US Fourth-Year Medical Students: Diabetes Knowledge and Confidence Dissonance

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Endocrinology
• Clinical Skills Assessment

Background:

• Self-assessed confidence is frequently used to gauge knowledge, despite evidence suggesting it's an unreliable indicator.
• Medical education often relies on confidence as a proxy for competence, necessitating investigation into its validity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if graduating medical students' confidence in diagnosing and treating diabetes correlates with their actual diabetes-related knowledge.
• To assess the alignment between self-perceived competence and objective knowledge in future physicians regarding diabetes management.

Main Methods:

• A 38-question electronic survey was administered to 176 graduating medical students, assessing diabetes knowledge, confidence, and related experiences.
• The survey included 15 multiple-choice questions for knowledge assessment and 6 self-reported confidence items.
• Pearson correlation and t-tests were employed to analyze the relationship between knowledge and confidence scores.

Main Results:

• The study achieved a 38% response rate, with a mean confidence score of 19.97/30 and a mean knowledge score of 9.63/15.
• Overall confidence and knowledge scores showed no significant correlation.
• A positive correlation (R=.325, P=.007) was observed between confidence in managing type 1 diabetes medications and knowledge levels.

Conclusions:

• Graduating medical students tend to overestimate their ability to manage diabetes effectively.
• Current educational approaches may be insufficient in preparing physicians for comprehensive diabetes care.
• Further curriculum review and improved assessment methods are needed to enhance diabetes diagnostic and treatment skills.