Evidence for the Need for a National Undergraduate Orthopaedic Curriculum in the UK

Abstract

There is currently no national undergraduate orthopaedic curriculum. It is developed and delivered locally, derived from the experience of orthopaedic surgeons without consultation with general practitioners. This study was designed to ascertain how well the needs of orthopaedic consultants, general practitioners and medical students are currently met by the undergraduate curriculum as a baseline for future development. A survey was designed to evaluate the perceived usefulness of three teaching domains: trauma, orthopaedic surgical pathology and commonly encountered problems in primary care. Additionally, students were asked to evaluate their level of interest in learning orthopaedic surgical procedures. The questionnaire was sent to 98 final year medical undergraduates from St George’s, University of London, 50 local general practitioners and 24 local orthopaedic consultants with a 56 % (n = 55), 52 % (n = 26) and 90 % (n = 21) response rate, respectively. There was consensus across all groups regarding the importance of trauma management. In the other domains, there was a difference of opinion, with consultants and general practitioners lending greater weight to areas seen in their own practice. A significantly greater proportion of medical students (compared to general practitioners and consultants) expressed an interest in learning orthopaedic skills (P = 0.011) There is a need for an undergraduate curriculum that reflects the needs of both consultants and general practitioners. Current time constraints make it difficult to ensure adequate coverage of all aspects of the orthopaedic education in the curriculum. Devising other educational modalities such as e-learning, simulation training and the establishment of a national curriculum may provide a solution.