Knowledge gaps regarding polycystic ovary syndrome/polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome among medical students: a cross-sectional study

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorders affecting women of reproductive age and is associated with reproductive, metabolic, and psychological complications. Despite its high prevalence, awareness and knowledge levels regarding PCOS may remain insufficient. This study aimed to assess medical students’ knowledge and awareness regarding PCOS/PMOS using a multidimensional approach covering definition, diagnosis, case-based knowledge, and treatment/management. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among students at the Faculty of Medicine, Balıkesir University, during the 2025–2026 academic year. Of 311 students who participated, 308 had valid year-of-medical-education data and were included in year-stratified analyses. Data were collected using a 40-item questionnaire covering four subcategories: definition, diagnosis, case-based knowledge, and treatment/management. Among the 308 students with valid year-of-medical-education data, 217 were female (70.5%) and 266 reported prior awareness of PCOS/PMOS (86.4%). The most frequently reported information source was school (35.1%), followed by social media (19.5%) and personal health experience (15.9%). The total questionnaire score range was 0–160, and internal consistency was excellent for the total scale (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.929). Exploratory principal component analysis showed excellent sampling adequacy (KMO = 0.933), and six retained components explained 55.4% of the total variance. Median total mean item scores increased across years of medical education, from 2.35 [IQR 2.11–2.64] in Grade 1 to 3.23 [IQR 2.94–3.40] in Grade 5. Kruskal–Wallis tests showed significant differences across years of medical education for the total score and all domain scores (all p < 0.0001). Female students had higher total knowledge scores than male students (median 2.80 vs. 2.67, p = 0.0202), and primary information source was significantly associated with total and domain-specific scores. Medical students demonstrated overall moderate-to-high PCOS/PMOS-related knowledge, but diagnostic and case-based knowledge required further reinforcement. These findings suggest that structured teaching should emphasize diagnostic criteria, differential diagnosis, case-based application, and evidence-based interpretation of health information. Integrating case-based and problem-based educational strategies may help strengthen students’ applied knowledge without implying that clinical reasoning performance was directly measured.