title: The knowledge of Polish medical students about surgical treatment of obesity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Surgical treatment of morbid obesity is becoming an increasingly important approach for the treatment of this condition. However, knowledge about the possibility of surgical procedures among general practitioners is far from satisfactory. The source of the problem might be due to a lack of information about bariatric surgery in university curriculum.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed the knowledge of students from four Polish medical universities. The survey was conducted among 468 students, in their sixth (final) year of study. The survey included two parts-the first nine questions assessed of the level of the students' knowledge about the methods of surgical treatment of obesity, and the following three questions allowed for an evaluation of the amount of information on metabolic surgery provided to students during surgery courses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results demonstrate a low level of knowledge on the possibility of applying metabolic surgery to treat morbid obesity. The students themselves expressed a need to improve their knowledge and favorably assessed the proposition of expanding the curriculum to include more information on the subject of metabolic surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The awareness of surgical treatment for morbid obesity among medical students should be improved. The development of an interesting curriculum that is based on current guidelines should be undertaken.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of General Surgery, Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum, Kopernika 21 Street, Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matłok
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of General Surgery, Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum, Kopernika 21 Street, Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pędziwiatr
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of General Surgery, Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum, Kopernika 21 Street, Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Major
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Education, Jagiellonian University Medical Collegium Medicum, Sw. Łazarza 16 Street, Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nowakowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Education, Jagiellonian University Medical Collegium Medicum, Sw. Łazarza 16 Street, Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rubinkiewicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Military Institute of Aviation Medicine, Krasińskiego 54/56 Street, Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wyleżoł
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of General Surgery, Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum, Kopernika 21 Street, Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Budzyński
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of General Surgery, Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum, Kopernika 21 Street, Cracow, Poland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Budzyński
keywords: Bariatric surgery; Metabolic surgery