title: Medical students' experiences with and perceptions of chronic illness prior to medical school.
abstract: Concerns have been expressed about the failure of the medical curriculum to address the health-care needs of the chronically ill. It has been shown in the literature that medical students develop cynicism and negative feelings towards chronic illness as they progress through their training, perhaps as a result of the attitudes and frustrations of their teachers. What has been inadequately addressed are the experiences with and perceptions about chronic illness that medical students have before entering medical school. Some recommendations are made for curriculum changes based on the findings reported.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Fitzpatrick
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: O'Donnell
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Getson
authors.forename: O J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Sahler
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Greenberg
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*