Once Is Not Enough: Effective Strategies for Medical Student Education on Intimate Partner Violence

Training in intimate partner violence (IPV) improves health professionals’ knowledge and comfort regarding IPV; the optimal training frequency and format is unknown. We assessed how various types and amounts of IPV education for medical students affected knowledge and attitudes. Medical students at a large, urban university completed a survey concerning IPV-related knowledge and attitudes and participation in didactic and experiential IPV training activities. This was a one-time assessment. Of 586 students, 279 (48%) completed the survey. IPV-related knowledge increased with increased number of training activities. Knowledge and attitude scores were higher (p < .001) for respondents with experiential, versus only didactic, activities.