An Evaluation of Knowledge regarding Surgical Treatment of Obesity among Final Year Medical Students and Recent Graduate Physicians from King Abdulaziz University

This article was migrated. The article was not marked as recommended. Aim: To determine level of knowledge of medical students and recent graduates' physicians regarding the possibility of surgical treatment for obesity. Background: Over the last few decades, the development of bariatric surgery has been observed. Which represents currently the only permanent and comprehensive method for the treatment of obese patients. However, knowledge about the possibility of surgical procedures among general practitioners is not sufficient. That might be due to lack of knowledge about bariatric surgery in university curriculum. Methods: We administered a cross-sectional survey among 298 medical students and recent graduates physicians from King Abdulaziz University. The survey was conducted to evaluate their knowledge regarding methods of surgical treatment of obesity, and to evaluate the amount of information on metabolic surgery provided to students during surgery courses. Result: Theoretical knowledge in the surgical treatment of obesity was possessed by 82% of medical students and 17.4% of interns. Results revealed a low level of knowledge on the possibility of applying metabolic surgery in treating morbid obesity. Most of participants expressed a need to improve their knowledge and favorably expanding the curriculum to include more information on the subject of metabolic surgery. Conclusion: The knowledge and awareness of weight loss surgery among medical student and recent graduates in KAU is inadequate, and need to be improved .