ArticleBMJ open2017
Improving teaching about medically unexplained symptoms for newly qualified doctors in the UK: findings from a questionnaire survey and expert workshop.
Article in BMJ open, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 18 citations in OpenAlex.
- Clinical skills development for healthcare practitioners working with patients with persistent physical symptoms (PPS) in healthcare settings: a systematic review and narrative synthesis.BMC medical education · 2024Pooled it
- Functional Somatic Symptoms.Deutsches Arzteblatt international · 2019Pooled it
- What are medical students taught about persistent physical symptoms? A scoping review of the literature.BMC medical education · 2024Article
- Designing the learning of intraprofessional collaboration among medical residents.Medical education · 2022Article
- Medical educators' experiences on medically unexplained symptoms and intercultural communication-an expert focus group study.BMC medical education · 2022Article
- Patients with somatoform disorders: More frequent attendance and higher utilization in primary Out-of-Hours care?PloS one · 2018Article
- A Patient-Narrative Video Approach to Teaching Fibromyalgia.Journal of medical education and curricular developmentArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 2 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesMedically unexplained symptoms (MUS) present frequently in healthcare, can be complex and frustrating for clinicians and patients and are often associated with overinvestigation and significant costs. Doctors need to be aware of appropriate management strategies for such patients early in their training. A previous qualitative study with foundation year doctors (junior doctors in their first 2 years postqualification) indicated significant lack of knowledge about this topic and appropriate management strategies. This study reviewed whether, and in what format, UK foundation training programmes for newly qualified doctors include any teaching about MUS and sought recommendations for further development of such training.
designMixed-methods design comprising a web-based questionnaire survey and an expert consultation workshop.
settingNineteen foundation schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
participantsQuestionnaire administered via email to 155 foundation training programme directors (FTPDs) attached to the 19 foundation schools, followed by an expert consultation workshop attended by 13 medical educationalists, FTPDs and junior doctors.
resultsThe 53/155 (34.2%) FTPDs responding to the questionnaire represented 15 of the 19 foundation schools, but only 6/53 (11%) reported any current formal teaching about MUS within their programmes. However, most recognised the importance of providing such teaching, suggesting 2-3 hours per year. All those attending the expert consultation workshop recommended case-based discussions, role-play and the use of videos to illustrate positive and negative examples of doctor-patient interactions as educational methods of choice. Educational sessions should cover the skills needed to provide appropriate explanations for patients' symptoms as well as avoid unnecessary investigations, and providing information about suitable treatment options.
conclusionsThere is an urgent need to improve foundation level training about MUS, as current provision is very limited. An interactive approach covering a range of topics is recommended, but must be delivered within a realistic time frame for the curriculum.
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