title: Medical Students' Views and Knowledge of the Affordable Care Act: A Survey of Eight U.S. Medical Schools.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is not known whether medical students support the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or possess the knowledge or will to engage in its implementation as part of their professional obligations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To characterize medical students' views and knowledge of the ACA and to assess correlates of these views.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional email survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  All 5,340 medical students enrolled at eight geographically diverse U.S. medical schools (overall response rate 52% [2,761/5,340]).
  
  
  METHODS
  Level of agreement with four questions regarding views of the ACA and responses to nine knowledge-based questions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of respondents indicated an understanding of (75.3%) and support for (62.8%) the ACA and a professional obligation to assist with its implementation (56.1%). The mean knowledge score from nine knowledge-based questions was 6.9 ± 1.3. Students anticipating a surgical specialty or procedural specialty compared to those anticipating a medical specialty were less likely to support the legislation (OR = 0.6 [0.4-0.7], OR = 0.4 [0.3-0.6], respectively), less likely to indicate a professional obligation to implement the ACA (OR = 0.7 [0.6-0.9], OR = 0.7 [0.5-0.96], respectively), and more likely to have negative expectations (OR = 1.9 [1.5-2.6], OR = 2.3 [1.6-3.5], respectively). Moderates, liberals, and those with an above-average knowledge score were more likely to indicate support for the ACA (OR = 5.7 [4.1-7.9], OR = 35.1 [25.4-48.5], OR = 1.7 [1.4-2.1], respectively) and a professional obligation toward its implementation (OR = 1.9 [1.4-2.5], OR = 4.7 [3.6-6.0], OR = 1.2 [1.02-1.5], respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of students in our sample support the ACA. Support was highest among students who anticipate a medical specialty, self-identify as political moderates or liberals, and have an above-average knowledge score. Support of the ACA by future physicians suggests that they are willing to engage with health care reform measures that increase access to care.
authors.affiliation: Internal Medicine & Pediatrics (Med-Peds) Residency Program, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware St SE, Variety Club Research Center - Suite 131, MMC 913, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA, wink0137@umn.edu.
authors.forename: Tyler N A
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Winkelman
authors.forename: Lisa Soleymani
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Lehmann
authors.forename: Navjyot K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Vidwan
authors.forename: Meredith
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Niess
authors.forename: Cynthia S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Davey
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Donovan
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cofrancesco
authors.forename: Mia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mallory
authors.forename: Sandi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moutsios
authors.forename: Ryan M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Antiel
authors.forename: John Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D018166:Health Care Reform; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008511:Medicine; D058991:Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012577:Schools, Medical; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult