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Title: | Experience and attitudes of final-year medical students to digital rectal examination. | Austin Authors: | Lawrentschuk, Nathan;Bolton, Damien M | Affiliation: | Department of Surgery and Urology, University of Melbourne, Austin Hospital, Studley Rd, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia | Issue Date: | 20-Sep-2004 | Publication information: | Medical Journal of Australia; 181(6): 323-5 | Abstract: | To assess the attitudes of final-year medical students to digital rectal examination (DRE) and their experience of performing DRE during clinical training.Questionnaire-based survey.All students in the final year of medical school at the University of Melbourne in 2003.Agreement with statements about attitude to DRE; number of DREs performed and abnormalities palpated; and ratings of frequency of supervision and perceived barriers to performing DRE.222 of 256 students (87%) responded. Almost all (97%) believed that DRE is an essential requirement for a medical practitioner, and 94% that they should have the skill before graduating, while 92% said they had been taught how to perform it. The median number of DREs performed was two, with 17% of students performing none. Sixty-three per cent had palpated a prostate, 24% a prostate cancer, 19% a rectal tumour, and 11% faecal constipation. Half the students (52%) felt they could give a reasonable or confident opinion based on their DRE findings. The most often cited reason for not performing DREs was the lack of a doctor to act as a supervisor.A concerted effort is needed from academics, supervising doctors and students to improve medical students' proficiency in performing DRE and confidence about their findings. | Gov't Doc #: | 15377244 | URI: | https://ahro.austin.org.au/austinjspui/handle/1/9802 | Journal: | Medical Journal of Australia | URL: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15377244 | Type: | Journal Article | Subjects: | Adult Attitude of Health Personnel Australia Clinical Competence Data Collection Education, Medical, Undergraduate.standards.trends Female Humans Male Physical Examination.standards Questionnaires Rectum Students, Medical |
Appears in Collections: | Journal articles |
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