title: Medical student views on interactions with pharmaceutical representatives.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In 2006, the Housestaff Association presented the Dean at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) with a proposal to effectively end the influence of the pharmaceutical industry on campus. The Dean convened a workgroup to examine the issue, and faculty, residents, and medical students were surveyed on their views and interactions. Authors present here the responses from medical students.
  
  
  METHODS
  A web-based, anonymous survey was sent to all OHSU medical students in 2007; 59% completed it. The survey included items measuring attitudes about the pharmaceutical industry and interactions with pharmaceutical representatives (PRs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only 5% of clinical and 7% of preclinical students agreed that PRs have an important teaching role, and fewer than 1 in 6 believed that PRs provided useful and accurate information on either new or established drugs; 54% of clinical students indicated that PRs should be restricted from making presentations on campus, versus 32% of preclinical students, and only 30% of clinical students agreed that accepting gifts had no impact on their own prescribing, versus 50% of preclinical students. Students who acknowledged the influence of PRs and perceived less educational benefit were less likely to accept gifts such as textbooks; however, 84% of clinical students had attended an on-campus event sponsored by a pharmaceutical company in the previous year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Only a small proportion of OHSU medical students value interactions with PRs, but many still attend events sponsored by pharmaceutical companies.
authors: Portland Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA. linda.ganzini@va.gov
authors: Linda
authors: L
authors: Ganzini
authors: Zunqiu
authors: Z
authors: Chen
authors: Dawn
authors: D
authors: Peters
authors: Sahana
authors: S
authors: Misra
authors: Madison
authors: M
authors: Macht
authors: Molly
authors: M
authors: Osborne
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Keepers
mesh_terms: D001290:Attitude; D016265:Conflict of Interest; D004345:Drug Industry; D037921:Gift Giving / Q000941:ethics*; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D040541:Marketing / Q000941:ethics*; D009922:Oregon; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires