Abstract
PURPOSE: We sought to determine if a medico-legal educational curriculum designed to increase physicians' familiarity with the legal system in a nonthreatening environment-a didactic and interactive educational seminar-would positively influence learners' knowledge base and self-awareness. METHODS: Because neither the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education nor its Residency Review Committees specifically addresses medico-legal liability education, we designed a 2-day intensive medico-legal educational curriculum and piloted it in 2007 and 2008 at a large academic tertiary-referral medical center. Postcurriculum evaluations and precurriculum and postcurriculum testing were used to identify areas of common and/or persisting knowledge deficit. RESULTS: A total of 50 graduating residents, fellows, and community practitioners participated in the course. Common areas of knowledge deficit were "privilege," "discovery," statutes of limitations, and basic legal procedure. Discordance in physician interpretation of patient perspective and misunderstanding among physicians of the impact of the legal suit were evident. CONCLUSIONS: Concentrated legal education at selected times during medical training may support physicians' motivations to improve the assurance of quality and continuity of care. We continue to revise the curriculum to address issues of lecturer style, lecture content, and overall attitudinal values related to clinical practice, legal education, long-term impact on practice patterns, job satisfaction and its effect on attention to quality and continuity-of-care issues, and health care provider attitudes about the provider's role within the legal system and the community. We plan to conduct follow-up of participants to assess retention and subsequent use of this knowledge.