Are tomorrow’s doctors ready to donate? Insights into medical students’ knowledge and attitudes on stem cell donation: a cross-sectional study

Stem cell donation (SCD) is essential to expanding donor pools for hematopoietic transplantation, yet the knowledge and educational needs of medical students remain insufficiently characterized. This study assessed medical students’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours regarding stem cell donation. This cross-sectional study was conducted during the 2024–2025 academic year at the Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep University (Turkey). A questionnaire assessed sociodemographic characteristics and SCD-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. A total of 378 students (aged 18–34 years; 60.1% female) participated. Overall, 2.1% reported having donated stem cells and 38.9% intended to donate. 19% had received prior SCD training. The mean knowledge score was 14.67 ± 5.92 out of 27 (54.3%). Knowledge was higher among clinical-phase than preclinical students (p < 0.001), among those who had received training (p = 0.005), and among those willing to receive training (p = 0.009). Reluctance to donate was most often attributed to anticipated pain (20.6%) and concerns about adverse effects (13.8%); 47.9% would donate only to family members if needed. Medical students demonstrated low-to-moderate knowledge with clear, teachable gaps. Integrating targeted early-phase modules and awareness activities into the curriculum may improve knowledge and willingness to donate, supporting donor recruitment efforts.