Abstract

In this paper, we discuss that some important teaching topics are usually missing in curricula of medical schools. Examples taken were medical humanities, religious practices of importance to health and disease, euthanasia and domestic violence. The rationale of introducing these topics to undergraduate curricula and possible barriers were discussed. This is supplemented with two tables contain suggested components for sample lectures in Ramadan fasting as a religious practice of significant impact on health, and another sample lecture on domestic violence. Curricular reforms are needed to include these ‘neglected’ topics in curricula, and also to establish training programmes for doctors in the internship periods. The national bodies responsible of organizing and accrediting schools and programmes should ensure including the ‘neglected’ topics in curricula of medical and allied programmes.

Keywords: Medical education · curricular reforms · medical humanities · euthanasia · religious practices · domestic violence

References

  1. 1.Ahmed AM. Elmardi AE. A study on domestic violence among women attending a medical centre in the Sudan. East Medit Hlth J 2005; 11:164-174.
  2. 2.Sorscher AJ. How is Your Sleep: A Neglected Topic for Health Care Screening. J Am Board Fam Med 2008; 21(2):141-
  3. 3.Miller NS1, Sheppard LM, Colenda CC, Magen J. Why physicians are unprepared to treat patients who have alcoholand Majmaah Journal of Health Sciences ,Vol. 6, Issue 2, September 2018, Muharam - 1440 8 8 Gaps in Curricula of Medical Schools: Some Neglected Topics drug-related disorders. Acad Med 2001; 76(5):410-8.
  4. 4.Ahmed AM. Introducing medical humanities to curricula of our medical schools. Sud J Pub Hlth 2011; 6(2): 68-69.
  5. 5.Gordon J1. Medical humanities: to cure sometimes, to relieve often, to comfort always. Med J 2005; 182(1): 5-8.
  6. 6.Abrums ME, Leppa C. Beyond cultural competence: teaching about race, gender, class, and sexual orientation. J Nurs Educ. 2001; 40(6): 270-5.
  7. 7.Wachtler C, Lundin S, Troein M. Humanities for medical students? A qualitative study of a medical humanities curriculum in a medical school program. BMC Medical Education 2006, 6:16-25.
  8. 8.Dogra N1, Giordano J, France N. Cultural diversity teaching and issues of uncertainty: the findings of a qualitative study. BMC Med Educ. 2007; 26; 7:8.
  9. 9.Ahmed AM. Cultural aspects of diabetes mellitus in Sudan. Pract Diabetes Int 2003; 20: 226-229.
  10. 10.Graves DL1, Shue CK, Arnold L. The role of spirituality in patient care: incorporating spirituality training into medical school curriculum. Acad Med. 2002; 77(11):1167.
  11. 11.Liao L. Opening our eyes to a critical approach to medicine: The humanities in medical education. Med Teach 2017; 39(2): 220-221
  12. 12.Benbassat J, Bauman R, Borkan JM, Ber R. Overcoming barriers to teaching the behavioral and social sciences to medical students.Acad Med. 2003; 78(4):372-80.
  13. 13.AhmedAM. Ramadan Fasting: impact on diabetes mellitus and guidelines for care. Pract Diabetology. 2001; 20:7-14.
  14. 14.Beshyah SA, Farooqi MH, Chentli F, Raza SA, Chadli A, Mahmoud M Benbarka MM, Ibrahim H Sherif IH. Medical Management of Diabetes during Ramadan Fasting:Are Physicians Ready for the Job? Ibnosina J Med 2017; 9(3):84-95.
  15. 15.Salti I, Bénard E, Detournay B, Bianchi- Biscay M, Le Brigand C, Voinet C, et al. EPIDIAR study group. A populationbasedstudyofdiabetesanditscharacteristics during the fasting month of Ramadan in 13 countries: results of the epidemiology of diabetes and Ramadan 1422/2001 (EPIDIAR) study. Diabetes Care 2004; 27(10):2306-11
  16. 16.Ahmed AM, Kheir MM. Attitudes of the Khartoum University medical students toward euthanasia. East Medit Hlth J 2006: 12 (3-4): 9-15.
  17. 17.Eltay ES, Amir AA, Badri A, Altyeb S, Ahmed AM. Attitudes toward euthanasia among final year psychology students. Sud J Pub Hlth 2010; 5(3): 139-144.
  18. 18.AhmedAM. Kheir MM,AbdelrahmanA, Ahmed NH. Attitudes of Sudanese physicians towards euthanasia and assisted suicide. East Medit health J 2001; 7: 551-
  19. 19.9 9 Majmaah Journal of Health Sciences ,Vol. 6, Issue 2, September 2018, Muharam - 1440 Gaps in Curricula of Medical Schools: Some Neglected Topics
  20. 20.Padmini HN, Jagadeesh N. Role of Doctor in Euthanasia - Teaching Medical Students – Challenges and Perspectives. Clin Res Bioeth 2015; 6: 215-16.
  21. 21.Luther VP, Crandall SJ. Commentary: ambiguity and uncertainty: neglected elements of medical education curricula? Acad Med. 201; 86(7):799-800.
  22. 22.Wathen CN, Tanaka M, Catallo C, Lebner AC, M Kinneret Friedman MK, Hanson MD, Freeman C, Susan M Jack SM, Ellen Jamieson E, HarrietL,MacMillanHL. BMC Medical Education 2009; 9: 34-44.
  23. 23.The training needs of Turkish emergency department personnel regarding intimate partner violence. Aksan HAD, Aksu F. BMC Public Health 2007; 7: 350-61.
  24. 24.Ahmed AM. Elmardi AE. A study on domestic violence among women attending a medical centre in the Sudan. East Medit Hlth J 2005; 11:164-174.
  25. 25.Lo Fo Wong S, Wester F, Mol SS, Lagro- Janssen TL. Increased awareness of intimate partner abuse after training: a randomized controlled trial. Br J Gen Pract 2006; 56(525):249-257.
  26. 26.Bacon LB.Asurvey of domestic violence in a university emergency department. J Arkansas Med Soc 1997; 341(12): 886-
  27. 27.Ahmed AM. Response of Sudanese doctors to domestic violence Saudi Med J 2003; 24: 1077-1080.
  28. 28.Gutmanis I, Beynon C, Tutty L, Wathen CN, MacMillan HL. Factors influencing identification of and response to intimate partner violence: A survey of physicians and nurses. BMC Public Health 2007; 7:12.
  29. 29.Lo Fo Wong S, Wester F, Mol SS, Lagro- Janssen TL. Increased awareness of intimate partner abuse after training: a randomized controlled trial. Br J Gen Pract 2006; 56(525):249-257
Majmaah Journal of Health Sciences · eISSN 1658-8223 · Majmaah University · open access