Medical Students Comfort Level in Differentiating & Treating Unipolar Versus Bipolar Depression
Location
Moody
Proposal Track
Research Project
Session Format
Presentation
Abstract
Background: Depression is one of the leading causes of premature death and disability. However, both unipolar and bipolar depression are still underdiagnosed and undertreated in in many care settings. The aims of this study were to assess 1) medical students’ level of confidence and knowledge in diagnosing and treating depression before and after psychiatry clerkship, 2) assess students’ knowledge in differentiating unipolar versus bipolar depression.
Methods: Third year medical students at Augusts University performed an online survey to assess comfort and knowledge in diagnosing and treating unipolar and bipolar depression.
Results: Students who completed Psychiatry clerkship (PC) were statistically significantly more comfortable/confident with diagnosing (p
Conclusion: Students who completed PC were more confidence in diagnosing and treating unipolar depression compared to those who did not. However, there were no statistically significant different between students who had completed PC and those who had not for making the correct diagnosis of bipolar depression, but both groups did not have a very high percentage of correct diagnosis.
Keywords
Medical student education, Mood Disorders, Depressive Disorders, Unipolar Depression, Bipolar depression
Recommended Citation
YOUSSEF, NAGY A. 7216963, "Medical Students Comfort Level in Differentiating & Treating Unipolar Versus Bipolar Depression" (2017). Georgia Educational Research Association Conference. 50.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/gera/2017/2017/50
Medical Students Comfort Level in Differentiating & Treating Unipolar Versus Bipolar Depression
Moody
Background: Depression is one of the leading causes of premature death and disability. However, both unipolar and bipolar depression are still underdiagnosed and undertreated in in many care settings. The aims of this study were to assess 1) medical students’ level of confidence and knowledge in diagnosing and treating depression before and after psychiatry clerkship, 2) assess students’ knowledge in differentiating unipolar versus bipolar depression.
Methods: Third year medical students at Augusts University performed an online survey to assess comfort and knowledge in diagnosing and treating unipolar and bipolar depression.
Results: Students who completed Psychiatry clerkship (PC) were statistically significantly more comfortable/confident with diagnosing (p
Conclusion: Students who completed PC were more confidence in diagnosing and treating unipolar depression compared to those who did not. However, there were no statistically significant different between students who had completed PC and those who had not for making the correct diagnosis of bipolar depression, but both groups did not have a very high percentage of correct diagnosis.
