Yale University

Tobacco education and counseling in obstetrics and gynecology clerkships: a survey of medical school program directors.

TitleTobacco education and counseling in obstetrics and gynecology clerkships: a survey of medical school program directors.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2011
AuthorsPowers, Catherine A., Jane Zapka, Sharon Phelan, Tulin Özcan, Katie Brooks Biello, Joseph O'Donnell, and Alan Geller
JournalMaternal and child health journal
Volume15
Issue8
Pagination1153-9
Date Published2011 Nov
ISSN1573-6628
KeywordsAdministrative Personnel, Clinical Clerkship, Counseling, Data Collection, Gynecology, Health Education, Humans, Obstetrics, Schools, Medical, Smoking Cessation, United States
AbstractThe 16,000 medical students completing OB/GYN clerkship programs each year provide a unique opportunity to motivate and mentor students in facilitating tobacco cessation. To determine the scope of current tobacco teaching in obstetrics/gynecology (OB/GYN) education at US medical schools and to assess opportunities for including new tobacco teaching, a 28-question survey was administered to directors and assistant directors at US medical school OB/GYN clerkship programs. Surveys were completed at 71% of schools. Only 9% reported having at least 15 min of dedicated teaching time for improving tobacco cessation skills. Nearly three-fourths of respondents reported teaching students how to intervene to reduce smoking during a work-up in the OB/GYN clinic, but only 43% reported that students would know where to refer someone wishing to quit. Only a third of respondents reported teaching students both to intervene with and refer OB/GYN patients who smoke. These findings suggest that although medical students see many OB and GYN patients who smoke, they have few opportunities to learn comprehensive cessation skills during their clerkships.
DOI10.1016/j.amepre.2009.08.027
Alternate JournalMatern Child Health J

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