Are Future Doctors Taught to Respond to Intimate Partner Violence? A Study of Australian Medical Schools

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among women of childbearing age. This study aimed to describe delivery of IPV education in Australian pre-vocational medical degrees, and barriers and facilitators influencing this delivery. Eighteen Australian medical schools offering pre-vocational medical degrees were identified. Two were excluded as they had not finalized new curricula. One declined to participate. At least one staff member from each of the remaining 15 schools completed a telephone survey. Main outcome measures included whether IPV education was delivered within the degree, at what stage, and whether it was compulsory; mode and number of hours..