Psychological Changes of Music and Fine Arts Students in the Education Process: A Comparative Longitudinal Study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the changes in psychological distress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in students from the fine arts faculty in the first 2 years of their education in Turkey, in comparison with students from other faculties, and to reveal the causes of psychological distress, anxiety, and depression in fine arts students. METHODS: The General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were applied to students from Faculty of Fine Arts and the Faculties of Economics and Sport Sciences (controls) in the first week of the 2017-2018 academic year. Students also completed a questionnaire measuring their possible stressful life events (at timepoint T1). The process was repeated for the same students in the second year (T2). The changes between the two time¬points were examined prospectively. RESULTS: A total of 96 fine arts students agreed to participate at T1 and 66 at T2 (68.8%); for the controls, it was 259 at T1 and 182 (70.3%) at T2. The fine arts students at T1 included 15 music majors, 45 cinema and television, and 36 handi¬crafts, sculpture, and painting. Their average age at T1 was 21.0 yrs (SD 5.8) and 54.2% were male; for the other students, it was 19.4 yrs (2.7) and 56.0% male. Fine arts students' GHQ-12 score averages increased significantly from T1 to T2 (11.7 to 14.3, p=0.002). Their BDI score averages increased from 10.3 to 12.3 (p=0.044). Moreover, their S-Anxiety score averages increased from 41.1 at T1 to 44.1 at T2 (p=0.008). However, the increase in T-Anxiety scores was not statistically significant. None of the control students' test scores varied between the two timepoints (p>0.05). At T2, for fine arts students, there was no significant difference between female and male students in terms of GHQ-12, BDI, and S-Anxiety scores. However, T-anxiety scores were higher in female students. By linear regression analysis, "worrying about the future (individual)" was found to be a determinant on all scale scores in fine arts students. CONCLUSION: The psychological indicators increased significantly in fine arts students during the first year of their education.

Depression and Psychological Distress in Medical Students, A Prospective Study.

Introduction: The aim of the study is to determine the changes in psychological distress and depressive symptoms of medical students in the first two years of their education process, in comparison with other faculty students. Methods: All first-year students in the Faculties of Medicine, Economics and Sport Sciences were asked to fill out a detailed self-reported questionnaire aimed at measuring possible stressful life events and habits, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) during the first week of their first semester in 2017-2018. This process was repeated to the same students again in the second year, and the change was examined prospectively. Results: The GHQ-12 score average increased from 11.19 to 13.7 in medical students (p<0.001). The prevalence of psychological distress increased from 53.8% to 61.8%. The BDI score average was 8.04 in the beginning and reached 10.1 in the second year (p<0.001). Depressive symptom prevalence increased from 8.8% to 19.5%. No significant increase was observed in the GHQ-12, BDI score average, depressive symptoms, and psychological distress prevalence of other faculty students. The incidence of depressive symptoms in medical students was 15.9%. As a result of multivariate analysis, "dissatisfaction with social activities" and "exposure to psychological pressure and violence" which were stressful life events were statistically associated with both GHQ-12 and BDI. Conclusion: It was determined that the mental health of the students was negatively affected in the first year of medical school education. It is recommended to raise awareness for medical students at risk of mental illness and to plan interventions that will protect their mental health.

Operating Room Educational Climate Scale for Surgical Specialty Residents: Scale Development and Validation.

AIM: To develop a scale in Turkish language for evaluating the surgical specialty residents? perceptions of educational climate in the operating room, with an emphasis on learning in the operating suite and planning the relevant change for improved and standardized training. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Three surgeons from different disciplines provided expert opinions and a focus group meeting was held on the necessity, scope, and specificity of the items. The 5-point Likert type draft scale consisted of 28 items including ten negative statements scored reversely and having total scores ranging between 28-140 points. There were 5 subscales: educational process, teamwork, communication, operating room infrastructure, and surgical skills education. For assessing the validity and reliability, 172 surgical specialty residents from three hospitals in different locations were asked to answer the paper-based scale items anonymously. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test validity, whereas Cronbach?s alpha reliability coefficients were calculated for internal consistency. RESULTS: CFA revealed a chi-square, standard deviation, chi-square/standard deviation, and a p-value of 783.73, 340, 2.27, and 0.001, respectively. Cronbach?s alpha coefficient for educational process, teamwork, communication, operating room infrastructure, and surgical skills education subscales were calculated to be 0.61, 0.61, 0.63, 0.70, and 0.72, respectively. Cronbach?s alpha coefficient for all items was 0.89. Results indicated acceptable construct validity and internal consistency of the scale. CONCLUSION: The newly developed scale was proven as a reliable and valid measurement instrument that can be used within the Turkish health system setting for assessing and improving the educational climate in the operating room.

A Study on the Use of Massive Open Online Courses in Otorhinolaryngology After Graduation.

OBJECTIVE: The use of massive open online courses (MOOCs) in medical education and postgraduate education is becoming more and more widespread across the world. A survey study was carried out in Turkey to collect information and raise awareness about the use of MOOCs for educational and training purposes in the field of otorhinolaryngology after graduation. METHOD: The prepared survey questionnaire was published on the online communication platform of the Turkish Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Association, and volunteers were asked to fill-out the questionnaire by clicking the given link. RESULTS: A total of 210 volunteers participated in the survey study. Most of the volunteers (26.2%) were in the 36-40 age range. At the time of the study 53.8% of the volunteers were working as specialist doctors, 19.5% as residents, 10.5% as professors, 8.1% as associate professors, and 8.1% as assistant professors. Only 19 (9%) respondents ticked "yes" in response to the question "Are you familiar with the MOOC programs?" and only six (2.9%) of these respondents had attended a MOOC program. Evaluation of the correlation between academic title and awareness of MOOC programs showed that the instructors had a significantly higher level of MOOC awareness compared to the specialists and the residents (p=0.032). CONCLUSION: Results of the survey revealed that the use of MOOC programs in postgraduate otorhinolaryngology education was low and the volunteers were not well-informed about this practice.

Nationwide content analysis of undergraduate obstetrics and gynaecology clinical curricula in Turkish medical schools.

The aim was to perform a document content analysis of the subject titles in the undergraduate obstetrics and gynaecology (OG) curricula in Turkish medical schools regarding the National Core Curriculum revised in 2014 (NCC-2014). Two mini-focus group discussions with four voluntary OG faculty members in each session and one of the authors as the moderator were employed within a 1-week time frame to identify the primary (n = 36) and secondary (n = 15) NCC-2014 OG titles that were then compared for the alignment with the curricula of the various medical schools published on their website. The internet search and data analyses were each completed within 3 months. Overall, about 80% and 23% of primary and secondary OG topics were present in 54 medical schools, respectively. Teaching sessions on high-risk pregnancy and ovarian cancer were present in all of the curricula. Chromosomal disorders (11 schools), candidiasis/vaginal discharge (13 schools) and female sexual dysfunction (15 schools) were the least represented primary topics. None of the curricula had a title on neural tube defects or oncological emergencies. Obesity (one school), iron deficiency anaemia (four schools), genitourinary trauma (four schools) and domestic violence (four schools) were among the underrepresented secondary subject titles. This nationwide analysis revealed deficiencies in undergraduate OG core curricular content of the medical schools.

Do learning approaches of medical students affect their satisfaction with problem-based learning?

The aim of this research was to determine the satisfaction of medical students with problem-based learning (PBL) and their approaches to learning to investigate the effect of learning approaches on their levels of satisfaction. The study group was composed of medical students from three different universities, which apply PBL at different levels in their curricula. The revised two-factor study process survey was applied to the study group to determine their approaches to learning as "deep" or "surface" learning. In addition, another survey of 20 questions was used to determine satisfaction levels of students with PBL and other variables. Of the study group, 64.6% were found to adopt a deep approach to learning, and we confirmed that these students were reasonably more satisfied with PBL.

Learning styles of medical students change in relation to time.

The aim of the present study was to investigate if any changes exist in the learning styles of medical students over time and in relation to different curriculum models with these learning styles. This prospective cohort study was conducted in three different medical faculties, which implement problem-based learning (PBL), hybrid, and integrated curriculum models. The study instruments were Kolb's Learning Style Inventory (LSI) and a questionnaire describing the students' demographic characteristics. Sample selection was not done, and all first-year students (n = 547) were targeted. This study was designed in two phases. In the first year, the study instruments were delivered to the target group. The next year, the same instruments were delivered again to those who had fully completed the first questionnaire (n = 525). Of these, 455 students had completed the instruments truly and constituted the study group. The majority of the students were assimilators and convergers in both the first and second years. A change in learning style was observed between 2 yr in 46.9% of the students in the integrated curriculum, in 49.3% of the students in the hybrid curriculum, and 56.4% of the students in the PBL curriculum. The least and most changes observed between the learning style groups were in assimilators and divergers, respectively. Curriculum models and other independent variables had no significant effect on the change between learning styles. The learning styles of medical students may change over time. Further followup studies in larger groups are needed to clarify this relation.

Ways of coping as predictors of satisfaction with curriculum and academic success in medical school.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the coping strategies of medical students and to investigate the effects of coping strategies on student satisfaction and academic achievement with different instruction methods. A total of 152 medical students was followed throughout the first 2 yr of medical education between 2008 and 2010. Students completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and revised form of the Ways of Coping questionnaire both at the beginning of the first year and at the end of the second year. These forms provided data about the characteristics and main coping strategies (problem focused or emotion focused) of the students and revealed the change over time. At the end of the second year, participants also completed a satisfaction questionnaire asking their satisfaction with lectures, problem-based learning, and practicals. The authors used block, problem-based learning, and practical exam scores of the students attained in the past 2 yr as academic achievement indicators. No sociodemographic variable was related to coping strategy. The majority of students (80.9%) adopted problem-focused coping. A shift occurred in the main coping strategies of some students in both sides. Problem-focused coping scores decreased over time. Problem-focused coping positively correlated with satisfaction with practicals and practical exam scores, whereas emotion-focused coping showed the same correlation negatively. The main coping strategy also predicted satisfaction and exam success in practicals. In conclusion, a main coping strategy may be helpful to predict student satisfaction and academic achievement with some student-centered instruction methods. Determining undesired coping strategies may provide an opportunity for intervention to prevent relevant dissatisfaction and failure.

Can learning style predict student satisfaction with different instruction methods and academic achievement in medical education?

The curriculum of our medical school has a hybrid structure including both traditional training (lectures) and problem-based learning (PBL) applications. The purpose of this study was to determine the learning styles of our medical students and investigate the relation of learning styles with each of satisfaction with different instruction methods and academic achievement in them. This study was carried out with the participation of 170 first-year medical students (the participation rate was 91.4%). The researchers prepared sociodemographic and satisfaction questionnaires to determine the characteristics of the participants and their satisfaction levels with traditional training and PBL. The Kolb learning styles inventory was used to explore the learning styles of the study group. The participants completed all forms at the end of the first year of medical education. Indicators of academic achievement were scores of five theoretical block exams and five PBL exams performed throughout the academic year of 2008-2009. The majority of the participants took part in the "diverging" (n = 84, 47.7%) and "assimilating" (n = 73, 41.5%) groups. Numbers of students in the "converging" and "accommodating" groups were 11 (6.3%) and 8 (4.5%), respectively. In all learning style groups, PBL satisfaction scores were significantly higher than those of traditional training. Exam scores for "PBL and traditional training" did not differ among the four learning styles. In logistic regression analysis, learning style (assimilating) predicted student satisfaction with traditional training and success in theoretical block exams. Nothing predicted PBL satisfaction and success. This is the first study conducted among medical students evaluating the relation of learning style with student satisfaction and academic achievement. More research with larger groups is needed to generalize our results. Some learning styles may relate to satisfaction with and achievement in some instruction methods.

[E-learning and problem based learning integration in cardiology education]. / Kardiyoloji egitiminde e-ögrenme ve probleme dayali ögrenme entegrasyonu.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine students' satisfaction with an e-learning environment which is developed to support classical problem-based learning (PBL) in medical education and its effect on academic achievement. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, students were provided with a web-based learning environment including learning materials related to objectives of the subject of PBL module, which could be used during independent study period. The study group comprised of all of the second year students (164 students) of Akdeniz University, Medical Faculty, during 2007-2008 education period. In order to gather data about students' satisfaction with learning environment, a questionnaire was administered to the students. Comparison of students' academic achievement was based on their performance score in PBL exam. Statistical analyses were performed using unpaired t test and Mann Whitney U test. RESULTS: Findings indicated that 72.6% of the students used e-learning practice. There is no statistically significant difference between mean PBL performance scores of users and non-users of e-learning practice (103.58 vs. 100.88) (t=-0.998, p=0.320). It is found that frequent users of e-learning application had statistically significant higher scores than non-frequent users (106.28 vs. 100.59) (t=-2.373, p=0.01). In addition, 72.6% of the students declared they were satisfied with the application. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that the most of the students use e-learning application and are satisfied with it. In addition, it is observed that e-learning application positively affects the academic achievement of the students. This study gains special importance by providing contribution to limited literature in the area of instructional technology in PBL and Cardiology teaching.

Comparison of knowledge scores of medical students in problem-based learning and traditional curriculum on public health topics.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the study was to compare the knowledge scores of medical students in Problem-based Learning and traditional curriculum on public health topics. METHODS: We planned a cross-sectional study including the fifth and sixth year medical students of Dokuz Eylul University in Turkey. The fifth year students (PBL group, n = 56) were the pioneers educated with PBL curriculum since the 1997-1998 academic year. The sixth year students (traditional education group, n = 78) were the last students educated with traditional education methods. We prepared 25 multiple-choice questions in order to assess knowledge scores of students on selected subjects of Public Health. Our data were collected in year 2002. RESULTS: Mean test scores achieved in PBL and traditional groups were 65.0 and 60.5 respectively. PBL students were significantly more successful in the knowledge test (p = 0.01). The knowledge scores of two topics were statistically higher among PBL students. These topics were health management and chronic diseases. CONCLUSION: We found that mean total evaluation score in the PBL group was 4.5 points higher than in the traditional group in our study. Focusing only on the knowledge scores of students is the main limitation of our study. Upon the graduation of the first PBL students in the 2002-2003 academic year, we are planning additional studies regarding the other functions of a physician such as skill, behaviour and attitude.