Deficiencies in Concussion Education in Canadian Medical Schools

Abstract

Concussion is currently an important public health issue in Canada. There are concerns about the knowledge-base of those involved with the diagnosis and management of concussions. Previous studies have identified deficiencies in the knowledge of concussion of coaches, athletic trainers and the general public.1-3 The present research focuses on the concussion education of medical students because physicians play a critical role in concussion diagnosis and management, including guidelines for return to play, work and/or school.Recent studies and consensus panel statements suggest that physician knowledge of the identification and management of concussion is inadequate. [4][5][6] However, research into the reasons for such knowledge gaps is limited. For example, there is minimal information on the amount and type of concussion ABSTRACT: Background: Recent reports raise concern that physician knowledge of the identification and management of concussion may be deficient. There is little information known about the adequacy of concussion education provided to physicians or medical students. The present study assesses the concussion curriculum offered at medical schools in Canada. Methods: We asked all 17 Canadian medical schools to complete a questionnaire on their concussion curriculum, including the following: year of medical school offered; format/setting; and estimated teaching hours. The responses were organized into three categories: (1) concussion-specific education; (2) head injury education incorporating a concussion component; and (3) no concussion education. Results: Replies were received from 14 (82%) of the 17 medical schools in Canada. Of the 14 responding schools, four (29%) provided concussion-specific education, six (43%) offered head injury education that incorporated a concussion component, and four (29%) reported no concussion teaching in their curriculum. Conclusion: We found deficiencies in the concussion education curriculum provided in the majority of Canadian medical schools. To address this issue, we recommend that all medical schools should, at a minimum, include a one-hour formal concussion-specific teaching session in an early year of their curriculum to be followed by clinical exposure to concussed patients in the later years of medical school. Future studies will be necessary to evaluate if these recommended curricular enhancements are effective in remedying the reported gaps in physicians' concussion knowledge and whether the improved curriculum translates into better care for patients suffering concussion. RÉSUMÉ: Lacunes dans l'enseignement dispensé dans les facultés de médecine au Canada sur la commotion cérébrale.Contexte : Des rapports récents soulèvent des inquiétudes au sujet de lacunes dans les connaissances des médecins concernant le diagnostic et la prise en charge de la commotion cérébrale. Il existe peu d'information à savoir si l'enseignement fait aux médecins et aux étudiants en médecine sur la commotion cérébrale est adéquat. Cette étude évalue le curriculum sur la commot...

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