A study evaluating effectual of knowledge, attitude and perception of undergraduate medical students towards medico-legal autopsy

Abstract

Introduction: Ideally, the medico-legal autopsies have to be conducted by doctors specialized in the branch of Forensic Medicine. However, there is limited availability of forensic medicine specialists in India as compared to the number required. The bulk of the medicolegal autopsies are usually carried out by graduate doctors and not by forensic medicine specialists. This study was contemplated to know the attitude of the undergraduate medical students, about the medico-legal autopsy and to ascertain the change in their perception and attitude for autopsy, if any, after passing the Forensic Medicine subject as per their medical curriculum. Materials and Methods: Study was carried out on first, second and third-year undergraduate medical students. Questionnaires to be answered were administered to the participating medical students in physical form. SPSS statistical software was used for comparing the mean among three groups using ANOVA test. Chi-square and Fischer exact test was also used. Results: 249 undergraduate medical students took part in the study. Significant increase in knowledge for medico-legal autopsy was observed among 3rd-year medical students. On comparing mean among all the three groups regarding the knowledge, perception, experience and change in attitude for medico-legal autopsy, it was found to be statistically highly significant (p-value <0.001). Conclusion:The undergraduate medical students should be encouraged to observe more autopsies during their study course. Problembased learning during practical training of autopsy must be incorporated, as a part of the medical curriculum and instead of elective, compulsory rotatory internship training should be there for Forensic Medicine.

Questionnaire Based Survey on Medicolegal Autopsy among Medical Students in Sikkim

“…On the knowledge-based front, 87.96% of the students knows that the medicolegal autopsy is unavoidable in all sudden, suspicious & unexpected death which is similar to study done in Ahmedabad & Haryana. 10,11 90.05% strongly affirmed that the medicolegal autopsy is done to know the cause of death which is concurred by other studies too. 8,10,11 87.43% students agreed that the law enforcement agency orders medicolegal autopsy.…”

“…10,11 90.05% strongly affirmed that the medicolegal autopsy is done to know the cause of death which is concurred by other studies too. 8,10,11 87.43% students agreed that the law enforcement agency orders medicolegal autopsy. Majority of the students choose inquest form as prerequisite for medicolegal autopsy (53.93%) & only 32.98% knew that the consent of family members is not required in a medicolegal autopsy.…”

“…Similar findings were also observed in a study conducted in Haryana. 11 33.51% of the students knew that viscera can be removed for chemical analysis in medicolegal autopsy without consent. The approximate findings were also observed in studies done in Uttar Pradesh, Telangana & Ahmedabad.…”

“…The attitude of the students was mostly positive towards medicolegal autopsy, similar to the studies done in Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Haryana & Ahmedabad. [8][9][10][11] In contrast to the study done in Sweden, where 75% of the students were uneasy with the thought of performing autopsy on oneself. 12 67.01% agreed on performing autopsy on self & offering it to relatives too which concurred with studies done in Haryana, Ahmedabad, Uttar Pradesh & Sweden.…”

“…12 67.01% agreed on performing autopsy on self & offering it to relatives too which concurred with studies done in Haryana, Ahmedabad, Uttar Pradesh & Sweden. [9][10][11] Most of the students (83.25%) assented that postmortem examination in a medical education should be mandatory. Many of them also wanted to watch autopsy while only 16.75% did not wanted to watch it which is in accordance with studies by different authors.…”