[Rheumatology - Integration into student training (RISA) : Current structure of clinical rheumatology in German...

Area of Science:

• Rheumatology
• Medical Education
• University Structures

Background:

• The German Society of Rheumatology and the Committee for Student Training aimed to assess the influence of university structures on rheumatology student teaching.
• Previous efforts to integrate clinical rheumatology into medical curricula have not fully leveraged its societal importance and innovation potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of university medical structures on the teaching of rheumatology to medical students in Germany.
• To evaluate the current state of clinical rheumatology education within German medical faculties.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire was distributed in February 2014 to teaching staff and Deans across all 37 German medical faculties.
• Data collected included lecture hours, obligatory lecture hours, practical exercise hours, and bedside teaching hours.
• Faculty structures were categorized, noting independent rheumatology hospitals and departments with senior professorial leadership.

Main Results:

• Significant variation exists in the proportion of lecture hours, obligatory lectures, practical exercises, and bedside teaching across the 37 faculties.
• Universities with greater academic freedom generally exhibited higher teaching hour allocations.
• Not all medical faculties mandate rheumatology teaching, and students encounter an average of only five rheumatology patients during their studies.

Conclusions:

• The current university structures in Germany present challenges to the effective integration of clinical rheumatology education.
• Despite rheumatology's recognized importance, its educational integration into medical faculties has not improved significantly.
• There is a need to enhance the utilization of rheumatology's societal impact and innovation potential to improve medical student training in this field.