Resumen

PEREZ-RENDON, José Gabriel et al. Child abuse topic in undergraduate and postgraduate medical curriculum in Mexico. Acta pediatr. Méx [online]. 2015, vol.36, n.2, pp.61-71. ISSN 2395-8235.

Background: In Mexico, an estimated of 1 in 10 children suffer some type of abuse but only 1 in 100 is detected and treated. One possible reason may be that health professionals are not adequately trained and/or sensitized to detect and refer cases causing underreporting of cases. Objective: To determine whether the topic of child abuse is included or not in the curricula of undergraduate medical education and medical residencies in the Mexico's National Medical Specialties Program. Materials and methods: We searched for information about child abuse subject inclusion in course structure and contents of curricula of certified undergraduate medical education schools and all 78 medical residencies certified by the National Autonomous University of Mexico during 2008. Results: A) Undergraduate medical education: of the 76 certified medical schools, full version of the curriculum was obtained in 20 (28.5%). Child abuse related contents were found in 6 cases (30% of analyzed curriculums). In all of them, contents were mandatory, on-site and were situated in the fourth (n = 3) and fifth year (n = 3). In every case the subject issue was taught in the pediatrics course and in one case it was also included in forensic medicine and medical psychiatry courses. B) Medical residency training programs: Child abuse subject was included only in 7 specialties (8.97%, 4 specialties and 3 subspecialties). In two academic programs the topic appears in the 2nd year while in the other 4 the contents were located in 1st year. In other program, the year in which that content would be learned was not specified. The study of the contents was mandatory, on-site and located in a section of the graduate academic programs named "health care seminar". Conclusions: According to the obtained information, in Mexico, child abuse appears to be poorly considered in medical curriculum of both undergraduate and postgraduate medical residencies. In view of the large extent of child abuse phenomenon and the unique opportunity of physicians to be the first to detect and refer these cases, it is necessary to include this subject in all medical education programs nationwide.

Palabras llave : medical education; child abuse; domestic violence; pediatrics.

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