Incorporation of emergency medicine in the undergraduate curriculum.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Emergency medicine has been recognized as a specialty in western countries. However, in India, most hospitals and medical colleges have no provision for teaching this specialty. This study was done to assess the feasibility of incorporating emergency medicine in the undergraduate medical curriculum. METHODS: Sixty final year undergraduate students underwent a special training programme in emergency medicine. A feedback was obtained from the students. RESULTS: While the practical experience was rated above satisfactory by 65% of them, 98.2% of them appreciated the lecture sessions. Overall, the programme was rated as more than good by 92.7%. CONCLUSION: As a specialty that emphasizes basic clinical skills, emergency medicine should be incorporated in the undergraduate medical curriculum.