Enhancing medical students` confidence and performance in integrated structured clinical examinations (ISCE) through a novel near-peer, mixed model approach during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Near-peer medical education serves as an important method of delivering education to junior students by senior students. Due to the reduced clinical exposure because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we developed a mentorship scheme to help medical students with their Integrated Structured Clinical Examinations (ISCEs) by providing a combination of near-peer mentorship together with lecture-based teaching on a weekly basis for a 12-week period. Students attended a specialty-focused lecture every Tuesday followed by a small group teaching session organised by their tutor. METHODS: A longitudinal evaluative interventional study was undertaken by the international student led medical education organisation, OSCEazy. The teaching programme was organised and conducted by third year medical students to a recruited cohort of second year medical students. Students' perceptions of ISCEs (confidence, anxiety, and overall performance) were evaluated using 5-point Likert scales while their knowledge of the specialty was assessed using 10 single best answer questions which were distributed via Google® forms at the start and end of each week. In addition, we assessed tutor perceptions of their teaching and learning experience. RESULTS: Seventy-two tutees were enrolled in the programme (mean age: 24.4, female: 77.8%). 88.9% of the participants had not attended any online ISCE teaching prior to this. They preferred in-person ISCE teaching as compared to virtual sessions [median 4.5 (IQR 4-5) vs 3 (IQR 3-4), p <  0.0001), respectively]. There was a significant overall increase in knowledge when comparing pre-session and post-session performance [mean 53.7% vs 70.7%, p <  0.0001)]. There was a significant increase in student confidence [Confidence: median 3 (IQR:3-4) vs 4 (IQR 3-4), p <  0.0001] while no change was seen in the anxiety and perception of their overall performance in an ISCE. [Anxiety: median 3 (IQR 2-4) vs 3 (IQR 3-4), p = 0.37, Performance: median 3 (IQR 3-4) vs median 3 (IQR 3-4), p <  0.0001]. The tutors reported an increase in their confidence in teaching ISCEs online [median 3 (IQR 2-3.25) vs median 4 (IQR 4-5), p <  0.0001)]. CONCLUSION: Online near-peer teaching increases the confidence of both tutees and tutors involved while enhancing the tutees' knowledge of the specialty. Thus, medical schools should incorporate near-peer teaching in their curriculum to enhance the student learning experience.

The Utility and Educational Impact of a Virtual Webinar to Deliver an International Undergraduate Cardiovascular Conference.

Introduction: Conferences are an important avenue for dissemination of knowledge, research and provide networking opportunities for career development. The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted adoption of virtual platforms for delivery of these conferences. The aim of the study was to determine the utility and educational impact of a student-led virtual webinar to deliver an undergraduate cardiovascular conference compared to a traditional in-person conference. Methods: We conducted a two-day virtual conference using the Zoom platform in June 2021. The conference consisted of cardiology subspecialty lectures, and workshops were conducted by a junior doctor, senior cardiology trainees and consultants. The conference also outlaid a virtual poster hall and oral presentation session while networking opportunities were encouraged using breakout rooms and poster hall chat function. A 38-item self-administered online questionnaire was designed and disseminated at the end of the conference to all attending delegates. All data analysis and data visualisation strategies were conducted on R statistical programming. Results: Eight-hundred and forty students from 55 countries attended the event. Four hundred and ninety participants (58.5% response rate, 55.9% female) completed the questionnaire. Factors such as weekend conference (84.9%), student-led or organised (84.1%), environmental/sustainable (82.3%), appropriate level for me (81.5%) and comfort to present (80.8%) were deemed to be at least equal to traditional in-person conference. The conference also increased participants' interest, their core cardiology knowledge and improved their critical analysis and basic echocardiography skills [median 4 (IQR 3-5) for all parameters]. Overall, participants also found it easy to use the virtual platform [median 5 (IQR 5-5)] and easier to ask questions compared to in-person conferences [median 5 (IQR 4-5) vs median 4 (IQR 3-5), p < 0.001]. Conclusion: Our virtual conference provided opportunities to students that the COVID-19 pandemic would have otherwise affected; however, its utility and educational impact will need to be assessed within its individual context of delivery.

Assessing the Publicity and Reach of Peer-Led Online Medical Teaching: A Single-Event Evaluation

Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruption to higher education, including medical studies. Online learner support became urgently necessary, and peer-support of learning was needed to supplement formal teaching. This study evaluates the impact and delivery media of OSCEazy, a student-led initiative supporting formal teaching across institutional and national boundaries. Methods A survey was created on Google Forms and disseminated via the Zoom chat function to all the participants at the end of our event titled, “The Cardiology Station”. Results A large proportion (99.5%) of the students have a Facebook account and (98.7%) use it to keep track of medical events (p=0.45 for comparison). However, a very small proportion of use their other social media to keep up with medical events (p<0.0001 for comparison). Conclusion It is evident from our results, that most of our participants used Facebook to keep track of medical events. The use of their other social media platforms (Instagram, etc) to keep track of medical events was limited. Thus, it is important for any organisation, such as ours, who conduct online events to evaluate which platform is most suitable for them to use to publicise their events.

The utility and educational impact of a virtual webinar to deliver an international undergraduate cardiovascular conference

80 Figure 1ConclusionOur virtual conference provided opportunities to students that the COVID-19 pandemic would have otherwise affected, however its utility and educational impact will need to be assessed within its individual context of delivery.Conflict of InterestNil

Motivations of medical students and doctors leaving the NHS explored in a residency training application webinar series.

BACKGROUND: Recent reports show that about 10% of UK-graduate doctors leave the country to pursue specialty training elsewhere. Our article aims to evaluate the motivating factors for UK graduates to leave the National Health Service (NHS), especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHOD: A novel 22-item questionnaire was disseminated at a webinar series regarding the application process to pursue residency training in six different countries/regions from 2 August 2020 to 13 September 2020. The data was analysed using Kruskal-Wallis rank-sum with post-hoc Wilcoxon test to compare the difference in significance among the motivating factors. RESULTS: 1118 responses from the UK medical students and doctors were collected; of which, 1001 (89.5%) were medical students, and 88 (7.9%) were junior doctors. There was a higher propensity for leaving after the Foundation Programme compared with other periods (p<0.0001 for all comparisons). There was no difference between desire for leaving after core surgical/medical training and specialty training (p=0.549). However, both were significantly higher than leaving the NHS after medical school (p<0.0001). Quality of life and financial prospects (both p<0.0001) were the most agreed reasons to leave the NHS, followed by clinical and academic opportunities and, subsequently, family reasons. CONCLUSION: Future work on the quality of life for doctors in the UK should be explored, especially among those considering leaving the NHS. Policymakers should focus on assessing the difference in working hours, on-call hours and wages that may differ among healthcare systems.

Changing Student Perception of an Online Integrated Structured Clinical Examination During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has created a hiatus in in-person clinical assessments due to safety and logistical concerns. We aimed to evaluate student perception and utility of an online Integrated Structured Clinical Examinations (ISCEs) during the pandemic. METHODS: Final-year medical students from a single institution were offered an online mock ISCE through a student-to-student ("near-peer") teaching-programme. A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted pre- and post-online mock ISCE. RESULTS: Sixty-four students completed the study. Pre- and post-data showed an increase in confidence (p<0.0001), less worry regarding the online format (p<0.0001) and less anxiety about excelling in ISCEs (p<0.001). Students felt that having done the mock, an online format would more positively affect their overall performance (p=0.007). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates a positive change in student perception and confidence in online ISCEs. Online ISCEs are thus feasible, though sole reliance on this format may provide an incomplete assessment of student's overall clinical competency.