Difficulty in identifying and eliciting information on domestic abuse is exacerbated by social, economic, and cultural factors. Study of the relationships between race/ethnicity/culture and domestic violence must be incorporated into both research and medical school curricula to sensitize students and enable them to develop skills for detecting,…

A survey of Virginia's three medical schools and their affiliated residencies found considerable variation in curricula concerning family violence. About one-fourth of residency programs had some curriculum content on specific domestic violence topics (child abuse, battered women, elder abuse). Faculty (n=27) with expertise in family violence were…

Suggests that changes in the structure of medical education can contribute to creating a health care system that helps end domestic violence. Medical educators can provide training experiences that foster understanding of complex social issues and development of cooperative skills, help students integrate them into routine practice, and model…

Argues that services and systems are needed to support medical students and faculty as they learn about domestic violence, particularly to help individuals deal with their own and others' personal attitudes, feelings, and reactions to patients who have suffered abuse. Complex issues to be considered in preparing medical students and faculty are…