Medical students' knowledge about organ transplantation: a South African perspective

Educating physicians about transplantation during undergraduate training can improve organ procurement rates. The aim of this study was to evaluate and analyze the knowledge of medical students regarding transplantation.

A previously validated self-administered anonymous questionnaire was distributed to all medical students.

Of the 346 participants, 217 (63%) were preclinical students. Their mean age was 21 years (range, 18-33) and 62% were women. Twenty-nine (8%) students were registered as organ donors. One third of all study participants received formal transplantation teaching; a greater proportion of clinical students received teaching compared with the preclinical group (52% vs 22%, P < .05). Knowledge was frequently reported for kidney (88%), liver (81%), bone marrow (78%), and heart (76%) transplantation. Small Intestine (13%), pancreas (9%), and pancreatic islets (4%) were the least recognized organs/tissues. Ninety-six percent and 62% of respondents were aware of kidney and liver living-donor transplants, respectively; the 27% of students with an interest in a surgical career had better knowledge of living-donor transplantation (P < .05). Only 22 (6%) students knew which solid organ transplants were performed in South Africa.

Medical students have limited knowledge about organ transplantation; there is a need for educational intervention early in the medical curriculum.