Aim: To establish which musculoskeletal conditions are deemed to be the most important in clinical practice. To use this information to inform the development of a new musculoskeletal curriculum, with emphasis on common and relevant conditions.
Methods: A survey listing 29 musculoskeletal conditions was sent to 150 doctors in Auckland, New Zealand. Doctors from 5 specialties, including general practice, were asked to score each condition on a rating scale from 0 to 7, to determine which conditions were perceived to be the most important as encountered in day-to-day clinical practice.
Results: The overall response rate to the survey was 36% and this was predominantly due to the low response rate from general practitioners. Fifteen conditions were given average ratings of 4.5/7 or greater and the top 5 of these were as follows: prolapsed intervertebral disc, hip fracture, mechanical back pain, gout at the great toe and osteoarthritis of the hip.
Conclusion: This study has used a consensus approach to identify specific musculoskeletal conditions deemed to be the most important in clinical practice. The information obtained can be used for designing a contemporary and relevant musculoskeletal medical curriculum.