The knowledge of medical students and newly qualified doctors concerning the specialty of intensive care medicine

Abstract

Current evidence suggests that around the transition from undergraduate to postgraduate training, deficiencies exist in doctors' knowledge of acute care. This study assessed Foundation Year 1 (FY1) doctors and medical students in intensive care/acute medicine with respect to their understanding of ICU practice and identifying critically ill patients. A qualitative questionnaire was formulated focusing on several targeted areas including training experience, broader ICU knowledge, formal assessment of ICU medicine and critically ill patients encountered outside the ICU. After successfully piloting the study, ethics approval was granted. In February 2010, the questionnaires were distributed to 50 final-year medical students at Brighton and Sussex Medical School and 50 FY1 doctors working at Worthing Hospital or the Royal Sussex County Hospital. One hundred percent of participants completed the questionnaires; 12.5% of medical students knew about the Surviving Sepsis Campaign compared to 62% FY1s (p<0.05). Non-significant trends were evident when choosing three most useful observations for identifying sick patients. The study concluded medical students lack knowledge regarding assessment and monitoring of critically ill patients. Undergraduate training and ICU exposure did not differ between groups, however differences existed in understanding of ICU practice. There was a relative paucity in understanding from final year students regarding the Surviving Sepsis Campaign compared to FY1 doctors, which highlights the need for further improvement.