Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39560726›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of legal medicine2025

Assessment of forensic medicine education impact on medical students' knowledge and specialisation attitudes: a multicenter analysis from Italian universities.

Giovanni Aulino, Francesco Ausania, Paolo Fais, Giovanni Cecchetto, Davide Ferorelli, Silvia Damiana Visonà, Flavia Beccia, Stefania Boccia, Antonio Lanzone, Luca Morini and 6 more

Abstract readMulticenter Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of legal medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors.

Giovanni AulinoDepartment of Health Surveillance and Bioethics, Section of Legal Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Francesco Vito, 1, 00168, Rome, Italy. giovanni.aulino@unicatt.it.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3071-6504
Francesco AusaniaUnit of Forensic Medicine, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Piazzale L.A. Scuro, 10, 37134, Verona, Italy.
Paolo FaisUnit of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 49, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
Giovanni CecchettoDepartment of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, Unit of Legal Medicine and Toxicology, University of Padova, Via Falloppio 50, 35100, Padova, Italy.
Davide FerorelliSection of Legal Medicine, Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, Aldo Moro University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
Silvia Damiana VisonàDepartment of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, Unit of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Flavia BecciaSection of Hygiene, University Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
Stefania BocciaSection of Hygiene, University Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
Antonio LanzoneUnit of Obstetrics and Obstetric Pathology, Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
Luca MoriniDepartment of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, Unit of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Guido VielDepartment of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, Unit of Legal Medicine and Toxicology, University of Padova, Via Falloppio 50, 35100, Padova, Italy.
Francesco VenturaDepartment of Forensic and Legal Medicine, University of Genova, Via De' Toni 12, 16132, Genova, Italy.
Alessandro Dell'ErbaSection of Legal Medicine, Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, Aldo Moro University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
Giancarlo Di VellaDipartimento di Scienze della Sanità Pubblica e Pediatriche, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Università Degli Studi di Torino, Corso Galileo Galilei 22, 10126, Torino, Italy.
Domenico De LeoUnit of Forensic Medicine, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Piazzale L.A. Scuro, 10, 37134, Verona, Italy.
Antonio OlivaDepartment of Health Surveillance and Bioethics, Section of Legal Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Francesco Vito, 1, 00168, Rome, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThis study aimed to assess students' knowledge, awareness, and attitudes regarding forensic-medicine concepts taught during a Medicine and Surgery degree program at eight Italian universities. Additionally, the study aimed to evaluate the impact of the course on students' knowledge and attitudes toward choosing medical residency. MATERIALS AND

methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted through an anonymous web-based survey of medical students at eight italian universities. Descriptive, univariate, and logistic regression analyses were performed for the selected questions.

resultsThe survey was completed by 1022 students. Forensic medicine appears to be important for providing training in the fundamental concepts of forensic medicine, especially professional liability, defensive medicine, and forensic pathology. The descriptive and univariate analyses demonstrate that the course can assist students in choosing their specialisation school. The multivariate analysis highlighted the impact of the forensic medicine course on orienting students' choice of medical residency, increasing it by nine times after attending the course. In the logistic regression analysis of the influence of medical liability on the choice of medical residency, students recognised a doubled effect after attending the course. Finally, the perceived usefulness of the course was significantly higher after attendance.

conclusionsForensic medicine courses have the task of defining the duties and responsibilities of forensic physicians, providing indispensable tools for future medical practitioners regardless of their future specialisation, and limiting the increasing use of defensive medicine. In conclusion, it is imperative for governments to implement measures directed at diminishing the risk of burnout arising from the ongoing pressure associated with the fear of medicolegal litigation, encompassing both criminal and civil contexts.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelCareer ChoiceForensic MedicineHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeStudents, MedicalAdultCross-Sectional StudiesCurriculumFemaleHumansInternship and ResidencyItalyMaleSurveys and QuestionnairesUniversitiesYoung AdultForensic medicineMedical educationMedical liabilityResidency programsStudentsSurvey

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.