Evaluation of the effectiveness of the Global Medical Student Partnership program in undergraduate medical education.

BACKGROUND: The Global Medical Student Partnership (GMSP) is a medical student-led international initiative to promote accessible global health learning. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the GMSP program in meeting its learning objectives. METHODS: Canadian and international medical student pairs met online monthly (January-May 2018) to discuss global health-related medical cases. Students then reviewed cases with local GMSP peers and faculty experts. A mixed-methods study was performed to evaluate whether the objectives of the program had been achieved. 26 of 32 (81.3%) students completed a questionnaire, and 13 (40.6%) also participated in one-on-one semi-structured interviews. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to analyze students' perspectives on skill development through GMSP. RESULTS: GMSP students agreed or strongly agreed that international collaboration and communication skills were more important to them following program participation (92.3%, 92.3% respectively). Many expressed that after GMSP, they knew more about their healthcare system, practices abroad and how to solve complex health issues (92.3%, 84.6%, 61.5% respectively). Qualitative data showed GMSP improved students' communication and presentation skills, provided a foundation for international relationships, fostered appraisal of diverse health systems, and furthered students' understanding of health advocacy. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate that GMSP met its original objectives by providing students with opportunities to engage in international collaborations and to further develop their skills in advocacy, communication, and health-systems research. This program may be an important addition to medical education as it makes use of technology and peer-to-peer exchange to enable global health learning.

CONTEXTE: Le Global Medical Student Partnership (GMSP) est une initiative d'envergure internationale menée par des étudiants en médecine qui vise à favoriser la formation en santé mondiale. La présente étude consiste à évaluer l'efficacité du programme GMSP pour atteindre ses objectifs d'apprentissage. MÉTHODOLOGIE: Des paires d'étudiants en médecine canadiens et étrangers se sont rencontrés en ligne tous les mois, entre janvier et mai 2018, pour discuter de situations cliniques en santé mondiale. Après la rencontre, ces situations cliniques ont été revues par des pairs locaux du programme GMSP et des experts du corps professoral. On a effectué une étude à devis mixte pour déterminer si les objectifs du programme avaient été atteints. 26 des 32 (81,3 %) étudiants ont répondu à un questionnaire et 13 (40,6 %) ont aussi pris part à des entrevues individuelles semi-dirigées. Des statistiques descriptives et une analyse thématique ont été utilisées analyser les perceptions des étudiants sur le développement d'habiletés par le programme GMSP. RÉSULTATS: Les étudiants participant au programme GMSP étaient d'accord ou très en accord pour dire que les habiletés à la collaboration internationale et à la communication étaient plus importantes à leurs yeux après la participation au programme (92.3%, 92,3%, respectivement). Bon nombre ont affirmé qu'après le programme GMSP, ils en connaissaient plus sur leur système de soins de santé, les pratiques à l'étranger et les façons de résoudre des problèmes de santé complexes (92,3 %, 84,6 %, 61,5 % respectivement). Des données qualitatives ont montré que le programme GMSP a amélioré les aptitudes à la communication et des techniques de présentation. Elles ont servi à établir des relations à l'international, à évaluer divers systèmes de soins de santé et à mieux comprendre la promotion de la santé et à militer en faveur de celle-ci. CONCLUSIONS: Nos résultats montrent que le programme GMSP a atteint ses objectifs de départ puisqu'il a donné aux étudiants des occasions de collaboration internationale et leur a permis de développer davantage leurs habiletés en matière de défense des droits, de communication, et de recherche sur les systèmes de soins de santé. Ce programme pourrait s'avérer un important complément à la formation médicale parce qu'il utilise la technologie et des échanges pairs-pairs pour l'apprentissage des enjeux de santé mondiaux.

Timing of Pubertal Milestones in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Despite increasing global attention to adolescent health in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), limited literature exists on the timing of pubertal development in these settings. This study aimed to determine the age at menarche (AAM) and age of puberty onset [female Tanner Stage Breast 2 (B2) and male Tanner Stage Genital 2 (G2)] among healthy adolescents living in LMICs. It also aimed to explore the impact of nutritional status on pubertal timing in this population. MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science, Scopus, and grey literature databases were searched. Observational studies and control arms of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with healthy participants from LMICs born in or after 1998 were included. Pooled estimates with 95% CIs were calculated by random-effects meta-analyses using the DerSimonian and Laird inverse variance method for each pubertal milestone and by BMI category subgroups. Twenty-seven studies were included in the meta-analysis, representing 90,188 adolescents (78.3% female). Pooled mean estimates for AAM for normal, thin, and overweight BMI groupings were 12.3 y (95% CI: 12.1, 12.5), 12.4 y (95% CI: 12.2, 12.6), and 12.1 y (95% CI: 11.7, 12.5), respectively. For Tanner Stage B2, pooled mean age estimates for normal, thin, and overweight BMI groupings were 10.4 y (95% CI: 9.2, 11.6), 10.2 y (95% CI: 9.3, 11.4), and 8.4 y (95% CI: 6.8, 10.0), respectively. Finally, for Tanner Stage G2, pooled mean estimates for normal, thin, and overweight BMI groupings were 11.0 y (95% CI: 10.3, 11.7), 11.3 y (95% CI: 9.8, 12.9), and 10.3 y (95% CI: 10.0, 10.6), respectively. Data on the timing of pubertal milestones has traditionally come from high-income settings. In this systematic review of contemporary data from adolescents in LMICs, AAM, as well as age at pubertal onset, were similar to those reported from high-income settings.