Investigating undergraduate medical education on myalgic encephalomyelitis/ chronic fatigue syndrome

Cardiff University medical student Victoria Alice Reid & Dr Nina Muirhead surveyed 94 students from more than 16 medical schools across the UK. 35% of the students did not know what ME/CFS was and 88% said that the disease had not been covered in their course so far. 89% of participants wished to learn more about ME/CFS, specifically through e-learning and videos.

“ME/CFS is not just yet another disease to add to overburdened curricula, it is unique in that there is a worsening of repeat cardiovascular exercise physiology, and exacerbation of disease symptoms on exertion. Patients with ME/CFS are an exception because the usual advice to exercise could cause harm.”

Research abstract:

Background and Objectives:

ME/CFS is a poorly understood, highly stigmatised condition which significantly reduces patients’ quality of life. ME/CFS had been identified as a gap in many health professionals’ knowledge, therefore this research aims to explore the understanding of ME/CFS amongst UK medical students.

Methods:

An online survey developed using Redcap was distributed to participants who were recruited via social media or via medical societies’ emails. The participants were undergraduate UK medical students.

Results:

94 students completed the survey from more than 16 medical schools. 35% of the students did not know what ME/CFS is and 88% say that the disease has not been covered in their course so far. 89% of participants would like to learn more about ME/CFS, specifically through e-learning and videos.

Discussion:

Participants were generally unaware of ME/CFS and its symptoms and had not received relevant teaching or exposure to the disease. Education on ME/CFS within undergraduate UK medical schools is currently inadequate and the interest expressed by students in this survey demonstrates a new teaching opportunity for UK medical schools.

“The Covid pandemic raised awareness of Long Covid and ME/ CFS at the time of the survey, which may have made students more interested in participating.”

in The British Student Doctor Vol 6 No.1 2022, Published 1 Dec 2022