Undergraduate medical school education in substance misuse in Britain iii: can medical students drive change?

Abstract

Background: Two previous studies have demonstrated the parlous state of undergraduate medical education. A third study was undertaken to evaluate any change.Methodology: All deans, heads of psychiatry and addiction specialists working in 28 British medical schools were surveyed by questionnaire. Items included time allocated to formal training, clinical resources, training objectives, professional confidence and competence, postgraduate facilities, plans for change, opinion on the importance of addiction in the curriculum, and scientific credibility.Findings: There was a 100%, 71% and 46% response rate from specialists, heads, and deans respectively. Medical students were receiving, on average, six hours of formal training in substance misuse over their entire course. Although there was disparity in responses between the three groups, there was a clear consensus that the addiction field had scientific credibility. However, this achievement has not been translated into more training, and there is pessimism about any likelihood of change.Discussion: Barriers to training such as too few addiction specialists, stigma, and tensions in academia resulting from the Research Assessment Exercise, are identified.Conclusion: Since the General Medical Council and the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy have explicitly stated the need for undergraduate training, ways in which medical students, as ‘users’ of the undergraduate training package, may be the drivers of change, are suggested.