EKG analysis skills of family practice residents in the United Arab Emirates: a comparison with US data.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Concern has been raised about the electrocardiogram (EKG) analysis skills of family practice residents in the United States. This study examined EKG analysis skills of family practice residents, medical students, interns, and general practitioners (GPs) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a different environment.

METHODS: The measurement instrument was a set of 10 EKGs, used in a study of US family practice residents. Two of the EKGs were normal, and there were 14 clinical abnormalities in the remainder.

RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the correct diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction between US family practice residents and UAE family practice residents, medical students, or GPs. Interns' diagnoses were significantly poorer. The mean score for correctly identifying acute myocardial infarction and both normal EKGs was not significantly different between groups: 2.50 medical students, 2.35 interns, 2.58 UAE family practice residents, 2.67 FD, and 2.55 US family practice residents. However, the US family practice resident mean score of 11.26 for all 16 clinical findings was significantly higher than any group in the UAE: 5.35 medical students, 5.87 interns, 6.08 UAE family practice residents, 5.69 family physicians.

CONCLUSIONS: Difficulty in EKG interpretation transcends geographic boundaries, suggesting that new approaches to teaching these skills need to be explored. Improved EKG reading skills by family physicians are generally needed in both the United States and the UAE.