Pre-graduate teaching of human parasitology for medical laboratory technologist programs in Japan

Abstract

Parasitic diseases continue to exist in many developing countries. In most cases, medical laboratory technologists (MLTs) detect parasitosis, which is then diagnosed and treated by medical doctors. However, parasitological education in medical schools has been declining, particularly in developed countries, leading to a decline in diagnostic ability. Therefore, the role of MLTs has become more critical. However, the current status of parasitology education in MLTs has not been investigated. In this study, a questionnaire survey of 93 schools and the students that are members of the Japanese association of medical technology and offer MLTs training programs was conducted. The educators were asked about the time and content of lectures and practical training, and the students were asked about their understanding of parasitology and the areas they found difficult. A series of χ2 distribution analyses were employed to analyze the data, and the Benjamini–Hochberg method was subsequently used to correct the p-values. This study included 62 out of 93 schools and 1043 students as participants. The results revealed a significant decrease in lecture hours in parasitology compared to 1994, and the trend that may continue in the future. In addition, after attending the lectures, students tended to disregard parasitology as a necessary subject. Pre-study interest was found to have an impact on post-study comprehension. This study is the first to report on the current status of parasitology education in MLTs parasitology training programs in parasite-free countries and can serve as a model for similar studies in other regions in the future.