Abstract
Background: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake has been suboptimal despite its demonstrated efficacy in reducing the risk of contracting HIV. This threatens to hinder efforts to suppress the HIV epidemic in the seven states with a disproportionate disease burden in the rural population. Medical education a determinant of PrEP access in the PrEP care continuum. However, information about osteopathic medical students’, especially those looking to serve a rural population, perceptions of what their part is in the is the PrEP care continuum is limited.
Objectives: The current study seeks to identify factors that shape osteopathic medical students’ perceived role in the PrEP care continuum at the patient-provider level, especially among those that wish to practice in rural communities.
Methods: Twenty-one semi-structured interviews were conducted (March 2019 – April 2020) to determine what influences osteopathic medical students’ perceived role in the PrEP care continuum at the level of patient-provider interactions. A grounded theory approach was used to identify emergent themes.
Results: Three main themes emerged when considering patient-provider interactions in our exploration of medical students’ perceived roles in the PrEP care continuum: (1) lack of adequate sexual health training in medical school, (2) students’ personal perceptions of who should be on PrEP and the consequences of PrEP use, and (3) ambiguity concerning which medical specialty should prescribe and manage PrEP.
Conclusion: Osteopathic medical schools should work to incorporate more inclusive and holistic sexual health and PrEP into standing curricula to address these barriers and better prepare osteopathic medical students for their future role in the PrEP care continuum.
Objectives: The current study seeks to identify factors that shape osteopathic medical students’ perceived role in the PrEP care continuum at the patient-provider level, especially among those that wish to practice in rural communities.
Methods: Twenty-one semi-structured interviews were conducted (March 2019 – April 2020) to determine what influences osteopathic medical students’ perceived role in the PrEP care continuum at the level of patient-provider interactions. A grounded theory approach was used to identify emergent themes.
Results: Three main themes emerged when considering patient-provider interactions in our exploration of medical students’ perceived roles in the PrEP care continuum: (1) lack of adequate sexual health training in medical school, (2) students’ personal perceptions of who should be on PrEP and the consequences of PrEP use, and (3) ambiguity concerning which medical specialty should prescribe and manage PrEP.
Conclusion: Osteopathic medical schools should work to incorporate more inclusive and holistic sexual health and PrEP into standing curricula to address these barriers and better prepare osteopathic medical students for their future role in the PrEP care continuum.
| Original language | American English |
|---|---|
| Pages | 34 |
| State | Published - 22 Feb 2021 |
| Event | Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences Research Days 2021: Poster presentation - Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences Campus, Tulsa, United States Duration: 22 Feb 2021 → 26 Feb 2021 |
Conference
| Conference | Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences Research Days 2021 |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | United States |
| City | Tulsa |
| Period | 22/02/21 → 26/02/21 |
Keywords
- HIV care continuum
- Sexual health
- Medical Education