Poster Session III

Abstract

P325 Teaching of cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation in European medical schools 2009:results of a first institutional survey P Marques-Vidal, H Saner University Hospital Center Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland, Bern University Hospital, Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, Bern, Switzerland Topic: Health services research Background:Little is known regarding the teaching of cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation (CVP&R) in Europe. Design: cross-sectional institutional survey. Methods: A questionnaire was sent to 376 European medical schools, 44 National Cardiology Societies, 31 Heart Foundations and 32 National Medical Associations. Results: One hundred and twenty medical schools (32% response rate) answered. Forty-three postgraduate courses on CVP&R were provided in 32 (27%) schools. The median number of students was 25 (range: 4 140) and themedian number of teaching hours was 72 (range: 3 518). The topics most frequently taught were cardiovascular risk factors (86%), physical activity (81%), global risk estimation and smoking cessation (both 74%). For the 26 countries for which data was available, 14 (54%) had postgraduate teaching on CVP&R but only three (12%) provided continuous medical education on the topic. Teaching was aimed essentially at cardiologists; in two countries, internists, neurologists and other health professionals (nurses, paramedics) could also attend CVP&R postgraduate courses. Conclusion: teaching of CVP&R is low in European medical schools, and the courses provided differ considerably between countries and schools. There is a great need to provide a minimal educational framework to ensure adequate training in CVP&R throughout Europe.