Attitudes and perceptions of medical students about family medicine in Spain: protocol for a cross-sectional survey: Figure 1

Abstract

BackgroundDespite the fact that family medicine (FM) has become established as a specialty in the past 25 years, this has not been reflected in the inclusion of the specialty in the majority of medical schools in Spain. Almost 40% of the students will work in primary care but, in spite of this, most universities do not have an assessed placement as such. There are only specific practice periods in health centres or some student-selected components with little weight in the overall curricula.ObjectivesTo evaluate the attitudes and perceptions of medical students about FM in the health system and their perception about the need for specific training in FM at the undergraduate level. To explore change over time of these attitudes and perceptions and to examine potential predictive factors for change. Finally, we will review what teaching activity in FM is offered across the Spanish schools of medicine.MethodsDescriptive cross-sectional survey. Each one of the different analyses will consist of two surveys: one for all the students in the first, third and fifth year of medical school in all the Spanish schools of medicine asking about their knowledge, perceptions and attitudes in relation to primary care and FM. There will be an additional survey for the coordinating faculty of the study in each university about the educational activities related to FM that are carried out in their centres. The repetition of the study every 2 years will allow for an analysis of the evolution of the cohort of students until they receive their degree and the potential predictive factors.DiscussionThis study will provide useful information for strategic planning decisions, content and educational methodology in medical schools in Spain and elsewhere. It will also help to evaluate the influence of the ongoing changes in FM, locally and at the European level, on the attitudes and perceptions of the students towards FM in Spain.

Medical student attitudes towards family medicine in Spain: a statewide analysis

“…The project methods have been detailed previously [ 12 ]. This article presents the results of the first administration of the survey.…”

Factors influencing medical students’ choice of family medicine

“…According to studies in other countries, females also have a more positive attitude towards family medicine than males [25]. In contrast to what was commonly believed, another study conducted in egypt and in Morocco concluded there was no statistical difference between males and females regarding their intention to choose family medicine as a future career [26,27].…”

Einstellungen zur Allgemeinmedizin: eine vergleichende querschnittliche Befragung von Medizinstudierenden des 1. und 5. Studienjahres

“…Although not a multicentre survey (as currently in Spain [22]), it was conducted at very different stages of training: at the beginning and in the penultimate year of study. This allowed analysis of possibly changing attitudes over almost the entire theoretical education.…”