Brief report: needlestick injury and inadequate post-exposure practice in medical students.

Background: Medical students are at a particularly high risk for needlestick injury and its consequences because of their relative inexperience and lack of disability insurance.

Objective: To determine the risk of needlestick injury and the use of post-exposure prophylaxis among medical students.

Design: Internet-based survey.

Participants: The 2003 graduating medical school class at the University of Toronto.

Measurements: Number of needlestick injuries, circumstances surrounding those incidents, and post-exposure actions.

Results: The response rate was 88% (157/178). Over one third (55/157) of respondents suffered at least 1 needlestick injury. In more than half the high-risk injuries, the students continued working and did not seek medical advice. Six students who suffered a needlestick injury began prophylactic human immunodeficiency virus medications. Of those students who suffered an injury, 15% had purchased disability insurance prior to the incident.

Conclusions: Poor use of post-exposure procedures and a lack of disability insurance leave medical students at high risk for career and life-altering consequences from a needlestick injury.