Survey on Endocrinology and Nutrition undergraduate teaching in Spain-2021

Objectives

Advances in endocrinology and nutrition (E&N) and the importance of its associated disorders require that its teaching within the medical degree meets adequate standards of quality and homogeneity Our objective was to expand the data on E&N undergraduate teaching in Spain.

Methods

We designed an observational, cross-sectional web-based study addressed to the coordinators of E&N teaching at the 42 faculties of medicine that had taught the subject during the 2020–2021 academic year.

Results

One in three faculties had a professor who was an E&N specialist, but less than half had a full professor of E&N. There is great variability in teaching programmes, although most of them dedicate 6 ECTS credits to the subject. Over two-thirds of the faculties maintain theoretical lessons with over 50 students per class. Most programmes dedicate between four and six hours to hypothalamic pituitary disorders, thyroid diseases and adrenal gland disorders. However, there is great variability in the time dedicated to diabetes and nutrition. In one-third of the faculties, students are not required to do a rotation in the E&N department. Teachers at the universities widely participate in undergraduate/master’s students’ final projects and master’s degree studies.

Conclusions

The E&N specialty maintains a good position within universities, but there is still great heterogeneity in the teaching structure of the subject.