Survey of training in toxicology in medical schools
One of the problems that OP sufferers encounter when they approach the medical profession for help is the apparent lack of understanding on the part of the medical professionals of the nature of the disease.
A survey of 24 medical schools reported in the British Medical Association's 1992 report Pesticides, Chemicals and Health found that the amount of time devoted to teaching toxicology in a course for new medical students ranged between one and ten hours, and two of the schools provided no training at all. OPIN decided to see how the situation has changed over the past 12 years. On 22 January 2004 we wrote to 31 medical schools in the UK to ask about their policy on training medical students in toxicology. The text of the letter is here.
Analysis of replies
At 31 March 2004 eight medical schools had replied. The main points to emerge are:
- all responders except one provide basic training in toxicology
- we had no specific information except for one responder in reply to our question about the number of hours given to training in toxicology
- several responders said that, with the increasing pressure on curriculum time and the volume of knowledge increasing so rapidly, it was more appropriate to teach students how to find information and expertise on a particular subject rather than to attempt to increase the amount of didactic teaching
- two responders said specifically that they welcome the existence of independent resources which provide access to information for doctors
See here to read the replies.