Assessment of forensic medicine education impact on medical students' knowledge and specialisation attitudes: a multicenter analysis from Italian universities

Giovanni Aulino; Francesco Ausania; Paolo Fais; Giovanni Cecchetto; Davide Ferorelli; Silvia Damiana Visonà; Flavia Beccia; Stefania Boccia; Antonio Lanzone; Luca Morini; Guido Viel; Francesco Ventura; Alessandro Dell'Erba; Giancarlo Di Vella; Domenico De Leo; Antonio Oliva

doi:10.1007/s00414-024-03352-7

Assessment of forensic medicine education impact on medical students' knowledge and specialisation attitudes: a multicenter analysis from Italian universities

Int J Legal Med. 2024 Nov 19. doi: 10.1007/s00414-024-03352-7. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Giovanni Aulino¹, Francesco Ausania², Paolo Fais³, Giovanni Cecchetto⁴, Davide Ferorelli⁵, Silvia Damiana Visonà⁶, Flavia Beccia⁷, Stefania Boccia^{7

8}, Antonio Lanzone⁹, Luca Morini⁶, Guido Viel⁴, Francesco Ventura^{10

11}, Alessandro Dell'Erba⁵, Giancarlo Di Vella¹², Domenico De Leo², Antonio Oliva¹³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Surveillance and Bioethics, Section of Legal Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Francesco Vito, 1, 00168, Rome, Italy. giovanni.aulino@unicatt.it.
² Unit of Forensic Medicine, Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Piazzale L.A. Scuro, 10, 37134, Verona, Italy.
³ Unit of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Via Irnerio 49, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
⁴ Department of Cardiac, Thoracic, Vascular Sciences and Public Health, Unit of Legal Medicine and Toxicology, University of Padova, Via Falloppio 50, 35100, Padova, Italy.
⁵ Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Interdisciplinary Medicine, Aldo Moro University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
⁶ Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, Unit of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
⁷ Section of Hygiene, University Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
⁸ Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health - Public Health Area, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
⁹ Unit of Obstetrics and Obstetric Pathology, Department of Woman and Child Health and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
¹⁰ Department of Forensic and Legal Medicine, University of Genova, Via De' Toni 12, 16132, Genova, Italy.
¹¹ Legal Medicine Unit, Policlinico San Martino Hospital, Genova, Italy.
¹² Dipartimento di Scienze della Sanità Pubblica e Pediatriche, Sezione di Medicina Legale, Università Degli Studi di Torino, Corso Galileo Galilei 22, 10126, Torino, Italy.
¹³ Department of Health Surveillance and Bioethics, Section of Legal Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo Francesco Vito, 1, 00168, Rome, Italy.

PMID: 39560726
DOI: 10.1007/s00414-024-03352-7

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to assess students' knowledge, awareness, and attitudes regarding forensic-medicine concepts taught during a Medicine and Surgery degree program at eight Italian universities. Additionally, the study aimed to evaluate the impact of the course on students' knowledge and attitudes toward choosing medical residency.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted through an anonymous web-based survey of medical students at eight italian universities. Descriptive, univariate, and logistic regression analyses were performed for the selected questions.

Results: The survey was completed by 1022 students. Forensic medicine appears to be important for providing training in the fundamental concepts of forensic medicine, especially professional liability, defensive medicine, and forensic pathology. The descriptive and univariate analyses demonstrate that the course can assist students in choosing their specialisation school. The multivariate analysis highlighted the impact of the forensic medicine course on orienting students' choice of medical residency, increasing it by nine times after attending the course. In the logistic regression analysis of the influence of medical liability on the choice of medical residency, students recognised a doubled effect after attending the course. Finally, the perceived usefulness of the course was significantly higher after attendance.

Conclusions: Forensic medicine courses have the task of defining the duties and responsibilities of forensic physicians, providing indispensable tools for future medical practitioners regardless of their future specialisation, and limiting the increasing use of defensive medicine. In conclusion, it is imperative for governments to implement measures directed at diminishing the risk of burnout arising from the ongoing pressure associated with the fear of medicolegal litigation, encompassing both criminal and civil contexts.

Keywords: Forensic medicine; Medical education; Medical liability; Residency programs; Students; Survey.