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What Do Medical Students Know about Deep Brain Stimulation?
Andreas Wloch1, Assel Saryyeva, Hans E Heissler
1Department of Neurosurgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery
|April 24, 2017
Summary
Medical students show some knowledge of deep brain stimulation (DBS) upon entering university, with improved understanding by graduation. However, specific knowledge regarding DBS targets and its impact on Parkinson disease symptoms remains limited.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Medical Education
Background:
- Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a recognized treatment for movement disorders, with ongoing research into its use for neuropsychiatric conditions.
- Neurophobia, a fear of medical topics, can hinder medical education, particularly concerning advanced therapies like DBS.
- Limited information exists on medical students' baseline knowledge of DBS and their learning progression throughout medical school.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the knowledge of medical students regarding deep brain stimulation (DBS).
- To evaluate the changes in DBS knowledge from the preclinical to the final year of medical studies.
- To identify gaps in medical students' understanding of DBS indications, costs, and complications.
Main Methods:
- A 10-item questionnaire was developed to assess knowledge on DBS indications, costs, complications, and patient eligibility.
- The questionnaire was administered to medical students at Hannover Medical School during their preclinical and final study years.
- Data from 204 preclinical students (early group) and 162 final-year students (advanced group) were analyzed.
Main Results:
- A significant increase in DBS knowledge was observed between the early and advanced student groups.
- Students demonstrated better recognition of DBS indications for common disorders like Parkinson disease (PD) and tremor.
- Comprehension of DBS's impact on specific PD symptoms and knowledge of DBS targets remained limited in both student cohorts.
Conclusions:
- Medical students possess partial knowledge of DBS before university, which improves during their studies.
- Further research is necessary to understand the persistent knowledge gaps in DBS among healthcare professionals, including general practitioners and neurologists.
