Implantação de um programa de mentoria remoto para estudantes de Medicina em tempo de pandemia / Implementation of a remote mentorship program for medical students during the pandemic

Resumo: Introdução: Programas de mentoria são necessários para apoio ao estudante de Medicina e podem ter diversos objetivos, dependendo das instituições que os implementam, embora ainda não sejam uma realidade na maioria das universidades. Durante a pandemia da Covid-19, encontros presenciais foram impedidos, o que dificultou ainda mais a manutenção desses programas, apesar de ser um dos momentos de maior necessidade emocional para os alunos. Ajustaram-se as aulas, e os encontros foram transformados em remotos, e, dessa forma, a mentoria on-line passou a ser uma realidade. Relato de experiência: Apoiado pelo Núcleo de Apoio Psicopedagógico dos Estudantes de Medicina (Napem), foi estruturado um programa de mentoria em pequenos grupos, formados por docentes, discentes mais experientes (comentores) e mentorados (alunos do primeiro ao terceiro ano) com reuniões realizadas de forma remota, o que permitiu a participação dos estudantes, a interação com eles e o acolhimento desse público. As reuniões aconteceram entre junho e dezembro de 2020. O programa contou com a participação de 13 mentores, 94 alunos mentorados e 24 comentores. O programa teve uma sessão de treinamento com mentores e comentores, que foi conduzida pela psicóloga do Napem para alinhamento de expectativas e orientações. As discussões nos grupos focaram dificuldades na vida acadêmica, profissional e pessoal. Discussão: O modelo remoto de mentoria apresenta como pontos fortes a maior flexibilidade para mentores e mentorados, a facilidade de participação de ambos e a manutenção da conexão do grupo, pois os encontros são facilitados pela tecnologia, visto que não houve nenhuma desistência. Como ponto fraco dessa experiência, citamos a falta de análises quantitativas e qualitativas do programa utilizando, por exemplo, entrevistas ou questionários de forma científica para avaliar melhor os resultados. Conclusão: A mentoria remota é útil e deve ser incluída como uma possibilidade de legado permanente para os cursos de Medicina, pois os encontros mostraram-se relevantes para mentores e mentorados, e mantiveram-se com alta adesão durante todo o programa.

Abstract: Introduction: Mentoring programs are necessary to support medical students and can have different objectives depending on the institution where they are implemented, although most universities have not yet reached that stage. During the Covid-19 pandemic, face-to-face meetings have been cancelled, making these programs even more difficult to maintain despite it being a time of even greater emotional need for the students. Classes were adjusted, and the meetings were transformed into remote sessions, making online mentoring a reality. Experience report: Supported by the Center for Psychopedagogical Support of Students of Medicine (NAPEM), a mentoring program was structured in small groups, formed by teachers, more experienced students (co-mentors) and mentees (first to third year students) with meetings held remotely to enable participation, interaction and to welcome students. The program was attended by 13 mentors, 94 mentees and 24 co-mentors. The program included a training session with mentors and co-mentors, which was conducted by the NAPEM psychologist to align expectations and guidelines. Group discussions focused on difficulties in academic, professional and personal life. Discussion: The advantages of the remote mentoring model are increased flexibility for mentors and mentees, facilitating their participation, and maintenance of the group connection supported by technology, since none of the mentees dropped out of the program. Weak points of this experience include the lack a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the program, for example through scientifically conducted interviews or questionnaires to produce better analysis of the results. Conclusion: Remote mentoring is useful and should be included as a possible permanent legacy for medical courses, since the meetings were proven to be relevant to mentors and mentees and maintained a high rate of adherence throughout the program.

Inadequacies of musculoskeletal medicine curriculum for undergraduate medical students: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal disorders account for up to one in four of general-practice consultations and almost one third of complaints in primary-care clinical practice. However, an insufficient amount of time and importance is given to their teaching in most medical schools. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the acquisition of musculoskeletal competences in our institution, in order to identify flaws and propose changes to correct and improve the musculoskeletal curriculum. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study conducted in São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: First to fifth-year medical students were enrolled in a survey using the Freedman and Bernstein musculoskeletal examination, in order to evaluate the acquisition of musculoskeletal competencies. Categorical data were analyzed using the chi-square test. Continuous data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The level of significance was set as P < 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 545 students completed the questionnaire: from year 2, 115/167 (29.6%); from year 3, 118/138 (30.4%); from year 4, 98/130 (25.3%); and from year 5, 57/110 (14.7%). None of the students achieved the pass mark (established as 70%). The level of confidence in performing musculoskeletal examination was very low (3.7 ± 2.2; n = 386) and bore no relationship to the percentage of correct answers in the questionnaire (r = 0.331; 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.239-0.417; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Undergraduate teaching is the only exposure most general practitioners have to orthopedic problems. Universities are concerned about the adequacy of the musculoskeletal programs taught in their institutions. Student scores were found to be unsatisfactory in all the topics evaluated.