Understanding medical students’ knowledge, attitudes, and preparatory needs for future prescribing of long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis

Injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) offers a novel approach to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention and may increase accessibility for people vulnerable to HIV acquisition. However, effective implementation will require that healthcare providers are aware and knowledgeable of injectable PrEP. One avenue to increasing awareness and knowledge among healthcare providers is to educate future providers during their medical education. From June to August 2022, we conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with medical students (N = 32) to better understand their perceptions and attitudes toward injectable PrEP, as well as their preparatory needs for prescribing injectable PrEP in the future. Thematic analyses highlighted two primary domains: (1) Perceptions of injectable PrEP and (2) Preparatory educational needs for prescribing injectable PrEP in the future. Expansive themes centered around low injectable PrEP awareness and knowledge, concerns about the accessibility of injectable PrEP, patient-centered benefits of injectable PrEP, interest in developing patient-provider communication skills, desire for comprehensive education about injectable PrEP and its prescribing practices, and preferences for enhanced learning about injectable PrEP. Results from this study suggest medical students desire specific, patient-centred educational opportunities to prescribe injectable PrEP in the future. Understanding these preparatory needs will assist with developing innovative training opportunities centred on HIV prevention and treatment.