PURPOSE
Training on the identification and screening of intimate partner violence
(IPV) in patients is often unaddressed in undergraduate medical education. At
the Medical College of Georgia (MCG), an IPV screening workshop was developed
for first-year students in April 2023 to address this gap prior to entering
clerkship rotations.
METHODS
Since 2023, an annual workshop was implemented for approximately 200
first-year MCG students as part of the patient-centered learning curriculum
over three separate days. Developed in collaboration with a SANE-A nurse
practitioner and a local domestic violence center, the curriculum integrates
IPV epidemiology, validated screening tools, a live clinical demonstration
and available survivor resources. Students were assessed pre- and post-
workshop through a modified "Physician Readiness to Manage Intimate
Partner Violence Survey" with seven-point Likert scales for opinions and
perceptions and multiple choice knowledge items. Data was analyzed through
paired t-tests.
RESULTS
In our 2023 pilot, 148 students (out of 205 participants) completed
pre/post-surveys. Of 125 students that provided gender, 125 (69%) were
female. Results demonstrated significant improvement in knowledge
(p<0.001) and perception of physicians’ responsibility to address IPV
(p<0.001). Additionally, this workshop significantly improved students’
perceptions of readiness to assist individuals in addressing IPV situations
(p<0.001). Students rated the workshop as highly useful (6.04/7) and of a
high quality (6.02/7). As of 2025, the current workshop has been adjusted to
include a guest speaker, standardized patient encounters, and badge cards
with compiled regional resources by satellite campus.
CONCLUSIONS
This comprehensive first-year workshop provides a well-rounded introduction
to the IPV screening process through inclusion of a survivor testimony,
Q&A with a SANE-A nurse, and standardized patient encounters. Future
workshops will included pre-recorded standardized patient encounters to
minimize inter-workshop variability. Future goals include expanding the
curriculum to satellite medical campuses and sessions during the clerkship
and enrichment phases.