A Qualitative Study of Preclinical Medical Students Randomized to Patient-Partnered vs Traditional Clinical Experiences.

Purpose: Longitudinal patient-partnered experiences may promote medical student empathy, but evaluation of such programs is limited. The aim of this study was to compare areas of learning among first-year medical students randomized to a patient-centered track (PCT) or traditional track (TT) longitudinal clinical experience. Methods: PCT students (n=24) were paired with 2 patients and a physician to participate in their patients' care across multiple settings. TT students (n=56) were paired with a physician preceptor and participated in caring for a variety of patients in a single setting. This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach to template analysis, examining and comparing student reflective essays for areas of learning. Results: Three domains of learning emerged: 1) Focus of learning (biomedical, patient-centered); 2) Roles and relationships (clinical skills, relationship-building, teaching from preceptor and patients); and 3) Context of care (health systems science, interprofessional care). PCT students described patient-centered learning, relationship-building, and patients' role as teachers. In contrast, TT students emphasized biomedical learning, clinical skills development, and teaching from physician preceptors. Conclusions: Longitudinal patient-partnered clinical experiences provide rich opportunities for preclinical students to cultivate empathy and develop patient-centered values.

Primary care physician involvement during hospitalisation: a qualitative analysis of perspectives from frequently hospitalised patients.

OBJECTIVE: To explore frequently hospitalised patients' experiences and preferences related to primary care physician (PCP) involvement during hospitalisation across two care models. DESIGN: Qualitative study embedded within a randomised controlled trial. Semistructured interviews were conducted with patients. Transcripts were analysed using qualitative template analysis. SETTING: In the Comprehensive Care Programme (CCP) Study, in Illinois, USA, Medicare patients at increased risk of hospitalisation are randomly assigned to: (1) care by a CCP physician who serves as a PCP across both inpatient and outpatient settings or (2) care by a PCP as outpatient and by hospitalists as inpatients (standard care). PARTICIPANTS: Twelve standard care and 12 CCP patients were interviewed. RESULTS: Themes included: (1) Positive attitude towards PCP; (2) Longitudinal continuity with PCP valued; (3) Patient preference for PCP involvement in hospital care; (4) Potential for in-depth involvement of PCP during hospitalisation often unrealised (involvement rare in standard care; in CCP, frequent interaction with PCP fostered patient involvement in decision making); and (5) PCP collaboration with hospital-based providers frequently absent (no interaction for standard care patients; CCP patients emphasising PCP's role in interdisciplinary coordination). CONCLUSION: Frequently hospitalised patients value PCP involvement in the hospital setting. CCP patients highlighted how an established relationship with their PCP improved interdisciplinary coordination and engagement with decision making. Inpatient-outpatient relational continuity may be an important component of programmes for frequently hospitalised patients. Opportunities for enhancing PCP involvement during hospitalisation should be considered.

Wikipedia: A Medical Student Educational Project to Edit Wikipedia in Preparation for Practicing Evidence-Based Pain Medicine.

OBJECTIVE: Wikipedia is commonly used to acquire information about various medical conditions such as chronic pain. Ideally, better online pain management content could reduce the burden of opioid use disorders. Our goal was to improve the quality of the content available on Wikipedia to make it more accurate and applicable to medical students and the general public while training medical students to practice evidence-based medicine and critically assess their sources of information. METHODS: An elective class in Neuroscience, Pain, and Opioids composed of 10 medical students met biweekly to discuss landmark and practice-changing research articles in the fields of acute pain, chronic pain, and opioid management. The professor chose Wikipedia articles relevant to this course. Three independent viewers analyzed the quality of citations, anecdotal medical content, and content value for both patients and medical professionals. As part of their coursework, students then edited the Wikipedia articles. RESULTS: Although some of the Wikipedia pain topic content (6.7% ± 2.0) was anecdotal, financially biased, or inconsistent with Western Medical Practice content, overall articles included primarily high-quality citations (85.6% ± 3.1). On a 0-5 Likert scale, students felt content would be moderately helpful for both medical students/professionals (3.4 ± 0.2) and laypersons (3.5 ± 0.2). Editing and adding citations was feasible, but novel material was often reverted. CONCLUSION: A significant amount of pain medicine content was relevant and amenable to student editing. Therefore, future use of this tactic could provide a unique opportunity to integrate evidence-based medicine into the medical curriculum and have a direct impact on the widely available medical information. Future refinement in the editorial process may also further improve online information.

Mitral valve coaptation and its relationship to late diastolic flow: A color Doppler and vector flow map echocardiographic study in normal subjects.

BACKGROUND: Three competing theories about the mechanism of mitral coaptation in normal subjects were evaluated by color Doppler and vector flow mapping (VFM): (1) beginning of ventricular (LV) ejection, (2) "breaking of the jet" of diastolic LV inflow, and (3) returning diastolic vortices impacting the leaflets on their LV surfaces. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analyzed 80 color Doppler frames and 320 VFM measurements. In all 20 normal subjects, coaptation occurred before LV ejection, 78±16 ms before onset. On color Doppler frames the larger anterior, and smaller posterior vortices circle back and, in all cases, strike the ventricular surfaces of the leaflets. On the first closing-begins frame, for the first time, vortex velocity normal to the ventricular surface of the anterior leaflet (AML) is greater than that in the mitral orifice, and the angle of attack of LV vortical flow onto the AML is twice as high as the angle of flow onto the valve in orifice. Thus, at the moment coaptation begins, vortical flow strikes the mitral leaflet with higher velocity, and higher angle of attack than orifice flow, and thus with greater force. According to the "breaking of the jet" theory, one would expect to see de novo LV flow perpendicular to the leaflets beginning after transmitral flow terminates. Instead, the returning continuous LV vortical flow that impacts the valve builds continuously after the P-wave. CONCLUSIONS: Late diastolic vortices strike the ventricular surfaces of the mitral leaflets and contribute to valve coaptation, permitted by concomitant decline in transmitral flow.

Doppler Systolic Signal Void in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Apical Aneurysm and Severe Obstruction without Elevated Intraventricular Velocities.

BACKGROUND: In patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), akinetic apical aneurysms are associated with ventricular tachycardia, heart failure, apical thrombus, and mortality. The cause of apical aneurysms remains unresolved, and there is controversy about prevalence and significance of mid-left ventricular (LV) obstruction, often present in these patients. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that low velocities in patients with aneurysms are due to near complete cessation of mid-LV flow, characteristically marked by a Doppler signal void. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of 39 patients with HCM with segmental hypertrophy of the mid left ventricle and complete systolic emptying at the mid-LV level. The severity of dynamic obstruction was evaluated by measuring the time during which cross-sectional mid-LV cavity area was <1 cm(2). Presence or absence of an LV Doppler midsystolic signal void was determined. RESULTS: Akinetic apical aneurysms were present in 21 patients. The duration of two-dimensional mid-LV short-axis complete emptying was longer in patients with akinetic apical aneurysms (194 ± 45 vs 148 ± 63 msec, P = .013), nearly 50% of systole. Midsystolic signal voids were seen only in patients with akinetic apical aneurysms (P < .001), present in 86%. In patients with akinetic aneurysms, there was a strong correlation between the duration of the systolic signal void and the proportion of systole with complete emptying < 1 cm(2) (r = 0.704; P = .001). Complete emptying < 1 cm(2) for ≥ 38% of systole was associated with akinetic aneurysm (odds ratio, 9.35; P < .004). CONCLUSION: Patients with akinetic apical aneurysm HCM have near complete cessation of flow across severe dynamic mid-LV obstruction for nearly 50% of systole. This explains how the adverse effects of obstruction may occur without high velocities on echocardiography.

Echocardiography before and after resect-plicate-release surgical myectomy for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Anatomic features of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are septal hypertrophy, elongated mitral leaflets, and anterior displacement of the papillary muscles. In addition to extended myectomy, the resect-plicate-release operation adds horizontal plication of the anterior mitral leaflet (AML) and release of the anterolateral papillary muscle (APM) in selected patients. The aim of this study was to test the hypotheses that (1) preoperative findings would be associated with procedures applied, (2) anatomic corrections would be observable postoperatively, and (3) there would be consistently good physiologic outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted of patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy who had adequate echocardiograms before and 9.5 ± 12 months after the resect-plicate-release operation was performed from 2006 to 2012. RESULTS: Seventy-seven patients underwent myectomy, 50 AML plication, and 50 APM release. Patients who underwent plication had longer AMLs (32 ± 4 vs 28 ± 4 mm; P < .004). Anterior extension of the APM was more common with papillary muscle release (86% vs 62%, P < .04). Twenty-seven (35%) had septal thickness ≤ 18 mm; mitral valve-sparing operations were possible because of plication in 19 patients (70%), papillary release in 21 (78%), and one or both in 96%. Patients who underwent plication had decreased AML length by 16%, residual leaflet length by 33%, and protrusion by 24%. After APM release, there was decreased distance from mitral coaptation to the posterior wall. Surgery abolished severe systolic anterior motion and resting gradients and reduced mitral regurgitation. CONCLUSIONS: Echocardiographic AML length and directly observed slack provides a basis to recommend performance of plication and define its extent; plication decreases AML protrusion and stiffens the leaflet. Anterior APM recommends release, which drops the coaptation point posteriorly. Systematic relief of all aspects of obstructive pathophysiology results in consistent outcomes.