RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Awareness of medical law among health care practitioners in Saudi Arabia JF Saudi Medical Journal JO Saudi Med J FD Prince Sultan Military Medical City SP 954 OP 958 DO 10.15537/smj.2022.43.8.20210920 VO 43 IS 8 A1 Abdulelah S. Bin Shihah A1 Abdulrahman H. Alrashed A1 Khaled A. Al-Abduljabbar A1 Hassan A. Alamri A1 Mohammed Shafiq A1 Mayada N. Ahmed A1 Abdullah H. Alkhenizan YR 2022 UL http://smj.org.sa/content/43/8/954.abstract AB Objectives: To determine the level of awareness of medical law among healthcare practitioners and to identify factors that influence that level of awareness in Saudi Arabia.Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2020-2021 via a survey including 750 healthcare practitioners, from different specialties including all regions in Saudi Arabia. Participants included consultants, senior registrars, interns, and residents.Results: Majority of enrolled healthcare practitioners had poor awareness of medical law (approximately 97%). Only 1.5% had adequate awareness of medical law, and only 1.5% had moderate awareness. Factors associated with increased medical law awareness were the age group between 25 and 34, being from the central region, and having a clinical practice for less than 10 years p-value of <0.05.Conclusion: Awareness of medical law among healthcare practitioners is limited in Saudi Arabia. Professional medico-legal education should be part of required competencies for undergraduate and postgraduate levels of medical education. Health care practitioners must be educated with laws and regulations of practicing health professions in the country.