Knowledge and awareness toward surgical treatment of epilepsy among medical students at Umm Al-Qura University

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate knowledge and awareness toward surgical treatment of epilepsy among medical students at Umm Al-Qura University. METHODS: A survey composed of 10 questions was distributed to medical students concerning surgical neurological disorders. It was used to collect data from 401 samples. Questions addressed general knowledge of epilepsy surgery and drug-resistant epilepsy, students’ attitude toward epilepsy surgery, and techniques. The chi-square test was utilized. RESULTS: The familiar surgical techniques were lobectomy (11.2%), followed by hemispherotomy (8.2%). The term “drug-resistant epilepsy” was known to 24.4%. More than half of the students 259 (64.6%) would refer patients with drug-resistant epilepsy to a neurosurgeon and neurologist, knowledge and awareness of epilepsy surgery were high for 30.7% of students. Statistically, significant relationship was observed between the level of awareness and academic years (p = 0.000131). CONCLUSIONS: Medical students have a positive attitude toward epilepsy surgery. Students are less aware of drug resistance in epilepsy. Knowledge and awareness were better among students at higher levels. We conclude that highlighting the importance of epilepsy surgery should be continued. Moreover, additional educational effort should be invested in expressing the term drug-resistant epilepsy.