Conceptualizing Educational Comparability in Distributed Health Professions Education: A Scoping Review.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to create greater clarity about the current understanding and formulate a model of how educational comparability has been used in the literature to inform practice. METHOD: The authors conducted a literature search of 9 online databases, seeking articles published on comparability in distributed settings in health professions education before August 2021, with an updated search conducted in May 2023. Using a structured scoping review approach, 2 reviewers independently screened articles for eligibility with inclusion criteria and extracted key data. All authors participated in the descriptive analysis of the extracted data. RESULTS: Twenty-four articles published between 1987 and 2021 met the inclusion criteria. Most articles were focused on medical education programs (n = 21) and located in North America (n = 18). The main rationale for discussing comparability was accreditation. These articles did not offer definitions or discussions about what comparability means. The program logic model was used as an organizing framework to synthesize the literature on practices that schools undertake to facilitate and demonstrate comparability in the design (inputs), implementation (activities), and evaluation (outcomes) of distributed education. Inputs include common learning objectives, identical assessment tools and policies, governance models that enable clear communication, and reporting structure that is supported by technological infrastructure. Activities include faculty planning meetings and faculty development training. Outcomes include student experiences and academic performances. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that a more complex understanding of the dynamics of educational processes and practices is required to better guide the practice of educational comparability within distributed education programs. In addition to highlighting the need to develop an accepted definition of educational comparability, further elucidation of the underlying dynamics among input, activities, and outcomes would help to better determine what drivers should be prioritized when considering educational change with attention to context within distributed education.

The regional medical campus model and rural family medicine practice in British Columbia: a retrospective longitudinal cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Regional medical campuses have been implemented across North America to address gaps in the physician workforce. We report findings from a study that examined the association between a combined model of regional medical campuses and students' decision to enter rural family medicine practice. METHODS: In 2004, the University of British Columbia added 2 regional medical campuses, 1 in a large population centre in a rural and coastal context and 1 in a medium-sized population centre in an isolated northern and rural context. Data were extracted from the University of British Columbia's Medical Education Database. Multivariable logistic regression examined the relationship of age, sex, rural background and campus location to students' choice of rural family medicine practice. RESULTS: There was an association between campus location and choice of family medicine versus other specialties. A rural background (odds ratio [OR] 2.59, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08-6.21) and training at either of the 2 regional medical campuses (OR 3.24, 95% CI 1.19-8.83 and OR 5.38, 95% CI 2.24-12.91) predicted rural family practice. INTERPRETATION: Choosing to practise family medicine in a rural location was associated with having a rural background and having trained at a regional medical campus. These early results suggest that a combined regional campus model in medical education contributes to the rural family practice workforce.

Tobacco Point-of-Purchase marketing in school neighbourhoods and school smoking prevalence: a descriptive study.

BACKGROUND: Point of Purchase (PoP) promotional and advertising activities are a sophisticated tobacco marketing strategy. This study describes tobacco PoP activities in school neighbourhoods and compares PoP activities in retail stores between schools with high and low smoking prevalence. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 81 randomly selected schools across five provinces. Students in grades 10-11 completed a questionnaire on smoking. Observations were made in all retail stores located within a one-kilometre radius around the school. ANOVA tests were used to detect differences on PoP variables between high (> 20.6%) and low (< or = 20.6%) smoking prevalence schools, defined as percentage of students reporting at least a few puffs on > 2 days in the last 30 days. RESULTS: Approximately half of retail stores in each school neighbourhood exhibited tobacco PoP activities. Average school smoking prevalence was 20.99%. There were significant main effects on PoP variables between schools with high and low smoking prevalence, Wilk's lambda = 0.81, F (6,74) = 2.89, p < 0.01, eta2 = 0.19. Stores near schools with high smoking prevalence had significantly lower prices per cigarette (F (1,79) = 15.34, p < 0.01, eta2 = 0.16), more in-store promotions (F (1,79) = 6.73, p < 0.01, eta2 = 0.08), and fewer government-sponsored health warnings (F (1,79) = 6.26, p < 0.01, eta2 = 0.07) compared to schools with low smoking prevalence. CONCLUSION: Higher levels of PoP activities in stores located in the school neighbourhood are related to school smoking prevalence. Schools with low smoking prevalence had more stores that posted government health warning signs and higher cigarette prices. Legislation regulating PoP activities and health warnings in school neighbourhoods should be considered.