Work

An exploration of trends in and predictors of students’ perception of health policy education at a Jesuit medical school

Year: 2018

Type: article

Abstract: Background: Studies have shown an increase in percent of students reporting “adequate” health policy education in medical schools over the past decade. This study identifies which student characteristics—such as race/ethnicity, intended specialty, and plans to work with underserved populations—are associated with reporting “appropriate” vs “inadequate” health policy education at a Jesuit medical institution in the US. Methods: Responses from the AAMC Graduation Questionnaire (GQ) for years 2010-2013 to an outcome question evaluating time spent on health policy curriculum were extracted. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to test which student sociodemographic and clinical career training choices impacted satisfaction of health policy education. Results: The percent of respondents reporting inadequate time spent on health policy curricula decreased significantly between 2010 and 2013. Students who identified their race/ethnicity as Under-Represented in Medicine were significantly less likely to report appropriate health policy education (OR = 0.419, CI = 0.191-0.919, p=0.03). Other characteristics including male gender, enrollment in a combined degree program, intention to work as university faculty, and intention to serve in an underserved area were also negatively associated with reporting appropriate education; however, these differences were not statistically significant. Furthermore, students in 2013 were significantly more likely to report adequate education compared with those in 2010 (OR = 1.973, CI 1.001-3.891, p = 0.0497). Conclusions: While an increasing majority of students report appropriate exposure to health policy education, medical students who are planning to work with underserved populations may still benefit from additional elective education on health policy.

Source: Georgetown Medical Review

DOI: 10.52504/001c.3418

Authors: Lauren Ditrio, Peggy Weissinger, Michael Plankey

Institutions: Georgetown University, Georgetown University Medical Center

Language: English

Topic: Innovations in Medical Education

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Quality education, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: bronze

Funder: Association of American Medical Colleges