Understanding Barriers to Nanotechnology Education in Medical Specialty Programs: A Qualitative Nominal Group Study Among Postgraduate Students.

Abstract

Introduction: Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising field of study, aiming to revolutionize healthcare through the innovative development of drugs, diagnostic tools, and medical devices. As a result, healthcare professionals in training are constantly faced with the challenge of understanding and applying these emerging technologies. The objective of this study is to determine the factors to consider for including the teaching of nanotechnological tools in medical specialty postgraduate programs.

Methods: A study based on the Nominal Group Technique (NGT) was conducted to identify the factors that promote and hinder the implementation of nanotechnology in certain postgraduate programs where nanotechnology is employed, such as Internal Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, Family Medicine, and Clinical Pharmacology at the School of Medicine of Universidad de La Sabana. A framework analysis was used to analyze the collected data.

Results: Based on the two research questions, several aspects were identified for the inclusion of nanotechnology in the medical practice of specialties. Key challenges include lack of knowledge and resource availability, misinformation, and lack of knowledge, as well as paradigmatic analysis as the main obstacles to the use of nanotechnology.

Conclusion: The findings provide a first-time study on nanotechnology curricula within medical specialty programs in Colombia, with potential extrapolation to similar situations in other medical schools. These insights can inform the global development of medical education curricula by highlighting the need for structured nanotechnology training, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and addressing resource and knowledge gaps to prepare future healthcare professionals for advancing medical technology worldwide.