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(Stroke. 2001;32:2854.)
© 2001 American Heart Association, Inc.

Original Contributions

Educating the Next Generation of Physicians About Stroke

Incorporating Stroke Prevention into the Medical School Curriculum

Susan Billings-Gagliardi, PhD; Nancy M. Fontneau, MD; Merrill K. Wolf, MD; Susan V. Barrett, MS; George Hademenos, PhD Kathleen M. Mazor, EdD

From the Departments of Cell Biology (S.B.-G., M.K.W.) and Neurology (N.M.F.) and Division of Research and Evaluation (S.V.B.), University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Mass; the American Stroke Association, Dallas, Tex (G.H.); and the Meyers Primary Care Institute and Fallon Healthcare System, Worcester, Mass (K.M.M.).

Correspondence to Susan Billings-Gagliardi, PhD, Department of Cell Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA 01655. E-mail susan.gagliardi{at}umassmed.edu

Background and Purpose— In response to the need to educate physicians about stroke, we have implemented an educational program on stroke prevention for undergraduate medical students within the first-year neuroscience course. This study investigated whether first-year students learned and retained key information about stroke, and used students’ feedback both to identify effective curricular components and to explore their attitudes regarding stroke prevention.

Methods— Stroke knowledge and self-assessed confidence in that knowledge before, immediately after, and 8 months after participation in the stroke curriculum were analyzed and compared for 3 classes, using paired t tests and repeated-measures ANOVA. Student feedback about the effectiveness of specific parts of the curriculum and about the importance of stroke prevention was solicited and evaluated.

Results— First-year medical students in 3 classes more than doubled their overall stroke knowledge scores (pretest total mean of 8.2; posttest mean 18.0), and retained significant improvement 8 months later (mean 15.7). Subscores in all 4 areas of stroke knowledge tested significantly increased (P<0.001). Students’ confidence in their knowledge of stroke risk factors and warning signs, as well as in their knowledge itself, increased (P<0.001). Each of the 3 cohorts demonstrated similar improvements. Feedback indicated heightened awareness and interest in stroke prevention, which was maintained after completion of the curriculum.

Conclusions— These results demonstrate that when instruction on stroke prevention is incorporated into the first-year curriculum, students learn and retain key information. Because entire classes of medical students are involved, this type of approach has the potential to reach all future physicians and therefore to meaningfully impact future stroke care.

Editorial Comment

Incorporating Stroke Prevention into the Medical School Curriculum

Giorgio Ghilardi, MD, Guest Editor

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