Role of wound clinic teaching in the undergraduate medical curriculum

Chronic wounds are an increasing cause of morbidity in Western countries with ageing populations. Medical education curriculum of undergraduate medical students should reflect this concern through effective teaching of wound healing and appropriate management of patients with chronic wounds. On the basis of available literature it is evident that at present education in chronic wounds is lacking in the undergraduate medical curriculum. The present study was undertaken to assess the level of knowledge and confidence about management of the chronic wound among students and interns. The results revealed that most of them felt that they had inadequate knowledge of best practice in chronic wound care before attending the wound clinic, and most agreed that attendance at a wound clinic was a useful learning opportunity. This study confirms that short placement in a dedicated wound clinic, with delivery of a structured teaching model, is an effective method of learning about appropriate wound management and, therefore, should be integrated into the undergraduate medical curriculum