Complementing the Education of Medical Residents Core Curriculum on the Issue of Prematurity

To achieve its' goal of increasing awareness of the rising incidence of premature birth and its impact on public health, the March of Dimes Arizona Chapter provided a grant to Midwestern University in Phoenix to educate future health care providers about the issue of prematurity. A pre and post-test was used to evaluate knowledge gained after viewing a Prematurity DVD developed by the March of Dimes. Post-test scores were significantly better than pre-test scores with a knowledge increase of 34.5% among DO students and 42% among PA students. To continue enhancing prematurity knowledge, the University of Arizona Medical School was approached about incorporating the DVD into the third year Residency program and Masters of Public Health program. The goal was to complement the objectives outlined in the Council on Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology's “A Core Curriculum in Obstetrics and Gynecology”. The objective is to educate medical residents on the issue of prematurity, complement curriculum objectives, and increase prematurity awareness of future health care providers and professionals. An evaluation will show that medical students and MPH students' knowledge of prematurity is significantly increased after viewing the DVD. Recently, the Institute of Medicine report “Preterm Birth: Causes, Consequences and Prevention”, recognized that any significant gains made in the study of preterm birth will be in the area of prevention. It is anticipated that these students will retain this knowledge and awareness as they enter the medical field and help to make an impact on decreasing the number of preterm births