EC Gynaecology

Objective: To systematically review student utilization of medical informatics and its integration in the undergraduate medical education system.

Introduction: The need for medical informatics integration in curricula has been suggested as essential given the expansion of technology into health care. The structure of such instruction will need to complement current health care practices while enhancing patient outcomes. Attempts at integrating modules and electives have been carried by various institutions. However, no compilation of the efforts or their value has been reported for the purpose of enhancing current curricula.

Methods: Five databases were used (PubMed/OVID, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science). Inclusion criteria included articles published between 1990 and June 2021. MeSH terms and key words (available in Appendix A) in titles and abstracts included health informatics, clinical informatics, informatics training, medical student, medical school, undergraduate medical education (UME), pre-clerkship education, clinical clerkship, clinical education, clinical apprenticeship, or foundational science course/curricula. The review yielded evidence of 20 peer reviewed and relevant articles.

Results: Four themes were identified: (A) Informatics education in medical schools, (B) Medical student ability to utilize medical informatics/technology, (C) Medical student interactions with electronic health records, (D) Adoption of informatics in medical students' assessment. However, no description of a formalized curriculum, whether longitudinal or otherwise, was noted.

Conclusion: Efforts to integrate informatics in medical school curricula have been limited and unaligned. A prospective focus may require ensuring the integration of formal objectives that are devised by a national licensing body.

Keywords: Curriculum; Informatics; Medical Education; Medical Records; Medical Students; Systematic Review

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