• DOI:10.1080/01421590801946970
• Corpus ID: 23465440

Teaching medical students about medically unexplained illnesses: A preliminary study

@article{Friedberg2008TeachingMS,
  title={Teaching medical students about medically unexplained illnesses: A preliminary study},
  author={Fred Friedberg and Stephanie J Sohl and Peter J Halperin},
  journal={Medical Teacher},
  year={2008},
  volume={30},
  pages={618 - 621}
}

• F. Friedberg, S. Sohl, P. Halperin
• Published 1 January 2008
• Medicine, Psychology
• Medical Teacher

Background: This study examined how an interactive seminar focusing on two medically unexplained illnesses, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and fibromyalgia, influenced medical student attitudes toward CFS, a more strongly stigmatized illness. Methods: Forty-five fourth year medical students attended a 90 minute interactive seminar on the management of medically unexplained illnesses that was exemplified with CFS and fibromyalgia. A modified version of the CFS attitudes test was administered immediately before and after the seminar. Results: Pre-seminar assessment revealed neutral to slightly favorable toward CFS. At the end of the seminar, significantly more favorable attitudes were found toward CFS in general (t (42) = 2.77; P < 0.01) and for specific items that focused on (1) supporting more CFS research funding (t (42) = 4.32; P < 0.001; (2) employers providing flexible hours for people with CFS (t (42) = 3.52, P < 0.01); and (3) viewing CFS as not primarily a psychological disorder (t (42) = 2.87, P < 0.01). Thus, a relatively brief exposure to factual information on specific medically unexplained illnesses was associated with more favorable attitudes toward CFS in fourth year medical students. Conclusion: This type of instruction may lead to potentially more receptive professional attitudes toward providing care to these underserved patients.