engleski

Abbreviations - Do Medical Students Know What They are Talking about?

Objectives: To determine how well do medical students know often used informatical and medical abbreviations, to determine whether there is a difference in knowing medical to informatical abbreviations. To assess the actual knowing of the meaning from mere recognizing of the concept represented by an abbreviation. Furthermore, to determine the influence of gender, average grade, knowledge of english language and computer skills on knowing of abbreviations and to determine the liability of student's answers by inserting a nonexisting abbreviation. Subjects and Methods: A total of 153 fifth and sixth year medical students at Rijeka University school of medicine have been surveyed. The survey consisted of questions on gender, year of enrollement, average grade, knowledge of english language and computer skills. Student's knowledge on medical and informatical abbreviations was examined. For each of 8 informatical, 5 medical and one non existing abbreviation, 3 answers were offered. The answers were supposed to distingush between 1.knowledge, 2.recognition and 3.ignorance. The answers were examined regarding gender, average grade, length of studying, year of study, knowledge of english language and computer skills. Results: All students statistically better know medical than informatical abbreviations (P<0, 001). 28% of students claim to recognize the term represented by senseless abbreviation. Knoweledge of english language had no influence on the level of knowledge of informatical nor medical abbreviations. Conclusion: Medical students significantly better know the meaning of medical towards informatical abbreviations. Informatical abbreviations are recognized merely as a term they represent. Due to growing developement of informatical technology and it's presence in medicine it is important to know the original meaning of often used abbreviations.

abbreviations; medical students; medical education; medical informatics; medical school

Autorica Iva Španjol-Pandelo je osvojila nagradu za najbolji rad kongresa u konkurenciji 94 rada iz 10 zemalja.