Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40571293›Full record

ArticleThe clinical teacher2025

A Medical Student Curriculum on Functional Medical Disorders.

Mohsin F Butt, Daniele Scotto, Christopher G S Gilmartin, Arkadeep Dhali, Sherif Gonem, Sumeet Singhal, Tanya M Monaghan, John Frain, Maura Corsetti

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in The clinical teacher, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. 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

9 authors.

Mohsin F ButtNIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and the University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-0859-6470
Daniele ScottoNIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and the University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
Christopher G S GilmartinNIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and the University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-5845-9429
Arkadeep DhaliNIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and the University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-1794-2569
Sherif GonemNIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and the University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
Sumeet SinghalNIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and the University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.
Tanya M MonaghanNIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and the University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-7622-3997
John FrainNIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and the University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-8812-1389
Maura CorsettiNIHR Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and the University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-2957-4684

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFunctional medical disorders (FMDs) refer to persistent physical symptoms that cause impairment or disability, but which cannot be explained by routine medical testing. Negative perceptions towards FMDs exist amongst a variety of healthcare professionals, including medical students. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a course addressing FMDs for medical students in their first year of clinical training, which was integrated within the formal medical school curriculum. APPROACH: A multidisciplinary team of eight healthcare professionals delivered seven teaching sessions, each two hours in length, over six weeks. The curriculum was delivered via a combination of didactic teaching, small group tutorials and sessions with simulated patients. Pre- and post-course validated questionnaires assessed knowledge of, attitudes towards and confidence around irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Students undertook a two-station objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), which assessed their ability to take a clinical history from and communicate a diagnosis to simulated patients with IBS and fibromyalgia. EVALUATION: Twenty-seven students completed the pre- and post-course surveys, which demonstrated an increase in knowledge of FMDs at course conclusion (88.89% vs. 57.50%, p < 0.001). Students' confidence ratings increased in all (100%) domains relating to FMDs: pathophysiology, symptoms, investigations for diagnosis and communicating a diagnosis (p < 0.001, all analyses). There was a statistically significant improvement in attitude ratings towards FMDs in 11 of 12 (91.7%) questions. All (100%) students passed the OSCE. IMPLICATIONS: A course integrated within the formal medical school curriculum may be a helpful way to improve knowledge and reduce stigma around FMDs.

Indexed as

CurriculumEducation, Medical, UndergraduateStudents, MedicalClinical CompetenceFemaleFibromyalgiaHumansIrritable Bowel SyndromeMaleSurveys and Questionnairescurriculum developmentfunctional medical disordersmedical education

Identifiers

PMID40571293
PMCPMC12202073

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.