title: Internal medicine interns have a poor knowledge of peripheral artery disease.
abstract: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is common and carries an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. The level of knowledge among incoming medical trainees about PAD is unknown. During orientation to a single internal medicine residency program, incoming medical interns were given a 19-question multiple-choice questionnaire. The questions fell into 1 of 4 categories about PAD: (1) prevalence, (2) screening, (3) treatment, and (4) outcome. Sixty-two incoming interns were queried. The percentage of questions answered correctly overall was 41.7% (10.5%-73.7%). The percentage of questions answered correctly in the prevalence, screening, treatment, and outcome groups were 48.9% (0 to 100%), 33.8% (0 to 80%), 45.0% (0 to 87.5%), and 42.5% (0 to 100%), respectively. Internal medicine interns have poor knowledge about PAD including its prevalence, screening, treatment, and outcomes. Increased education during medical school is encouraged.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10467, USA.
authors.forename: Aron I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Schwarcz
authors.forename: Aimee
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quijano
authors.forename: Jeffrey W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Olin
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Ostfeld
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000193:education*; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States