Objective: A major emphasis of the Healthy People 2010 prevention agenda is eliminating health disparities. Important focus areas within this agenda include increasing access to quality health services and decreasing tobacco use. Synergy among all healthcare providers is required to achieve maximum results from this agenda. Today's medical students, the physicians of tomorrow, are one group among those seeking to influence public health. The objective of this study was to explore medical students' views on the importance of a variety of contemporary health policy issues and to describe the forces shaping those views.
Methods: A survey posing questions regarding national health policy issues was distributed to and collected from 228 medical student leaders attending a national meeting in June 1999.
Results: Universal health coverage was ranked third in importance among a provided list of contemporary health policy issues; tobacco control legislation was ranked sixth in importance. Expanding healthcare access to minority and underprivileged patients was one of a number of important health policy issues independently suggested by respondents. The American Medical Association was respondents' primary source of national health policy information.
Conclusions: Medical students recognize the importance of several public health issues emphasized in the Healthy People 2010 initiative. Many policy issues of importance were not noted, suggesting a need for increased awareness of public health policy issues among medical students. Recognizing the forces shaping medical students' views of national health policy and increasing their awareness of public health issues will positively impact future national preventive health agendas.
Learning Objectives: "At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to: 1. List contemporary health policy issues of importance to medical students." 2. List sources from which medical students currently receive national health policy information." 3. Discuss ways of shaping medical students' views towards current and emerging national health policy issues."
Keywords: Public Health Policy, Education
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.