title: Vaccine Education of Medical Students: A Nationwide Cross-sectional Survey.
abstract: Physicians play a primary role in vaccination of the population. Strong initial training of medical students is therefore essential to enable them to fulfill this role. This cross-sectional nationwide online survey conducted between September 2015 and January 2016 obtained 2,118 completed surveys from 6,690 eligible respondents (response rate, 32%) at 27 of 32 medical schools in France regarding their education about vaccination. The data were analyzed in April-June 2016. The survey covered their knowledge, attitudes, practices, and perceptions, and assessed their level of perceived preparedness for their future practice as interns. Around a third of the students (n=708, 34%) felt insufficiently prepared for questions about vaccination, especially for communicating with patients on side effects (n=1,381, 66%) and strategies to respond to vaccine hesitancy (n=1,217, 58%). The mean knowledge score was 26/45 (SD=7.9). Lecture courses, which are the main education method used in French medical schools (1,891/5,660 responses, 33%), were considered effective by only 11% of students (693/6,155 responses), whereas practical training was significantly associated with better perceived preparedness (p<0.001). In conclusion, education about vaccination during medical school in France is not optimal. Methods based on practical learning methods (case-based learning, clinical placements, and other hands-on methods) appear to produce the best results and must be favored for improving students' preparedness.
authors.affiliation: Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France; Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Fédération d'infectiologie, CIC Cochin Pasteur, Hôpital Cochin, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Solen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kernéis
authors.affiliation: CHRU de Nancy, Service de Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Nancy, France.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jacquet
authors.affiliation: CHRU de Nancy, Département d'Information Médicale, Nancy, France; Université́ de Lorraine, Laboratoire SPI-EAO, Nancy, France.
authors.forename: Aurélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bannay
authors.affiliation: CHRU de Nancy, Service de Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Nancy, France; Université de Lorraine, EA 4360 APEMAC, Nancy, France.
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: May
authors.affiliation: Université Paris Descartes, Paris, France; Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Fédération d'infectiologie, CIC Cochin Pasteur, Hôpital Cochin, Paris, France; F-CRIN-I-REIVAC.
authors.forename: Odile
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Launay
authors.affiliation: F-CRIN-I-REIVAC; INSERM, URM912 (SESSTIM), Marseille, France; Aix Marseille Université, UMR_S912, IRD, Marseille, France; ORS PACA, Observatoire Régional de la Santé Provence-Alpes-Côte d׳Azur, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Verger
authors.affiliation: CHRU de Nancy, Service de Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Nancy, France; Université de Lorraine, EA 4360 APEMAC, Nancy, France; F-CRIN-I-REIVAC; Antibiolor, Nancy, France. Electronic address: celine.pulcini@univ-lorraine.fr.
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pulcini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004501:Education, Medical; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D012577:Schools, Medical; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014611:Vaccination; D055815:Young Adult