in Canada. This study (1) examined the knowledge and self-reported competence of final-year medical students in managing patients living with obesity, and (2) explored how this topic is taught within UGME curricula in Canada.
We distributed two online surveys: one to final-year medical students, and another to UGME deans at 9 English-speaking medical schools in Canada. The medical student survey assessed students' knowledge and self-reported competence in managing patients living with obesity. The dean's survey assessed how management of patients living with obesity is taught within the UGME curriculum.
One hundred thirty-three (6.9%) and 180 (9.3%) out of 1936 eligible students completed the knowledge and self-reported competence parts of the survey, respectively. Mean knowledge score was 10.5 (2.1) out of 18. Students had greatest knowledge about etiology of obesity and goals of treatment, and poorest knowledge about physiology and maintenance of weight loss. Mean self-reported competence score was 2.5 (0.86) out of 4. Students felt most competent assessing diet for unhealthy behaviors and calculating body mass index. Five (56%) out of 9 deans completed the survey. A mean of 14.6 (5.0) curricular hours were spent on teaching management of patients living with obesity. Nutrition and bariatric surgery were most frequently covered topics, with education delivered most often via large-group sessions and clinical activities.
Canadian medical students lack adequate knowledge and feel inadequately prepared to manage patients living with obesity. Changes to UGME curricula may help address this gap in education.
加拿大超过 26%的成年人患有肥胖症，因此本科医学教育（UGME）应该培养医学生来管理这种慢性病。目前尚不清楚加拿大 UGME 课程中如何教授肥胖患者的管理。本研究（1）调查了最后一年医学生管理肥胖患者的知识和自我报告的能力，（2）探讨了该主题如何在加拿大 UGME 课程中教授。
我们发放了两份在线调查问卷：一份给最后一年的医学生，另一份给加拿大 9 所英语医学院的 UGME 院长。医学生的调查问卷评估了学生管理肥胖患者的知识和自我报告的能力。院长的调查问卷评估了在 UGME 课程中如何教授肥胖患者的管理。
在 1936 名符合条件的学生中，有 133 名（6.9%）和 180 名（9.3%）分别完成了知识和自我报告能力部分的调查。平均知识得分为 18 分中的 10.5 分。学生对肥胖的病因和治疗目标的了解最多，对肥胖的生理学和体重维持的了解最少。平均自我报告的能力得分为 4 分中的 2.5 分。学生在评估饮食对不健康行为和计算体重指数方面的能力最强。9 位院长中有 5 位（56%）完成了调查。教授肥胖患者管理的课程时间平均为 14.6 小时（5.0 分）。营养和减肥手术是最常涵盖的主题，通过大组会议和临床活动进行教育。
加拿大医学生缺乏足够的知识，并且觉得自己准备不足，无法管理肥胖患者。UGME 课程的改变可能有助于解决教育方面的这一差距。
