VCOM Research Day Program Book 2023

Medical Student Research Publ ic Health

01 How Naloxone Training Creates More Compassionate Physicians by Destigmatizing First-Year Medical Students Towards Opiate Overdose

Katlyn M. Logsdon, OMS IV; Hunter C. Funk, BS, OMS IV; Theresa J. McCann, BS, MPH, PhD Corresponding author: klogsdon@vt.vcom.edu

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine-Virginia Campus

the White Coat Ceremony for new medical students. Those who participated in training were invited to voluntarily submit pre- and post-training surveys. These 42-question surveys were constructed from two previously validated surveys to assess the trainees in the following domains: competence, readiness, concern, and stigma. The pre- and post-survey results were compared using totals and percentages for demographic variables and chi-square statistical analysis of Likert Scale responses. This paper discusses the analyses of the stigma domain. Results: Through the student-led initiative, the entire VCOM-Virginia Class of 2024 completed naloxone training. Of the 180 students trained, 73.3% (N=141) and 56.1% (N=105) submitted pre- and post training surveys, respectively. The mode shifted from 2 to 1 after training. Chi-square analysis comparing the stigma domain responses before and after training resulted a statistically significant p-value (p <.001).

Context: The rising incidence of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and opioid-related deaths within the United States led public health officials to declare a national opioid epidemic. Naloxone, the only drug approved to reverse opioid overdose, has become a mainstay of harm reduction efforts. Despite learner friendly training and the acquisition of a life-saving skill, naloxone training has yet to become a standard in medical education. Objective: To promote the importance of incorporating naloxone training into first-year medical education, focusing on how it impacts the views toward OUD stigma in the perspective of aspiring physicians. Methods: As the first-year medical students of the VCOM-Virginia Class of 2024 matriculated, upperclassmen introduced a student-led virtual initiative to train students in naloxone use prior to

Conclusion: This study showed naloxone training was associated with the destigmatization of OUD in the perspective of aspiring physicians. By implementing naloxone training early in their curricula, medical schools can bolster their ability to produce knowledgeable, compassionate physicians ready to tackle the drug crisis.

154