A cross-sectional study of genomic knowledge comfort, attitudes, ethical and educational perspectives on precision medicine among medical students in Ecuador.
Danna Vera, Anna Miroslava Šefcová, César Marcelo Larrea-Álvarez, Marco Larrea-Álvarez
{"title":"A cross-sectional study of genomic knowledge comfort, attitudes, ethical and educational perspectives on precision medicine among medical students in Ecuador.","authors":"Danna Vera, Anna Miroslava Šefcová, César Marcelo Larrea-Álvarez, Marco Larrea-Álvarez","doi":"10.1007/s12687-026-00943-2","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Precision medicine is increasingly transforming clinical practice, yet its effective implementation depends on adequately trained healthcare professionals.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study assessed genomic knowledge comfort, attitudes, ethical perceptions, and educational perspectives regarding precision medicine among medical students in Samborondón, Greater Guayaquil, Ecuador.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional survey was conducted between August and November 2025 using a structured questionnaire. A total of 340 students participated. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, including non-parametric tests and Spearman correlation, were performed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants demonstrated relatively high but uneven genomic knowledge comfort (median 81.3%) and positive attitudes toward precision medicine (65.6%), alongside moderate ethical (62.5%) and educational perception scores (68.8%). While students strongly recognized the importance of precision medicine, perceived preparedness remained limited. Lower confidence was observed in advanced topics such as pharmacogenomics and next-generation sequencing. Ethical concerns were more pronounced at the societal level, particularly regarding health inequities, rather than individual risks. Correlation analyses revealed generally weak associations across domains, with only a moderate relationship between ethical and educational perceptions.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These outcomes highlight a gap between acceptance and readiness, suggesting fragmented competency development. Strengthening curricula through integrated, applied, and context-specific training is essential to support effective implementation of precision medicine in low- and middle-income settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":46965,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Community Genetics","volume":"17 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8000,"publicationDate":"2026-09-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13550394/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Community Genetics","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s12687-026-00943-2","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q4","JCRName":"GENETICS & HEREDITY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Precision medicine is increasingly transforming clinical practice, yet its effective implementation depends on adequately trained healthcare professionals.
Objective: This study assessed genomic knowledge comfort, attitudes, ethical perceptions, and educational perspectives regarding precision medicine among medical students in Samborondón, Greater Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between August and November 2025 using a structured questionnaire. A total of 340 students participated. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, including non-parametric tests and Spearman correlation, were performed.
Results: Participants demonstrated relatively high but uneven genomic knowledge comfort (median 81.3%) and positive attitudes toward precision medicine (65.6%), alongside moderate ethical (62.5%) and educational perception scores (68.8%). While students strongly recognized the importance of precision medicine, perceived preparedness remained limited. Lower confidence was observed in advanced topics such as pharmacogenomics and next-generation sequencing. Ethical concerns were more pronounced at the societal level, particularly regarding health inequities, rather than individual risks. Correlation analyses revealed generally weak associations across domains, with only a moderate relationship between ethical and educational perceptions.
Conclusion: These outcomes highlight a gap between acceptance and readiness, suggesting fragmented competency development. Strengthening curricula through integrated, applied, and context-specific training is essential to support effective implementation of precision medicine in low- and middle-income settings.
期刊介绍：
The Journal of Community Genetics is an international forum for research in the ever-expanding field of community genetics, the art and science of applying medical genetics to human communities for the benefit of their individuals.
Community genetics comprises all activities which identify persons at increased genetic risk and has an interest in assessing this risk, in order to enable those at risk to make informed decisions. Community genetics services thus encompass such activities as genetic screening, registration of genetic conditions in the population, routine preconceptional and prenatal genetic consultations, public education on genetic issues, and public debate on related ethical issues.
The Journal of Community Genetics has a multidisciplinary scope. It covers medical genetics, epidemiology, genetics in primary care, public health aspects of genetics, and ethical, legal, social and economic issues. Its intention is to serve as a forum for community genetics worldwide, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries.
The journal features original research papers, reviews, short communications, program reports, news, and correspondence. Program reports describe illustrative projects in the field of community genetics, e.g., design and progress of an educational program or the protocol and achievement of a gene bank. Case reports describing individual patients are not accepted.
求助内容：
应助结果提醒方式：
京公网安备 11010802042870号
