Abstract
Problem: Despite that shared decision-making (SDM) is considered a meaningful and effective concept, the implementation of SDM into practice remains as yet insufficient, requiring support from medical education. As a prerequisite for the development of specific curricula, the current importance of SDM in medical education and its further demand had to be assessed from assistant lecturers in the field of medical psychology.
Methods: In the context of a survey by the teaching committee of the German Society of Medical Psychology (DGMP), the current and desired importance of shared decision-mak-ing in medical education was assessed from assistant lecturers by using questions with open and dichotomous response formats as well as visual analog scales.
Results: Results can be reported from 25 of 33 institutes (rate of return: 75.8%). In 12 institutes SDM is already a subject. Its current importance has been rated with a mean of 4.4 on a scale from 0 to 10, though the desired importance is higher (mean 5,3). With regard to didactic methods for the implementation of SDM in medical education, role play, standardized patients and participation of real patients were mentioned as necessary. As well, there is a need for teaching materials e.g. texts and video documents.
Conclusion: Although the concept of SDM has already been an issue in medical education, a desired increase of importance of the topic can be stated as well as a need for teaching materials. Based on these results, curricula for SDM in medical education will be developed and implemented through funding by the German Ministry of Health.
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