Comparing the knowledge and awareness of diabetes mellitus among pre-clinical and clinical medical students

Abstract

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a collection of metabolic illnesses characterised by hyperglycaemia caused by abnormalities in insulin production, insulin action, or both. It has become an epidemic, and in 2021 about 536.6 million people are living with DM. Aims: The objective of this study is to assess knowledge among preclinical and clinical year medical students in a private medical institution in Malaysia regarding DM. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of medical students was conducted on a designated questionnaire. Students were divided into two groups (pre-clinical and clinical groups) for analysis. Results: A total of 72 students participated, with 33.3% (24 students) from the preclinical group and 66.7% (48 students) from the clinical group. Over 87.5% of students correctly identified diabetes as a metabolic disorder, 90.6% knew the pancreas produces insulin, and 84.4% recognized the main insulin target+ organ. Common symptoms recognized included polyuria (79.2%), polydipsia (71.9%), polyphagia (61.5%), and delayed wound healing (75%), while pruritis vulvae was less frequently identified (11.5%). Both pre-clinical (100%) and clinical groups (95.8%) were aware of diabetes risk factors (p<0.001), and knew it is preventable (pre-clinical: 95.8%, clinical: 91.7%, p<0.001). Knowledge of diabetes screening was reported by 50% of pre-clinical and 43.8% of clinical students (p<0.001). Only 46.9% of students knew the World Health Organization (WHO) diagnostic criteria for diabetes (p<0.001), and 5% believed diabetes does not always require medication (p<0.001). Conclusion: The findings underscore the importance of continuous curriculum development and clinical immersion to optimize medical education outcomes related to diabetes care.