Assessment of senior medical students in the field of COPD (ASCO project). Update 2016

The aim of study is to estimate the knowledge of medical students at the senior courses of higher schools in the key aspect of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Materials and methods . The multicentre study (ASCO project) was conducted in the Russian Federation in 5 cities (Belgorod, Voronezh, Chelyabinsk, Krasnodar u0026 Saratov) in 2014-2016, 190 senior (5th-6th grade) medical students were tested. The knowledge of key aspects of COPD (according to GOLD-guidelines) such as definition, pathogenesis, diagnostics and treatment was evaluated through the means of a questionnaire consisting of 12 single-choice questions. Results: . The average level of correct answers totaled 56,0% and varied from 21,6% to 76,3% in different centers. The most difficult questions were related to an appropriate assertion regarding COPD treatment or control (21,6% of correct answers), the classification of COPD severity (39,5%), management of COPD with low risk u0026 more symptoms (42,1%). The best results were shown when defining COPD as a disease (72,1%) and symptoms allowing to establish COPD diagnosis (76,3%). Conclusion: . Despite the availability of training and scientific literature in COPD field the level of knowledge in this area cannot be admitted as satisfactory. The level of incorrect answers to basic questions reaches 44,0% in certain centers. Thus COPD subject must be studied more thoroughly in medical higher schools.