title: A survey of undergraduate teaching in anaesthesia.
abstract: Currently, no well accepted and clearly defined 'core' curriculum for undergraduate anaesthesia, teaching exists. To address this deficiency, we surveyed 73 university departments of anaesthesia and intensive care. Sixty-five replied from South-east Asia (12), Australasia (13), the UK and Ireland (28) and Canada (12). A questionnaire containing 37 items ranging from departmental structure to curriculum content was used. We found significant regional differences. Overall, most departments taught pharmacology of anaesthetic drugs (83%), pre-operative assessment (92%) and care of the unconscious patient (77%). Ninety-seven per cent taught airway management and intubation and 80% taught intravenous cannulation. Basic life support was taught by 92% and advanced life support by 71%. Fewer than half taught advanced trauma life support principles (44%). Critical care teaching was less well defined, but a consensus of schools taught respiratory failure and ventilation, management of circulatory shock and principles of sepsis and multi-organ system failure. Practical clinical skills were taught mainly using patients and simulators, 46% had a skills laboratory and six employed a resuscitation officer. However, it should be noted that we did not assess the quality and outcome of teaching.
authors: Department of Anaesthesia & Intensive Care, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin.
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Cheung
authors: L A
authors: LA
authors: Critchley
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Hazlett
authors: E L
authors: EL
authors: Wong
authors: T E
authors: TE
authors: Oh
mesh_terms: D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000193:education*; D001210:Asia, Southeastern; D001315:Australia; D002170:Canada; D003422:Critical Care; D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000193:education; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D009520:New Zealand; D006113:United Kingdom