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Musculoskeletal Education in Medical Schools: a Survey in California and Review of Literature

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Abstract

Introduction

Though musculoskeletal complaints account for roughly one-quarter of primary care and emergency department visits, only 2% of US medical school curriculum is devoted to musculoskeletal disease. Many graduating students demonstrate poor knowledge and report low confidence in treating musculoskeletal disorders. This study defines the current state of musculoskeletal curriculum of medical schools in detail to identify variations and potential shortcomings.

Methods

All eleven medical schools in California were invited to participate in an in-depth survey detailing the design and content of their musculoskeletal curriculum.

Results

A response rate of 100% was achieved. Overall, schools devoted an average of 58.7 h to musculoskeletal medicine, of which more than half was spent covering anatomy. The primary instructor for musculoskeletal medicine was a clinician in four schools (36.4%). Six schools offered a dedicated musculoskeletal physical exam course. No schools required students to complete a clinical rotation in musculoskeletal medicine. There was high variability among institutions when evaluating core subject coverage.

Discussion

There is large variation in the content and structure of musculoskeletal instruction among California medical schools. Increased curricular time, integration of preclinical and clinical experiences, greater specialist participation, and standardized objectives may provide more consistent and comprehensive musculoskeletal education.

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Data Availability

Available upon request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Stanford University, 450 Broadway St, Pavilion C, 4th Floor, Redwood City, CA, 94063, USA

    Tim Wang, Grace Xiong, Laura Lu & Amy Ladd

  2. University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Joseph Bernstein

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  1. Tim Wang
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  2. Grace Xiong
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Correspondence to Tim Wang.

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Wang, T., Xiong, G., Lu, L. et al. Musculoskeletal Education in Medical Schools: a Survey in California and Review of Literature. Med.Sci.Educ. 31, 131–136 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-020-01144-3

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