Is the curriculum of transfusion medicine in MBBS aligned with practical needs: A point of view of fresh graduates

Abstract

<b>OBJECTIVE:</b> The objective of the study is to assess the satisfaction level of doctors regarding their competence in the blood transfusion process and their reflection on training at the undergraduate level. <b>BACKGROUND:</b> Transfusion errors due to suboptimal knowledge and lack of training can lead to grave outcomes. Therefore, to optimize patient care, a thorough understanding of transfusion medicine basics is highly imperative for all medical graduates. <b>METHODOLOGY:</b> This survey was conducted online through Google forms with a questionnaire consisting of 15 questions. 8 medical colleges (4 government and 4 private) were selected by random cluster sampling technique. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 23. <b>RESULTS:</b> Of 502 participants, 53.8% were females and 69.9% were graduates of public medical colleges. About 84.6% did not receive any formal training on transfusion during graduation. Almost 82% felt that the current curriculum is not designed to meet their practical needs of blood transfusion and 52% agreed that knowledge of transfusion medicine is required for undergraduates. The survey also revealed that 70.5% of participants believed that whole blood is required for most patients and 49.8% did not feel confident to manage transfusion-related complications by themselves. <b>CONCLUSION:</b> Our survey showed that our undergraduate curriculum is not aligned with the practical transfusion needs of a young doctor. As transfusions are being carried out by these young doctors, this needs to be addressed by revising the current curriculum and incorporating teaching and hands-on training to our medical graduates.