ABSTRACT
While vaccine administration training is included in the curriculum for several health professions, it is not universally incorporated into the medical school preclinical curriculum. To fill this education gap, a pilot vaccine training program for first- and second-year medical students was conducted using an online Centers for Disease Control and Prevention module and an in-person simulation with nursing faculty. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the training program. Pre- and post-surveys used a Likert 5-point scale to assess the training effectiveness. Ninety-four students completed the surveys (response rate, 93.1%). Following the training, students felt more comfortable giving a patient a vaccine under the supervision of a physician (P < 0.0001), volunteering in a community-wide vaccine campaign (P < 0.0001), and administering vaccines during clinical rotations (P < 0.0001). Most students, 93.6%, found the in-person training to be "effective" or "very effective," and 97.8% felt that learning how to administer vaccines should be incorporated into the preclinical medical curriculum. Without this program, 76 students (80.1%) would not have been able to participate in a vaccine training. The interdisciplinary training program outlined in this study may serve as a model for similar initiatives at other medical schools.
ABSTRACT
El Paso, Texas, like many communities along the United States/Mexico border, suffers from a lack of access to many social determinants of health, especially in low-income neighborhoods. These long-standing problems have only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso Health Education and Awareness Team (EP-HEAT) is an organization that was established with a focus on disseminating health information to the community. EP-HEAT received funding from Microsoft Corporation to facilitate technology education workshops for underserved populations. These workshops were held in English and Spanish and attempted to improve social determinants of health in the community which can be negatively exacerbated by a lack of digital inclusion. Community members who attended workshops completed a LinkedIn Learning Path, or both were offered an anonymous post-course survey with a mixed method questionnaire on how their knowledge of basic technology or job skills was improved by engaging with the provided workshops and learning paths. Overall, 80% of community members who participated in the workshops reported learning a new skill, and 91% of participants who started a LinkedIn Learning Path were able to finish. The workshops were well received by the community and highlighted the potential for these programs to enhance digital skills and upward workforce mobility.
ABSTRACT
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine incorporated supplementary online learning for 4th year medical students who were unable to participate in clinical activities due to clinical site restrictions to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission. An online elective was developed aimed to increase student knowledge of COVID-19: "COVID-19: Utilizing basic sciences to implement what you need to know as a physician." This course required students to further their understanding of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 through directed self-study to identify and summarize the latest scientific literature followed by presenting an online seminar to peers and faculty.
ABSTRACT
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine incorporated supplementary online learning for 4th year medical students who were unable to participate in clinical activities due to clinical site restrictions to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission. An online elective was developed aimed to increase student knowledge of COVID-19: "COVID-19: Utilizing basic sciences to implement what you need to know as a physician.” This course required students to further their understanding of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 through directed self-study to identify and summarize the latest scientific literature followed by presenting an online seminar to peers and faculty.