Nationwide content analysis of undergraduate obstetrics and gynaecology clinical curricula in Turkish medical schools^*

Abstract

The aim was to perform a document content analysis of the subject titles in the undergraduate obstetrics and gynaecology (OG) curricula in Turkish medical schools regarding the National Core Curriculum revised in 2014 (NCC-2014). Two mini-focus group discussions with four voluntary OG faculty members in each session and one of the authors as the moderator were employed within a 1-week time frame to identify the primary (n = 36) and secondary (n = 15) NCC-2014 OG titles that were then compared for the alignment with the curricula of the various medical schools published on their website. The internet search and data analyses were each completed within 3 months. Overall, about 80% and 23% of primary and secondary OG topics were present in 54 medical schools, respectively. Teaching sessions on high-risk pregnancy and ovarian cancer were present in all of the curricula. Chromosomal disorders (11 schools), candidiasis/vaginal discharge (13 schools) and female sexual dysfunction (15 schools) were the least represented primary topics. None of the curricula had a title on neural tube defects or oncological emergencies. Obesity (one school), iron deficiency anaemia (four schools), genitourinary trauma (four schools) and domestic violence (four schools) were among the underrepresented secondary subject titles. This nationwide analysis revealed deficiencies in undergraduate OG core curricular content of the medical schools.

Impact Statement

• What is already known on this subject? The content alignment of undergraduate curricula with a standard core curriculum is essential.

• What the results of this study add? A nationwide content analysis of obstetrics and gynaecology curricula in 54 of the Turkish medical schools revealed deficiencies in the core curricular content, with none of the analysed curricula having a total alignment of the subject titles.

• What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? There is a need to ensure the fulfilment of the undergraduate obstetrics and gynaecology curriculum, either by a recognition scheme, inspection visits, external examiners, or by the national licence examinations.

Keywords:

• Core curriculum
• curriculum development
• education in obstetrics and gynaecology
• undergraduate obstetrics and gynaecology teaching

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

* Part of the data was presented as an abstract at the 14th National Congress of Turkish Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 5–9 October 2016, in Antalya, Turkey and at the 10th National Congress of Medical Education, 9–12 May 2018, in Izmir, Turkey.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Akdeniz University Scientific Research Commission under grant number [TYL-2014-76].