Medical students’ knowledge about alcohol and drug problems

Thursday, May 6th, 2010 at 5:38 pm

Medical students’ knowledge about alcohol and drug problems: results of the medical council of Canada examination.

PURPOSE: To determine knowledge of a national sample of medical students about substance withdrawal, screening and early intervention, medical and psychiatric complications of addiction, and treatment options.

METHODS: Based on learning objectives developed by medical faculty, twenty-two questions on addictions were included in the 1998 Canadian licensing examination.

RESULTS: The exam was written by 858 medical students. The average score on the addiction questions was 64%.

Students showed strong knowledge of the clinical features of medical complications.

Specific knowledge gaps were identified for

withdrawal treatment protocols,
low-risk drinking guidelines,
taking an alcohol history,
substance-induced psychiatric disorders, and
Alcoholics Anonymous.

CONCLUSION: Medical students are knowledge-deficient around key learning objectives in addictions. The deficiencies were in areas of basic knowledge that could be learnt with little difficulty.