[Undergraduate education on chronic wound care at German medical schools--the role of surgical disciplines].
BACKGROUND
In response to the problem of chronic wounds, we decided to investigate the status of chronic wound care in undergraduate medical programs in Germany.


METHODS
The deans of medical schools in Germany and all relevant instructors of dermatology, surgery, internal medicine and general medicine, pathology and health care of the elderly at 32 universities in Germany were asked to fill out a questionnaire.


RESULTS
The mean teaching time is 7 hours [0.75-16.5]. The lessons covered clinical entities such as venous ulcer (21 %), diabetic (18 %) and arterial ulcer (12 %), decubital ulcers (13 %), ulcers with vasculitis (11 %), burns (9 %) and neoplastic ulcers (4 %), or others (12 %). The respective material is taught in approximately two-thirds as a lecture and one-third in seminars and practical sessions. Only in 6 % of the cases a practical examination is performed.


CONCLUSIONS
Undoubtedly 7 hours of teaching on chronic wound care are not sufficient. Stringent coordination of the medical education at each university and practical examinations may improve student education.
Werdin
F
F
Klinik für Hand, Plastische, Rekonstruktive und Verbrennungschirurgie, BG-Unfallklinik Tübingen, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen.
Fischer
A
A
Schaller
H-E
HE
Schönfisch
B
B
Rennekampff
H-O
HO
D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014945:Wound Healing; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000628:therapy*