Validity of OSCE Evaluation Using the FLEX Model of Blended Learning

Background@#For OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) scoring, medical schools must bring together many clinical experts at the same place, which is very risky in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. However, if the FLEX model with the properties of self-directed learning and offline feedback is applied to OSCE, it is possible to provide a safe and effective evaluation environment for both universities and students through experts’ evaluation of selfvideo clips of medical students. The present study investigated validity of the FLEX model to evaluate OSCE in a small group of medical students. @*Methods@#Sixteen 3 rd grade medical students who failed on OSCE were required to take a make-up examination by videotaping the failed items and submitting them online. The scores between original examination and make-up examination were compared using Paired Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test, and a post-hoc questionnaire was conducted. @*Results@#The score for make-up examination was significantly higher than those for original examination. The significance was maintained even when the score was compared by individual domains of skills and proficiency. In terms of preference, students were largely in favor of self-videotaped examination primarily due to the availability of self-practice. @*Conclusion@#The FLEX model can be effectively applied to medical education, especially for evaluation of OSCE.

Influence of Family Communication and Family Function to their Body Mass Index among Medical Students / 의료커뮤니케이션

BACKGROUND: Association between obesity and family communication was a controversial issue in previous studies. Previous studies were done on adolescents and adults in overall. This study was done to figure out association between obesity of medical school students specifically and their family function including communication and to help them on the treatment of obese patients.METHODS: A self-reported questionnaire was filled in by 97 medical school students in Busan. They were asked to answer forty different questions including their height and weight. Association between BMI and family communication was studied using FACE III, Family APGAR and KOBES.RESULTS: Among 97 correspondents, 30 of them were found to be overweight to obese. There was a significant difference in number of siblings, amount of food intake, meal time and recent weight reduction trial among overweight-obese group and normal group. The mean Family APGAR score of normal group was higher than overweight-obese group. Flexibility and connectivity score in FACE III of normal group was also higher than overweight-obese group. Among all the factors considered, recent weight reduction trial was the only factor that was statistically significant in accordance with normal weight.CONCLUSION: There was significant relation between flexibility and connectivity of family function with overweight and obesity. In order to investigate further relation and significance on separate gender, larger study samples are needed. Future studies are suggested regarding gender differences on relationship between overweight-obesity and family function in medical school students.

The Correlation between Hemoglobin A1c and Common Carotid Artery Intima Medial Thickness of Both Genders with Less Than 6.5% HbA1c Based on Ultrasound Measurement

BACKGROUND: The glycemic control in diabetes is well known to arouse a medical risk of macrovascular regions. This study aimed for exploring the relationship between carotid artery intima media thickness (IMT) and the risk triggers of macrovascular diseases in the group of glycated hemoglobin value less than 6.5%. METHODS: The subjects were made of 336 health-check examinees in a university hospital and tested by glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) including ultrasound application on carotid artery IMT to be measured. The relationship between values of HbA1c and carotid artery IMT was reviewed by use of Pearson's correlation, and then influential causes on the carotid artery IMT were analyzed with multiple linear regression models. RESULTS: Elements like age and fasting plasma glucose were associated with the carotid artery IMT in both men and women. HbA1c, C-reactive protein (CRP) in men and waist to hip ratio (WHR), high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol in women showed statistically significant association with the carotid artery IMT. Age and HbA1c were recognized as variables affecting on the carotid artery IMT in men, in contrast, age was only a significant affecting factor in women with regarding various considerations such as fasting plasma glucose, CRP, HDL, WHR and smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Our clinical investigation revealed that HbA1c was associated with the carotid artery IMT in normal and pre-diabetes with HbA1c less than 6.5%. The outcome might suggest preliminary glucose control be monitored and managed in order to detect and regulate the impairment of macrovascular diseases prior to the occurrence of diabetes.

The Impact of Diabetes Fear of Self-injecting (FSI) and Fear of Self-testing (FST) on Glycemic Control and Diabetes Self-management

BACKGROUND: This study was done to examine the impact of diabetes fear of self-injecting (FSI) and fear of self-testing (FST) on glycemic control and diabetes self-management. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was performed in the form of one-on-one interviews with 100 insulin-treated diabetic patients. The questions included subject traits, FSI/FST, and confidence in diabetes self-care (CIDS). Glycemic control was determined by the measurement of glycated hemoglobin (Hemoglobin A1C). RESULTS: The patients who did not have a spouse and were less well educated showed high FSI/FST scores and low CIDS scores. The patients who had taken high quantities of insulin, had diabetes related complications, and performed self-monitoring of blood glucose less frequently showed high FSI/FST scores. The patients who had received diabetes education, possessed glucometer and performed self-monitoring of blood glucose frequently had high CIDS scores. High FSI/FST scores were positively related to each other, negatively related to low CIDS scores and not significantly related to Hemoglobin A1C. On the other hand, a significant correlation was seen between CIDS scores and Hemoglobin A1C. CONCLUSION: High levels of FSI and/or FST were associated with high diabetes-related distress, poor general well-being, and psychologic comorbidity as well as poorer adherence to the diabetes treatment regimen. It is important in diabetes care to lower injection-related fears and improve diabetes self-management through systematic desensitization, relaxation therapy, the use of pen-type injection device, and proper education such as insulin injection amount adjustment, properties of insulin, and the risk of hypoglycemia for the patients and their families.