Medical Students’ Knowledge and Adherence to Paediatric Choking Rescue Manoeuvre Guidelines : A Multicentre Study of Medical Education Curricula

Background/Objectives: Bystander first aid in paediatric choking is crucial. It ought to be universally comprehensible and backed up by evidence-based guidelines. However, there still are inconsistencies in guidelines worldwide. The objective of this research was to assess the knowledge of medical students on paediatric choking rescue manoeuvres and their educational backgrounds in order to evaluate the impact of differences in educational curricula. Methods: Medical students from a total of 12 universities across Canada, Libya, and Poland were surveyed online. The questionnaire assessed the respondents’ experience, training, and knowledge in first aid regarding foreign body airway obstruction in infants and children. Results: Out of 324 responses, 290 were evaluated. Although the students studied in only 3 countries, they represented 37 countries of origin. A total of 7 new reference groups were created based on guideline identification. A comparison of 4 clinical scenario questions revealed that certain training providers communicate recommendations more effectively to medical students, as their guidelines seem to have better knowledge retention. Conclusions: There are important differences in medical student knowledge, possibly due to discrepancies in training programs and guidelines. Variability was found in body position, anti-choking suction devices, blind finger sweeps, and medical follow-ups. More research is needed to standardize training and improve worldwide choking management outcomes.