You may be seeing more requests for experience with musculoskeletal conditions among the medical students you precept as a result of a new report by the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Curriculum Should Enhance Knowledge of Musculoskeletal Conditions, Says Report
By News Staff
10/12/2005
The report, Contemporary Issues in Medicine: Musculoskeletal Medicine Education, (PDF file: 15 pages / 248 KB. More about PDFs.) calls for more emphasis on the topic in medical school. The 15-page report outlines the learning objectives, expected skills and educational strategies that can increase students' knowledge of musculoskeletal maladies and how to treat them.
Students' lack of exposure to information about and experience with musculoskeletal conditions stems in large part from their teaching environment, according to the report. Most patients contending with musculoskeletal ailments see physicians in outpatient settings, but most medical students learn in academic teaching centers, which serve acute, hospitalized patients.
"Of particular note is the clinical education of medical students, which continues to be based largely in the inpatient units of hospitals," the report says. "As a result, students do not encounter enough patients with those conditions to gain an appreciation of the impact that the conditions have on individuals and the society at large."
In addition to understanding the physiological causes of musculoskeletal conditions, students must appreciate the economic, social and quality-of-life implications these conditions have for patients, according to the report. Moreover, they should be knowledgeable about the impact musculoskeletal conditions have on children and their development.
"Students must come to understand that these conditions can severely affect (patients') mobility, produce chronic pain, limit their independence, and result in serious psychological and financial consequences," the report says.
"Given the nature of musculoskeletal conditions, students must appreciate that a comprehensive and holistic approach to care is critically important. In keeping with this, interdisciplinary and interprofessional care plays an important role in providing appropriate treatment for patients suffering with musculoskeletal conditions."
Students' lack of exposure to information about and experience with musculoskeletal conditions stems in large part from their teaching environment, according to the report. Most patients contending with musculoskeletal ailments see physicians in outpatient settings, but most medical students learn in academic teaching centers, which serve acute, hospitalized patients.
"Of particular note is the clinical education of medical students, which continues to be based largely in the inpatient units of hospitals," the report says. "As a result, students do not encounter enough patients with those conditions to gain an appreciation of the impact that the conditions have on individuals and the society at large."
In addition to understanding the physiological causes of musculoskeletal conditions, students must appreciate the economic, social and quality-of-life implications these conditions have for patients, according to the report. Moreover, they should be knowledgeable about the impact musculoskeletal conditions have on children and their development.
"Students must come to understand that these conditions can severely affect (patients') mobility, produce chronic pain, limit their independence, and result in serious psychological and financial consequences," the report says.
"Given the nature of musculoskeletal conditions, students must appreciate that a comprehensive and holistic approach to care is critically important. In keeping with this, interdisciplinary and interprofessional care plays an important role in providing appropriate treatment for patients suffering with musculoskeletal conditions."
