Education About Adult Domestic Violence in U.S. and Canadian Medical Schools, 1987-88

Abstract

A study was conducted to determine the current curriculum content on adult domestic violence (ADV) in 143 accredited US and Canadian medical schools. The survey carried out by the New Jersey Medical School Domestic Violence Prevention Project Survey mailed the survey materials to curriculum contact persons identified by the Association of American Medical Colleges. About 116 schools responded to the survey. Of those 116 schools 61 (53%) denote that their students did not receive any instruction on ADV; 49 (42%) reported that their students receive such instruction as part of at least one required course; and 6 (5%) received instruction as an elective curriculum. Overall 77 courses that included at least one session of instruction about ADV were identified. Because some of these courses devoted more than one session to such instruction a total of 85 sessions of instruction addressing to ADV were identified. Of all sessions addressing ADV 68% were offered during 2 years of medical school; 63% were taught in the department of psychiatry; 7% in family practice; 7% in geriatrics; 7% in internal medicine; and the remaining 16% in other departments. The format of instruction varied widely sometimes including use of films or direct contact with domestic violence victims to supplement lectures and discussions.