Role of concept map in teaching general awareness and pharmacotherapy of HIV/AIDS among second professional medical students.

OBJECTIVE: Medical students as future doctors will play an important role in caring for HIV-infected patients. This study assessed and evaluated the existing level of knowledge of MBBS students about HIV/AIDS given through lecture delivery methods and by use of concept map (CM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was carried out on 150 professional MBBS students of tertiary care hospital. A pretest was conducted by giving 10 multiple choice questions (MCQ) of general awareness and 15 questions regarding pharmacotherapy of HIV/AIDS. In between pre- and post-test, a session of 1-week integrated teaching module was organized. After completion of integrated teaching, 2 h session of CM on general awareness and pharmacotherapy of HIV/AIDS was taken. A posttest was conducted using MCQs and problem-based question (PBQ) to assess the effect of integrated teaching and CM on their knowledge about HIV/AIDS. Feedback was also taken from the students to regarding their views about CM. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in student's score in MCQ test after integrated teaching than pretest (P < 0.05). There was also significant improvement in PBQ score after CM than that of after integrated teaching (P < 0.05). Students' perception about the effectiveness of CM was positive. CONCLUSION: CM can make a significant improvement in the knowledge of medical students and were motivated and developed interest in the subject.

Introducing structured viva voce examination in medical undergraduate pharmacology: A pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: Viva voce examination is an important tool of evaluation in medical examinations marred by high subjectivity. Gross subjectivity in viva voce assessment can be reduced by structuring it. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The marks obtained in theory and viva voce (traditional viva voce examination [TVVE]) of I sessional, II MBBS students were compared and a huge disparity was identified. A structured viva voce examination (SVVE) was then proposed and experimented as an objective and standardized alternative. Sets of equitable question cards for SVVE were prepared, each having eight questions with two parts each, arranged successively with increasing difficulty, domains of learning, and appropriate marks. The percentage variation in scoring in viva versus theory marks was calculated for both TVVE and SVVE, and students were grouped as Group I (+100 to +51%); Group II (+50 to -50%); Group III (-51 to -100%); Group IV (-101 to -150%); Group V (-151 to -200%); and Group VI (< -200%) variation, as? inappropriate, appropriate, inappropriate, erroneous, more erroneous and most erroneous respectively. Student's feedback on the SVVE was also obtained. RESULTS: In TVVE (n = 128), the students distributed were:none,17.2%, 23.4%, 22.7%, 11.7% and 25% in Group I, II, III, IV, V, and VI in contrast to SVVE (n = 107) as 7.5%, 57.9%, 19.6%, 6.5%, 5.6%, and 2.8%, respectively. Marked disparity of TVVE was annulled with SVVE. Student's feedback was quite encouraging with 83% overall acceptability and almost 66% preferred SVVE. CONCLUSION: SVVE was more realistic as compared to TVVE. Most of the students favored this approach.