Current status of General Pathology training in Spain

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

One of the core subjects in university training of the physicians has been General Pathology. Responsibility for this has historically fallen on Internal Medicine specialists. However, we are unaware if this situation is currently maintained.

METHODS

A questionnaire was sent to the coordinators of the subject of the 39 Spanish medical schools to know, among other things, the current denomination of the subjects (traditionally known as «General Pathology»), number of credits, teaching activities included in the subject and number and specialty of the professors responsible for it. Some data from the medical schools that did not respond were obtained from their web pages.

RESULTS

A total of 28 of the 39 (72%) medical schools existing in Spain answered the survey. The current denomination of the subject «General Pathology» varied greatly. The mean number of credits (one credit=20-25 h) was 11.2 (range 3 to 29). In 22 of 34 schools (65%), the subject was taught in the third year of the studies, but in 21% of the schools, it was partially and in 15% of the schools, totally, taught in the second year. More than half of the professors (54%) who taught the subject were Internal Medicine specialists, although this responsibility was shared with other specialists in a large proportion.

CONCLUSIONS

Teaching of General Pathology shows a marked heterogeneity that does not seem to be due to teaching or pedagogic criteria among the different schools of Spain. These facts may be due to less presence in the university setting of Internal Medicine compared to other specialties.