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1.
MedEdPORTAL ; 20: 11404, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38957529

ABSTRACT

Introduction: There is increasing recognition that incoming interns benefit from formal training in teaching skills during UME. Many medical schools have capstone courses well suited for teacher-training content. Mini chalk talks (MCTs) are a common clinical teaching modality requiring a variety of teaching skills. We developed a session for our institution's capstone course in which students prepared and delivered MCTs. Methods: The voluntary flipped classroom session was offered virtually in 2021 and in person in 2022. Before the session, students reviewed materials on creating effective MCTs and developed and practiced their own MCT. During the 90-minute session, students presented their MCT to a group of students in the same or similar future specialties and received feedback from their peers and a facilitator. Results: Twenty-six percent of graduating students (95 of 370) in 16 specialties participated. Students had a statistically significant increase in confidence delivering effective MCTs (p < .01). On a 5-point Likert scale (1 = did not learn, 5 = a great amount), students' mean ratings of clinical knowledge and teaching skills gained from the session were 4.4 and 4.5, respectively. Qualitative feedback highlighted the benefits of receiving feedback on teaching (31 of 77 respondents, 40%), practicing teaching skills (21 of 77, 27%), and experiencing other students' MCTs (13 of 77, 17%). Discussion: Our MCT session provides a versatile, resource-efficient method of supporting students in transitioning to the role of resident educators. It also offers them an opportunity to receive valuable feedback on their teaching in a low-stakes environment.


Subject(s)
Curriculum , Education, Medical, Undergraduate , Internship and Residency , Students, Medical , Teaching , Humans , Students, Medical/statistics & numerical data , Internship and Residency/methods , Education, Medical, Undergraduate/methods , Educational Measurement/methods , Education/methods , Clinical Competence
2.
JMIR Med Educ ; 10: e58126, 2024 Jun 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38952022

ABSTRACT

Background: Multiple-choice examinations are frequently used in German dental schools. However, details regarding the used item types and applied scoring methods are lacking. Objective: This study aims to gain insight into the current use of multiple-choice items (ie, questions) in summative examinations in German undergraduate dental training programs. Methods: A paper-based 10-item questionnaire regarding the used assessment methods, multiple-choice item types, and applied scoring methods was designed. The pilot-tested questionnaire was mailed to the deans of studies and to the heads of the Department of Operative/Restorative Dentistry at all 30 dental schools in Germany in February 2023. Statistical analysis was performed using the Fisher exact test (P<.05). Results: The response rate amounted to 90% (27/30 dental schools). All respondent dental schools used multiple-choice examinations for summative assessments. Examinations were delivered electronically by 70% (19/27) of the dental schools. Almost all dental schools used single-choice Type A items (24/27, 89%), which accounted for the largest number of items in approximately half of the dental schools (13/27, 48%). Further item types (eg, conventional multiple-select items, Multiple-True-False, and Pick-N) were only used by fewer dental schools (≤67%, up to 18 out of 27 dental schools). For the multiple-select item types, the applied scoring methods varied considerably (ie, awarding [intermediate] partial credit and requirements for partial credit). Dental schools with the possibility of electronic examinations used multiple-select items slightly more often (14/19, 74% vs 4/8, 50%). However, this difference was statistically not significant (P=.38). Dental schools used items either individually or as key feature problems consisting of a clinical case scenario followed by a number of items focusing on critical treatment steps (15/27, 56%). Not a single school used alternative testing methods (eg, answer-until-correct). A formal item review process was established at about half of the dental schools (15/27, 56%). Conclusions: Summative assessment methods among German dental schools vary widely. Especially, a large variability regarding the use and scoring of multiple-select multiple-choice items was found.


Subject(s)
Education, Dental , Educational Measurement , Germany , Humans , Surveys and Questionnaires , Educational Measurement/methods , Education, Dental/methods , Schools, Dental
3.
Hawaii J Health Soc Welf ; 83(7): 192-199, 2024 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38974805

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic has had many effects on medical student education, ranging from safety measures limiting patient exposure to changes in patient diagnoses encountered by medical students in their clerkship experience. This study aimed to identify the impact of the pandemic on the inpatient experiences of third- and fourth-year medical students by assessing patient volumes and diagnoses seen by students. Frequency and types of notes written by medical students on hospital-based pediatric rotations at Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children as well as patient diagnoses and ages were compared between 2 time periods: pre-pandemic (July 2018-February 2020) and pandemic (May 2020-September 2021). On average, the number of patients seen by medical students was significantly reduced in the pandemic period from 112 patients/month to 88 patients/month (P=.041). The proportion of patients with bronchiolitis or pneumonia were also significantly reduced in the pandemic period (P<.001). Bronchiolitis was diagnosed in 1.3% of patients seen by medical students during the pandemic period, compared with 5.9% of patients pre-pandemic. Pneumonia was diagnosed in 1.0% of patients seen by medical students in the pandemic period compared with 4.6% pre-pandemic. There was no significant difference in patient age between the 2 groups (P=.092). During the first 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, medical students in this institution had a remarkably different inpatient experience from that of their predecessors. They saw fewer patients, and those patients had fewer common pediatric respiratory diseases. These decreases suggest these students may require supplemental education to compensate for these gaps in direct pediatric clinical experience.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Pediatrics , Humans , COVID-19/epidemiology , Hawaii/epidemiology , Pediatrics/education , Pediatrics/statistics & numerical data , Pediatrics/methods , SARS-CoV-2 , Female , Pandemics , Child , Students, Medical/statistics & numerical data , Male , Inpatients/statistics & numerical data , Clinical Clerkship/methods
4.
BMC Med Educ ; 24(1): 692, 2024 Jun 26.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38926701

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Medical professionalism is a core competency for medical students during clerkships for further professional development. Given that the behavior-based framework could provide clear insight and is easy to assess, the study aimed to create a self-administered scale to measure the professional behaviors of medical students during their clerkships. METHODS: A comprehensive literature review on medical professional behaviors in English or Chinese and Delphi interviews were used to develop the initial version of the Self-Administered Scale for Professional Behavior of Medical Students During Clerkships. The reliability and validity analysis based on a survey of medical students from China, Cronbach's α calculations, and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) specifically were conducted to finalize the scale. The associations of professional behaviors with gender, medical programs, and clerkship duration were examined using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. RESULTS: We included 121 studies and extracted 57 medical professionalism assessment tools, initially forming a pool of 48 items. To refine these items, eighteen experts participated in two rounds of Delphi interviews, ultimately narrowing down the item pool to 24 items. A total of 492 participants effectively completed the questionnaire. One item was removed due to its correlated item-total correlation (CITC) value, resulting in a final scale containing 23 items with six domains: Respect, Altruism, Communication and Collaboration, Integrity, Duty, and Excellence. The overall Cronbach's alpha value was 0.98, ranging from 0.88 to 0.95 for each domain. The fit indices (χ2/df = 4.07, CFI = 0.96, TLI = 0.95, RMSEA = 0.08, and SRMR = 0.02) signified a good fit for the six-domain model. Medical students' professional behavior was significantly associated with gender (p = 0.03) and clerkship duration (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The scale was demonstrated to be reliable and valid in assessing the professional behaviors of Chinese medical students during clerkships.


Subject(s)
Clinical Clerkship , Professionalism , Students, Medical , Humans , Students, Medical/psychology , Female , Male , Reproducibility of Results , Surveys and Questionnaires , Delphi Technique , China , Psychometrics , Adult , Clinical Competence
5.
Sleep Med ; 120: 29-33, 2024 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38865786

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To explore final-year medical students' perceptions of sleep education during medical school to inform the development of a sleep curriculum. METHODS: Year 6 medical students on their final general practice placement in 2020 were invited to complete an online survey including questions regarding sleep education recalled during the medical programme. RESULTS: Responses were received from 51/71 (72 %) students. Main learning topics recalled by participants were sleep apnoea (83 %), sleep physiology (71 %), and snoring (69 %). Education in other topics was reported by <65 % of students. Priority topics for students were treating common sleep disorders, taking a sleep history, and navigating shift work. CONCLUSIONS: Whilst the majority of students recalled education on specific topics, many had little awareness of education relating to sleep assessment, insomnia, or shift work. Sleep education in the curriculum needs more emphasis and reinforcement given sleep's relevance across many domains of health and morbidity. We propose that an identifiable sleep curriculum is required to ensure medical students have the necessary core education regarding sleep and sleep disorders both for patients and themselves. Further, we believe this is possible to achieve in a short timeframe within the constraints of an existing curriculum and propose some creative solutions.


Subject(s)
Curriculum , Students, Medical , Humans , Students, Medical/statistics & numerical data , Surveys and Questionnaires , Male , Female , Sleep/physiology , Sleep Wake Disorders/therapy , Education, Medical, Undergraduate/methods , Adult , Sleep Medicine Specialty/education
6.
Tohoku J Exp Med ; 263(2): 81-87, 2024 Jun 26.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38839360

ABSTRACT

Simulation practice is known to be effective in anesthesiology education. In our simulation practice of general anesthesia for open cholecystectomy at the Tohoku University simulation center, we projected a surgical video onto a mannequin's abdomen. In this observational study, we investigated whether video-linked simulation practice improved students' performance. We retrospectively compared the general anesthesia simulation practice scores of fifth-year medical students in a video-linked or conventional group. In the simulation practice, we evaluated the performance of each group in three sections: perioperative analgesia, intraoperative bleeding, and arrhythmia caused by abdominal irrigation. The primary endpoint was the total score of the simulation practice. The secondary endpoints were their scores on each section. We also investigated the amount of bleeding that caused an initial action and the amount of bleeding when they began to transfuse. The video group had significantly higher total scores than the conventional group (7.5 [5-10] vs. 5.5 [4-8], p = 0.00956). For the perioperative analgesia and arrhythmia sections, students in the video group responded appropriately to surgical pain. In the intraoperative bleeding section, students in both groups scored similarly. The amount of bleeding that caused initial action was significantly lower in the video group (200 mL [200-300]) than in the conventional group (400 mL [200-500]) (p = 0.00056).Simulation practice with surgical video projection improved student performance. By projecting surgical videos, students could practice in a more realistic environment similar to an actual case.


Subject(s)
Manikins , Humans , Anesthesiology/education , Perioperative Care/education , Video Recording , Students, Medical , Simulation Training/methods , Male , Female , Anesthesia/methods
7.
JMIR Med Educ ; 10: e47438, 2024 Jun 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38904482

ABSTRACT

Unlabelled: A significant component of Canadian medical education is the development of clinical skills. The medical educational curriculum assesses these skills through an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). This OSCE assesses skills imperative to good clinical practice, such as patient communication, clinical decision-making, and medical knowledge. Despite the widespread implementation of this examination across all academic settings, few preparatory resources exist that cater specifically to Canadian medical students. MonkeyJacket is a novel, open-access, web-based application, built with the goal of providing medical students with an accessible and representative tool for clinical skill development for the OSCE and clinical settings. This viewpoint paper presents the development of the MonkeyJacket application and its potential to assist medical students in preparation for clinical examinations and practical settings. Limited resources exist that are web-based; accessible in terms of cost; specific to the Medical Council of Canada (MCC); and, most importantly, scalable in nature. The goal of this research study was to thoroughly describe the potential utility of the application, particularly its capacity to provide practice and scalable formative feedback to medical students. MonkeyJacket was developed to provide Canadian medical students with the opportunity to practice their clinical examination skills and receive peer feedback by using a centralized platform. The OSCE cases included in the application were developed by using the MCC guidelines to ensure their applicability to a Canadian setting. There are currently 75 cases covering 5 specialties, including cardiology, respirology, gastroenterology, neurology, and psychiatry. The MonkeyJacket application is a web-based platform that allows medical students to practice clinical decision-making skills in real time with their peers through a synchronous platform. Through this application, students can practice patient interviewing, clinical reasoning, developing differential diagnoses, and formulating a management plan, and they can receive both qualitative feedback and quantitative feedback. Each clinical case is associated with an assessment checklist that is accessible to students after practice sessions are complete; the checklist promotes personal improvement through peer feedback. This tool provides students with relevant case stems, follow-up questions that probe for differential diagnoses and management plans, assessment checklists, and the ability to review the trend in their performance. The MonkeyJacket application provides medical students with a valuable tool that promotes clinical skill development for OSCEs and clinical settings. MonkeyJacket introduces a way for medical learners to receive feedback regarding patient interviewing and clinical reasoning skills that is both formative and scalable in nature, in addition to promoting interinstitutional learning. The widespread use of this application can increase the practice of and feedback on clinical skills among medical learners. This will not only benefit the learner; more importantly, it can provide downstream benefits for the most valuable stakeholder in medicine-the patient.


Subject(s)
Clinical Competence , Internet , Humans , Canada , Educational Measurement/methods , Students, Medical , Education, Medical/methods , Curriculum
8.
J Surg Res ; 300: 363-370, 2024 Jun 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38843723

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The surgery clerkship has a powerful impact on medical students' attitudes toward surgery. The primary aim of this study was to identify factors that influence current medical student experiences during the surgery clerkship and discern if they have shifted following the COVID pandemic and with a new generation of "Zillennial" students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a qualitative content analysis of medical student surgery clerkship evaluations from 2018 to 2022 at three clinical training sites of our medical school (n = 596). The codes and themes that emerged from the data were then compared between the pre-COVID cohort (pre-March 2020) and post-COVID (post June 2020) cohorts. RESULTS: Our analysis revealed four themes: clerkship factors, educator qualities, surgical culture, and student expectations. Clerkship factors included the overall clerkship organization, preparatory sessions, and having schedule flexibility. The clinical educators had a significant impact on medical student experience by setting expectations and providing actionable feedback. Surgical culture included the team dynamic and professionalism or diversity issues. Students were expected to have clear guidance for their roles, opportunities to shine, and sought meaningful learning. While the themes were consistent between both cohorts, the frequency of codes varied, with more students commenting on flexibility, neglect, and long work hours in the post-COVID cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Numerous previously unreported factors impact surgical clerkship experiences, revealing a generational shift in medical student attitudes. These results suggest that educators and their institutions must be proactive in tracking student evaluations to adapt their clerkship curriculum for an optimal educational experience and evolving student expectations.

9.
Front Med (Lausanne) ; 11: 1331402, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38873203

ABSTRACT

Introduction: In medical education, the clerkship phase is a demanding period during which medical students learn to navigate the responsibilities of medical school and clinical medicine. Grit, a personal quality regarded as a non-cognitive trait, refers to perseverance and passion; specifically, it represents the ability to endure hardship and work industriously toward a goal. Most studies analysed grit as a single concept and few studies have investigated the effect of grit on the well-being of medical students through the whole-specialty training (i.e. surgical and non-surgical specialty rotations) required in clinical clerkships. Therefore, this study investigated whether associations exist between medical students' grit, measured by the two subconstructs of perseverance and passion, and their well-being during clerkships in surgical and non-surgical specialty units. Methods: This one-year prospective web-based questionnaire study enrolled fifth-year medical students at a tertiary medical centre in central Taiwan between September 2017 and July 2018 in their first-year clerkship. The students' sex, age, and grit were measured at the start of their clerkship. Routine surveys were conducted over one year to assess burnout and compassion satisfaction for students' well-being, and the training specialty characteristics of the surgical and non-surgical specialty departments were recorded. This study included 92 medical students and 1,055 survey responses from individual specialty rotations. Descriptive, univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Results: Our results revealed that medical students' perseverance, as part of grit, was related to lower burnout and higher compassion satisfaction during clerkships, but not the subconstruct of passion. Moreover, the positive trait of perseverance measured in our study had greater explanatory power for compassion satisfaction than for burnout. Furthermore, the results revealed that older medical students suffered from less burnout than their younger counterparts, and that male medical students expressed higher compassion satisfaction than their female counterparts. Discussion: Perseverance, as a subconstruct of grit, is a positive personal quality for medical students' clerkships, and methods driving the cultivation of perseverance in medical education should be considered. In addition, even though positive traits such as perseverance equipped medical students for compassion satisfaction, additional factors attributed to medical students' burnout must be identified.

10.
Adv Physiol Educ ; 48(3): 465-473, 2024 Sep 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38885323

ABSTRACT

Student-faculty interaction (SFI) is an important indicator of student engagement that positively associates with academic achievement and retention. Quantitative information regarding the impact of emergency remote teaching (ERT) during COVID-19 on SFI is limited. This retrospective, observational cohort study tests the hypothesis that COVID-19 ERT negatively affected SFI in a gender-dependent manner. Electronic records of office hour (OH) appointments, used to measure SFI, for first-year medical students across three time periods, before, during and after COVID, were obtained and analyzed. A concerning, marked decline in SFI during and after the COVID-19 pandemic is noted. Before COVID, significantly more women (75.20%) made at least one OH appointment compared with men (40.54%). During COVID, the proportion of women making an OH appointment (69.71%) was statistically indistinguishable from women before COVID-19. In contrast, significantly fewer men during COVID (10.34%) than before COVID made an OH appointment. On return to face-to-face teaching, no rebound effect was observed. Compared with before COVID gender-matched peers, fewer men and women after COVID made OH appointments. Discipline-based analyses show that for all three time periods physiology emerged as the content area in which students made most OH appointments. The reduction in SFI observed, combined with the consistency with which the participants in our study indicated a need for assistance with the physiology discipline, emphasizes the importance of active promotion of faculty support and deliberate efforts to reconnect with students in the post-COVID context.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Applying readily available data, we quantify a persistent, negative impact of the shift to emergency remote teaching (ERT) on a measure of student-faculty interaction (SFI) among first-year medical students. A gender-based component to these effects is also discussed. Before, during, and after COVID, physiology emerged as the most engaged-with discipline as measured by office hour (OH) appointment volume.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Students, Medical , Humans , COVID-19/epidemiology , Female , Male , Retrospective Studies , Faculty, Medical , Education, Distance/methods , SARS-CoV-2 , Pandemics , Education, Medical, Undergraduate/methods , Cohort Studies
11.
BMC Health Serv Res ; 24(1): 738, 2024 Jun 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38877493

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The mental health of medical students is a national and international problem increasing in both demand and acuity. Medical students face barriers to accessing mental health support that is clinically effective, timely and appropriate for their needs. This mixed methods study aimed to explore experiences of these barriers and the challenges to health service delivery aligned to the Candidacy Framework. METHODS: One hundred three medical students studying at The University of Sheffield completed an online survey comprising the CCAPS-34 and follow-up questions about service access and use. Semi-structured interviews with a nested sample of 20 medical students and 10 healthcare professionals explored barriers to service access and provision. A stakeholder panel of medical students and professionals met quarterly to co-produce research materials, interpret research data and identify touchpoints by pinpointing specific areas and moments of interaction between a medical student as a service user and a mental health service. RESULTS: Medical students who experienced barriers to help-seeking and accessing support scored significantly higher for psychological symptoms on the CCAPS-34. Uncertainty and fear of fitness to practice processes were important barriers present across all seven stages of candidacy. The fragmented structure of local services, along with individual factors such as perceived stigma and confidentiality concerns, limited the progression of medical students through the Candidacy Framework (a framework for understanding the different stages of a person's journey to healthcare). CONCLUSION: This study outlines important areas of consideration for mental health service provision and policy development to improve access to and the quality of care for medical students.


Subject(s)
Health Services Accessibility , Mental Health Services , Students, Medical , Humans , Students, Medical/psychology , Students, Medical/statistics & numerical data , Male , Female , Adult , Surveys and Questionnaires , Young Adult , Qualitative Research , Patient Acceptance of Health Care/psychology , Patient Acceptance of Health Care/statistics & numerical data , Interviews as Topic , Help-Seeking Behavior , Social Stigma
12.
J Neurol Surg Rep ; 85(2): e88-e95, 2024 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38881626

ABSTRACT

Background The ability to participate in clinical scholarship is a foundational component of modern evidence-based medical practice, empowering improvement across essentially every aspect of clinical care. In tandem, the need for comprehensive exposure to clinical research has been identified as a critical component of medical student training and preparation for residency that is underserved by traditional undergraduate medical education models. The goal of the current work was to provide guidelines and recommendations to assist novice medical students in taking ownership of their research education. Methods The Clinical Research Primer was composed from pooled research documents compiled by the study authors and our institutional neurosurgery student research group. The Primer was then structured as the natural evolution of a research project from its inception through the submission process. Results We divided the foundational components of the Clinical Research Primer into seven domains, each representing a landmark in the development of a peer-reviewed study, and a set of skills critical for junior scholars to develop. These vital components included the following: pitching and designing clinical studies, developing a research workflow, navigating the Institutional Review Board, data collection and analysis, manuscript writing and editing, submission mechanics, and tracking research projects for career development. Conclusion We anticipate that the tools included in the Clinical Research Primer will increase student research productivity and preparedness for residency. Although our recommendations are informed by our experiences within neurosurgery, they have been written in a manner that should generalize to almost any field of clinical study.

13.
Cureus ; 16(5): e60614, 2024 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38894789

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: A significant proportion of medical students engage in the illicit use of drugs and indulge in heavy alcohol consumption. The utilization of substances during medical school frequently has repercussions on both the personal and professional lives of students. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the extent of substance use, alcohol consumption, and smoking among medical students in Erbil City. METHODS: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted at Hawler Medical University (HMU) for this purpose. The study involved 368 students from stages one to six. The questionnaire covered sociodemographic information, Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT), Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), and Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) scales. The data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2016 and IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26 (Released 2019; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States). RESULTS: A total of 368 students were involved in the study. The mean age (SD) of the respondents was 20.92 (2.01) years; 191 (51.9%) participants were males. Thirty-two (8.7%) students have used substance in the last 12 months; 10 (31.2%) of them were non-problematic drug users, 20 (62.5%) were problematic drug users, and 2 (6.3%) were dependent users. Twenty-nine (7.9%) students were alcohol users; 17 (58.7%) were categorized as low-risk users, 5 (17.2%) as hazardous users, and 7 (24.1%) as dependent users. Regarding smoking, 45 (12.2%) students were smokers, among this group, 27 (60%) were categorized as having low dependence, and 18 (40%) had high dependence. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest a worrying trend of substance misuse among university students. There is a critical need for targeted preventive interventions that address these issues to enhance student health and educational outcomes.

14.
Teach Learn Med ; : 1-14, 2024 Jun 19.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38896532

ABSTRACT

Phenomenon: In China, medical English courses are critical to medical education, equipping Chinese students with the linguistic tools necessary for international medical practice and collaboration. However, a disconnect persists between the pedagogical approaches of medical practitioners and language educators, leading to a curriculum that emphasizes grammatical accuracy over practical communication skills. This misalignment results in student disengagement and falls short of addressing the real-world demands of the medical profession. With the growing importance of English proficiency in the global health sector, the need for significant improvements in medical English education is evident. This study delves into the underlying causes of student demotivation and aims to reconcile educational delivery with the evolving expectations of the medical field. Insights gained from this research will inform targeted interventions, promising to enhance medical English courses and support improved educational experiences for Chinese medical undergraduates. Approach: This cross-sectional quantitative study surveyed 3,046 second-year medical students from four medical universities in Guangdong Province, China, leveraging means-analysis and Expectancy-Disconfirmation Theory (EDT) as its foundation. The research was conducted at the end of the 2022-2023 academic year, utilizing a questionnaire to assess students' perceptions of their medical English courses. Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) was the primary analytical tool to discern discrepancies between students' expectations and experiences. Findings: The IPA revealed that course content, classroom environment, and instructor effectiveness were pivotal factors influencing the perceived quality of the medical English courses. Students expressed a need for practical and relevant course material, with current content and textbooks falling short of preparing them for future medical communication demands. Additionally, while learning technologies were acknowledged, there was a discernible preference against their excessive application, suggesting a misalignment between student satisfaction and learning outcomes. Insights: This study highlights the need for innovative staffing models, refined qualifications for part-time instructors, development of collaborative and practical teaching materials, and focused training for medical English instructors. It also emphasizes the judicious integration of e-learning to enhance the learning experience. These insights aim to improve instruction quality by informing potential pedagogical adjustments and resource allocations in medical English education.

15.
Cureus ; 16(5): e60702, 2024 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38899259

ABSTRACT

Objective A well-established association exists between academic performance and levels of depression and anxiety among medical students. However, the effects of positive psychological factors on symptoms of depression and anxiety and academic performance have not been adequately studied. This study explores the relationship between the above variables and identifies positive psychological factors that can promote medical student wellbeing. Methods Medical students were surveyed at four time points during their first two years of medical education using Qualtrics. The surveys used a five-point Likert scale to assess students' levels of loneliness, religiosity, engaged living, life fulfillment, resilience, psychological wellbeing, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Academic performance was measured using students' Comprehensive Basic Science Examination scores. Linear mixed effect models with maximum likelihood estimation were used to investigate the relationship between positive psychological factors and scores on depression and anxiety as well as the relationship between demographic and psychological factors and exam scores. Results Seventy-two students completed the study. A significant positive correlation was observed between loneliness and symptoms of depression and anxiety, while the same symptoms had significant negative correlations with engaged living. None of the positive psychological factors were significantly predictive of exam scores. Conclusion Our findings suggest that medical students who develop meaningful relationships and live engaged lives are less likely to develop symptoms of depression and anxiety. Our study lays the groundwork for future research focusing on identifying and implementing pre-clinical curriculum changes aiming to improve medical students' mental health.

16.
BMC Med Educ ; 24(1): 671, 2024 Jun 17.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38886747

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Medical students have reported facing unique challenges in their academic journey that can have a significant impact on their mental health and wellbeing; therefore, their access to support services and wellbeing resources has been deemed crucial for dealing effectively with the various challenges they tend to face. While previous research has highlighted certain barriers affecting medical students' help-seeking and access to wellbeing support more generally, there is a pressing need for more in-depth research into the factors that may hinder or facilitate medical students' acceptability and uptake of the wellbeing resources available to them within institutional contexts. The current study aims to explore students' perceptions and utilization of wellbeing interventions and welfare resources within a medical school setting, as well as the factors influencing their help-seeking attitudes or behaviours. Additionally, it seeks to instigate medical students' deeper reflections on potential enhancements that could be applied to wellbeing resources so that they are better suited to address their needs. METHODS: This study employed a qualitative design, involving semi-structured interviews and a series of focus groups with medical students at the University of Nottingham (UK). Post-interview, focus groups were deemed necessary to gain deeper insights into emerging findings from the interviews regarding students' views on wellbeing support services. Qualitative data from the interviews was subjected to thematic analysis while a hybrid thematic analytic approach was applied for the focus group data in order to allow for both pre-defined themes from the interviews and newly emerging patterns to be identified and analysed in a combined manner. RESULTS: Twenty-five participants took part in the semi-structured interviews and twenty-two participants were recruited in a total of seven focus groups. Thematic analysis findings identified several key barriers to medical students' accessing wellbeing resources, including difficulties in finding relevant information, lengthy processes and difficulties receiving prompt help in urgent situations, learning environment issues, confidentiality concerns, and stigma around mental health. Student suggestions for the enhancement of wellbeing provision were centered around proposed improvements in the format that the relevant information was presented and in the structure underlying the delivery of support services. CONCLUSION: The study findings shed light on multi-faceted factors contributing to medical students' challenges in accessing support services; and provided a deeper understanding of medical students' wellbeing needs through a consolidation of their recommendations for the implementation of practical steps to address these needs. These steps can potentially inform key medical education stakeholders so that they can actively and proactively foster more supportive environments that may help improve medical students' help-seeking, as well as their acceptability and uptake of wellbeing services.


Subject(s)
Focus Groups , Health Services Accessibility , Qualitative Research , Students, Medical , Humans , Students, Medical/psychology , Male , Female , Mental Health , Help-Seeking Behavior , Young Adult , Social Support , Interviews as Topic , Adult
17.
Med Sci Educ ; 34(3): 639-645, 2024 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38887404

ABSTRACT

To promote evidence-based practice, medical schools offer students opportunities to undertake either elective or mandatory research projects. One important measure of the research program success is student publication rates. In 2006, UNSW Medicine implemented a mandatory research program in the 4th year of the undergraduate medical education program. This study identified student publication rates and explored student and supervisor experiences with the publication process. A retrospective audit of student publications from the 2007, 2011, and 2015 cohorts was undertaken to look at trends over time. Data collected included type of publication and study methodology. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of undergraduate students (n = 11), medical graduates (n = 14), and supervisors (n = 25) and analysed thematically. Student publication rates increased significantly (P = 0.002) from 28% in 2007 to 50.2% in 2015. Students able to negotiate their own project were more likely to publish (P = 0.02). Students reported personal affirmation and development of research skills from publishing their research findings, while graduates noted improved career opportunities. Supervisors expected students to publish but identified the time to publications and student motivation as key factors in achieving publication(s). A high publication rate is possible in a mandatory research program where students can negotiate their own topic and are given protected time. Publications happen after the research project has finished. Critical factors in successful publication include supervisor support and student motivation. Given the importance of the supervisor's role, staff development and faculty support to train and develop a body of skilled supervisors is required.

18.
Ind Psychiatry J ; 33(1): 94-100, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38853812

ABSTRACT

Background: Internet has become an integral part of our daily lives but as the use of internet is increasing, it is important to be aware of the prevalence, context, and impact of its addiction on sleep and the presence of anxiety, depression, and stress in our lives. Aim: To assess the prevalence of internet addiction and its association with insomnia, depression, anxiety, and stress among medical students in a tertiary care medical institute in Eastern India. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire-based study with a purposive sampling method was conducted among 420 undergraduate medical students of different professional years. Out of 420 medical students, 413 students who gave consent and returned complete performa were taken in the study using a semi-structured performa for sociodemographic details, Young's Internet Addiction Test, Insomnia Severity Index, and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale. Results: We found 31.2% of students had internet addiction, 24.2% had clinical insomnia, 58.1% had stress, 68.8% had anxiety, and 64.6% had depression. Potential internet addiction was significantly related to average screen time, insomnia, stress, anxiety, and depression. Conclusions: Internet addiction is prevalent among medical students affecting sleep, anxiety, depression, and stress, which needs urgent preventive strategies.

19.
J Hand Microsurg ; 16(2): 100024, 2024 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38855522

ABSTRACT

In recent years, new orthopaedic surgical simulation and virtual reality (VR) training models have emerged to provide unlimited education medium to an unlimited number of trainees with no time limit, especially in response to trainee work-hour restrictions. Surgical simulators range from simple wooden boxes to animal and cadaver models to three-dimensional-printed and VR simulators. The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic further highlighted the need for at-home learning tools for orthopaedic surgical trainees. Advancement in simulating shoulder and knee arthroscopies using VR simulators surpasses the other fields in orthopaedic surgery. Despite the high degree of precision needed to operate at a microscopic level involving vessels, nerves, and the small bones of the hand, the simulation tools have limited advancement in the field of orthopaedic hand surgery. This narrative review summarizes the status of surgical simulation and training techniques available to orthopaedic hand surgical trainees, factors affecting their application, and areas in hand surgery that still lag behind their surgical subspecialty counterparts.

20.
Teach Learn Med ; : 1-13, 2024 Jun 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38857111

ABSTRACT

Phenomenon: Ownership of patient care is a key element of professional growth and professional identity formation, but its development among medical students is incompletely understood. Specifically, how attitudes surrounding ownership of patient care develop, what experiences are most influential in shaping them, and how educators can best support this growth are not well known. Therefore, we studied the longitudinal progression of ownership definitions and experiences in medical students across their core clerkship curriculum. Approach: We conducted a series of four longitudinal focus groups with the same cohort of medical students across their core clerkship curriculum. Using workplace learning theory as a sensitizing concept, we conducted semi-structured interviews to explore how definitions, experiences, and influencers of ownership developed and evolved. Results were analyzed inductively using thematic analysis. Findings: Fifteen students participated in four focus groups spanning their core clerkship curriculum. We constructed four themes from responses: (1) students' definitions of ownership of patient care evolved to include more central roles for themselves and more defined limitations; (2) student conceptions of patient care ownership became more relational and reciprocal over time as they ascribed a more active role to patients; (3) student assessment fostered ownership as an external motivator when it explicitly addressed ownership, but detracted from ownership if it removed students from patient care; and (4) structural and logistical factors impacted students' ability to display patient care ownership. Insights: Student conceptions of ownership evolved over their core clerkship curriculum to include more patient care responsibility and more meaningful relational connections with patients, including recognizing patients' agency in this relationship. This progression was contingent on interactions with real patients and students being afforded opportunities to play a meaningful role in their care. Rotation structures and assessment processes are key influencers of care ownership that merit further study, as well as the voice of patients themselves in these relationships.

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