Medical students’ perspectives on sepsis and antimicrobial resistance: findings from a multicenter cross-sectional survey

Objective. To evaluate level of knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) concerning sepsis and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among medical students in the Russian Federation. Materials and Methods. A multicenter, cross-sectional survey was conducted among students from six medical universities using a validated questionnaire (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.74) developed based on the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) model. Results. The study included 1052 respondents, comprising 315 (29.9%) males and 737 (70.1%) females, with a median age of 22 [21; 24] years. The primary sources of information on sepsis and AMR for students were academic curricula and the internet. A dissonance was identified between students’ self-assessed competence and their objective knowledge. Self-assessed competence in sepsis and AMR progressively increased with the year of study. Compared to the first year, the likelihood of positive self-assessment significantly increased in the third year (OR = 2.69; 95% CI: 1.35–5.46), fourth year (OR = 3.82; 1.83– 8.18), fifth year (OR = 4.40; 2.07–9.43), and sixth year (OR = 8.95; 4.17–19.86). Significant intercourse differences were found between the second and third (p = 0.03), third and sixth (p < 0.001), and fourth and sixth (p = 0.01) years. The most substantial knowledge gaps were identified in awareness of modern diagnostic criteria for sepsis and the use of early warning scores (qSOFA and SOFA). Spearman’s correlation analysis revealed weak inter-domain correlations: between knowledge and attitudes (r = 0.19), knowledge and practices (r = 0.03), and attitudes and practices (r = 0.09). Possession of a prior secondary medical education did not have a significant effect on outcomes. Conclusions. The findings demonstrate systemic deficiencies in medical students’ knowledge of sepsis and AMR. A notable disparity exists between high self-perceived competence and the actual level of knowledge. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices were found to be independent components in the development of a future physician, necessitating targeted educational interventions for each domain. The identified issues are of particular relevance, as sepsis and AMR represent critical global health challenges that impact all fields of clinical medicine and exert a substantial negative effect on patient outcomes.