Syphilis and Medical Education: what medical students know about this condition

Resumen

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a group of diseases that are highly prevalent worldwide and therefore represent a major global public health challenge. Syphilis is a condition that belongs to this broad group of STIs because, in addition to being transmitted through intrauterine routes (which occur during pregnancy, when the infectious agent crosses the placental barrier and reaches the fetus), intrapartum routes (which occur during labor and delivery, mainly through contact of the newborn with infected maternal blood, secretions, or tissues), and postnatal routes (which occur after birth through exposure to maternal secretions or, for some agents, through breastfeeding), it can also be acquired through sexual contact with an infected individual. In this study, the knowledge of medical students from the first to the eighth semester of the Medical School at Christus University Center regarding syphilis and its characteristics will be assessed and compared. This is a quantitative, cross-sectional, and descriptive study in which a questionnaire about syphilis was developed to be administered to medical students at Christus University Center (Unichristus). Subsequently, the results will be compared to assess the potential need for new educational tools to address this infection among medical students. Thirty-three medical students participated in the study. Overall, satisfactory knowledge about syphilis was observed, particularly regarding its transmission and etiological agent. However, gaps were identified in the recognition of clinical manifestations, diagnostic tests, and disease progression. The results reinforce the importance of strengthening syphilis education during undergraduate medical training, with the aim of improving the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of the disease.