Do Not Throw Away Your Shot: Pilot Study in Improving Medical School Curricula Through Focused Vaccine Education

Abstract

IntroductionWith widely prevalent vaccine hesitancy and medical mistrust, future healthcare providers require knowledge of vaccines and comfort discussing vaccines with patients. However, many U.S. medical schools do not offer formal or elective curricula focused on vaccine education. MethodsWe sought to identify the need for such a curriculum and student gaps in knowledge through a pilot study surveying first- and second-year medical students at a large Pennsylvania medical school to assess knowledge about vaccine initiatives/policies, comfort discussing vaccines, attitudes towards curricular changes, and effects of COVID-19 on willingness for vaccine education. ResultsMany participants (>40%) reported insufficient knowledge of vaccine policy, development and testing, and community vaccine initiatives. The majority (>50%) indicated discomfort discussing vaccines in a clinical setting. Importantly, 79% of participants reported insufficient coverage of vaccine topics in the current curriculum. 54% decisively wanted formal/mandatory education versus 72% decisively wanted elective education. Desiring formal education was associated with less comfort discussing vaccines overall and with vaccine-hesitant people in clinical settings. Reassuringly, 74% of participants noted the COVID-19 pandemic made them want to learn more about vaccines. Guided by these findings, we conducted a pilot elective teaching about vaccines through case studies, interactive discussions, and role-playing scenarios. Pre- and post-course surveys showed improvement of student knowledge in all vaccine-related topics assessed. ConclusionsThese data can inform development of formal and elective curricula that effectively prepare medical students for patients’ vaccine questions.