title: [Knowledge of physical and rehabilitation medicine among physicians and medical students in Poland].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (PRM) since 1959 has been a basic medical specialty in Poland. Recently PRM is practiced by around 1,12% of professionally active physicians in Poland. Due to specificity and unfavorable health care regulations PRM may be inadequately perceived by the medical profession in Poland.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Evaluation of basic knowledge of PRM in PRM trainees, non-PRM specialists and medical students in Poland.
  
  
  METHODS
  500 respondents (225 non-PRM specialists--NPRMS, 61 PRM trainees--PRMT and 214 medical students who accomplished undergraduate education in PRM--MS) underwent testing with an anonymous questionnaire elaborated at Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary and modified at Medical University of Warsaw, Poland. SELECTED RESULTS: 404 (80,8%) respondents (88.3% MS; 68.9% NPRMS and 98.3% PRMT) perceived PRM as a basic medical specialty. 49.1% of MS, 47.1% of NPRMS and 73.4% of PRMT noticed the leading role of a PRM physician in comprehensive rehabilitation of persons with exemplary disabilities. 408 (81.6%) participants (77.6% MS, 82.2% NPRMS and 93.4% PRMT) knew who was eligible to refer a patient to PRM physician. Rate of disabled persons in Poland was properly reported by 330 (66%) participants (63.1% MS; 69.3% NPRMS and 63.9% PRMT). Correct definition of disability was given by 256 (51.2%) respondents (65%) MS, 33.8% NPRMS and 67.2% PRMT), whereas 200 (40%) participants (43.5% MS; 31.1% NPRMS and 60.7% PRMT were familiar with the definition of PRM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Poor knowledge of PRM role in health care system among MS and NPRMS and Low awareness of cardinal PRM issues among PRMT reflects inadequate undergraduate and postgraduate education in PRM, disadvantageous healthcare system solutions and misleading information in mass media in Poland. Education on PRM role in a contemporary healthcare should be urgently improved.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tederko
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krasuski
authors.forename: Izabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nyka
authors.forename: Zoltan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Denes
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D010810:Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D010819:Physician's Role; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011044:Poland; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*