Assessment of electrocardiogram interpretation skills among Polish and English Division medical students

Introduction. An electrocardiography (ECG) examination is one of the most frequently performed diagnostic tests. The correct interpretation of ECG, particularly in life-threatening scenarios (LTS) can influence decision-making on appropriate actions and so consequently can have an impact on the life and health of patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate ECG interpretation skills among a study population and to analyse factors determining their score. Material and methods. ECG interpretation skills were assessed using a self-prepared questionnaire including questions about demographic data and 20 ECG problems arising from 17 cases. Six of these cases were LTS. Three questions evaluated basic understanding of heart rhythm, heart rate and axis. The survey was conducted via the internet. The study population consisted of 551 medical, nursing and emergency medicine students. Results. The overall score among Polish medical students was higher than among nursing and emergency medicine students. English Division medical students scored almost the same as Polish medical students. Assessed in LTS, they performed better than the nursing students, but achieved similar results to those of the emergency medicine students. Analysis of Polish medical students showed that 4th-6th year students scored higher than their younger counterparts. 72% of medical students claimed to have self-educated themselves on ECG interpretation. This group had better results than students who had studied ECG only in the classroom. Less than 20% of students from each category of the study population felt that there were enough classes on ECG. Conclusions. The level of ECG interpretative skills noted among medical students is unsatisfactory. Many factors influence ECG knowledge.