Sample records for advanced medical students

  1. [Depression and stress management in medical students. A comparative study between freshman and advanced medical students].

    PubMed

    Jurkat, H B; Richter, L; Cramer, M; Vetter, A; Bedau, S; Leweke, F; Milch, W

    2011-05-01

    International studies have indicated a high prevalence of depression and a lack of coping with stress in medical students. Freshman and advanced medical students were investigated using a specific questionnaire and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) with a response rate of 100%. Of the subjects studied 81.1% did not have any depression, 13.1% slight and 5.8% clinically relevant symptoms of depression. The severity of symptoms was highly associated with subjective appraisal of stressors. Coping skills of first year students significantly influenced the depression symptoms calling for preventative measures even in freshman medical students.

  2. Teaching Advance Care Planning to Medical Students with a Computer-Based Decision Aid

    PubMed Central

    Levi, Benjamin H.

    2013-01-01

    Discussing end-of-life decisions with cancer patients is a crucial skill for physicians. This article reports findings from a pilot study evaluating the effectiveness of a computer-based decision aid for teaching medical students about advance care planning. Second-year medical students at a single medical school were randomized to use a standard advance directive or a computer-based decision aid to help patients with advance care planning. Students' knowledge, skills, and satisfaction were measured by self-report; their performance was rated by patients. 121/133 (91%) of students participated. The Decision-Aid Group (n=60) outperformed the Standard Group (n=61) in terms of students´ knowledge (p<0.01), confidence in helping patients with advance care planning (p<0.01), knowledge of what matters to patients (p=0.05), and satisfaction with their learning experience (p<0.01). Likewise, patients in the Decision Aid Group were more satisfied with the advance care planning method (p<0.01) and with several aspects of student performance. Use of a computer-based decision aid may be an effective way to teach medical students how to discuss advance care planning with cancer patients. PMID:20632222

  3. Teaching Advanced Leadership Skills in Community Service (ALSCS) to medical students.

    PubMed

    Goldstein, Adam O; Calleson, Diane; Bearman, Rachel; Steiner, Beat D; Frasier, Pamela Y; Slatt, Lisa

    2009-06-01

    Inadequate access to health care, lack of health insurance, and significant health disparities reflect crises in health care affecting all of society. Training U.S. physicians to possess not only clinical expertise but also sufficient leadership skills is essential to solve these problems and to effectively improve health care systems. Few models in the undergraduate medical curriculum exist for teaching students how to combine needed leadership competencies with actual service opportunities.The Advanced Leadership Skills in Community Service (ALSCS) selective developed in response to the shortage of leadership models and leadership training for medical students. The ALSCS selective is designed specifically to increase students' leadership skills, with an emphasis on community service. The selective integrates classroom-based learning, hands-on application of learned skills, and service learning. More than 60 medical students have participated in the selective since inception. Short-term outcomes demonstrate an increase in students' self-efficacy around multiple dimensions of leadership skills (e.g., fundraising, networking, motivating others). Students have also successfully completed more than a dozen leadership and community service projects. The selective offers an innovative model of a leadership-skills-based course that can have a positive impact on leadership skill development among medical school students and that can be incorporated into the medical school curriculum.

  4. Teaching Medical Students About "The Conversation": An Interactive Value-Based Advance Care Planning Session.

    PubMed

    Lum, Hillary D; Dukes, Joanna; Church, Skotti; Abbott, Jean; Youngwerth, Jean M

    2018-02-01

    Advance care planning (ACP) promotes care consistent with patient wishes. Medical education should teach how to initiate value-based ACP conversations. To develop and evaluate an ACP educational session to teach medical students a value-based ACP process and to encourage students to take personal ACP action steps. Groups of third-year medical students participated in a 75-minute session using personal reflection and discussion framed by The Conversation Starter Kit. The Conversation Project is a free resource designed to help individuals and families express their wishes for end-of-life care. One hundred twenty-seven US third-year medical students participated in the session. Student evaluations immediately after the session and 1 month later via electronic survey. More than 90% of students positively evaluated the educational value of the session, including rating highly the opportunities to reflect on their own ACP and to use The Conversation Starter Kit. Many students (65%) reported prior ACP conversations. After the session, 73% reported plans to discuss ACP, 91% had thought about preferences for future medical care, and 39% had chosen a medical decision maker. Only a minority had completed an advance directive (14%) or talked with their health-care provider (1%). One month later, there was no evidence that the session increased students' actions regarding these same ACP action steps. A value-based ACP educational session using The Conversation Starter Kit successfully engaged medical students in learning about ACP conversations, both professionally and personally. This session may help students initiate conversations for themselves and their patients.

  5. Teaching Medical Students About “The Conversation”: An Interactive Value-Based Advance Care Planning Session

    PubMed Central

    Lum, Hillary D.; Dukes, Joanna; Church, Skotti; Abbott, Jean; Youngwerth, Jean M.

    2017-01-01

    Background Advance care planning (ACP) promotes care consistent with patient wishes. Medical education should teach how to initiate value-based ACP conversations. Objective To develop and evaluate an ACP educational session to teach medical students a value-based ACP process and to encourage students to take personal ACP action steps. Design Groups of third-year medical students participated in a 75-minute session using personal reflection and discussion framed by The Conversation Starter Kit. The Conversation Project is a free resource designed to help individuals and families express their wishes for end-of-life care. Setting and Participants One hundred twenty-seven US third-year medical students participated in the session. Measurements Student evaluations immediately after the session and 1 month later via electronic survey. Results More than 90% of students positively evaluated the educational value of the session, including rating highly the opportunities to reflect on their own ACP and to use The Conversation Starter Kit. Many students (65%) reported prior ACP conversations. After the session, 73% reported plans to discuss ACP, 91% had thought about preferences for future medical care, and 39% had chosen a medical decision maker. Only a minority had completed an advance directive (14%) or talked with their health-care provider (1%). One month later, there was no evidence that the session increased students’ actions regarding these same ACP action steps. Conclusion A value-based ACP educational session using The Conversation Starter Kit successfully engaged medical students in learning about ACP conversations, both professionally and personally. This session may help students initiate conversations for themselves and their patients. PMID:28273761

  6. Communication training for advanced medical students improves information recall of medical laypersons in simulated informed consent talks--a randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Werner, Anne; Holderried, Friederike; Schäffeler, Norbert; Weyrich, Peter; Riessen, Reimer; Zipfel, Stephan; Celebi, Nora

    2013-02-01

    Informed consent talks are mandatory before invasive interventions. However, the patients' information recall has been shown to be rather poor. We investigated, whether medical laypersons recalled more information items from a simulated informed consent talk after advanced medical students participated in a communication training aiming to reduce a layperson's cognitive load. Using a randomized, controlled, prospective cross-over-design, 30 5th and 6th year medical students were randomized into two groups. One group received communication training, followed by a comparison intervention (early intervention group, EI); the other group first received the comparison intervention and then communication training (late intervention group, LI). Before and after the interventions, the 30 medical students performed simulated informed consent talks with 30 blinded medical laypersons using a standardized set of information. We then recorded the number of information items the medical laypersons recalled. After the communication training both groups of medical laypersons recalled significantly more information items (EI: 41 ± 9% vs. 23 ± 9%, p < .0001, LI 49 ± 10% vs. 35 ± 6%, p < .0001). After the comparison intervention the improvement was modest and significant only in the LI (EI: 42 ± 9% vs. 40 ± 9%, p = .41, LI 35 ± 6% vs. 29 ± 9%, p = .016). Short communication training for advanced medical students improves information recall of medical laypersons in simulated informed consent talks.

  7. Communication training for advanced medical students improves information recall of medical laypersons in simulated informed consent talks – a randomized controlled trial

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Informed consent talks are mandatory before invasive interventions. However, the patients’ information recall has been shown to be rather poor. We investigated, whether medical laypersons recalled more information items from a simulated informed consent talk after advanced medical students participated in a communication training aiming to reduce a layperson’s cognitive load. Methods Using a randomized, controlled, prospective cross-over-design, 30 5th and 6th year medical students were randomized into two groups. One group received communication training, followed by a comparison intervention (early intervention group, EI); the other group first received the comparison intervention and then communication training (late intervention group, LI). Before and after the interventions, the 30 medical students performed simulated informed consent talks with 30 blinded medical laypersons using a standardized set of information. We then recorded the number of information items the medical laypersons recalled. Results After the communication training both groups of medical laypersons recalled significantly more information items (EI: 41 ± 9% vs. 23 ± 9%, p < .0001, LI 49 ± 10% vs. 35 ± 6%, p < .0001). After the comparison intervention the improvement was modest and significant only in the LI (EI: 42 ± 9% vs. 40 ± 9%, p = .41, LI 35 ± 6% vs. 29 ± 9%, p = .016). Conclusion Short communication training for advanced medical students improves information recall of medical laypersons in simulated informed consent talks. PMID:23374907

  8. Impact of individualized learning plans on United States senior medical students advanced clinical rotations.

    PubMed

    Guardiola, Amalia; Barratt, Michelle S; Omoruyi, Emma A

    2016-01-01

    The individualized learning plan (ILP) is a tool that promotes self-directed learning. The aim of this pilot study was to look at the perception of the ILPs in United States senior medical school students as a way to improve their learning experience during their advanced practice clerkship. We conducted a survey of graduating medical students that contained both quantitative and open-ended questions regarding the students' experiences with the ILP during their advanced practice clerkship from July 2014 to March 2016. We systematically identified and compiled themes among the qualitative responses. Responses from 294 out of 460 subjects were included for analysis (63.9%). Ninety students (30.6%) reported that the ILP was definitely reviewed at the midpoint and 88 (29.9%) at the final evaluation. One hundred sixty one students (54.8%) felt the ILP provided a framework for learning. One hundred sixty one students (61.6%) felt it was a useful tool in helping open a discussion between the student and faculty. The qualitative data was grouped by areas most mentioned and these areas of concern centered on lack of faculty knowledge about ILP, time to complete ILP, and uncertainty of appropriate goal setting. The majority of students perceive the ILP to be helpful. Our results suggest that active intervention is needed by dedicated and trained faculty to improve ILP utilization. It is recommended that faculty gives students examples of learning goals to create their own learning framework and encourages them to discuss and review the ILP.

  9. Advanced ultrasound training for fourth-year medical students: a novel training program at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.

    PubMed

    Bahner, David P; Royall, Nelson A

    2013-02-01

    Ultrasound training and education in medical schools is rare, and the foci of current ultrasound curricula are limited. There is a significant need for advanced ultrasound training models in medical school curricula to reduce educational burdens for physician residency programs and improve overall physician competency.The authors describe and evaluate the advanced ultrasound training program developed at The Ohio State University College of Medicine (OSU COM). The OSU COM program is a longitudinal advanced ultrasound curriculum for fourth-year medical students pursuing specialties that require frequent use of focused ultrasound. One hundred fifty student participants have completed the yearlong program to date. Participants engage in didactic lectures, journal club sessions, hands-on training, teaching and patient-modeling activities, and complete a final project. Experienced Ohio State University Medical Center faculty are recruited from specialties that frequently use ultrasound (e.g., emergency medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics-gynecology). A multimodal instructional assessment approach ensures that ultrasound training yields experience with cognitive, behavioral, and constructive learning components. The authors discuss the benefits of the program as well as its challenges and future directions.The advanced ultrasound training program at OSU COM demonstrates a novel approach to providing ultrasound training for medical students, offering a feasible model for meeting training guidelines without increasing the educational requirements for residency programs.

  10. Promoting medical students' reflection on competencies to advance a global health equities curriculum.

    PubMed

    Mullan, Patricia B; Williams, Joy; Malani, Preeti N; Riba, Michelle; Haig, Andrew; Perry, Julie; Kolars, Joseph C; Mangrulkar, Rajesh; Williams, Brent

    2014-05-03

    The move to frame medical education in terms of competencies - the extent to which trainees "can do" a professional responsibility - is congruent with calls for accountability in medical education. However, the focus on competencies might be a poor fit with curricula intended to prepare students for responsibilities not emphasized in traditional medical education. This study examines an innovative approach to the use of potential competency expectations related to advancing global health equity to promote students' reflections and to inform curriculum development. In 2012, 32 medical students were admitted into a newly developed Global Health and Disparities (GHD) Path of Excellence. The GHD program takes the form of mentored co-curricular activities built around defined competencies related to professional development and leadership skills intended to ameliorate health disparities in medically underserved settings, both domestically and globally. Students reviewed the GHD competencies from two perspectives: a) their ability to perform the identified competencies that they perceived themselves as holding as they began the GHD program and b) the extent to which they perceived that their future career would require these responsibilities. For both sets of assessments the response scale ranged from "Strongly Disagree" to "Strongly Agree." Wilcoxon's paired T-tests compared individual students' ordinal rating of their current level of ability to their perceived need for competence that they anticipated their careers would require. Statistical significance was set at p < .01. Students' ratings ranged from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree" that they could perform the defined GHD-related competencies. However, on most competencies, at least 50 % of students indicated that the stated competencies were beyond their present ability level. For each competency, the results of Wilcoxon paired T-tests indicate - at statistically significant levels - that students

  11. Advances in medical education and practice: student perceptions of the flipped classroom.

    PubMed

    Ramnanan, Christopher J; Pound, Lynley D

    2017-01-01

    The flipped classroom (FC) approach to teaching has been increasingly employed in undergraduate medical education in recent years. In FC applications, students are first exposed to content via online resources. Subsequent face-to-face class time can then be devoted to student-centered activities that promote active learning. Although the FC has been well received by students in other contexts, the perceptions of medical students regarding this innovation are unclear. This review serves as an early exploration into medical student perceptions of benefits and limitations of the FC. Medical students have generally expressed strong appreciation for the pre-class preparation activities (especially when facilitated by concise, readily accessed online tools) as well as for interactive, engaging small group classroom activities. Some students have expressed concerns with the FC and noted that suboptimal student preparation and insufficient direction and structure during active learning sessions may limit the student-centered benefits. Although students generally perceive that FC approaches can improve their learning and knowledge, this has not been conclusively shown via performances on assessment tools, which may be related to caveats with the assessment tools used. In any case, lifelong self-directed learning skills are perceived by medical students to be enhanced by the FC. In conclusion, medical students have generally expressed strong satisfaction with early applications of the FC to undergraduate medical education, and generally prefer this method to lecture-based instruction.

  12. Advances in medical education and practice: student perceptions of the flipped classroom

    PubMed Central

    Ramnanan, Christopher J; Pound, Lynley D

    2017-01-01

    The flipped classroom (FC) approach to teaching has been increasingly employed in undergraduate medical education in recent years. In FC applications, students are first exposed to content via online resources. Subsequent face-to-face class time can then be devoted to student-centered activities that promote active learning. Although the FC has been well received by students in other contexts, the perceptions of medical students regarding this innovation are unclear. This review serves as an early exploration into medical student perceptions of benefits and limitations of the FC. Medical students have generally expressed strong appreciation for the pre-class preparation activities (especially when facilitated by concise, readily accessed online tools) as well as for interactive, engaging small group classroom activities. Some students have expressed concerns with the FC and noted that suboptimal student preparation and insufficient direction and structure during active learning sessions may limit the student-centered benefits. Although students generally perceive that FC approaches can improve their learning and knowledge, this has not been conclusively shown via performances on assessment tools, which may be related to caveats with the assessment tools used. In any case, lifelong self-directed learning skills are perceived by medical students to be enhanced by the FC. In conclusion, medical students have generally expressed strong satisfaction with early applications of the FC to undergraduate medical education, and generally prefer this method to lecture-based instruction. PMID:28144171

  13. Smartphone, the New Learning Aid amongst Medical Students

    PubMed Central

    Khismatrao, Deepak S.; Gavali, Yogesh V; Patil, K.B.

    2017-01-01

    Introduction The use of smartphone is increasing day by day for personal as well as professional purpose. They are becoming a more suitable tool for advancing education in developing countries. Mobile access to information and many applications are successfully harnessed in health care. Smartphones are also becoming popular as an effective educational tool. Aim The present study was conducted to evaluate the use of smartphones as an educational tool amongst the medical students. The study also aimed at identifying the common medical application used by the students. Materials and Methods It was an observational cross-sectional study carried out amongst medical students of private medical institute in India. A validated 16 point, structured, open-ended, questionnaire regarding ownership and use of smart phones was self-administered to 446 medical students. Data were analysed using SPSS and open ended questions were analysed by summative content analysis. Results Among the study population, 96% owned a smartphone -Android based 72.4%, i phone 13.0%, Windows based Nokia phones 7% and Blackberry 3.6%. Common medical applications used by the students were Anatomy and Medical Dictionary in First MBBS; Medical Dictionary, Medscape and Google/Wikipedia in Second MBBS; and Medscape, Google/Wikipedia and Prognosis/Diagnosis in Third MBBS. More than 90% students, reported to have technological skills to use smartphones, for medical education, communication and instant access during bedside teaching. Advertently, 37.2% students felt if smartphones are used for clinical purposes, they will need to spend less time with patients. Almost 79.4% felt that smartphones should be introduced in MBBS course. Conclusion Smartphone use amongst medical students as learning aid for various medical applications is rapidly advancing. But it will be worthwhile to study whether use of smartphones has any impact on the grades of the students before introducing them in medical schools. PMID

  14. How Can Medical Students Add Value? Identifying Roles, Barriers, and Strategies to Advance the Value of Undergraduate Medical Education to Patient Care and the Health System.

    PubMed

    Gonzalo, Jed D; Dekhtyar, Michael; Hawkins, Richard E; Wolpaw, Daniel R

    2017-09-01

    As health systems evolve, the education community is seeking to reimagine student roles that combine learning with meaningful contributions to patient care. The authors sought to identify potential stakeholders regarding the value of student work, and roles and tasks students could perform to add value to the health system, including key barriers and associated strategies to promote value-added roles in undergraduate medical education. In 2016, 32 U.S. medical schools in the American Medical Association's (AMA's) Accelerating Change in Education Consortium met for a two-day national meeting to explore value-added medical education; 121 educators, systems leaders, clinical mentors, AMA staff leadership and advisory board members, and medical students were included. A thematic qualitative analysis of workshop discussions and written responses was performed, which extracted key themes. In current clinical roles, students can enhance value by performing detailed patient histories to identify social determinants of health and care barriers, providing evidence-based medicine contributions at the point-of-care, and undertaking health system research projects. Novel value-added roles include students serving as patient navigators/health coaches, care transition facilitators, population health managers, and quality improvement team extenders. Six priority areas for advancing value-added roles are student engagement, skills, and assessments; balance of service versus learning; resources, logistics, and supervision; productivity/billing pressures; current health systems design and culture; and faculty factors. These findings provide a starting point for collaborative work to positively impact clinical care and medical education through the enhanced integration of value-added medical student roles into care delivery systems.

  15. The medical students' societies and medical students' publications.

    PubMed

    Lim, K H

    2005-07-01

    The rich corporate life of the medical student and the medical students' societies at our medical school (at the present National University of Singapore) is generally unappreciated by its graduates and regrettably, even more unknown to the medical student of today. The present generation of medical students of NUS do not know of their rich history. We have published documentation of student activities from the founding of the medical school in 1905 till the establishment of the then University of Malaya in 1950, reviewed herein. Materials presented after 1950 were gathered from personal communications from key players in the students' societies and from editors of the medical students' publications.

  16. Medical students' experiences with medical errors: an analysis of medical student essays.

    PubMed

    Martinez, William; Lo, Bernard

    2008-07-01

    This study aimed to examine medical students' experiences with medical errors. In 2001 and 2002, 172 fourth-year medical students wrote an anonymous description of a significant medical error they had witnessed or committed during their clinical clerkships. The assignment represented part of a required medical ethics course. We analysed 147 of these essays using thematic content analysis. Many medical students made or observed significant errors. In either situation, some students experienced distress that seemingly went unaddressed. Furthermore, this distress was sometimes severe and persisted after the initial event. Some students also experienced considerable uncertainty as to whether an error had occurred and how to prevent future errors. Many errors may not have been disclosed to patients, and some students who desired to discuss or disclose errors were apparently discouraged from doing so by senior doctors. Some students criticised senior doctors who attempted to hide errors or avoid responsibility. By contrast, students who witnessed senior doctors take responsibility for errors and candidly disclose errors to patients appeared to recognise the importance of honesty and integrity and said they aspired to these standards. There are many missed opportunities to teach students how to respond to and learn from errors. Some faculty members and housestaff may at times respond to errors in ways that appear to contradict professional standards. Medical educators should increase exposure to exemplary responses to errors and help students to learn from and cope with errors.

  17. Portuguese Medical Students' Knowledge and Attitudes Towards Homosexuality.

    PubMed

    Lopes, Lucas; Gato, Jorge; Esteves, Manuel

    2016-11-01

    Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people still face discrimination in healthcare environments and physicians often report lack of knowledge on this population's specific healthcare needs. In fact, recommendations have been put forward to include lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender health in medical curricula. This study aimed to explore factors associated with medical students' knowledge and attitudes towards homosexuality in different years of the medical course. An anonymous online-based questionnaire was sent to all medical students enrolled at the Faculty of Medicine - University of Porto, Portugal, in December 2015. The questionnaire included socio-demographic questions, the Multidimensional Scale of Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men (27 items) and a Homosexuality Knowledge Questionnaire (17 items). Descriptive statistics, ANOVAs, Chi-square tests and Pearson's correlations were used in the analysis. A total of 489 completed responses was analyzed. Male gender, religiosity and absence of lesbian, gay or bisexual friends were associated with more negative attitudes towards homosexuality. Attitudinal scores did not correlate with advanced years in medical course or contact with lesbian, gay or bisexual patients. Students aiming to pursue technique-oriented specialties presented higher scores in the 'Modern Heterosexism' subscale than students seeking patient-oriented specialties. Although advanced years in medical course correlated significantly with higher knowledge scores, items related with lesbian, gay or bisexual health showed the lowest percentage of correct answers. There seems to be a lack of exploration of medical students' personal attitudes towards lesbians and gay men, and also a lack of knowledge on lesbian, gay or bisexual specific healthcare needs. This study highlights the importance of inclusive undergraduate curriculum development in order to foster quality healthcare.

  18. Developing a fully online course for senior medical students

    PubMed Central

    Chapman, Chris; White, Casey B.; Engleberg, Cary; Fantone, Joseph C.; Cinti, Sandro K.

    2011-01-01

    In 2002 the University of Michigan Medical School created a one-month course in advanced medical therapeutics (AMT). All senior medical students were required to complete the course. To provide some flexibility for students who were interviewing for residency positions the AMT course was created using a distance-learning model, and in the 2008–2009 academic year it was offered in a fully online format. The components of the course are weekly case-based modules, a weekly online seminar, quizzes based on modules and seminars, and a research project based on a therapeutic question. The paper discusses the development and components of the AMT course, a survey of fourth-year medical students who participated in the course between 2007 and 2010, and how the course evolved over three years. PMID:21566733

  19. The Medical Academic Advancement Program at the University of Virginia School of Medicine.

    PubMed

    Fang, W L; Woode, M K; Carey, R M; Apprey, M; Schuyler, J M; Atkins-Brady, T L

    1999-04-01

    Since 1984 the University of Virginia School of Medicine has conducted the Medical Academic Advancement Program for minority and disadvantaged students interested in careers in medicine. The program is a six-week residential program for approximately 130 undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students per year. It emphasizes academic course work--biology, chemistry, physics, and essay writing--to prepare the participants for the Medical College Admission Test. Non-graded activities, such as a clinical medicine lecture series, clinical experiences, and a special lecture series, and special workshops are also offered. The participants take two simulated MCAT exams. Between 1984 and 1998, 1,497 students have participated in the program, with complete follow-up information available for 690 (46%). Of the 1,487 participants, 80 (5%) have graduated from the University of Virginia School of Medicine and 174 (12%) from other medical schools; 44 (3%) are attending the medical school now, and 237 (16%) are at other medical schools; 44 (3%) have graduated from other health professions schools, and 54 (3%) are attending such schools. The retention rate for participants at the University of Virginia School of Medicine is 91% (that is, all but seven of the 80 who matriculated have been retained past the first year). The Medical Academic Advancement Program has been successful in increasing the number of underrepresented minority students matriculating into and continuing in medical education. Such programs warrant continued support and encouragement.

  20. Perceptions of basic, advanced, and pediatric life support training in a United States medical school.

    PubMed

    Pillow, Malford Tyson; Stader, Donald; Nguyen, Matthew; Cao, Dazhe; McArthur, Robert; Hoxhaj, Shkelzen

    2014-05-01

    Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) are integral parts of emergency resuscitative care. Although this training is usually reserved for residents, introducing the training in the medical student curriculum may enhance acquisition and retention of these skills. We developed a survey to characterize the perceptions and needs of graduating medical students regarding BLS, ACLS, and PALS training. This was a study of graduating 4th-year medical students at a U.S. medical school. The students were surveyed prior to participating in an ACLS course in March of their final year. Of 152 students, 109 (71.7%) completed the survey; 48.6% of students entered medical school without any prior training and 47.7% started clinics without training; 83.4% of students reported witnessing an average of 3.0 in-hospital cardiac arrests during training (range of 0-20). Overall, students rated their preparedness 2.0 (SD 1.0) for adult resuscitations and 1.7 (SD 0.9) for pediatric resuscitations on a 1-5 Likert scale, with 1 being unprepared. A total of 36.8% of students avoided participating in resuscitations due to lack of training; 98.2%, 91.7%, and 64.2% of students believe that BLS, ACLS, and PALS, respectively, should be included in the medical student curriculum. As per previous studies that have examined this topic, students feel unprepared to respond to cardiac arrests and resuscitations. They feel that training is needed in their curriculum and would possibly enhance perceived comfort levels and willingness to participate in resuscitations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Relationships between drug company representatives and medical students: medical school policies and attitudes of student affairs deans and third-year medical students.

    PubMed

    Sierles, Frederick; Brodkey, Amy; Cleary, Lynn; McCurdy, Frederick A; Mintz, Matthew; Frank, Julia; Lynn, Deborah Joanne; Chao, Jason; Morgenstern, Bruce; Shore, William; Woodard, John

    2009-01-01

    The authors sought to ascertain the details of medical school policies about relationships between drug companies and medical students as well as student affairs deans' attitudes about these interactions. In 2005, the authors surveyed deans and student affairs deans at all U.S. medical schools and asked whether their schools had a policy about relationships between drug companies and medical students. They asked deans at schools with policies to summarize them, queried student affairs deans regarding their attitudes about gifts, and compared their attitudes with those of students who were studied previously. Independently of each other, 114 out of 126 deans (90.5%) and 114 out of 126 student affairs deans (90.5%) responded (identical numbers are not misprints). Ten schools had a policy regarding relationships between medical students and drug company representatives. Student affairs deans were much more likely than students to perceive that gifts were inappropriate. These 2005 policies show trends meriting review by current medical schools in considering how to comply with the 2008 Association of American Medical Colleges recommendations about relationships between drug companies and medical students or physicians.

  2. Medical Student Oncology Congress: Designed and Implemented by Brazilian Medical Students.

    PubMed

    de Camargo, Celeste Rodovalho Soares; Schoueri, Jean Henri Maselli; Neto, Felippe Lazar; Segalla, Paola Boaro; Del Giglio, Auro; Cubero, Daniel I G

    2017-03-30

    Oncology is an essential field of medicine; however, its teaching is occasionally underemphasized and uncoordinated during medical school. An alternative method of providing additional oncological information to medical students is through extracurricular activities, such as congresses and medical student associations. The aim of this paper is to describe a Medical Student Oncology Congress entirely designed and organized by medical students. Three medical students from oncology study and research groups identified the gap in oncology training at universities and decided to organize a congress for students. They selected representatives from 26 universities in Brazil for onsite registration and created a website for online registration and promotion of the congress. To determine the topics of the lectures, they searched the medical literature for the most commonly occurring cancers in adults and children. Extrapolating the academic content of oncology, they organized lectures by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), talks on career guidance and research in this field as well as a role-playing workshop to train future doctors on how to deliver news to patients. There were a total of 609 attendees, with 590 students from 26 different universities in Brazil. Approximately 82% were medical students, and among the participants there were also 15 medical educators. A total of 80.75% of the participants were extremely satisfied with the congress, and 99.17% would recommend it to a colleague. Most of the overall cost of the congress, 96%, was covered by registration fees. There was a 6% positive net balance, which was donated to the NGOs participating in the congress. This successful experience proves that it is possible to have a congress fully designed, organized and managed by students. It demonstrates how students can be active participants in their own education, as opposed to a classic approach through which only professors are responsible for instruction.

  3. Introducing medical students to medical informatics.

    PubMed

    Sancho, J J; González, J C; Patak, A; Sanz, F; Sitges-Serra, A

    1993-11-01

    Medical informatics (MI) has been introduced to medical students in several countries. Before outlining a course plan it was necessary to conduct a survey on students' computer literacy. A questionnaire was designed for students, focusing on knowledge and previous computer experience. The questions reproduced a similar questionnaire submitted to medical students from North Carolina University in Chapel Hill (NCU). From the results it is clear that although almost 80% of students used computers, less than 30% used general purpose applications, and utilization of computer-aided search of databases or use in the laboratory was exceptional. Men reported more computer experience than women in each area investigated by our questionnaire but this did not appear to be related to academic performance, age or course. Our main objectives when planning an MI course were to give students a general overview of the medical applications of computers and instruct them in the use of computers in future medical practice. As our medical school uses both Apple Macintosh and IBM compatibles, we decided to provide students with basic knowledge of both. The programme was structured with a mix of theoretico-practical lectures and personalized practical sessions in the computer laboratory. As well as providing a basic overview of medical informatics, the course and computer laboratory were intended to encourage other areas of medicine to incorporate the computer into their teaching programmes.

  4. Discrepancies between perceptions of students and deans regarding the consequences of restricting students' use of electronic medical records on quality of medical education.

    PubMed

    Solarte, Ivan; Könings, Karen D

    2017-03-13

    supervision of students' work in EMR to take full advantage of the technological advances of EMR at the modern clinical site, both for patient care and for medical education.

  5. Japanese medical students' interest in basic sciences: a questionnaire survey of a medical school in Japan.

    PubMed

    Yamazaki, Yuka; Uka, Takanori; Shimizu, Haruhiko; Miyahira, Akira; Sakai, Tatsuo; Marui, Eiji

    2013-02-01

    The number of physicians engaged in basic sciences and teaching is sharply decreasing in Japan. To alleviate this shortage, central government has increased the quota of medical students entering the field. This study investigated medical students' interest in basic sciences in efforts to recruit talent. A questionnaire distributed to 501 medical students in years 2 to 6 of Juntendo University School of Medicine inquired about sex, grade, interest in basic sciences, interest in research, career path as a basic science physician, faculties' efforts to encourage students to conduct research, increases in the number of lectures, and practical training sessions on research. Associations between interest in basic sciences and other variables were examined using χ(2) tests. From among the 269 medical students (171 female) who returned the questionnaire (response rate 53.7%), 24.5% of respondents were interested in basic sciences and half of them considered basic sciences as their future career. Obstacles to this career were their original aim to become a clinician and concerns about salary. Medical students who were likely to be interested in basic sciences were fifth- and sixth-year students, were interested in research, considered basic sciences as their future career, considered faculties were making efforts to encourage medical students to conduct research, and wanted more research-related lectures. Improving physicians' salaries in basic sciences is important for securing talent. Moreover, offering continuous opportunities for medical students to experience research and encouraging advanced-year students during and after bedside learning to engage in basic sciences are important for recruiting talent.

  6. Improving medical students' knowledge of genetic disease: a review of current and emerging pedagogical practices.

    PubMed

    Wolyniak, Michael J; Bemis, Lynne T; Prunuske, Amy J

    2015-01-01

    Genetics is an essential subject to be mastered by health professional students of all types. However, technological advances in genomics and recent pedagogical research have changed the way in which many medical training programs teach genetics to their students. These advances favor a more experience-based education focused primarily on developing student's critical thinking skills. In this review, we examine the current state of genetics education at both the preclinical and clinical levels and the ways in which medical and pedagogical research have guided reforms to current and emerging teaching practices in genetics. We discover exciting trends taking place in which genetics is integrated with other scientific disciplines both horizontally and vertically across medical curricula to emphasize training in scientific critical thinking skills among students via the evaluation of clinical evidence and consultation of online databases. These trends will produce future health professionals with the skills and confidence necessary to embrace the new tools of medical practice that have emerged from scientific advances in genetics, genomics, and bioinformatics.

  7. Content analysis of medical students' seminars: a unique method of analyzing clinical thinking.

    PubMed

    Takata, Yukari; Stein, Gerald H; Endo, Kuniyuki; Arai, Akiko; Kohsaka, Shun; Kitano, Yuka; Honda, Hitoshi; Kitazono, Hidetaka; Tokunaga, Hironobu; Tokuda, Yasuharu; Obika, Mikako; Miyoshi, Tomoko; Kataoka, Hitomi; Terasawa, Hidekazu

    2013-12-01

    The study of communication skills of Asian medical students during structured Problem-based Learning (PBL) seminars represented a unique opportunity to assess their critical thinking development. This study reports the first application of the health education technology, content analysis (CA), to a Japanese web-based seminar (webinar). The authors assigned twelve randomly selected medical students from two universities and two clinical instructors to two virtual classrooms for four PBL structured tutoring sessions that were audio-video captured for CA. Both of the instructors were US-trained physicians. This analysis consisted of coding the students' verbal comments into seven types, ranging from trivial to advanced knowledge integration comments that served as a proxy for clinical thinking. The most basic level of verbal simple responses accounted for a majority (85%) of the total students' verbal comments. Only 15% of the students' comments represented more advanced types of critical thinking. The male students responded more than the female students; male students attending University 2 responded more than male students from University 1. The total mean students' verbal response time for the four sessions with the male instructor was 6.9%; total mean students' verbal response time for the four sessions with the female instructor was 19% (p < 0.05). This report is the first to describe the application of CA to a multi-university real time audio and video PBL medical student clinical training webinar in two Japanese medical schools. These results are preliminary, mostly limited by a small sample size (n = 12) and limited time frame (four sessions). CA technology has the potential to improve clinical thinking for medical students. This report may stimulate improvements for implementation.

  8. Recruiting medical students to rural practice: perspectives of medical students and rural recruiters.

    PubMed

    Jutzi, Leah; Vogt, Kelly; Drever, Erin; Nisker, Jeff

    2009-01-01

    To explore the strategies used by rural recruitment programs and their perceived influence on medical students. Two original questionnaires delivered electronically, one to medical students and the other to recruiters in rural Ontario communities. Ontario, Canada. All 525 medical students enrolled in the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Western Ontario in London and physician recruiters in 71 rural communities in Ontario were invited to participate in the study. The factors that influence medical students to consider rural practice, strategies used by recruiters, and student perceptions of the ethical appropriateness of both. The questionnaire was completed by 42.1% of medical students. Lifestyle considerations were an important influence for 93.1% of students. Themes from the qualitative analysis included the ethical appropriateness of financial considerations, economic forces, perceived disadvantages of rural practice, competition between communities, and lack of altruism. Responses were received from recruiters in 43.7% of communities; of those, 92.9% offered financial incentives to attract prospective physicians. Financial and lifestyle considerations are important influences on medical students' choice to practise in rural communities. Most medical students felt incentive programs offered by rural communities were ethically appropriate.

  9. Medical students' agenda-setting abilities during medical interviews.

    PubMed

    Roh, HyeRin; Park, Kyung Hye; Jeon, Young-Jee; Park, Seung Guk; Lee, Jungsun

    2015-06-01

    Identifying patients' agendas is important; however, the extent of Korean medical students' agenda-setting abilities is unknown. The study aim was to investigate the patterns of Korean medical students' agenda solicitation. A total of 94 third-year medical students participated. One scenario involving a female patient with abdominal pain was created. Students were video-recorded as they interviewed the patient. To analyze whether students identify patients' reasons for visiting, a checklist was developed based on a modified version of the Calgary-Cambridge Guide to the Medical Interview: Communication Process checklist. The duration of the patient's initial statement of concerns was measured in seconds. The total number of patient concerns expressed before interruption and the types of interruption effected by the medical students were determined. The medical students did not explore the patients' concerns and did not negotiate an agenda. Interruption of the patient's opening statement occurred in 4.62±2.20 seconds. The most common type of initial interruption was a recompleter (79.8%). Closed-ended questions were the most common question type in the second and third interruptions. Agenda setting should be emphasized in the communication skills curriculum of medical students. The Korean Clinical Skills Exam must assess medical students' ability to set an agenda.

  10. Medical Students and Nurses.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Webster, Denise

    1988-01-01

    This study describes the medical student-nurse relationship primarily from the perspective of medical students, by looking at their definitions of the roles of medical students, physicians, and nurses and the working relationships among professionals within various institutional settings. (JOW)

  11. Patient safety and technology-driven medication - A qualitative study on how graduate nursing students navigate through complex medication administration.

    PubMed

    Orbæk, Janne; Gaard, Mette; Fabricius, Pia; Lefevre, Rikke S; Møller, Tom

    2015-05-01

    The technology-driven medication process is complex, involving advanced technologies, patient participation and increased safety measures. Medication administration errors are frequently reported, with nurses implicated in 26-38% of in-hospital cases. This points to the need for new ways of educating nursing students in today's medication administration. To explore nursing students' experiences and competences with the technology-driven medication administration process. 16 pre-graduate nursing students were included in two focus group interviews which were recorded, transcribed and analyzed using the systematic horizontal phenomenological-hermeneutic template methodology. The interviews uncovered that understanding the technologies; professionalism and patient safety are three crucial elements in the medication process. The students expressed positivity and confidence in using technology, but were fearful of committing serious medication errors. From the nursing students' perspective, experienced nurses deviate from existing guidelines, leaving them feeling isolated in practical learning situations. Having an unclear nursing role model for the technology-driven medication process, nursing students face difficulties in identifying and adopting best practices. The impact of using technology on the frequency, type and severity of medication errors; the technologies implications on nursing professionalism and the nurses ability to secure patient adherence to the medication process, still remains to be studied. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. The summer premedical program for matriculating medical students: a student-led initiative.

    PubMed

    Awad, Ayman M; Alamodi, Abdulhadi A; Shareef, Mohammad A; Alsheikh, Ammar J; Mahmoud, Asim I; Daghistany, Asem O; Hijazi, Mohammed M; Abu-Zaid, Ahmed; Alsadoon, Mohamed; Shabllout, Mohamed; Rasool, Abduljabar; Yaqinuddin, Ahmed

    2014-03-01

    The freshman academic year is one of the most difficult years that a medical student experiences in his/her academic life at a medical school. Freshmen are frequently faced with several challenges, such as adaptation to a new academic environment and its associated different methods of teaching, learning, skills, and assessment. The aim of this study was to describe a 4-wk innovative summer premedical program developed by senior medical students at the College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, in an attempt to improve/smooth the experience(s) of prospective freshmen. This report describes the objectives/strategies/methodologies used to tackle the top three identified freshman challenges, namely, 1) advancement of the academic/scholastic/educational background, 2) the development of college-required skills to succeed and excel in the freshman year, and 3) adaption to the college environment. At the end of the program, a survey was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the summer premedical program. Seventy-two students attended this program over the past three summers from 2010 to 2012, and twenty-nine students answered the survey with a response rate of 74.1%. Overall, >90% of the survey respondents reported an improvement in their understanding of basic medical science, integration, presentation skills, medical terminology, and junior-senior relationships. Furthermore, the survey highlighted the need for more focus on skills such as time management, participation in large-group discussions, and use of electronic resources, as >50% of respondents reported no improvement in these areas. In conclusion, this is the first report, to our knowledge, that describes a program developed by senior medical students to improve the experience of freshmen.

  13. The impact of empathy on burnout in medical students: new findings.

    PubMed

    von Harscher, Heidi; Desmarais, Nathaly; Dollinger, Robert; Grossman, Seth; Aldana, Scarlett

    2018-03-01

    Research on medical students has shown they are at a higher risk for burnout and that this burnout may become more prevalent as they advance in medical school. The literature, thus far, has not explored the construct of ,emotional empathy and whether this can impact burnout in medical students. Objective: To understand the relationship  between empathy (Empathic Concern [EC] and Personal Distress [PD]) and burnout in medical students. Five successive classes of medical students enrolled at a new medical school were given the Maslach Burnout Inventory and Davis' Interpersonal Reactivity Index  over the course of three successive  years (n = 353).  Two dimensions of  empathy were evaluated to determine if they have an impact on three dimensions of burnout (Emotional Exhaustion/EE, Depersonalization/DP, Personal Accomplishment/PA). data was analyzed using a linear mixed model for each of the three components of burnout based on gender, age, year in medical school, and two types of empathy: EC, and PD.  Conclusion: It was discovered that students with high levels of EC had statistically lower scores of burnout over time while students with high levels of PD empathy showed statistically higher scores of burnout over three years. Implications for these findings are discussed.

  14. Communicating with Patients Who Have Advanced Dementia: Training Nurse Aide Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beer, Laura E.; Hutchinson, Susan R.; Skala-Cordes, Kristine K.

    2012-01-01

    The increase of dementia in older adults is changing how medical care is delivered. Recognizing symptoms of pain, managing behaviors, and providing quality of life for people who have advanced dementia requires a new skill set for caregivers. Researchers in this study targeted nurse aide students to test an educational module's effect on students'…

  15. Evaluation of the Effectiveness of an Advance Organizer in a Medical Microbiology Course.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Slock, James A.; And Others

    1980-01-01

    An advance organizer is a set of conceptual statements about the unifying ideas of a topic in terms already familiar to the learner. A study is reported that sought to determine whether two presentations of an advance organizer for a unit on pathogenic bacteria would result in increasing medical students' knowledge and ability to solve problems in…

  16. Getting Our Own House in Order: Improving Psychiatry Education to Medical Students as a Prelude to Medical School Education Reform

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alpert, Jonathan E.; Schlozman, Steve; Badaracco, Mary Anne; Burke, Jay; Borus, Jonathan F.

    2006-01-01

    Objective: The authors summarize efforts to revitalize psychiatry teaching to medical students at Harvard Medical School (HMS) in advance of a major overhaul of the medical school curriculum. Methods: This preliminary report chronicles key challenges and the organization of the reform effort within the departments of psychiatry affiliated with the…

  17. [Career preferences among medical students].

    PubMed

    Soethout, Marc B M; ten Cate, Olle Th J

    2014-01-01

    Research on the preference of medical specialty among medical students in the Netherlands and the attractiveness of aspects of the medical profession during the period 2009-2013. Retrospective, descriptive research. Data from medical students in the Netherlands who participated in the computer programme Inventory Medical Professionals Choice (IMBK) were analyzed with respect to their preference of medical specialty and the attractiveness of various aspects of the medical profession. The IMBK programme was available free of charge through the Royal Dutch Medical Association (KNMG) website 'Arts in Spe' (Future Physician) during the period 2009-2013. The content of the IMBK programme was based on the questionnaire from the medical profile book developed by the pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). General practice was the most popular specialty, particularly among female medical students, with interest increasing during the undergraduate medical curriculum. Hardly any students were interested in insurance medicine, occupational medicine and elderly medicine. Direct patient care was the most attractive professional aspect for medical students. Female students were more attracted to direct and prolonged patient contact than their male counterparts. The number of hours students wished to work in future declined during the course of the undergraduate curriculum, and women were more inclined to prefer regular working hours with adequate leisure time than men. During the course of the undergraduate medical curriculum, medical students changed their preference for medical specialty. Major differences exist between male and female students in terms of preference of medical specialty and attractiveness of aspects of the medical profession.

  18. How do medical student journals fare? A global survey of journals run by medical students.

    PubMed

    Alamri, Yassar

    2016-01-01

    Medical students have made significant contributions to the medical and scientific fields in the past. Today, medical students still contribute to biomedical research; however, they often face disappointment from journals when trying to publish their findings. This led to the development of medical student journals, which take a more "student-friendly" approach. This article reviews the current medical student journals published in English and sheds light on current trends and challenges.

  19. Introducing medical students to careers in medical education: the student track at an annual medical education conference.

    PubMed

    Blatt, Benjamin; Plack, Margaret; Suzuki, Mari; Arepalli, Sruthi; Schroth, Scott; Stagnaro-Green, Alex

    2013-08-01

    Few avenues exist to familiarize medical students with careers as clinician-educators, and the clinician-educator career pathway has not been well defined. In this article, the authors describe how they integrated a career-oriented student track into the 2011 Northeast Group on Educational Affairs (NEGEA) annual retreat to introduce students to careers in medical education. Annual education conferences are principal sources of educational scholarship, networking, collaboration, and information sharing; as such, they represent attractive venues for early exposure to the culture of medical education. The authors' goal in creating the NEGEA conference student track was to excite students about careers in medical education by providing them with an array of opportunities for active involvement in both student-specific and general conference activities.The authors draw from their experience to provide a guide for recruiting student participants to career-building student tracks. They also offer a guide for developing future student tracks, based on their experience and grounded in social cognitive career theory. Although their focus is on medical education, they believe these guides will be useful for educators planning a conference-based student track in any field.

  20. [The use of medical journals by medical students. Which medical journals are read?].

    PubMed

    Algra, Annemijn M; Dekker, Friedo W

    2015-01-01

    To investigate the role of scientific medical journals in Dutch medical curricula. Descriptive questionnaire study. In 2013, medical students (from year 3 onwards) at the Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC), were invited to respond to an online questionnaire. They were presented with 28 multiple-choice questions and 11 statements about the use of scientific medical journals in the medical curriculum. We calculated the frequencies of the answers per question and analysed differences between medical students using two-by-two tables. The questionnaire was completed by 680 (53.0%) of 1277 invited medical students enrolled at the LUMC. Most of the respondents were those doing clinical rotations (56.6%) and 60.1% had research experience. More than half of the students read at least one scientific journal a few times per month; this percentage was 38.8% among third-year students, 49.3% among fourth-year students, 60.0% among those on clinical rotation, and was higher among students with research experience (63.3%) than among those without research experience (44.1%). Nearly 90% of students agreed with the statement that the development of academic and scientific education should take place in the bachelor's phase of medical school. Medical students start to read scientific medical journals at an early phase in the medical curriculum and this increases further when students start to undertake research projects or go on clinical rotation. Medical curricula should be constructed in such a way that medical students learn to select and interpret research findings adequately for themselves before they turn to articles from scientific medical journals.

  1. Attitudes Toward Medical Cannabis Legalization Among Serbian Medical Students.

    PubMed

    Vujcic, Isidora; Pavlovic, Aleksandar; Dubljanin, Eleonora; Maksimovic, Jadranka; Nikolic, Aleksandra; Sipetic-Grujicic, Sandra

    2017-07-29

    Currently, medical cannabis polices are experiencing rapid changes, and an increasing number of nations around the world legalize medical cannabis for certain groups of patients, including those in Serbia. To determine medical students' attitudes toward medical cannabis legalization and to examine the factors influencing their attitudes. Fourth-year medical students at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, had participated in a cross-sectional study. Data were collected by an anonymous questionnaire. Overall, 63.4% students supported medical cannabis legalization, and only 20.8% supported its legalization for recreational use. Students who previously used marijuana (p <.001) and alcohol (p =.004) were significantly more in favor of medical cannabis legalization compared with students who never used them. Support for marijuana recreational use was also related to prior marijuana (p <.001) and alcohol consumption (p =.006). Only cancer (90.4%) and chronic pain (74.2%) were correctly reported approved medical indications by more than half the students. Students who supported medical cannabis legalization showed better knowledge about indications, in contrast to opponents for legalization who showed better knowledge about side effects. Beliefs that using medical cannabis is safe and has health benefits were correlated with support for legalization, and previous marijuana and alcohol use, while beliefs that medical cannabis poses health risks correlated most strongly with previous marijuana use. Conclusions/Importance: The medical students' attitudes toward medical cannabis legalization were significantly correlated with previous use of marijuana and alcohol, knowledge about medical indications and side effects, and their beliefs regarding medical cannabis health benefits and risks.

  2. Incorporating Nurse-Midwifery Students into Graduate Medical Education: Lessons Learned in Interprofessional Education.

    PubMed

    Kaplan, Rebekah; Shaw-Battista, Jenna; Stotland, Naomi Ellen

    2015-01-01

    There is a current emphasis on interprofessional education in health care with the aim to improve teamwork and ultimately the quality and safety of care. As part of a Health Resources and Services Administration Advanced Nursing Education project, an interprofessional faculty and student team planned and implemented the first didactic coursework for nurse-midwifery and medical students at the University of California, San Francisco and responded to formative feedback in order to create a more meaningful educational experience for future combined cohorts. This article describes the process of including advanced nurse-midwifery students into 2 classes previously offered solely to medical students: 1) an elective in which students are matched with a pregnant woman to observe care that she receives before, during, and after giving birth; and 2) a required course on basic clinical care across the human lifespan. The development of these interprofessional courses, obstacles to success, feedback from students, and responses to course evaluations are reviewed. Themes identified in student course evaluations included uncertainty about interprofessional roles, disparity in clinical knowledge among learners, scheduling difficulties, and desire for more interprofessional education opportunities and additional time for facilitated interprofessional discussion. As a result of this feedback, more class time was designated for interprofessional exchange; less experienced rather than advanced midwifery students were included in both classes; and more interdisciplinary panel presentations were provided, along with clearer communication about student and clinician roles. Early project activities indicated nurse-midwifery students can be effectively included in existing medical student courses with revised curriculum and highlighted challenges that should be considered in the planning phase of similar projects in the future. This article is part of a special series of articles that

  3. The impact of problem-based learning on students' perceptions of preparedness for advanced pharmacy practice experiences.

    PubMed

    Hogan, Shirley; Lundquist, Lisa M

    2006-08-15

    To evaluate graduating pharmacy students' perceptions of their preparedness for advanced pharmacy practice experiences and the effectiveness of problem-based learning in their preparation. A survey instrument was administered anonymously in May 2004 and May 2005 to graduating pharmacy students of the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy. Students reported that the areas in which problem-based learning prepared them most effectively for advanced pharmacy practice experiences were retrieval of medical information (80%), discussion of disease states and drug therapies at the basic science level (56%), and evaluation of the appropriateness of a medication regimen based on patient specific information (50%). Areas in which students reported being inadequately prepared included identifying and utilizing drug assistance programs (42%) and processing prescriptions/hospital orders (40%). Data from 2 consecutive graduating classes supports that problem-based learning is an effective format for preparing pharmacy students for advanced pharmacy practice experiences in a variety of areas.

  4. Are Fourth-Year Medical Students Effective Teachers of the Physical Examination to First-Year Medical Students?

    PubMed Central

    Haist, Steven A; Wilson, John F; Fosson, Sue E; Brigham, Nancy L

    1997-01-01

    OBJECTIVE To determine if fourth-year medical students are as effective as faculty in teaching the physical examination to first-year medical students. DESIGN Stratified randomization of the first-year students. SETTING A public medical school. PARTICIPANTS All 100 first-year medical students in one medical school class were randomly assigned (controlling for gender) to either a faculty or a fourth-year student preceptor for the Physical Examination Module. MAIN RESULTS The first-year students of faculty preceptors scored no differently on the written examination than the students of the fourth-year medical student preceptors (82.8% vs 80.3%, p = .09) and no differently on a standardized patient practical examination (95.5% vs 95.4%, p = .92). Also, the first-year students rated the two groups of preceptors similarly on an evaluation form, with faculty rated higher on six items and the student preceptors rated higher on six items (all p > .10). The fourth-year student preceptors rated the experience favorably. CONCLUSIONS Fourth-year medical students were as successful as faculty in teaching first-year medical students the physical examination as measured by first-year student’s performances on objective measures and ratings of teaching effectiveness.

  5. Impact of an Oncology Course on the Attitudes of Freshman Medical Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Appel, Marilyn H.; And Others

    Previous attempts to change the prevailing negative attitudes of health professionals toward cancer and cancer patients have consisted mainly of elective courses for small groups of students at advanced levels of medical training. In order to develop more positive attitudes, the Cancer Coordinating Committee at the Medical College of Pennsylvania…

  6. Recruitment of underrepresented minority students to medical school: minority medical student organizations, an untapped resource.

    PubMed

    Rumala, Bernice B; Cason, Frederick D

    2007-09-01

    Recruitment of more underrepresented minority students (black, Hispanic and native American) to increase racial diversity in the physician workforce is on the agenda for medical schools around the nation. The benefits of having a racially diverse class are indisputable. Minority physicians are more likely to provide care to minority, underserved, disadvantaged and low-income populations. Therefore, medical schools would benefit from diversity through utilizing strategies for recruitment of underrepresented minority (URM) students. Numerous recruitment strategies have been employed to increase the number of underrepresented minority students. However, formal collaboration with minority medical student organizations is an underutilized tool in the recruitment process. Many medical schools have informally used minority medical students and members of various minority organizations on campus in the recruitment process, but a formal collaboration which entails a strategic approach on using minority medical student organizations has yet to be included in the literature. This paper discusses the innovative collaboration between the University of Toledo College of Medicine (UTCOM) chapter of the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) and the college of medicine's admissions office to strategize a recruitment plan to increase the number of underrepresented minority students at the UTCOM. This paper suggests that minority medical student organizations, particularly the SNMA, can be used as a recruiting tool; hence, admissions offices cannot negate the usefulness of having formal involvement of minority medical student organizations as a recruiting tool. This approach may also be applicable to residency programs and other graduate professional fields with a severe shortage of URM students.

  7. The teaching of medical ethics to medical students.

    PubMed Central

    Glick, S M

    1994-01-01

    Teaching medical ethics to medical students in a pluralistic society is a challenging task. Teachers of ethics have obligations not just to teach the subject matter but to help create an academic environment in which well motivated students have reinforcement of their inherent good qualities. Emphasis should be placed on the ethical aspects of daily medical practice and not just on the dramatic dilemmas raised by modern technology. Interdisciplinary teaching should be encouraged and teaching should span the entire duration of medical studies. Attention should be paid particularly to ethical problems faced by the students themselves, preferably at the time when the problems are most on the students' minds. A high level of academic demands, including critical examination of students' progress is recommended. Finally, personal humility on the part of teachers can help set a good example for students to follow. PMID:7861430

  8. The experience of medical training and expectations regarding future medical practice of medical students in the Cuban-supported Medical School in Timor-Leste.

    PubMed

    Ferrinho, Paulo; Valdes, Ana C; Cabral, Jorge

    2015-03-28

    The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyse the professional expectations and profile of medical students at the Cuban-supported School of General Medicine, in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of the National University of Timor-Leste. A piloted, standardized questionnaire, with closed- and open-ended questions, was distributed to registered medical students attending classes on the day of the survey. All data were analysed using SPSS. The statistical analysis is mostly descriptive. Students decide to study medicine at an early age. Relatives and friends seem to have an especially important influence in encouraging, reinforcing and promoting the desire to be a doctor. The degree of feminization of the student population is high. Medical students are in general satisfied with the training received, though demanding improvements in terms of systems to support their studies and training (e.g. libraries, laboratories, access to computers and the Internet). Medical students know that they will be needed in the public sector and that it would represent their opportunity to contribute to the public's welfare. Nonetheless, they report that they expect to combine public sector practice with private work, probably, in order to improve their earnings. This may be explained by their expectations for salaries, which are much higher than the current level of public sector salaries. A significant proportion of students are unsure about their future area of specialization. Of those that have determined their desired specialization, most intend to train as hospital specialists and to follow a hospital-based career. For many, specialization is equated with migration to study abroad. There are important differences between students at the start of their training compared with more advanced students. This paper gives an overview of student expectations for alignment with stated national human resources for health priorities for Timor-Leste.

  9. An international basic science and clinical research summer program for medical students.

    PubMed

    Ramjiawan, Bram; Pierce, Grant N; Anindo, Mohammad Iffat Kabir; Alkukhun, Abedalrazaq; Alshammari, Abdullah; Chamsi, Ahmad Talal; Abousaleh, Mohannad; Alkhani, Anas; Ganguly, Pallab K

    2012-03-01

    An important part of training the next generation of physicians is ensuring that they are exposed to the integral role that research plays in improving medical treatment. However, medical students often do not have sufficient time to be trained to carry out any projects in biomedical and clinical research. Many medical students also fail to understand and grasp translational research as an important concept today. In addition, since medical training is often an international affair whereby a medical student/resident/fellow will likely train in many different countries during his/her early training years, it is important to provide a learning environment whereby a young medical student experiences the unique challenges and value of an international educational experience. This article describes a program that bridges the gap between the basic and clinical research concepts in a unique international educational experience. After completing two semester curricula at Alfaisal University in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, six medical students undertook a summer program at St. Boniface Hospital Research Centre, in Winnipeg, MB, Canada. The program lasted for 2 mo and addressed advanced training in basic science research topics in medicine such as cell isolation, functional assessment, and molecular techniques of analysis and manipulation as well as sessions on the conduct of clinical research trials, ethics, and intellectual property management. Programs such as these are essential to provide a base from which medical students can decide if research is an attractive career choice for them during their clinical practice in subsequent years. An innovative international summer research course for medical students is necessary to cater to the needs of the medical students in the 21st century.

  10. Effectiveness of an interprofessional workshop on pain management for medical and nursing students.

    PubMed

    Erickson, Jeanne M; Brashers, Valentina; Owen, John; Marks, Jennifer R; Thomas, Shannon M

    2016-07-01

    Interprofessional (IP) care is critical for effective pain management, but evidence is lacking about the best way to teach pain management skills to medical and nursing students using IP strategies. In 2013 and 2014, 307 medical and 169 nursing students participated in an IP case-based pain management workshop. The aims of this study were to determine (1) if students who participate in IP case-based learning groups will have improved pain management skills compared to students who participate in uniprofessional case-based learning groups, and (2) if students mentored by faculty with IP training will have improved pain management skills compared to students who are not mentored by IP-trained faculty. Student learning was assessed and compared using scored checklists for each group's pain management plans. Findings show that IP mentorship and IP group participation improved medical students' pain management skills but did not have the same effect on nursing student performance. Continued work is needed to develop, refine, and integrate innovative and tailored IP strategies into the curricula of medical and nursing schools to advance the pain management competencies of students before they enter clinical practice.

  11. Medical students in gynaecology clinics.

    PubMed

    Yang, Jenny; Black, Kirsten

    2014-07-01

    This study aimed to investigate factors that influence a patient's acceptance of a medical student's involvement in their consultation when attending a public hospital gynaecology clinic. Factors that influence a patient's acceptance of a medical student's involvement in a consultation This was an observational study of women attending gynaecology clinics at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPAH) from January to December 2011. The questionnaire sought demographic information and asked women about their knowledge of medical student attendance at the clinics, if they would allow a student to be present during their consultation and whether they would allow a student to examine them. It also sought reasons for their responses. Of the 460 questionnaires distributed, 97 per cent (446) were completed. Overall, 85.6 per cent (382) of patients expressed an acceptance of medical students being present in their consultation, and 63.9 per cent (285) said they would allow students to examine them. Factors significantly associated with an increased acceptance of examination by medical students included being aware that a student may be present (p=0.003), and being married or in a committed relationship (p=0.023). Age and education level were not significantly associated with acceptance of being examined by a student, and ethnicity was too diverse to assess any possible bias. All groups maintained a preference for female students. This study has found that being aware that medical students may be present in gynaecology clinics may increase patient acceptance of being examined by a student. This demonstrates a role for information to be distributed to patients prior to their appointment to facilitate medical training. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Medical Student Appraisal

    PubMed Central

    Sampognaro, P.J.; Mitchell, S.L.; Weeks, S.R.; Khalifian, S.; Markman, T.M.; Uebel, L.W.; Dattilo, J.R.

    2013-01-01

    Summary Background Pre-rounding is essential to preparing for morning rounds. Despite its importance, pre-rounding is rarely formally taught within the medical school curriculum and more often informally learned by modeling residents. The evolution of mobile applications provides opportunities to optimize this process. Objectives To evaluate three options available to medical students while pre-rounding and promote adoption of mobile resources in clinical care. Methods Six medical students formed the evaluation cohort. Students were surveyed to assess pre-rounding practices. Participants utilized paper-based pre-rounding templates for two weeks followed by two weeks of the electronic note-taking service EvernoteTM. A review of mobile applications on the iTunesTM and Google PlayTM stores was performed, with each application informally reviewed by a single student. The application ScutsheetTM was selected for formal review by all students. Data was collected from narrative responses supplied by students throughout the evaluation periods and aggregated to assess strengths and limitations of each application. Results Pre-study responses demonstrated two consistent processes: verbal sign-out of overnight events and template use to organize patient information. The paper-based template was praised for its organization and familiarity amongst residents, but perceived as limited by the requirement of re-copying data into the hospital’s electronic medical record (EMR). EvernoteTM excelled due to compatibility across multiple operating systems, including accessibility from clinical workstations and ability to copy notes into the hospital’s EMR. ScutsheetTM allowed for retention of data across multiple hospital days, but was limited by inability to export data or modify the electronic template. Aggregated user feedback identified the abilities to customize templates and copy information into the EMR as two prevailing characteristics that enhanced the efficiency of pre

  13. Interprofessional education of medical students and paramedics in emergency medicine.

    PubMed

    Hallikainen, J; Väisänen, O; Rosenberg, P H; Silfvast, T; Niemi-Murola, L

    2007-03-01

    Emergency medicine is team work from the field to the hospital and therefore it is also important for physicians to understand the work of paramedics, and vice versa. Interprofessional emergency medicine education for medical and paramedic students in Helsinki was started in 2001. It consisted of a 15 European credit transfer system (ECTS) credits programme combining 22 students in 2001. In 2005, the number of students had increased to 25. The programme consisted of three parts: acute illness in childhood and adults (AI), advanced life support (ALS) and trauma life support (TLS). In this paper, we describe the concept of interprofessional education of medical students and paramedics in emergency medicine. After finishing the programmes in 2001 and in 2005, the students' opinions regarding the education were collected using a standardized questionnaire. There were good ratings for the courses in AI (2001 vs. 2005, whole group; 4.3 +/- 0.7 vs. 4.2 +/- 0.4, P = 0.44) ALS (4.7 +/- 0.5 vs. 4.4 +/- 0.5, P = 0.06) and TLS (3.9 +/- 0.7 vs. 4.4 +/- 0.5, P = 0.01) in both years. Most of the medical students considered that this kind of co-education should be arranged for all medical students (2001 vs. 2005; 4.8 +/- 0.6 vs. 4.4 +/- 0.5, P = 0.02) and should be obligatory (3.5 +/- 1.5 vs. 3.1 +/- 1.3, P = 0.35). Co-education was well received and determined by the students as an effective way of improving their knowledge of emergency medicine and medical skills. The programme was rated as very useful and it should be included in the educational curriculum of both student groups.

  14. Why Do Students Drop Advanced Mathematics?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Horn, Ilana

    2004-01-01

    Students, especially black, Latino and Native American youth and students of low socio-economic status drop out of advanced mathematics. Teachers must coordinate their expectations, their knowledge of students and their teaching practices in order to stop struggling students from dropping out of advanced math classes.

  15. Advanced Accelerators for Medical Applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Uesaka, Mitsuru; Koyama, Kazuyoshi

    We review advanced accelerators for medical applications with respect to the following key technologies: (i) higher RF electron linear accelerator (hereafter “linac”); (ii) optimization of alignment for the proton linac, cyclotron and synchrotron; (iii) superconducting magnet; (iv) laser technology. Advanced accelerators for medical applications are categorized into two groups. The first group consists of compact medical linacs with high RF, cyclotrons and synchrotrons downsized by optimization of alignment and superconducting magnets. The second group comprises laser-based acceleration systems aimed of medical applications in the future. Laser plasma electron/ion accelerating systems for cancer therapy and laser dielectric accelerating systems for radiation biology are mentioned. Since the second group has important potential for a compact system, the current status of the established energy and intensity and of the required stability are given.

  16. Advanced Accelerators for Medical Applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Uesaka, Mitsuru; Koyama, Kazuyoshi

    We review advanced accelerators for medical applications with respect to the following key technologies: (i) higher RF electron linear accelerator (hereafter "linac"); (ii) optimization of alignment for the proton linac, cyclotron and synchrotron; (iii) superconducting magnet; (iv) laser technology. Advanced accelerators for medical applications are categorized into two groups. The first group consists of compact medical linacs with high RF, cyclotrons and synchrotrons downsized by optimization of alignment and superconducting magnets. The second group comprises laserbased acceleration systems aimed of medical applications in the future. Laser plasma electron/ion accelerating systems for cancer therapy and laser dielectric accelerating systems for radiation biology are mentioned. Since the second group has important potential for a compact system, the current status of the established energy and intensity and of the required stability are given.

  17. A comprehensive medical student career development program improves medical student satisfaction with career planning.

    PubMed

    Zink, Brian J; Hammoud, Maya M; Middleton, Eric; Moroney, Donney; Schigelone, Amy

    2007-01-01

    In 1999, the University of Michigan Medical School (UMMS) initiated a new career development program (CDP). The CDP incorporates the 4-phase career development model described by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Careers in Medicine (CiM). The CDP offers self-assessment exercises with guidance from trained counselors for 1st- and 2nd-year medical students. Career exploration experiences include Career Seminar Series luncheons, shadow experiences with faculty, and a shadow program with second-year (M2) and fourth-year (M4) medical students. During the decision-making phase, students work with trained faculty career advisors (FCA). Mandatory sessions are held on career selection, preparing the residency application, interviewing, and program evaluation. During the implementation phase, students meet with deans or counselors to discuss residency application and matching. An "at-risk plan" assists students who may have difficulty matching. The CiM Web site is extensively used during the 4 stages. Data from the AAMC and UMMS Graduation Questionnaires (GQ) show significant improvements for UMMS students in overall satisfaction with career planning services and with faculty mentoring, career assessment activities, career information, and personnel availability. By 2003, UMMS students had significantly higher satisfaction in all measured areas of career planning services when compared with all other U.S. medical students.

  18. Teaching Medical Students Clinical Anesthesia.

    PubMed

    Curry, Saundra E

    2018-05-01

    There are many reasons for evaluating our approach and improving our teaching of America's future doctors, whether they become anesthesiologists (recruitment) or participate in patient management in the perioperative period (general patient care). Teaching medical students the seminal aspects of any medical specialty is a continual challenge. Although no definitive curricula or single clinical approach has been defined, certain key features can be ascertained from clinical experience and the literature. A survey was conducted among US anesthesiology teaching programs regarding the teaching content and approaches currently used to teach US medical students clinical anesthesia. Using the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education website that lists 133 accredited anesthesiology programs, residency directors were contacted via e-mail. Based on those responses and follow-up phone calls, teaching representatives from 125 anesthesiology departments were identified and asked via e-mail to complete a survey. The survey was returned by 85 programs, yielding a response rate of 68% of individuals contacted and 63% of all departments. Ninety-one percent of the responding departments teach medical students, most in the final 2 years of medical school. Medical student exposure to clinical anesthesia occurred as elective only at 42% of the institutions, was requirement only at 16% of responding institutions, and the remainder had both elective and required courses. Anesthesiology faculty at 43% of the responding institutions reported teaching in the preclinical years of medical school, primarily in the departments of pharmacology and physiology. Forty-five percent of programs reported interdisciplinary teaching with other departments teaching classes such as gross anatomy. There is little exposure of anesthesiology faculty to medical students in other general courses. Teaching in the operating room is the primary teaching method in the clinical years. Students are

  19. Is medical students' moral orientation changeable after preclinical medical education?

    PubMed

    Lin, Chaou-Shune; Tsou, Kuo-Inn; Cho, Shu-Ling; Hsieh, Ming-Shium; Wu, Hsi-Chin; Lin, Chyi-Her

    2012-03-01

    Moral orientation can affect ethical decision-making. Very few studies have focused on whether medical education can change the moral orientation of the students. The purpose of the present study was to document the types of moral orientation exhibited by medical students, and to study if their moral orientation was changed after preclinical education. From 2007 to 2009, the Mojac scale was used to measure the moral orientation of Taiwan medical students. The students included 271 first-year and 109 third-year students. They were rated as a communitarian, dual, or libertarian group and followed for 2 years to monitor the changes in their Mojac scores. In both first and third-year students, the dual group after 2 years of preclinical medical education did not show any significant change. In the libertarian group, first and third-year students showed a statistically significant increase from a score of 99.4 and 101.3 to 103.0 and 105.7, respectively. In the communitarian group, first and third-year students showed a significant decline from 122.8 and 126.1 to 116.0 and 121.5, respectively. During the preclinical medical education years, students with communitarian orientation and libertarian orientation had changed in their moral orientation to become closer to dual orientation. These findings provide valuable hints to medical educators regarding bioethics education and the selection criteria of medical students for admission.

  20. Knowledge of medical abortion among Brazilian medical students.

    PubMed

    Fernandes, Karayna Gil; Camargo, Rodrigo Pauperio Soares; Duarte, Graciana Alves; Faúndes, Anibal; Sousa, Maria Helena; Maia Filho, Nelson Lourenço; Pacagnella, Rodolfo Carvalho

    2012-09-01

    To assess the knowledge of Brazilian medical students regarding medical abortion (MA) and the use of misoprostol for MA, and to investigate factors influencing their knowledge. All students from 3 medical schools in São Paulo State were invited to complete a pretested structured questionnaire with precoded response categories. A set of 12 statements on the use and effects of misoprostol for MA assessed their level of knowledge. Of about 1260 students invited to participate in the study, 874 completed the questionnaire, yielding a response rate of 69%. The χ(2) test was used for the bivariate analysis, which was followed by multiple regression analysis. Although all students in their final year of medical school had heard of misoprostol for termination of pregnancy, and 88% reported having heard how to use it, only 8% showed satisfactory knowledge of its use and effects. Academic level was the only factor associated with the indicators of knowledge investigated. The very poor knowledge of misoprostol use for MA demonstrated by the medical students surveyed at 3 medical schools makes the review and updating of the curriculum urgently necessary. Copyright © 2012 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Medical Student Perceptions of the Learning Environment in Medical School Change as Students Transition to Clinical Training in Undergraduate Medical School.

    PubMed

    Dunham, Lisette; Dekhtyar, Michael; Gruener, Gregory; CichoskiKelly, Eileen; Deitz, Jennifer; Elliott, Donna; Stuber, Margaret L; Skochelak, Susan E

    2017-01-01

    Phenomenon: The learning environment is the physical, social, and psychological context in which a student learns. A supportive learning environment contributes to student well-being and enhances student empathy, professionalism, and academic success, whereas an unsupportive learning environment may lead to burnout, exhaustion, and cynicism. Student perceptions of the medical school learning environment may change over time and be associated with students' year of training and may differ significantly depending on the student's gender or race/ethnicity. Understanding the changes in perceptions of the learning environment related to student characteristics and year of training could inform interventions that facilitate positive experiences in undergraduate medical education. The Medical School Learning Environment Survey (MSLES) was administered to 4,262 students who matriculated at one of 23 U.S. and Canadian medical schools in 2010 and 2011. Students completed the survey at the end of each year of medical school as part of a battery of surveys in the Learning Environment Study. A mixed-effects longitudinal model, t tests, Cohen's d effect size, and analysis of variance assessed the relationship between MSLES score, year of training, and demographic variables. After controlling for gender, race/ethnicity, and school, students reported worsening perceptions toward the medical school learning environment, with the worst perceptions in the 3rd year of medical school as students begin their clinical experiences, and some recovery in the 4th year after Match Day. The drop in MSLES scores associated with the transition to the clinical learning environment (-0.26 point drop in addition to yearly change, effect size = 0.52, p < .0001) is more than 3 times greater than the drop between the 1st and 2nd year (0.07 points, effect size = 0.14, p < .0001). The largest declines were from items related to work-life balance and informal student relationships. There was some, but

  2. [The medical empathy, is it born or is it made? Evolution of the empathy in medical students].

    PubMed

    Esquerda, Montse; Yuguero, Oriol; Viñas, Joan; Pifarré, Josep

    2016-01-01

    Empathy is one of the basic skills in medicine that promotes better doctor-patient relationship, best professional competition and less professional stress. We don't found studies in our area. This study aims to measure the degree of empathy in medical students in our area and associated factors. Cross-sectional study. Faculty of Medicine, University of Lleida (Spain). Pass in class of 1st, 3rd and second cycle of Medicine, at 191 students. 173 students (90%) completed the questionnaire. TECA questionnaire to measure general empathy with 4 subscales (empathic understanding, perspective taking, empathic happiness and empathic stress), and a sociodemographic questionnaire. We found a progression in empathy during medical courses. Women have greater empathy but also increased empathic stress. Men have less general empathy, less progression of empathy and less emphatic stress. Students that show a preference to House TV movie have less empathy and those with family doctors. Voluntary students have greater empathy and those who have had a sick friend. We don't have found relationship between empathy and preferred specialty. There are several variables that are related to empathy in medical students: Women, advanced courses, experiences close to serious illnesses and those involved in voluntary activities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  3. Fostering research skills in undergraduate medical students through mentored students projects: example from an Indian medical school.

    PubMed

    Devi, V; Abraham, R R; Adiga, A; Ramnarayan, K; Kamath, A

    2010-01-01

    Healthcare decision-making is largely reliant on evidence-based medicine; building skills in scientific reasoning and thinking among medical students becomes an important part of medical education. Medical students in India have no formal path to becoming physicians, scientists or academicians. This study examines students' perceptions regarding research skills improvement after participating in the Mentored Student Project programme at Melaka Manipal Medical College, Manipal Campus, India. Additionally, this paper describes the initiatives taken for the continual improvement of the Mentored Student Project programme based on faculty and student perspectives. At Melaka Manipal Medical College, Mentored Student Project was implemented in the curriculum during second year of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery programme with the intention of developing research skills essential to the career development of medical students. The study design was cross-sectional. To inculcate the spirit of team work students were grouped (n=3 to 5) and each group was asked to select a research project. The students' research projects were guided by their mentors. A questionnaire (Likert's five point scale) on students' perceptions regarding improvement in research skills after undertaking projects and guidance received from the mentor was administered to medical students after they had completed their Mentored Student Project. The responses of students were summarised using percentages. The median grade with inter-quartile range was reported for each item in the questionnaire. The median grade for all the items related to perceptions regarding improvement in research skills was 4 which reflected that the majority of the students felt that Mentored Student Project had improved their research skills. The problems encountered by the students during Mentored Student Project were related to time management for the Mentored Student Project and mentors. This study shows that students

  4. Differences in Empathy Levels of Medical Students Based on Gender, Year of Medical School and Career Choice.

    PubMed

    Tariq, Nabia; Tayyab, Ali; Jaffery, Tara

    2018-04-01

    To measure mean empathy scores of Pakistani medical students and to explore any association of empathy scores with gender, medical school year and future career choice. Cross-sectional survey. Shifa College of Medicine, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, during the academic year 2015-2016. The student version of Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE) was distributed to the students electronically via the student portal. Response that were completed in full were included in the study. Descriptive statistics was used to analyse student demographic data. The student score on the JSPE was reported as the mean (out of 7) of each item. Independent samples t-test was employed to check the significant differences between genders. Empathy score with advancing year of study was investigated using ANOVA. ANOVA with post-hoc Tukey's test was used to study the relationship between career choice and empathy score. The response rate was 70.94%. The mean score was 4.51 ±0.69. Females obtained greater, but statistically insignificant (p=0.08) empathy score (4.58) as compared to the male students (4.45). No statistically significant difference was seen between scores on the survey across the five academic years (F=0.88, p=0.47). Students who selected medicine and allied as career choice showed a significantly higher empathy score than those who opted for surgery. The internal consistency reliability (Cronbach's alpha) was 0.78. There were low levels of empathy in Pakistani medical students. Students with interest in medicine and allied showed higher empathy scores compared to surgical or technical specialties. No association of empathy scores with gender and medical school year was observed.

  5. Development of a Modified Korean East Asian Student Stress Inventory by Comparing Stress Levels in Medical Students with Those in Non-Medical Students.

    PubMed

    Shin, Hee Kon; Kang, Seok Hoon; Lim, Sun-Hye; Yang, Jeong Hee; Chae, Sunguk

    2016-01-01

    Medical students are usually under more stress than that experienced by non-medical students. Stress testing tools for Korean medical students have not been sufficiently studied. Thus, we adapted and modified the East Asian Student Stress Inventory (EASSI), a stress testing tool for Korean students studying abroad, and verified its usefulness as a stress test in Korean university students. We also compared and analyzed stress levels between medical and non-medical students. A questionnaire survey was conducted on medical and non-medical students of a national university, and the responses of 224 students were analyzed for this study. Factor analysis and reliability testing were performed based on data collected for 25 adapted EASSI questions and those on the Korean version of the Global Assessment of Recent Stress Scale (GARSS). A correlation analysis was performed between the 13 modified EASSI questions and the GARSS, and validity of the modified EASSI was verified by directly comparing stress levels between the two student groups. The 13 questions adapted for the EASSI were called the modified EASSI and classified into four factors through a factor analysis and reliability testing. The Pearson's correlation analysis revealed a significant correlation between the modified EASSI and the Korean version of the GARSS, suggesting a complementary strategy of using both tests. The validity and reliability of the EASSI were verified. The modified Korean EASSI could be a useful stress test for Korean medical students. Our results show that medical students were under more stress than that of non-medical students. Thus, these results could be helpful for managing stress in medical students.

  6. Medical student and medical school teaching faculty perceptions of conflict of interest.

    PubMed

    Andresen, Nicholas S; Olson, Tyler S; Krasowski, Matthew D

    2017-07-11

    Attitudes towards conflict of interest (COI) and COI policy are shaped during medical school and influence both the education of medical students and their future medical practice. Understanding the current attitudes of medical students and medical school teaching faculty may provide insight into what is taught about COI and COI policy within the 'hidden' medical curriculum. Differences between medical student and medical school teaching faculty perceptions of COI and COI policy have not been compared in detail. The authors surveyed first year medical students and medical school teaching faculty at one academic medical center. The response rate was 98.7% (150/152) for students and 34.2% (69/202) for faculty. Students were less likely than faculty to agree that lecturers should disclose COI to any learners (4.06 vs. 4.31, p = 0.01), but more likely to agree that COI disclosure decreases the presentation of biased material (3.80 vs. 3.21, p < 0.001). Student and faculty responses for all other questions were not different. Many of these responses suggest student and faculty support for stronger COI policy at academic medical centers. Students and faculty perceptions regarding COI and COI policy are largely similar, but differ in terms of the perceived effectiveness of COI disclosure. This study also suggests that medical students and medical school teaching faculty support for stronger COI policy at academic medical centers.

  7. Fertility awareness among medical and non-medical students: a case-control study.

    PubMed

    Nouri, Kazem; Huber, Dagmar; Walch, Katharina; Promberger, Regina; Buerkle, Bernd; Ott, Johannes; Tempfer, Clemens B

    2014-09-26

    To compare the understanding and perceptions of fertility issues among medical and non-medical University students. In a prospective case-control study, using a 43 item questionnaire with 5 sections and 43 questions regarding personal data (8 questions), lifestyle factors (9 questions), plans on having children (5 questions), age and fertility (5 questions), and lifestyle and fertility (16 questions), knowledge of fertility and influencing factors, desired age at commencement and completion of childbearing, among male and female medical and non-medical students in their first academic year at Vienna University, Vienna, Austria were evaluated. 340 students were included. 262/340 (77%) participants planned to have children in the future. Medical students (n = 170) planned to have fewer and later children and had a higher awareness of the impact of age on fertility than non-medical students (n = 170; estimated knowledge probability 0.55 [medical students] vs. 0.47 [non-medical students]; F (1, 336) = 5.18 and p = .024 (η p = .015). Gender did not independently affect estimated knowledge probability (F (1, 336) = 1.50 and p = .221). More female and male medical students had a positive attitude towards Assisted Reproductive Technology in case of infertility than non-medical students (47 and 55% vs. 23 and 29%, respectively; p = <.001). Medical students had a healthier lifestyle than non-medical students. A healthy lifestyle and female gender were associated with higher fertility awareness. Medical students have a higher awareness of fertility issues than non-medical students. Choice of academic study, gender, and personal life style are important factors affecting fertility awareness. These data may be helpful to address knowledge gaps among young non-medical Academics.

  8. TRIAD IV: Nationwide Survey of Medical Students' Understanding of Living Wills and DNR Orders.

    PubMed

    Mirarchi, Ferdinando L; Ray, Matthew; Cooney, Timothy

    2016-12-01

    Living wills are a form of advance directives that help to protect patient autonomy. They are frequently encountered in the conduct of medicine. Because of their impact on care, it is important to understand the adequacy of current medical school training in the preparation of physicians to interpret these directives. Between April and August 2011 of third and fourth year medical students participated in an internet survey involving the interpretation of living wills. The survey presented a standard living will as a "stand-alone," a standard living will with the addition an emergent clinical scenario and then variations of the standard living will that included a code status designation ("DNR," "Full Code," or "Comfort Care"). For each version/ scenario, respondents were asked to assign a code status and choose interventions based on the cases presented. Four hundred twenty-five students from medical schools throughout the country responded. The majority indicated they had received some form of advance directive training and understood the concept of code status and the term "DNR." Based on a stand-alone document, 15% of respondents correctly denoted "full code" as the appropriate code status; adding a clinical scenario yielded negligible improvement. When a code designation was added to the living will, correct code status responses ranged from 68% to 93%, whereas correct treatment decisions ranged from 18% to 78%. Previous training in advance directives had no impact on these results. Our data indicate that the majority of students failed to understand the key elements of a living will; adding a code status designations improved correct responses with the exception of the term DNR. Misunderstanding of advance directives is a nationwide problem and jeopardizes patient safety. Medical School ethics curricula need to be improved to ensure competency with respect to understanding advance directives.

  9. Qualitative Literature Review of the Prevalence of Depression in Medical Students Compared to Students in Non-medical Degrees.

    PubMed

    Bacchi, Stephen; Licinio, Julio

    2015-06-01

    The purpose of this study is to review studies published in English between 1 January 2000 and 16 June 2014, in peer-reviewed journals, that have assessed the prevalence of depression, comparing medical students and non-medical students with a single evaluation method. The databases PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Scopus were searched for eligible articles. Searches used combinations of the Medical Subject Headings medical student and depression. Titles and abstracts were reviewed to determine eligibility before full-text articles were retrieved, which were then also reviewed. Twelve studies met eligibility criteria. Non-medical groups surveyed included dentistry, business, humanities, nursing, pharmacy, and architecture students. One study found statistically significant results suggesting that medical students had a higher prevalence of depression than groups of non-medical students; five studies found statistically significant results indicating that the prevalence of depression in medical students was less than that in groups of non-medical students; four studies found no statistically significant difference, and two studies did not report on the statistical significance of their findings. One study was longitudinal, and 11 studies were cross-sectional. While there are limitations to these comparisons, in the main, the reviewed literature suggests that medical students have similar or lower rates of depression compared to certain groups of non-medical students. A lack of longitudinal studies meant that potential common underlying causes could not be discerned, highlighting the need for further research in this area. The high rates of depression among medical students indicate the continuing need for interventions to reduce depression.

  10. Medical School Research Pipeline: Medical Student Research Experience in Psychiatry

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Balon, Richard; Heninger, George; Belitsky, Richard

    2006-01-01

    Objective: The authors discuss the importance of introducing research training in psychiatry and neurosciences to medical students. Methods: A review of existing models of research training in psychiatry with focus on those providing research training to medical students is presented. Results: Two research-training models for medical students that…

  11. Medical Students' Impressions and Satisfactions from Medical Professional Skill Education Lessons

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ongel, Kurtulus; Mergen, Haluk; Kayacan, Hacer; Yildizhan, Alpaslan

    2008-01-01

    (Background) To help us understand the medical students' reflections about professional skill educations we conducted a study on medical students' conceptions of selected medical phenomena, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, CPR. (Methods) The study was conducted in January 2008, using a sample consisting of medical students from one of the…

  12. The reported preparedness and disposition by students in a Nigerian university towards the use of information technology for medical education.

    PubMed

    Fadeyi, A; Desalu, O O; Ameen, A; Adeboye, A N Muhammed

    2010-01-01

    The computer and information technology (IT) revolution have transformed modern health care systems in the areas of communication, storage, retrieval of medical information and teaching, but little is known about IT skill and use in most developing nations. The aim of this study has been to evaluate the reported preparedness and disposition by medical students in a Nigerian university toward the use of IT for medical education. A self-administered structured questionnaire containing 24 items was used to obtain information from medical students in the University of Ilorin, Nigeria on their level of computer usage, knowledge of computer software and hardware, availability and access to computer, possession of personal computer and e-mail address, preferred method of medical education and the use of computer as a supplement to medical education. Out of 479 medical students, 179 (37.4%) had basic computer skills, 209 (43.6%) had intermediate skills and 58(12.1%) had advanced computer skills. Three hundred and thirty (68.9%) have access to computer and 451(94.2%) have e-mail addresses. For medical teaching, majority (83.09%), preferred live lecture, 56.78% lecture videos, 35.1% lecture handout on web site and 410 (85.6%) wants computer as a supplement to live lectures. Less than half (39.5%) wants laptop acquisition to be mandatory. Students with advanced computer skills were well prepared and disposed to IT than those with basic computer skill. The findings revealed that the medical students with advanced computer skills were well prepared and disposed to IT based medical education. Therefore, high level of computer skill is required for them to be prepared and favorably disposed to IT based medical education.

  13. Bullying of medical students.

    PubMed

    Mukhtar, Fatima; Daud, Seema; Manzoor, Iram; Amjad, Ibtesaam; Saeed, Kamran; Naeem, Mehvish; Javed, Mehwish

    2010-12-01

    To assess the frequency and forms of bullying experienced by medical students, and the associated factors. Cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey. The study was conducted at a private Medical College of Lahore, from January to February 2010. All the students of first and fourth year classes were included in the study with voluntary and anonymous participation. Self administered-questionnaires were given to the students which were completed by them in the presence of the surveyor. A modified version of the British Medical Associations (BMA) medical student's welfare and education survey form was used for data collection. The data was recorded and analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences version 16.0. Data was described in the form of frequencies and percentages. Chi-square test and Fisher exact test were used to test statistical significance between categorical variables at p < 0.05. More than half the students 70 (66%) had experienced some form of bullying in the past 6 months at the Medical College. It was found that 70% (49) of the students who were bullied were females. Sixty-seven percent of students reported experiencing a bullying episode at least once in a month, 26% less than once in a month and 7% at least once in a week. The most common forms were verbal abuse (n=44, 63%) and behavioural gestures i.e. making faces (n=36, 51%), followed by having been ignored or excluded (n=20, 29%). The common perpetrators of all types of bullying were fellow students followed by Professors. Feeling lonely or sad (p=0.024), not having a close friend (p=0.049) and knowledge amongst respondents regarding the availability of support services in their college (p=0.019) were significantly associated with being bullied. Most medical students reported of having been bullied in the last 6 months at the College, with verbal abuse being the commonest form of maltreatment and fellow students followed by Professors being the frequent perpetrators. A history of

  14. Advances in Medical Physics: 2010.

    PubMed

    2011-07-01

    Advances in Medical Physics: 2010., Wolbarst Anthony B., Karellas Andrew, Krupinski Elizabeth A., Hendee William R., Medical Physics Publishing, Madison, WI, 2010, 368 pp (hardcover). Price: $140.00. ISBN: 978-1-93052-450-7. © 2011 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

  15. A Couples Group of Medical Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Porter, Kenneth; And Others

    1976-01-01

    An experiment at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine with a short-term medical student couples' workshop designed to foster increased sensitivity between medical students and their partners resulted in recommendation that such workshops be offered to medical students. (JT)

  16. Sexual health of Dutch medical students: nothing to worry about.

    PubMed

    Fickweiler, Freek; Keers, Joost C; Weijmar Schultz, Willibrord C M

    2011-09-01

    Little is known about the sexual lives and development of medical students because of relatively small sample sizes and, in particular, low response rates in research. Enhancing medical students' awareness and understanding of sexual behavior is imperative, as gaps in knowledge might impede effective sexual health consultations in their later professional practice. The aim of this study was to provide insight into the sexual lives and development of medical students. The main outcome measures of this study are demographic, contextual, and sexual data based on validated surveys. Preclinical medical students aged under 26 years were approached during scheduled classes and by e-mail to complete a web-based questionnaire. Our results were compared with international and Dutch normative data. Ordinal regression analysis and Pearson's correlation analysis were used to assess relationships between variables. A total of 1,598 questionnaires were returned (response rate 52%: 1,198 by women, 400 by men). There were 719 first-year students (mean age 19.17 years) and 879 third-year students (mean age 21.5 years). Gender distribution differences were seen in all the cohorts and were corrected for. Compared with international and Dutch (88%) normative data, our first- (62.7%; P<0.001) and third-year (79.9%; P=0.018) medical students had less sexual experience and showed different advancements in sexual behavior. However, these differences decreased, which suggests that medical students "catch-up" as their age increases. Sexual behavior in our sample did not differ from international data, except for a strikingly high sexual satisfaction (80%). We also confirmed that social and environmental characteristics change with alterations in sexual behavior. Although contraceptive measures were used more frequently (98%; P=0.006), sexually transmitted diseases were more common (4.6%; P=0.008), which suggests inappropriate use of protective measures. Independent predictive determinants

  17. MD/MBA Students: An Analysis of Medical Student Career Choice.

    PubMed

    Sherrill, Windsor Westbrook

    2004-12-01

    An increasing number of medical schools are offering dual degree MD/MBA programs. Career choices and factors influencing students to enter these programs provide an indicator of the roles in which dual degree students will serve in health care as well as the future of dual degree programs. Using career choice theory as a conceptual framework, career goals and factors influencing decisions to enter dual degree programs were assessed among dual degree medical students. Students enrolled at dual degree programs at six medical schools were surveyed and interviewed. A control group of traditional medical students was also surveyed. Factors influencing students to seek both medical and business training are varied but are often related to a desire for leadership opportunities, concerns about change in medicine and job security and personal career goals. Most students expect to combine clinical and administrative roles. Students entering these programs do so for a variety of reasons and plan diverse careers. These findings can provide guidance for program development and recruitment for dual degree medical education programs.

  18. Faculty verbal evaluations reveal strategies used to promote medical student performance

    PubMed Central

    Hauer, Karen E.; Mazotti, Lindsay; O'Brien, Bridget; Hemmer, Paul A.; Tong, Lowell

    2011-01-01

    Background Preceptors rarely follow medical students' developing clinical performance over time and across disciplines. This study analyzes preceptors' descriptions of longitudinal integrated clerkship (LIC) students' clinical development and their identification of strategies to guide students' progress. Methods We used a common evaluation framework, reporter-interpreter-manager-educator, to guide multidisciplinary LIC preceptors' discussions of students' progress. We conducted thematic analysis of transcripts from preceptors' (seven longitudinal ambulatory preceptors per student) quarterly group discussions of 15 students' performance over one year. Results All students' clinical development progressed, although most experienced obstacles. Lack of structure in the history and physical exam commonly obstructed progression. Preceptors used templates for data gathering, and modeling or experiences in the inpatient setting to provide time and solidify structure. To advance students' knowledge acquisition, many preceptors identified focused learning topics with their students; to promote application of knowledge, preceptors used reasoning strategies to teach the steps involved in synthesizing clinical data. Preceptors shared accountability for helping students advance as the LIC allowed them to follow students' response to teaching strategies. Discussion These results depict preceptors' perceptions of LIC students' developmental continuum and illustrate how multidisciplinary preceptors can use a common evaluation framework to identify strategies to improve performance and follow students' performance longitudinally. PMID:21629669

  19. Medical students, money, and career selection: students' perception of financial factors and remuneration in family medicine.

    PubMed

    Morra, Dante J; Regehr, Glenn; Ginsburg, Shiphra

    2009-02-01

    Medical students have had a declining interest in family medicine as a career. Some studies have shown a small inverse relationship between debt levels and primary care, but it is unclear how students perceive remuneration in different specialties and how these perceptions might influence career choice. Medical students at one school were surveyed to understand their perceptions of physician remuneration and to gain insight into how these perceptions might affect career selection. Response rate was 72% (560/781 students). Students' estimates of physician income were accurate throughout training, with the overall estimate for family medicine being lower than the actual income by only $10,656. The vast majority of students agreed with the statement that family physicians get paid too little (85%-89% of each class). The importance of payment as a factor in career decision making increased with higher debt and with advancing training. Students are able to accurately predict income by specialty from an early stage of training and have a negative perception of income in family medicine. The perception that family physicians make too little money could be an important driver--or at least a modifier--in the lack of interest in family medicine.

  20. Recruiting medical students to rural practice

    PubMed Central

    Jutzi, Leah; Vogt, Kelly; Drever, Erin; Nisker, Jeff

    2009-01-01

    ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To explore the strategies used by rural recruitment programs and their perceived influence on medical students. DESIGN Two original questionnaires delivered electronically, one to medical students and the other to recruiters in rural Ontario communities. SETTING Ontario, Canada. PARTICIPANTS All 525 medical students enrolled in the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Western Ontario in London and physician recruiters in 71 rural communities in Ontario were invited to participate in the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The factors that influence medical students to consider rural practice, strategies used by recruiters, and student perceptions of the ethical appropriateness of both. RESULTS The questionnaire was completed by 42.1% of medical students. Lifestyle considerations were an important influence for 93.1% of students. Themes from the qualitative analysis included the ethical appropriateness of financial considerations, economic forces, perceived disadvantages of rural practice, competition between communities, and lack of altruism. Responses were received from recruiters in 43.7% of communities; of those, 92.9% offered financial incentives to attract prospective physicians. CONCLUSION Financial and lifestyle considerations are important influences on medical students’ choice to practise in rural communities. Most medical students felt incentive programs offered by rural communities were ethically appropriate. PMID:19155375

  1. Evaluation of the medical student research programme in Norwegian medical schools. A survey of students and supervisors

    PubMed Central

    Hunskaar, Steinar; Breivik, Jarle; Siebke, Maje; Tømmerås, Karin; Figenschau, Kristian; Hansen, John-Bjarne

    2009-01-01

    Background The Medical Student Research Programme is a national education and grant scheme for medical students who wish to carry out research in parallel with their studies. The purpose of the programme is to increase recruitment of people with a standard medical degree to medical research. The Research Programme was established in 2002 and underwent a thorough evaluation during the spring of 2007. The evaluation should investigate if the programme had fulfilled its objectives of increased recruitment to medical research, in addition to the students' and supervisors' satisfaction of the programme, and unwanted differences between the universities. Methods Data was collected from students, supervisors and administrative staff via web-based questionnaires. Information about admission, implementation, results achieved and satisfaction was analysed and compared between the four Norwegian medical schools. In addition, the position of the scheme in relation to the national Quality Reform of Higher Education was analysed. Results At the end of 2006, the Medical Student Research Programme had recruited 265 medical students to research. These consisted of 214 active students, 35 who had completed their studies and only 17 who had dropped out. Both students and supervisors were generally very satisfied with the scheme, including the curriculum, the results achieved and the administrative service. The majority of students wanted to continue their research towards a PhD and, of those who had completed the Medical Student Research Programme, practically all had published one or several scientific papers. The survey showed only small differences between the four medical schools, despite their choice of somewhat different solutions in terms of administration and organisation. The Medical Student Research Programme satisfies the majority of the demands of the Quality Reform, however as an integrated research programme aimed at a PhD it presupposes access to PhD courses before the

  2. Development and validation of the Medical Student Scholar-Ideal Mentor Scale (MSS-IMS).

    PubMed

    Sozio, Stephen M; Chan, Kitty S; Beach, Mary Catherine

    2017-08-08

    scholarly outcomes. Given the lack of tools, this scale can be used by other SC Programs to advance medical students' scholarship.

  3. Motivating medical students to learn teamwork skills.

    PubMed

    Aarnio, Matti; Nieminen, Juha; Pyörälä, Eeva; Lindblom-Ylänne, Sari

    2010-01-01

    This study examined teaching teamwork skills to first-year medical students. Teamwork skills focused on verbal communication in PBL-tutorial sessions and in healthcare teams. The aim was to find out how to teach teamwork skills to first-year medical students and how to motivate them to learn these skills. Three consecutive classes of first-year medical students (N = 342) participated in teamwork skills module in the years 2006, 2007 and 2008. After the first year, the introduction to the topic was revised in order to be more motivating to medical students. After each module data were collected with a feedback questionnaire containing numerical and open questions. By analyzing the students' numerical answers and the content of students' open answers regarding the module, we examined how the revised introduction affected students' perceptions of the usefulness of the module. Medical students' feedback in the years 1 (n = 81), 2 (n = 99) and 3 (n = 95) showed that the students found the module in the second and third years significantly more useful than in the first year. These results support earlier findings that clearly stated clinical relevance motivates medical students. When introducing multidisciplinary subjects to medical students, it is important to think through the clinical relevance of the topic and how it is introduced to medical students.

  4. Do Spanish Medical Students Understand the Concept of Brain Death?

    PubMed

    Ríos, Antonio; López-Navas, A; López-López, A; Gómez, F J; Iriarte, J; Herruzo, R; Blanco, G; Llorca, F J; Asunsolo, A; Sánchez, P; Gutiérrez, P R; Fernández, A; de Jesús, M T; Alarcón, L Martínez; Del Olivo, M; Fuentes, L; Hernández, J R; Virseda, J; Yelamos, J; Bondía, J A; Hernández, A M; Ayala, M A; Ramírez, P; Parrilla, P

    2018-03-01

    To analyze the level of understanding of the brain death concept among medical students in universities in Spain. This cross-sectional sociological, interdisciplinary, and multicenter study was performed on 9598 medical students in Spain. The sample was stratified by geographical area and academic year. A previously validated self-reported measure of brain death knowledge (questionnaire Proyecto Colaborativo Internacional Donante sobre la Donación y Transplante de Organos) was completed anonymously by students. Respondents completed 9275 surveys for a completion rate of 95.7%. Of those, 67% (n = 6190) of the respondents understood the brain death concept. Of the rest, 28% (n = 2652) did not know what it meant, and the remaining 5% (n = 433) believed that it did not mean that the patient was dead. The variables related to a correct understanding of the concept were: (1) being older ( P < .001), (2) studying at a public university ( P < .001), (3) year of medical school ( P < .001), (4) studying at one of the universities in the south of Spain ( P = .003), (5) having discussed donation and transplantation with the family ( P < .001), (6) having spoken to friends about the matter ( P < .001), (7) a partner's favorable attitude toward donation and transplantation ( P < .001), and (8) religious beliefs ( P < .001). Sixty-seven percent of medical students know the concept of brain death, and knowledge improved as they advanced in their degree.

  5. Medical Humanities Coursework Is Associated with Greater Measured Empathy in Medical Students.

    PubMed

    Graham, Jeremy; Benson, Lauren M; Swanson, Judy; Potyk, Darryl; Daratha, Kenn; Roberts, Ken

    2016-12-01

    The primary focus of the study was to determine whether coursework in the medical humanities would ameliorate students' loss of and failure to develop empathy, a problem known to be common during medical education. Students were offered an elective course in the Medical Humanities for academic credit. The Jefferson Scale of Empathy Student Version (JSE-S) was administered at the beginning and end of an academic year in which humanities courses were offered. Changes in JSE-S scores among students who studied Medical Humanities were compared with changes in student who did not take any humanities coursework. Medical humanities coursework correlated with superior empathy outcomes among the medical students. Of students not enrolled in humanities courses, 71% declined or failed to increase in JSE-S score over the academic year. Of those who took humanities coursework, 46% declined or failed to increase in JSE-S scores. The difference was statistically significant (P = .03). The medical humanities curriculum correlated with favorable empathy outcomes as measured by the JSE-S. Elective medical humanities coursework correlated with improved empathy score outcomes in a group of US medical students. This may reflect a direct effect of the humanities coursework. Alternately, students' elective choice to take medical humanities coursework may be a marker for students with a propensity to favorable empathy outcomes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Stigmatization of 'psychiatric label' by medical and non-medical students.

    PubMed

    Totic, Sanja; Stojiljkovic, Dragan; Pavlovic, Zorana; Zaric, Nenad; Zarkovic, Boris; Malic, Ljubica; Mihaljevic, Marina; Jasovic-Gasic, Miroslava; Maric, Nadja P

    2012-09-01

    Stigmatization of psychiatric patients is present both in the general population and among healthcare professionals. To determine the attitudes and behaviour of medical students towards a person who goes to a psychiatrist, before and after psychiatric rotation, and to compare those attitudes between medical and non-medical students. The study included 525 medical students (second and sixth year of studies) and 154 students of law. The study instrument was a three-part self-reported questionnaire (socio-demographic data, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and a vignette depicting a young, mentally healthy person). The experimental intervention consisted of ascribing a 'psychiatric label' to only one set of vignettes. All the vignettes (with or without the 'psychiatric label') were followed by 14 statements addressing the acceptance of a person described by vignette, as judged by social distance (four-point Likert scale). Higher tendency to stigmatize was found in medical students in the final year, after psychiatric rotation (Z(U) = -3.12, p = .002), particularly in a closer relationship (Z(U) = -2.67, p = .007) between a student and a hypothetical person who goes to a psychiatrist. The non-medical students had a similar tendency to stigmatize as medical students before psychiatric rotation (Z(U) = -0.03, p = .975). Neither gender, nor the size of student's place of origin or average academic mark was associated with the tendency to stigmatize in our sample. However, student's elf-esteem was lower in those with a tendency to stigmatize more in a distant relationship (ρ = -0.157, p = .005). Psychiatric education can either reinforce stigmatization or reduce it. Therefore, detailed analyses of educational domains that reinforce stigma will be the starting point for anti-stigma action.

  7. A comparison of medical and pharmacy students' knowledge and skills of pharmacology and pharmacotherapy

    PubMed Central

    Keijsers, Carolina J P W; Brouwers, Jacobus R B J; de Wildt, Dick J; Custers, Eugene J F M; ten Cate, Olle Th J; Hazen, Ankie C M; Jansen, Paul A F

    2014-01-01

    Aim Pharmacotherapy might be improved if future pharmacists and physicians receive a joint educational programme in pharmacology and pharmacotherapeutics. This study investigated whether there are differences in the pharmacology and pharmacotherapy knowledge and skills of pharmacy and medical students after their undergraduate training. Differences could serve as a starting point from which to develop joint interdisciplinary educational programmes for better prescribing. Methods In a cross-sectional design, the knowledge and skills of advanced pharmacy and medical students were assessed, using a standardized test with three domains (basic pharmacology knowledge, clinical or applied pharmacology knowledge and pharmacotherapy skills) and eight subdomains (pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, interactions and side-effects, Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification groups, prescribing, prescribing for special groups, drug information, regulations and laws, prescription writing). Results Four hundred and fifty-one medical and 151 pharmacy students were included between August 2010 and July 2012. The response rate was 81%. Pharmacy students had better knowledge of basic pharmacology than medical students (77.0% vs. 68.2% correct answers; P < 0.001, δ = 0.88), whereas medical students had better skills than pharmacy students in writing prescriptions (68.6% vs. 50.7%; P < 0.001, δ = 0.57). The two groups of students had similar knowledge of applied pharmacology (73.8% vs. 72.2%, P = 0.124, δ = 0.15). Conclusions Pharmacy students have better knowledge of basic pharmacology, but not of the application of pharmacology knowledge, than medical students, whereas medical students are better at writing prescriptions. Professional differences in knowledge and skills therefore might well stem from their undergraduate education. Knowledge of these differences could be harnessed to develop a joint interdisciplinary education for both students and professionals. PMID:24698099

  8. A comparison of medical and pharmacy students' knowledge and skills of pharmacology and pharmacotherapy.

    PubMed

    Keijsers, Carolina J P W; Brouwers, Jacobus R B J; de Wildt, Dick J; Custers, Eugene J F M; Ten Cate, Olle Th J; Hazen, Ankie C M; Jansen, Paul A F

    2014-10-01

    Pharmacotherapy might be improved if future pharmacists and physicians receive a joint educational programme in pharmacology and pharmacotherapeutics. This study investigated whether there are differences in the pharmacology and pharmacotherapy knowledge and skills of pharmacy and medical students after their undergraduate training. Differences could serve as a starting point from which to develop joint interdisciplinary educational programmes for better prescribing. In a cross-sectional design, the knowledge and skills of advanced pharmacy and medical students were assessed, using a standardized test with three domains (basic pharmacology knowledge, clinical or applied pharmacology knowledge and pharmacotherapy skills) and eight subdomains (pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, interactions and side-effects, Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification groups, prescribing, prescribing for special groups, drug information, regulations and laws, prescription writing). Four hundred and fifty-one medical and 151 pharmacy students were included between August 2010 and July 2012. The response rate was 81%. Pharmacy students had better knowledge of basic pharmacology than medical students (77.0% vs. 68.2% correct answers; P < 0.001, δ = 0.88), whereas medical students had better skills than pharmacy students in writing prescriptions (68.6% vs. 50.7%; P < 0.001, δ = 0.57). The two groups of students had similar knowledge of applied pharmacology (73.8% vs. 72.2%, P = 0.124, δ = 0.15). Pharmacy students have better knowledge of basic pharmacology, but not of the application of pharmacology knowledge, than medical students, whereas medical students are better at writing prescriptions. Professional differences in knowledge and skills therefore might well stem from their undergraduate education. Knowledge of these differences could be harnessed to develop a joint interdisciplinary education for both students and professionals. © 2014 The British Pharmacological Society.

  9. A Comparative Study of Obsessionality in Medical Students, Law Students, and Controls.

    PubMed

    Harries, Michael D; Kim, Suck Won; Grant, Jon E

    2017-09-01

    Understanding obsessive-compulsive behavior in medical students and law students is necessary for administrators and educators to properly work with students struggling with obsessionality. We aim to compare the differences in obsessive symptoms between medical students, law students and a control population. A total of 100 third-year medical students, 102 third-year law students and 103 control subjects drawn from the general population completed the Leyton Obsessional Inventory (LOI). Subjects were examined on all three sections (symptoms/traits, resistance and interference) of the LOI. Obsessional symptom scores for medical students (14.29 ± 7.33) and law students (13.65 ± 6.61) were significantly greater than for the control group (11.58 ± 7.45). Medical and law students were both more likely to report checking, order, routine and attention to detail as obsessive symptoms. Medical students were more likely than law students to possess the obsessive symptoms of cleanliness and conscientiousness, while law students were more likely than medical students to possess obsessive symptoms related to difficulty in making up their mind and doubting themselves. While medical students and law students are more obsessional than the control population, each group is more likely to report different obsessive symptoms.

  10. Defining Medical Student Patient Care Responsibilities Before Intern Year: Results of a National Survey.

    PubMed

    King, Christopher J; Bolton, Andrew; Guerrasio, Jeannette; Trosterman, Adam

    2017-12-01

    Program directors have noted that first-year residents struggle with many of the patient care responsibilities they assume as they enter the US graduate medical education system. A national description of medical students' patient care experience in advance of graduation has not been published. We sought to describe the experience of US medical students during their clinical training by surveying the student representatives of each school. We developed a mixed-methods survey that was delivered to representatives of 82 schools via an e-mail link to an online survey. Our response rate was 54% (44/82). Of those responding, 28% reported that students do not write any patient care orders at their institution and 34% reported not receiving pages related to patient care. Only 26% of institutions provide an increased patient load to students during their final year of training. Students identified many areas to improve the role of fourth-year medical students, including writing patient care orders, answering pages, increasing autonomy, defining their role better, and providing them with a longer subinternship experience. Our survey suggests that students are graduating from the undergraduate medical education system and moving to the graduate medical education system in the United States without a guarantee of having answered a page related to patient care or having placed a patient care order. Further studies of students' experiences should be conducted to explore whether exposure to these skills improves first-year resident performance.

  11. [Medical students and psychiatry. A survey of students' opinion].

    PubMed

    Giberti, F; Corsini, G; Rovida, S

    1994-06-01

    In the last years research on the didactics of Psychiatry and opinions of medical students on Psychiatry has gained great interest. The authors think that this research could be useful for the improvement of didactics, for better understanding the meanings of professional choice, the identity of psychiatrist and their relationship with colleagues in other medical field. The goal of this research work was a preliminary survey of Genoese University Medical Student's opinions about psychiatry didactics, and choice of specialization. A questionnaire was submitted to all the students who passed Clinical Psychiatry examination in the period from November 1987 to December 1988. The students were divided in two randomized groups: the first group of students (224) was submitted to the questionnaire immediately after Clinical Psychiatry examination; while to the second group of students (66) the questionnaire was mailed. The aim of the questions was to assess the student's opinions on psychiatry, psychoanalysis, psychotherapy, the career they wanted to take up, and the difficulties of studying psychiatry: 69% of the students of the first group and 42% of the students of the second group answered the questionnaire. Female students answered that they preferred psychiatric specialization more than their male colleagues did, but the difference has no statistical importance. In most cases, the students who answered that they have taken into account psychiatry as a choice of specialisation, are more interested in medical specialties (primary care, etc.) than in surgical specialties. Most of the medical students declare some emotional troubles (anxiety, sleeplessness, problem in social relations).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  12. A gaming approach to learning medical microbiology: students' experiences of flow.

    PubMed

    Beylefeld, Adriana A; Struwig, Magdalena C

    2007-11-01

    There is a growing awareness in medical education of general skills(1) required for lifelong learning. Such skills are best achieved when students experience positive affective states while they are learning, as put forth by the Csikszentmihalyian theory of flow. This study describes how a quiz-type board game was used in the School of Medicine of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Free State to address students' negativity towards medical microbiology. The study population consisted of third-year medical students who had recently completed the Infections module of the undergraduate Learning Programme for Professional Medicine. Data gathered by means of two questionnaire surveys and direct observation showed that the game impacted positively on students' perceptions of and attitudes towards medical microbiology as a subject. A high perceived probability of the game contributing to the acquisition of general skills was recorded, since the experience of positive affect during the process of informal learning went hand-in-hand with heightened team effort and spontaneous communication. This article may be of value to health educators who wish to supplement formal teaching with informal learning so as to enhance not only the recall of factual knowledge, but also the advancement of general skills.

  13. Chronic disease management: teaching medical students to incorporate community.

    PubMed

    Dent, M Marie; Mathis, Mary W; Outland, Monita; Thomas, McKinley; Industrious, DeShawn

    2010-01-01

    As a response to the growing prevalence of chronic disease, models of chronic care have emerged as salient approaches to address dynamic health care changes and to manage the burden of suffering of these diseases. Concurrently, there has been a growing call to address chronic disease management within medical school curricula. This article describes the development and evaluation of a curricular intervention designed to prepare students to integrate patient-centered care with an understanding of the patients' community, provide care within rural settings, and experience clinical education specific to chronic disease management. Second-year medical students completed a chronic disease management project as part of a 4-week community visit in rural and/or medically underserved sites. Paired pre- and post-survey data were collected using the Community Oriented Health Care Competency Scale to assess the student's knowledge, intent to practice, and attitudes toward incorporating community-oriented primary care into future practice. Matched pre- and post-project surveys were identified for 170 respondents out of 219 students (77.6% response rate). Post-assessment items were found to be statistically different from measures collected prior to the students' entrance into the community: all knowledge questions indicated significant advancements toward community responsiveness, as did one question related to attitude and three of the intent to practice community-oriented health care questions. Community-based rotations can play a positive role in developing the competencies needed for future practice. The development of curricular opportunities designed to train future physicians on the value of incorporating models of chronic care within rural and underserved communities should remain at the forefront of medical education.

  14. Peculiarities of medical students' nutrition.

    PubMed

    Skemiene, Lina; Ustinaviciene, Rūta; Piesine, Loreta; Radisauskas, Ricardas

    2007-01-01

    The aim of the study was to investigate the peculiarities of medical students' nutrition, to compare the dietary habits between first-year and third-year students, to compare male and female students' nutrition, and to evaluate the tendencies of its change. An anonymous survey using a specially designed questionnaire was carried out on 349 first- and third-year students of the Faculties of Medicine and Pharmacy at Kaunas University of Medicine. Students' factual nutrition was evaluated by the number of meals per day, the time of eating, and the frequency of consumption of food products. The findings of the questionnaire-based study were stored in a database and analyzed using Excel software. Statistical relationships were determined using EPI Info software by applying the nonparametric chi(2) criterion. Statistical significance was determined using Student's criterion. The nutrition of first- and third-year students is irregular and differs in the time and number of meals. Only 20% of students daily ate 400 g of fruit and vegetables as recommended by the World Health Organization. Medical students, especially males, used excessive amounts of animal fat. Every seventh student consumed too salty food. Medical students consumed insufficient amounts of bread, potatoes, cereals, and other products that constitute the basis of the pyramid of healthy nutrition. Twenty-three percent of males and nearly as many females used alcohol once per week. Nearly one-half of students did not exercise at all, and 9.1% of third-year female and 14.5% of third-year male students were overweight. The majority of students did not follow the dietary regimen and consumed the majority of food products during the second half of the day. Students' nutrition was not balanced - medical students consumed too much fat, especially those of animal origin. Students consumed insufficient amounts of vegetable fats and fish products, fruit and vegetables, and thus their food may lack soluble dietary

  15. Online Options for Math-Advanced Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wessling, Suki

    2012-01-01

    Once upon a time, a student well advanced past grade level in math would have had few choices. Advanced students would invariably outpace the skills of their elementary teachers, and due to age wouldn't have options such as going to the middle school or community college for classes. Soon thereafter, students would enter middle school only to find…

  16. Research-oriented medical education for graduate medical students.

    PubMed

    Deo, Madhav G

    2013-01-01

    In most parts of the world, medical education is predominantly geared to create service personnel for medical and health services. Training in research is ignored, which is a major handicap for students who are motivated to do research. The main objective of this study was to develop, for such students, a cost-effective 'in-study' research training module that could be adopted even by medical colleges, which have a modest research infrastructure, in different regions of India. Short-duration workshops on the clinical and laboratory medicine research methods including clinical protocol development were held in different parts of India to facilitate participation of students from various regions. Nine workshops covering the entire country were conducted between July 2010 and December 2011. Participation was voluntary and by invitation only to the recipients of the Indian Council of Medical Research-Short-term Studentship programme (ICMR- STS), which was taken as an index of students' research motivation. Faculty was drawn from the medical institutions in the region. All expenses on students, including their travel, and that of the faculty were borne by the academy. Impact of the workshop was judged by the performance of the participants in pre- and post-workshop tests with multiple-choice questions (MCQs) containing the same set of questions. There was no negative marking. Anonymous student feedback was obtained using a questionnaire. Forty-one per cent of the 1009 invited students attended the workshops. These workshops had a positive impact on the participants. Only 20% students could pass and just 2.3% scored >80% marks in the pre-workshop test. There was a three-fold increase in the pass percentage and over 20% of the participants scored >80% marks (A grade) in the post-workshop test. The difference between the pre- and post- workshop performance was statistically significant at all the centres. In the feedback from participants, the workshop received an average

  17. Transition: health professionals as medical students.

    PubMed

    Gallagher, Peter; Hoare, Kath

    2016-06-01

    It has long been acknowledged that health professionals who retrain as doctors make a significant contribution to the medical profession. Having a background as a health professional sets this group apart from the other medical students, including mature students. It is therefore important to understand more about how health professionals adapt to their role as medical students. A qualitative approach was adopted, in which interviews were conducted with 12 of the possible 30 medical students who met the inclusion criterion: namely that they were or had been registered health professionals. The most common driver to retrain was a desire to seek a fresh challenge, and they described their previous roles as limited; however, returning to student status after life as an autonomous health professional was initially very uncomfortable. Once they loosened their grip on their previous role and embraced life as a medical student the students eventually realised that, irrespective of their previous health profession, they had a set of core professional abilities that they could bring to their role as a doctor. There has been considerable focus on the support required for mature students, graduate students and students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Little attention has been afforded to the experience of health professionals as medical students. This category of individual already possesses a wealth of experience, knowledge and attitudes relevant to health care work. This experience should be built upon so that the transition from 'expert' to 'novice' is as comfortable as possible for all parties. Health professionals who retrain as doctors make a significant contribution to the medical profession. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Differences of smoking knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors between medical and non-medical students.

    PubMed

    Han, Min-Yan; Chen, Wei-Qing; Wen, Xiao-Zhong; Liang, Cai-Hua; Ling, Wen-Hua

    2012-03-01

    Previous studies in the world reported inconsistent results about the relationship of medical professional education with medical students' smoking behaviors, and no similar research had been published in China. This paper aims to explore whether the differences of smoking-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors existed between medical and non-medical undergraduate students. Eight thousand one hundred thirty-eight undergraduate students sampled from a university in Guangzhou were investigated with a self-administered structured questionnaire about their smoking-related knowledge, attitude and behaviors, and other relevant factors. General linear model and multinomial logistic regression were conducted to test the differences in smoking-related knowledge, attitude, and behaviors between medical and non-medical students while controlling for potential confounding variables. There was no difference in smoking-related knowledge scores between medical and non-medical freshmen, but medical sophomores and juniors had higher scores of smoking-related knowledge than their non-medical counterparts. The medical sophomores had higher mean score of attitudes towards smoking than non-medical ones. Before entering university, the difference in the prevalence of experimental and regular smoking between medical and non-medical college students was not significant. After entering university, in contrast, the overall prevalence of regular smoking was significantly higher among male non-medical college students than among male medical students. Stratified by current academic year, this difference was significant only among male sophomores. Medical students have higher smoking-related knowledge, stronger anti-smoking attitude, and lower prevalence of regular smoking than non-medical college students of similar age, which may be associated with medical professional education.

  19. Students' satisfaction to hybrid problem-based learning format for basic life support/advanced cardiac life support teaching.

    PubMed

    Chilkoti, Geetanjali; Mohta, Medha; Wadhwa, Rachna; Saxena, Ashok Kumar; Sharma, Chhavi Sarabpreet; Shankar, Neelima

    2016-11-01

    Students are exposed to basic life support (BLS) and advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) training in the first semester in some medical colleges. The aim of this study was to compare students' satisfaction between lecture-based traditional method and hybrid problem-based learning (PBL) in BLS/ACLS teaching to undergraduate medical students. We conducted a questionnaire-based, cross-sectional survey among 118 1 st -year medical students from a university medical college in the city of New Delhi, India. We aimed to assess the students' satisfaction between lecture-based and hybrid-PBL method in BLS/ACLS teaching. Likert 5-point scale was used to assess students' satisfaction levels between the two teaching methods. Data were collected and scores regarding the students' satisfaction levels between these two teaching methods were analysed using a two-sided paired t -test. Most students preferred hybrid-PBL format over traditional lecture-based method in the following four aspects; learning and understanding, interest and motivation, training of personal abilities and being confident and satisfied with the teaching method ( P < 0.05). Implementation of hybrid-PBL format along with the lecture-based method in BLS/ACLS teaching provided high satisfaction among undergraduate medical students.

  20. High intensity scenario training of military medical students to increase learning capacity and management of stress response.

    PubMed

    Mueller, Genevieve R; Moloff, Alan L; Wedmore, Ian S; Schoeff, Jonathan E; Laporta, Anthony J

    2012-01-01

    A delicate balance exists between a beneficial stress response that enhances memory and recall performance and a detrimental high stress response that impairs memory and learning. Repetitive training in stressful situations enables people to lower their stress levels from the detrimental range to a more beneficial one.1 This is particularly true for physicians in training as they seek to achieve advanced skills and knowledge in the fields of triage, emergency medicine, and surgery prior to graduation. This need is significant for medical students entering military service after graduation. We theorize that military medical students can advance their proficiencies through an Intensive Skills Week (ISW) prior to entering their third and forth year rotations. To test this theory, Rocky Vista University will hold a week long high-intensity first-responder, emergency medicine and surgical training course, facilitated by military medical physicians, to further students? skills and maximize training using the Human Worn Partial Surgical Task Simulator (Cut Suit). We also see the possible benefit to physician and non-physician military personnel, especially Special Operations Forces (SOF) medical personnel, from developing and implementing similar training programs when live tissue or cadaver models are unavailable or not feasible. Stress, cortisol, medical student, enhanced learning, scenario, high intensity. 2012.

  1. Near-peer medical student simulation training.

    PubMed

    Cash, Thomas; Brand, Eleanor; Wong, Emma; Richardson, Jay; Athorn, Sam; Chowdhury, Faiza

    2017-06-01

    There is growing concern that medical students are inadequately prepared for life as a junior doctor. A lack of confidence managing acutely unwell patients is often cited as a barrier to good clinical care. With medical schools investing heavily in simulation equipment, we set out to explore if near-peer simulation training is an effective teaching format. Medical students in their third year of study and above were invited to attend a 90-minute simulation teaching session. The sessions were designed and delivered by final-year medical students using clinical scenarios mapped to the Sheffield MBChB curriculum. Candidates were required to assess, investigate and manage an acutely unwell simulated patient. Pre- and post-simulation training Likert scale questionnaires were completed relating to self-reported confidence levels. There is growing concern that medical students are inadequately prepared for life as a junior doctor RESULTS: Questionnaires were completed by 25 students (100% response rate); 52 per cent of students had no prior simulation experience. There were statistically significant improvements in self-reported confidence levels in each of the six areas assessed (p < 0.005). Thematic analysis of free-text comments indicated that candidates enjoyed the practical format of the sessions and found the experience useful. Our results suggest that near-peer medical student simulation training benefits both teacher and learner and that this simplistic model could easily be replicated at other medical schools. As the most junior members of the team, medical students are often confined to observer status. Simulation empowers students to practise independently in a safe and protected environment. Furthermore, it may help to alleviate anxiety about starting work as a junior doctor and improve future patient care. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

  2. Students' approaches to medical school choice: relationship with students' characteristics and motivation.

    PubMed

    Wouters, Anouk; Croiset, Gerda; Schripsema, Nienke R; Cohen-Schotanus, Janke; Spaai, Gerard W G; Hulsman, Robert L; Kusurkar, Rashmi A

    2017-06-12

    The aim was to examine main reasons for students' medical school choice and their relationship with students' characteristics and motivation during the students' medical study. In this multisite cross-sectional study, all Year-1 and Year-4 students who had participated in a selection procedure in one of the three Dutch medical schools included in the study were invited to complete an online survey comprising personal data, their main reason for medical school choice and standard, validated questionnaires to measure their strength of motivation (Strength of Motivation for Medical School-Revised) and autonomous and controlled type of motivation (Academic Self-regulation Questionnaire). Four hundred seventy-eight students participated. We performed frequency analyses on the reasons for medical school choice and regression analyses and ANCOVAs to study their associations with students' characteristics and motivation during their medical study. Students indicated 'city' (Year-1: 24.7%, n=75 and Year-4: 36.0%, n=52) and 'selection procedure' (Year-1: 56.9%, n=173 and Year-4: 46.9%, n=68) as the main reasons for their medical school choice. The main reasons were associated with gender, age, being a first-generation university student, ethnic background and medical school, and no significant associations were found between the main reasons and the strength and type of motivation during the students' medical study. Most students had based their medical school choice on the selection procedure. If medical schools desire to achieve a good student-curriculum fit and attract a diverse student population aligning the selection procedure with the curriculum and taking into account various students' different approaches is important.

  3. Research on cultivating medical students' self-learning ability using teaching system integrated with learning analysis technology.

    PubMed

    Luo, Hong; Wu, Cheng; He, Qian; Wang, Shi-Yong; Ma, Xiu-Qiang; Wang, Ri; Li, Bing; He, Jia

    2015-01-01

    Along with the advancement of information technology and the era of big data education, using learning process data to provide strategic decision-making in cultivating and improving medical students' self-learning ability has become a trend in educational research. Educator Abuwen Toffler said once, the illiterates in the future may not be the people not able to read and write, but not capable to know how to learn. Serving as educational institutions cultivating medical students' learning ability, colleges and universities should not only instruct specific professional knowledge and skills, but also develop medical students' self-learning ability. In this research, we built a teaching system which can help to restore medical students' self-learning processes and analyze their learning outcomes and behaviors. To evaluate the effectiveness of the system in supporting medical students' self-learning, an experiment was conducted in 116 medical students from two grades. The results indicated that problems in self-learning process through this system was consistent with problems raised from traditional classroom teaching. Moreover, the experimental group (using this system) acted better than control group (using traditional classroom teaching) to some extent. Thus, this system can not only help medical students to develop their self-learning ability, but also enhances the ability of teachers to target medical students' questions quickly, improving the efficiency of answering questions in class.

  4. Sharp Injuries Among Medical Students.

    PubMed

    Ghasemzadeh, Iman; Kazerooni, Mitra; Davoodian, Parivash; Hamedi, Yaghoob; Sadeghi, Payam

    2015-03-30

    Sharp injuries threaten the health of healthcare employees. They cause the transmission of many diseases such as hepatitis B and C, AIDS, etc., which can increase the associated costs associated with them. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of sharp injuries among the students of Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences. This cross-sectional study was conducted during 2012-2013 in Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, IR Iran. The target population consisted of the medical, nursing, midwifery, operating room technician, and medical laboratory students in the 2012-2013 academic year. Census sampling was conducted, and accordingly, 500 students participated in the study Data was collected using modified questionnaire of the University of San Diego's injury report form. The collected data were entered into SPSS V.19 and analyzed using descriptive statistical tests. Finally 377 students (75.4%) returned the questionnaire. Among the studied students, 184 students (39.3%) had had sharp injuries. The frequency of damaging Vein puncture was the most common mechanism of injury The prevalence of sharp injuries is high among students which can increase the risk of disease and its subsequent risks, and thus, increase the cost and stress among students. It seems that holding workshops and increasing students' awareness and skills to face these risks can be effective in mitigating them.

  5. 'Soft and fluffy': medical students' attitudes towards psychology in medical education.

    PubMed

    Gallagher, Stephen; Wallace, Sarah; Nathan, Yoga; McGrath, Deirdre

    2015-01-01

    Psychology is viewed by medical students in a negative light. In order to understand this phenomenon, we interviewed 19 medical students about their experiences of psychology in medical education. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. Four main themes were generated: attitudes, teaching culture, curriculum factors and future career path; negative attitudes were transmitted by teachers to students and psychology was associated with students opting for a career in general practice. In summary, appreciation of psychology in medical education will only happen if all educators involved in medical education value and respect each other's speciality and expertise. © The Author(s) 2013.

  6. Medical students' online learning technology needs.

    PubMed

    Han, Heeyoung; Nelson, Erica; Wetter, Nathan

    2014-02-01

    This study investigated medical students' online learning technology needs at a medical school. The study aimed to provide evidence-based guidance for technology selection and online learning design in medical education. The authors developed a 120-item survey in collaboration with the New Technology in Medical Education (NTIME) committee at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine (SIUSOM). Overall, 123 of 290 medical students (42%) at the medical school participated in the survey. The survey focused on five major areas: students' hardware and software use; perception of educational technology (ET) in general; online behaviours; perception of ET use at the school; and demographic information. Students perceived multimedia tools, scheduling tools, communication tools, collaborative authoring tools, learning management systems and electronic health records useful educational technologies for their learning. They did not consider social networking tools useful for their learning, despite their frequent use. Third-year students were less satisfied with current technology integration in the curriculum, information sharing and collaborative learning than other years. Students in clerkships perceived mobile devices as useful for their learning. Students using a mobile device (i.e. a smartphone) go online, text message, visit social networking sites and are online during classes more frequently than non-users. Medical students' ET needs differ between preclinical and clinical years. Technology supporting ubiquitous mobile learning and health information technology (HIT) systems at hospitals and out-patient clinics can be integrated into clerkship curricula. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Encouraging Student Interest in Teaching Through a Medical Student Teaching Competition.

    PubMed

    DeSimone, Ariadne K; Haydek, John P; Sudduth, Christopher L; LaBarbera, Vincent; Desai, Yaanik; Reinertsen, Erik; Manning, Kimberly D

    2017-08-01

    Clinician educators have realized the value not only of assigning teaching roles to medical students but also of offering explicit training in how to teach effectively. Despite this interest in the development of medical students' teaching skills, formal teaching instruction and opportunities for practice are lacking. To encourage medical student interest in teaching, the authors developed and implemented a medical student teaching competition (MSTC) at Emory University School of Medicine during the summers of 2014, 2015, and 2016. Each year, eight student finalists were each paired with a physician "teaching coach" and given one month to prepare for the MSTC. During the competition, each finalist delivered an eight-minute presentation to a panel of seven physician and resident judges. The authors describe the development, implementation, and assessment of the MSTC. Approximately 150 medical students and faculty members attended the MSTC each year. The students in attendance felt that the MSTC made them more likely to seek out opportunities to learn how to teach effectively and to practice teaching. Additionally, some students are now more interested in learning about a career in academic medicine than they were before the MSTC. Given the need for more formal initiatives dedicated to improving the teaching skills of doctors-in-training, including medical students, innovative solutions such as the MSTC may enhance a medical school's existing curriculum and encourage student interest in teaching. The MSTC model may be generalizable to other medical schools.

  8. Depression in medical students: current insights.

    PubMed

    Moir, Fiona; Yielder, Jill; Sanson, Jasmine; Chen, Yan

    2018-01-01

    Medical students are exposed to multiple factors during their academic and clinical study that have been shown to contribute to high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. The purpose of this article was to explore the issue of depression in the medical student population, including prevalence, causes, and key issues, along with suggestions for early identification and support from one medical school in New Zealand. After establishing that the prevalence of depression is higher for medical students than the general population, the key issues explored include assessment used in the program, characteristics of the student population (such as Type A personality and perfectionism), resilience, selection procedures, students' motivation, and the nature of the clinical environment. This review includes several recommendations to improve students' psychological health such as positioning well-being within an overarching comprehensive workplace wellness model and integrating peer and faculty-led support into the day-to-day running of the institution. It also highlights the advantages of the addition of a well-being curriculum, as skills to prevent and manage distress and depression are relevant in supporting the competencies required by medical practitioners. It concludes that medical schools need wide-ranging strategies to address the complexities associated with the particular student population attracted to medicine and calls for educators to act, by noticing opportunities where they can introduce such initiatives into their medical programs.

  9. Advances in medical image computing.

    PubMed

    Tolxdorff, T; Deserno, T M; Handels, H; Meinzer, H-P

    2009-01-01

    Medical image computing has become a key technology in high-tech applications in medicine and an ubiquitous part of modern imaging systems and the related processes of clinical diagnosis and intervention. Over the past years significant progress has been made in the field, both on methodological and on application level. Despite this progress there are still big challenges to meet in order to establish image processing routinely in health care. In this issue, selected contributions of the German Conference on Medical Image Processing (BVM) are assembled to present latest advances in the field of medical image computing. The winners of scientific awards of the German Conference on Medical Image Processing (BVM) 2008 were invited to submit a manuscript on their latest developments and results for possible publication in Methods of Information in Medicine. Finally, seven excellent papers were selected to describe important aspects of recent advances in the field of medical image processing. The selected papers give an impression of the breadth and heterogeneity of new developments. New methods for improved image segmentation, non-linear image registration and modeling of organs are presented together with applications of image analysis methods in different medical disciplines. Furthermore, state-of-the-art tools and techniques to support the development and evaluation of medical image processing systems in practice are described. The selected articles describe different aspects of the intense development in medical image computing. The image processing methods presented enable new insights into the patient's image data and have the future potential to improve medical diagnostics and patient treatment.

  10. Attitudes and Intentions Regarding Abortion Provision Among Medical School Students in South Africa

    PubMed Central

    Wheeler, Stephanie B.; Zullig, Leah L.; Reeve, Bryce B.; Buga, Geoffrey A.; Morroni, Chelsea

    2018-01-01

    CONTEXT Although South Africa liberalized its abortion law in 1996, significant barriers still impede service provision, including the lack of trained and willing providers. A better understanding is needed of medical students’ attitudes, beliefs and intentions regarding abortion provision. METHODS Surveys about abortion attitudes, beliefs and practice intentions were conducted in 2005 and 2007 among 1,308 medical school students attending the University of Cape Town and Walter Sisulu University in South Africa. Bivariate and multivariate analyses identified associations between students’ characteristics and their general and conditional support for abortion provision, as well as their intention to act according to personal attitudes and beliefs. RESULTS Seventy percent of medical students believed that women should have the right to decide whether to have an abortion, and large majorities thought that abortion should be legal in a variety of medical circumstances. Nearly one-quarter of students intended to perform abortions once they were qualified, and 72% said that conscientiously objecting clinicians should be required to refer women for such services. However, one-fifth of students believed that abortion should not be allowed for any reason. Advanced medical students were more likely than others to support abortion provision. In multivariate analyses, year in medical school, race or ethnicity, religious affiliation, relationship status and sexual experience were associated with attitudes, beliefs and intentions regarding provision. CONCLUSIONS Academic medical institutions must ensure that students understand their responsibilities with respect to abortion care—regardless of their personal views—and must provide appropriate abortion training to those who are willing to offer these services in the future. PMID:23018137

  11. Association Between Perceived Medical School Diversity Climate and Change in Depressive Symptoms Among Medical Students: A Report from the Medical Student CHANGE Study.

    PubMed

    Hardeman, Rachel R; Przedworski, Julia M; Burke, Sara; Burgess, Diana J; Perry, Sylvia; Phelan, Sean; Dovidio, John F; van Ryn, Michelle

    2016-01-01

    To determine whether perceptions of the medical school diversity climate are associated with depression symptoms among medical students. Longitudinal web-based survey conducted in the fall of 2010 and spring of 2014 administered to a national sample of medical students enrolled in 49 schools across the U.S. (n = 3756). Negative diversity climate measured by perceptions of the institution's racial climate; exposure to negative role modeling by medical educators; frequency of witnessing discrimination in medical school. Depression symptoms measured by the PROMIS Emotional Distress-Depression Short-Form. 64% of students reported a negative racial climate; 81% reported witnessing discrimination toward other students at least once, and 94% reported witnessing negative role modeling. Negative racial climate, witnessed discrimination, and negative role modeling were independently and significantly associated with an increase in depression symptoms between baseline and follow-up. Adjusting for students' personal experiences of mistreatment, associations between depressive symptoms and negative racial climate and negative role modeling, remained significant (.72 [.51-.93]; .33 [.12-.54], respectively). Among medical students, greater exposure to a negative medical school diversity climate was associated with an increase in self-reported depressive symptoms. Copyright © 2016 National Medical Association. All rights reserved.

  12. Intercultural training of medical students.

    PubMed

    van Wieringen, J.C.M.; Schulpen, T.W.J.; Kuyvenhoven, M.M.

    2001-01-01

    Until recently the Utrecht Medical School had a traditional curriculum with a predominantly biomedical orientation and strong emphasis on curative medicine. In 1997 an experimental 'Multi-cultural Family Attachment Course' started at the Utrecht Medical School with 20 second-year medical students. Each student was attached to a native Dutch and an ethnic minority family with a newborn or chronically ill child. In a period of 1.5 years students had to visit each family at home four times. The students monitored growth and development of the child and discussed several aspects of health and disease with the parents according to a structured schedule. In regular group sessions students reported back their experiences. In this way, the influence of socioeconomic circumstances, culture and environment on health becomes a real-life experience. This paper aims to describe some aspects of this pilot-course and the reactions of the students.

  13. Conscientious objection in medical students: a questionnaire survey.

    PubMed

    Strickland, Sophie Lm

    2012-01-01

    To explore attitudes towards conscientious objections among medical students in the UK. Medical students at St George's University of London, Cardiff University, King's College London and Leeds University were emailed a link to an anonymous online questionnaire, hosted by an online survey company. The questionnaire contained nine questions. A total of 733 medical students responded. Nearly half of the students in this survey stated that they believed in the right of doctors to conscientiously object to any procedure. Demand for the right to conscientiously object is greater in Muslim medical students when compared with other groups of religious medical students. Abortion continues to be a contentious issue among medical students and this may contribute to the looming crisis in abortion services over the coming years. This project sheds some light on how future doctors view some of their ethical rights and obligations. Using empirical evidence, it reveals that conscientious objection is an issue in the UK medical student body today. These data could help anticipate problems that may arise when these medical students qualify and practise medicine in the community. Clearer guidance is needed for medical students about the issue of conscientious objection at medical school.

  14. Attitudes of medical students in Lahore, Pakistan towards the doctor–patient relationship

    PubMed Central

    Krupat, Edward; Asma, Yumna; Fatima, Noor-E-; Attique, Rayan; Mahmood, Umar; Waqas, Ahmed

    2015-01-01

    Background. A good doctor–patient relationship is the centre stone of modern medicine. Patients are getting increasingly aware about exercising their autonomy and thus modern medicine cannot deliver all its advances to the patients if a good doctor–patient relationship is not established. We initiated this study with the aim to assess the leaning of medical students, who are the future physicians, towards either a doctor-centered or a patient-centered care, and to explore the effects of personal attributes on care such as gender, academic year, etc. Materials & Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted between July and Sep 2013. CMH Lahore Medical and Dental College Ethical Review Committee approved the study questionnaire. The study population consisted of 1,181 medical students in years 1–5 from two medical colleges. The English version of Patient Practitioner Orientation Scale (PPOS) was used to assess attitudes of medical students towards doctor–patient relationship. PPOS yields a mean score range of 1–6, where 1 signifies tendency towards a doctor centered relationship and 6 signifies patient-centered relationship. The relationship between PPOS scores and individual characteristics like gender, academic year etc. were examined by multiple regression. Results. A total of 783 students formed the final sample (response rate = 92%). Mean PPOS score of the entire sample was 3.40 (± .49 S.D.). Mean sharing sub-scale score was 3.18 (± 0.62 S.D. Mean caring sub-scale score was 3.63 (± 0.56 S.D.). Characteristics associated with most patient-centered attitudes were advanced academic year, having a clinical rotation, foreign background and studying in a private college. Gender, having doctor parents, relationship and residence status had no bearing on the attitudes (p > 0.05). Conclusion. Despite ongoing debate and the emphasis on a patient-centered curriculum, our study suggests that the current curriculum and its teachings are not producing the

  15. A program using medical students to teach high school students about AIDS.

    PubMed

    Johnson, J A; Sellew, J F; Campbell, A E; Haskell, E G; Gay, A A; Bell, B J

    1988-07-01

    In the spring of 1987, 20 medical students from the Eastern Virginia Medical School of the Medical College of Hampton Roads were involved in a pilot program to teach about the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) to high school senior students in Norfolk, Virginia. The medical students received instruction about AIDS from basic science and clinical faculty members at the medical school in preparation for the project. All participating high school seniors completed a 15-item knowledge test about AIDS prior to the intervention and an equivalent posttest one week after the program was completed. T-test analysis revealed a significant increase in knowledge by students at all five high schools. Responses to 10 subjective posttest questions indicated that the high school students were interested in learning about AIDS and having medical students as their teachers. This program provides an example of how medical institutions can develop a collaborative community education project that contributes to the education of medical students.

  16. Application of Advanced Technology to Undergraduate Medical Education. Memorandum.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Farquhar, J. A.; And Others

    Advanced technology will have a great effect on medical education because it can speed up medical education and boost the quality of instruction without straining the capacity of medical schools to expand or driving costs to unreasonable levels. Six examples of an application of advanced technology to medical education are described in this…

  17. Strategies for enhancing medical student resilience: student and faculty member perspectives.

    PubMed

    Farquhar, Julia; Kamei, Robert; Vidyarthi, Arpana

    2018-01-12

    To improve programs aimed to enhance medical student resiliency, we examined both medical student and faculty advisor perspectives on resiliency-building in an Asian medical school. In two separate focus groups, a convenience sample of 8 MD-PhD students and 8 faculty advisors were asked to identify strategies for enhancing resilience. Using thematic analysis, two researchers independently examined discussion transcripts and field notes and determined themes through a consensus process. They then compared the themes to discern similarities and differences between these groups. Themes from the student suggestions for increasing resilience included "Perspective changes with time and experience", "Defining effective advisors," and "Individual paths to resiliency". Faculty-identified themes were "Structured activities to change student perspectives," "Structured teaching of coping strategies", and "Institution-wide social support". Students described themselves as individuals building their own resilience path and preferred advisors who were not also evaluators. Faculty, however, suggested systematic, structural ways to increase resilience. Students and advisors identified some common, and many distinct strategies for enhancing medical student resilience. Student/advisor discrepancies may exemplify a cultural shift in Singapore's medical education climate, where students value increased individualism and autonomy in their education. As medical schools create interventions to enhance resilience and combat potential student burnout, they should consider individually-tailored as well as system-wide programs to best meet the needs of their students and faculty.

  18. Role of Religiosity in Psychological Well-Being Among Medical and Non-medical Students.

    PubMed

    Saleem, Shemaila; Saleem, Tamkeen

    2017-08-01

    Religion has been generally considered as a protective factor for the psychological health of the people. As many studies have publicized a high prevalence of psychological morbidities among the medical students during their academic stages of medical schools, it is significant to investigate whether religiosity functions as a protective factor, to explore religiosity as a predictor of psychological well-being in a sample of medical students, and to compare the results of medical students as well as non-medical students with respect to religiosity and psychological well-being. The study is carried out in Federal Medical and Dental College and International Islamic University, Islamabad. The present study examined a sample of 120 medical students from Federal Medical and Dental College and 120 non-medical students from International Islamic University, Islamabad. Purposive sampling was used. The respondents completed religious orientation scale and scale of psychological well-being scale along with a demographic data sheet. In order to measure the study variables, linear regression and t test were used. The findings revealed that religiosity is a strong predictor of psychological well-being. Extrinsic and intrinsic religiosity predicts psychological well-being among the students. The results indicated a significant difference in psychological well-being between medical and non-medical students. No significant difference was found in religiosity of medical and non-medical students. The gender differences in religiosity and psychological well-being were found to be insignificant. The results emphasize that psychological well-being is prophesied by religiosity. The present research suggests further investigations and also endows with trends for psychological evaluation, development of religious beliefs, and interventions for augmenting psychological well-being among the medical students.

  19. Medical student attitudes about mental illness: does medical-school education reduce stigma?

    PubMed

    Korszun, Ania; Dinos, Sokratis; Ahmed, Kamran; Bhui, Kamaldeep

    2012-05-01

    Reducing stigma associated with mental illness is an important aim of medical education, yet evidence indicates that medical students' attitudes toward patients with mental health problems deteriorate as they progress through medical school. Authors examined medical students' attitudes to mental illness, as compared with attitudes toward other medical illness, and the influence of the number of years spent in medical school, as well as of several key socio-demographic, ethnic, and cultural variables. A group of 760 U.K. medical students completed a nationwide on-line survey examining their attitudes toward patients with five conditions (pneumonia, depression, psychotic symptoms, intravenous drug use, long-standing unexplained abdominal complaints), using the Medical Condition Regard Scale (MCRS). Students were also asked whether they had completed the psychiatry rotation or had personal experience of mental disorders themselves or among their friends or family members. They were also asked about their ethnic group (using U.K. national census categories), religious affiliation, and how important religion was in their lives. Independent-samples t-tests and one-way ANOVA were used to compare differences between groups on the MCRS. Students showed the highest regard for patients with pneumonia and lowest regard for patients with long-standing, unexplained abdominal complaints. Although attitudes toward pneumonia were more positive in fifth-year students than in first-year students, attitudes toward unexplained chronic abdominal pain were worse in fifth-year students than in first-year students. Personal experience of mental health treatment, or that among family and friends, were associated with less stigmatizing attitudes. Men showed more stigmatization than women for nearly all conditions; Chinese and South Asian students showed more stigmatizing attitudes toward delusions and hallucinations than their white British counterparts. Medical students in this survey

  20. Use of medications of questionable benefit in advanced dementia.

    PubMed

    Tjia, Jennifer; Briesacher, Becky A; Peterson, Daniel; Liu, Qin; Andrade, Susan E; Mitchell, Susan L

    2014-11-01

    Advanced dementia is characterized by severe cognitive impairment and complete functional dependence. Patients' goals of care should guide the prescribing of medication during such terminal illness. Medications that do not promote the primary goal of care should be minimized. To estimate the prevalence of medications with questionable benefit used by nursing home residents with advanced dementia, identify resident- and facility-level characteristics associated with such use, and estimate associated medication expenditures. Cross-sectional study of medication use by nursing home residents with advanced dementia using a nationwide long-term care pharmacy database linked to the Minimum Data Set (460 facilities) between October 1, 2009, and September 30, 2010. Use of medication deemed of questionable benefit in advanced dementia based on previously published criteria and mean 90-day expenditures attributable to these medications per resident. Generalized estimating equations using the logit link function were used to identify resident- and facility-related factors independently associated with the likelihood of receiving medications of questionable benefit after accounting for clustering within nursing homes. Of 5406 nursing home residents with advanced dementia, 2911 (53.9%) received at least 1 medication with questionable benefit (range, 44.7% in the Mid-Atlantic census region to 65.0% in the West South Central census region). Cholinesterase inhibitors (36.4%), memantine hydrochloride (25.2%), and lipid-lowering agents (22.4%) were the most commonly prescribed. In adjusted analyses, having eating problems (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.68; 95% CI, 0.59-0.78), a feeding tube (AOR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.48-0.70), or a do-not-resuscitate order (AOR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.57-0.75), and enrolling in hospice (AOR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.58-0.82) lowered the likelihood of receiving these medications. High facility-level use of feeding tubes increased the likelihood of receiving these

  1. The Australian Medical Schools Assessment Collaboration: benchmarking the preclinical performance of medical students.

    PubMed

    O'Mara, Deborah A; Canny, Ben J; Rothnie, Imogene P; Wilson, Ian G; Barnard, John; Davies, Llewelyn

    2015-02-02

    To report the level of participation of medical schools in the Australian Medical Schools Assessment Collaboration (AMSAC); and to measure differences in student performance related to medical school characteristics and implementation methods. Retrospective analysis of data using the Rasch statistical model to correct for missing data and variability in item difficulty. Linear model analysis of variance was used to assess differences in student performance. 6401 preclinical students from 13 medical schools that participated in AMSAC from 2011 to 2013. Rasch estimates of preclinical basic and clinical science knowledge. Representation of Australian medical schools and students in AMSAC more than doubled between 2009 and 2013. In 2013 it included 12 of 19 medical schools and 68% of medical students. Graduate-entry students scored higher than students entering straight from school. Students at large schools scored higher than students at small schools. Although the significance level was high (P < 0.001), the main effect sizes were small (4.5% and 2.3%, respectively). The time allowed per multiple choice question was not significantly associated with student performance. The effect on performance of multiple assessments compared with the test items as part of a single end-of-year examination was negligible. The variables investigated explain only 12% of the total variation in student performance. An increasing number of medical schools are participating in AMSAC to monitor student performance in preclinical sciences against an external benchmark. Medical school characteristics account for only a small part of overall variation in student performance. Student performance was not affected by the different methods of administering test items.

  2. A student-initiated and student-facilitated international health elective for preclinical medical students.

    PubMed

    Vora, Nirali; Chang, Mina; Pandya, Hemang; Hasham, Aliya; Lazarus, Cathy

    2010-02-15

    Global health education is becoming more important for developing well-rounded physicians and may encourage students toward a career in primary care. Many medical schools, however, lack adequate and structured opportunities for students beginning the curriculum. Second-year medical students initiated, designed, and facilitated a pass-fail international health elective, providing a curricular framework for preclinical medical students wishing to gain exposure to the clinical and cultural practices of a developing country. All course participants (N=30) completed a post-travel questionnaire within one week of sharing their experiences. Screening reflection essays for common themes that fulfill university core competencies yielded specific global health learning outcomes, including analysis of health care determinants. Medical students successfully implemented a sustainable global health curriculum for preclinical student peers. Financial constraints, language, and organizational burdens limit student participation. In future, long-term studies should analyze career impact and benefits to the host country.

  3. Medical Student Documentation in the Electronic Medical Record: Patterns of Use and Barriers.

    PubMed

    Wittels, Kathleen; Wallenstein, Joshua; Patwari, Rahul; Patel, Sundip

    2017-01-01

    Electronic health records (EHR) have become ubiquitous in emergency departments. Medical students rotating on emergency medicine (EM) clerkships at these sites have constant exposure to EHRs as they learn essential skills. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), and the Alliance for Clinical Education (ACE) have determined that documentation of the patient encounter in the medical record is an essential skill that all medical students must learn. However, little is known about the current practices or perceived barriers to student documentation in EHRs on EM clerkships. We performed a cross-sectional study of EM clerkship directors at United States medical schools between March and May 2016. A 13-question IRB-approved electronic survey on student documentation was sent to all EM clerkship directors. Only one response from each institution was permitted. We received survey responses from 100 institutions, yielding a response rate of 86%. Currently, 63% of EM clerkships allow medical students to document a patient encounter in the EHR. The most common reasons cited for not permitting students to document a patient encounter were hospital or medical school rule forbidding student documentation (80%), concern for medical liability (60%), and inability of student notes to support medical billing (53%). Almost 95% of respondents provided feedback on student documentation with supervising faculty being the most common group to deliver feedback (92%), followed by residents (64%). Close to two-thirds of medical students are allowed to document in the EHR on EM clerkships. While this number is robust, many organizations such as the AAMC and ACE have issued statements and guidelines that would look to increase this number even further to ensure that students are prepared for residency as well as their future careers. Almost all EM clerkships provided feedback on student documentation indicating the importance for

  4. [Chemical and behavioural addiction of medical students. Comparative study in Lebanese students].

    PubMed

    Moaouad, J; Kazour, F; Haddad, R; Rouhayem, J; Chammai, R; Richa, S

    2012-12-01

    Evaluate chemical and behavioural dependence of medical students, and compare it to a control group (students in non-medical faculties), in order to underline the harmful effect of university on medical students' dependence. A three-part questionnaire was distributed to a sample of 140 medical students at the Saint-Joseph university of Beirut (USJ), and to 140 students in many other USJ faculties, and filled in anonymously. The first part is about demographic criteria and the second and third parts are respectively about chemical and behavioural dependence, based on DSM IV criteria. There is no statistically significant difference between the two studied populations concerning the dependence on alcohol, cannabis, sedatives, opiates, amphetamines, workaholism, gambling and Internet. However, the prevalence of addiction to caffeine, cocaine, nicotine; sexual addiction, and compulsive buying are significantly lower in medical students when compared to the control group. Men, compared to women, did not show significantly higher levels of dependence on chemical substances. Workaholism is not significantly more prevalent in women. Sexual addiction and compulsive buying are not significantly higher in men. However, pathological gambling and Internet addiction are significantly more prevalent in men. Finally, this study does not show a variation in dependence through the years of medical studies. Most studies show that medical students have high levels of dependence on alcohol, opiates and sedatives. The results of our study show greater dependence on caffeine followed by nicotine, alcohol and sedatives. Medical students in our population did not reveal higher dependence rates compared to other university students. Overall, substance addiction in medical students may be related to the stress of medical studies, and easy access to drugs and prescriptions. These factors may be balanced by perfectionist traits, ethical standards and knowledge of adverse effects seen in

  5. Emotional disorders among medical students in a Malaysian private medical school.

    PubMed

    Zaid, Z A; Chan, S C; Ho, J J

    2007-10-01

    A study was done between December 2005 and January 2006 to determine the prevalence of emotional disorders among medical students in a private medical school in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia and to determine the demographical characteristics, contributing factors and the key person consulted for emotional problems. Medical students in the private medical school completed the 12-item English version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and a demographical questionnaire. A cut-off point of 3/4 for the GHQ was used to determine negative and positive scores for emotional disorders. Out of 292 medical students, 86.6 percent completed the questionnaires. A total of 117 students (46.2 percent) were found to have emotional disorders. There was no significant association of ethnicity, gender, age group, number of examinations sat, examination performances, past medical conditions and relationships with parents, siblings, course-mates and lecturers with positive GHQ scores. A significant association, however, was found between positive GHQ scores for emotional disorders and the year of study, pressure faced due to examinations, and not having a love relationship. 39 percent of the students stated friends as their main preference for consultation of any emotional problem. The prevalence of emotional disorders among medical students was high. Further studies and diagnostic measures are recommended, including a more systematic screening and counselling programme by the medical school for early diagnosis and treatment to prevent complications.

  6. Strategies for enhancing medical student resilience: student and faculty member perspectives

    PubMed Central

    Kamei, Robert; Vidyarthi, Arpana

    2018-01-01

    Objectives To improve programs aimed to enhance medical student resiliency, we examined both medical student and faculty advisor perspectives on resiliency-building in an Asian medical school. Methods In two separate focus groups, a convenience sample of 8 MD-PhD students and 8 faculty advisors were asked to identify strategies for enhancing resilience. Using thematic analysis, two researchers independently examined discussion transcripts and field notes and determined themes through a consensus process. They then compared the themes to discern similarities and differences between these groups. Results Themes from the student suggestions for increasing resilience included “Perspective changes with time and experience”, “Defining effective advisors,” and “Individual paths to resiliency”. Faculty-identified themes were “Structured activities to change student perspectives,” “Structured teaching of coping strategies”, and “Institution-wide social support”. Students described themselves as individuals building their own resilience path and preferred advisors who were not also evaluators. Faculty, however, suggested systematic, structural ways to increase resilience. Conclusions Students and advisors identified some common, and many distinct strategies for enhancing medical student resilience. Student/advisor discrepancies may exemplify a cultural shift in Singapore’s medical education climate, where students value increased individualism and autonomy in their education. As medical schools create interventions to enhance resilience and combat potential student burnout, they should consider individually-tailored as well as system-wide programs to best meet the needs of their students and faculty. PMID:29334480

  7. Patient safety awareness among Undergraduate Medical Students in Pakistani Medical School.

    PubMed

    Kamran, Rizwana; Bari, Attia; Khan, Rehan Ahmed; Al-Eraky, Mohamed

    2018-01-01

    To measure the level of awareness of patient safety among undergraduate medical students in Pakistani Medical School and to find the difference with respect to gender and prior experience with medical error. This cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Lahore (UOL), Pakistan from January to March 2017, and comprised final year medical students. Data was collected using a questionnaire 'APSQ- III' on 7 point Likert scale. Eight questions were reverse coded. Survey was anonymous. SPSS package 20 was used for statistical analysis. Questionnaire was filled by 122 students, with 81% response rate. The best score 6.17 was given for the 'team functioning', followed by 6.04 for 'long working hours as a cause of medical error'. The domains regarding involvement of patient, confidence to report medical errors and role of training and learning on patient safety scored high in the agreed range of >5. Reverse coded questions about 'professional incompetence as an error cause' and 'disclosure of errors' showed negative perception. No significant differences of perceptions were found with respect to gender and prior experience with medical error (p= >0.05). Undergraduate medical students at UOL had a positive attitude towards patient safety. However, there were misconceptions about causes of medical errors and error disclosure among students and patient safety education needs to be incorporated in medical curriculum of Pakistan.

  8. (How) do medical students regulate their emotions?

    PubMed

    Doulougeri, Karolina; Panagopoulou, Efharis; Montgomery, Anthony

    2016-12-12

    Medical training can be a challenging and emotionally intense period for medical students. However the emotions experienced by medical students in the face of challenging situations and the emotion regulation strategies they use remains relatively unexplored. The aim of the present study was to explore the emotions elicited by memorable incidents reported by medical students and the associated emotion regulation strategies. Peer interviewing was used to collect medical students' memorable incidents. Medical students at both preclinical and clinical stage of medical school were eligible to participate. In total 104 medical students provided memorable incidents. Only 54 narratives included references to emotions and emotion regulation and thus were further analyzed. The narratives of 47 clinical and 7 preclinical students were further analyzed for their references to emotions and emotion regulation strategies. Forty seven out of 54 incidents described a negative incident associated with negative emotions. The most frequently mentioned emotion was shock and surprise followed by feelings of embarrassment, sadness, anger and tension or anxiety. The most frequent reaction was inaction often associated with emotion regulation strategies such as distraction, focusing on a task, suppression of emotions and reappraisal. When students witnessed mistreatment or disrespect exhibited towards patients, the regulation strategy used involved focusing and comforting the patient. The present study sheds light on the strategies medical students use to deal with intense negative emotions. The vast majority reported inaction in the face of a challenging situation and the use of more subtle strategies to deal with the emotional impact of the incident.

  9. A student-initiated and student-facilitated international health elective for preclinical medical students

    PubMed Central

    Vora, Nirali; Chang, Mina; Pandya, Hemang; Hasham, Aliya; Lazarus, Cathy

    2010-01-01

    Introduction Global health education is becoming more important for developing well-rounded physicians and may encourage students toward a career in primary care. Many medical schools, however, lack adequate and structured opportunities for students beginning the curriculum. Methods Second-year medical students initiated, designed, and facilitated a pass–fail international health elective, providing a curricular framework for preclinical medical students wishing to gain exposure to the clinical and cultural practices of a developing country. Results All course participants (N=30) completed a post-travel questionnaire within one week of sharing their experiences. Screening reflection essays for common themes that fulfill university core competencies yielded specific global health learning outcomes, including analysis of health care determinants. Conclusion Medical students successfully implemented a sustainable global health curriculum for preclinical student peers. Financial constraints, language, and organizational burdens limit student participation. In future, long-term studies should analyze career impact and benefits to the host country. PMID:20186283

  10. Doctors of tomorrow: An innovative curriculum connecting underrepresented minority high school students to medical school.

    PubMed

    Derck, Jordan; Zahn, Kate; Finks, Jonathan F; Mand, Simanjit; Sandhu, Gurjit

    2016-01-01

    Racial minorities continue to be underrepresented in medicine (URiM). Increasing provider diversity is an essential component of addressing disparity in health delivery and outcomes. The pool of students URiM that are competitive applicants to medical school is often limited early on by educational inequalities in primary and secondary schooling. A growing body of evidence recognizing the importance of diversifying health professions advances the need for medical schools to develop outreach collaborations with primary and secondary schools to attract URiMs. The goal of this paper is to describe and evaluate a program that seeks to create a pipeline for URiMs early in secondary schooling by connecting these students with support and resources in the medical community that may be transformative in empowering these students to be stronger university and medical school applicants. The authors described a medical student-led, action-oriented pipeline program, Doctors of Tomorrow, which connects faculty and medical students at the University of Michigan Medical School with 9th grade students at Cass Technical High School (Cass Tech) in Detroit, Michigan. The program includes a core curriculum of hands-on experiential learning, development, and presentation of a capstone project, and mentoring of 9th grade students by medical students. Cass Tech student feedback was collected using focus groups, critical incident written narratives, and individual interviews. Medical student feedback was collected reviewing monthly meeting minutes from the Doctors of Tomorrow medical student leadership. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Two strong themes emerged from the Cass Tech student feedback: (i) Personal identity and its perceived effect on goal achievement and (ii) positive affect of direct mentorship and engagement with current healthcare providers through Doctors of Tomorrow. A challenge noted by the medical students was the lack of structured curriculum beyond the 1st

  11. [Perception of undergraduate medical students of the educational environment at Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social].

    PubMed

    Morales-Gómez, Antonio; Medina-Figueroa, Alda María

    2007-01-01

    To ascertain the perception of third and fourth year medical students and interns (fifth year) about the educational environment during the clinical education phase and during the internship at Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS). A questionnaire with 120 items was developed to evaluate whether IMSS educational environment encourages reflection and criticism among medical students and interns. The highest possible score of the questionnaire was 240 points. A t test was used to compare the score of the students who were classified according to the term in which they were enrolled. 1997 medical students and 1075 interns from 46 IMSS clinical settings answered the previously validated questionnaire. Seventy percent of the students considered that the educational environment was not very favorable for reflection and criticism; 19% perceived it as favorable and 11% as unfavorable. The median score of third and fourth year medical students, was 134.9 (range 80-193; p = 0.27), interns' score was 130.4 (range 80-208; p = 0.001). The perception of the medical students in clinical settings other than Mexico City was less unfavourable (median 132.8; range 63.5-208); p = 0.003). apparently, the occupational environment influences the educational environments where the courses take place. As long as the students advance in their courses and get involved in clinical practice, their perception of the educational environment becomes unfavorable.

  12. Behaviour and burnout in medical students.

    PubMed

    Cecil, Jo; McHale, Calum; Hart, Jo; Laidlaw, Anita

    2014-01-01

    Background Burnout is prevalent in doctors and can impact on job dissatisfaction and patient care. In medical students, burnout is associated with poorer self-rated health; however, it is unclear what factors influence its development. This study investigated whether health behaviours predict burnout in medical students. Methods Medical students (n=356) at the Universities of St Andrews and Manchester completed an online questionnaire assessing: emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalisation (DP), personal accomplishment (PA), alcohol use, physical activity, diet, and smoking. Results Approximately 55% (54.8%) of students reported high levels of EE, 34% reported high levels of DP, and 46.6% reported low levels of PA. Linear regression analysis revealed that year of study, physical activity, and smoking status significantly predicted EE whilst gender, year of study, and institution significantly predicted DP. PA was significantly predicted by alcohol binge score, year of study, gender, and physical activity. Conclusions Burnout is present in undergraduate medical students in the United Kingdom, and health behaviours, particularly physical activity, predict components of burnout. Gender, year of study, and institution also appear to influence the prevalence of burnout. Encouraging medical students to make healthier lifestyle choices early in their medical training may reduce the likelihood of the development of burnout.

  13. Behaviour and burnout in medical students

    PubMed Central

    Cecil, Jo; McHale, Calum; Hart, Jo; Laidlaw, Anita

    2014-01-01

    Background Burnout is prevalent in doctors and can impact on job dissatisfaction and patient care. In medical students, burnout is associated with poorer self-rated health; however, it is unclear what factors influence its development. This study investigated whether health behaviours predict burnout in medical students. Methods Medical students (n=356) at the Universities of St Andrews and Manchester completed an online questionnaire assessing: emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalisation (DP), personal accomplishment (PA), alcohol use, physical activity, diet, and smoking. Results Approximately 55% (54.8%) of students reported high levels of EE, 34% reported high levels of DP, and 46.6% reported low levels of PA. Linear regression analysis revealed that year of study, physical activity, and smoking status significantly predicted EE whilst gender, year of study, and institution significantly predicted DP. PA was significantly predicted by alcohol binge score, year of study, gender, and physical activity. Conclusions Burnout is present in undergraduate medical students in the United Kingdom, and health behaviours, particularly physical activity, predict components of burnout. Gender, year of study, and institution also appear to influence the prevalence of burnout. Encouraging medical students to make healthier lifestyle choices early in their medical training may reduce the likelihood of the development of burnout. PMID:25160716

  14. Behaviour and burnout in medical students.

    PubMed

    Cecil, Jo; McHale, Calum; Hart, Jo; Laidlaw, Anita

    2014-01-01

    Burnout is prevalent in doctors and can impact on job dissatisfaction and patient care. In medical students, burnout is associated with poorer self-rated health; however, it is unclear what factors influence its development. This study investigated whether health behaviours predict burnout in medical students. Medical students (n=356) at the Universities of St Andrews and Manchester completed an online questionnaire assessing: emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalisation (DP), personal accomplishment (PA), alcohol use, physical activity, diet, and smoking. Approximately 55% (54.8%) of students reported high levels of EE, 34% reported high levels of DP, and 46.6% reported low levels of PA. Linear regression analysis revealed that year of study, physical activity, and smoking status significantly predicted EE whilst gender, year of study, and institution significantly predicted DP. PA was significantly predicted by alcohol binge score, year of study, gender, and physical activity. Burnout is present in undergraduate medical students in the United Kingdom, and health behaviours, particularly physical activity, predict components of burnout. Gender, year of study, and institution also appear to influence the prevalence of burnout. Encouraging medical students to make healthier lifestyle choices early in their medical training may reduce the likelihood of the development of burnout.

  15. Knowledge and practice of blood donation: a comparison between medical and non-medical Nepalese students.

    PubMed

    Mamatya, A; Prajapati, R; Yadav, R

    2012-12-01

    College students form a large and important group of population eligible for blood donation. Studies report that students do not donate much, and medical students' blood donation rate is less as compared to non-medical students. To assess and compare the knowledge, attitude, and practice of blood donation among medical and non-medical Nepalese students. A cross-sectional descriptive study using structured self-administered questionnaire was conducted in students of medical (MBBS) and non-medical programs of different colleges of Nepal. Total 456 students, 177 non-medical and 279 medical, participated; 28.5% students were donors. More medical students donated blood, more often, and were more knowledgeable in all aspects of blood and blood donation related knowledge (p values 0.01 or less). In both groups, proportionately more boys donated than girls. Common reasons for not donating included no request, medically unfit, no information about blood collection services, fear of weakness, and fear related to venepuncture. Moral satisfaction was the commonest reason to donate. Among Nepalese students, medical students donate more and are more knowledgeable than non-medical students. Lack of information and lack of direct requests are important causes of fewer donors in the non-medical group and girls.

  16. Pharmacy Students' Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Medical Marijuana.

    PubMed

    Moeller, Karen E; Woods, Barbara

    2015-08-25

    To determine pharmacy students' knowledge of and attitudes toward medical marijuana and to determine if pharmacy students need additional education on the topic. Pharmacy students were asked to complete a survey on medical marijuana that assessed their knowledge of, medical uses of, adverse effects with, and attitudes toward medical marijuana through 23 Likert-scale questions. Three hundred eleven students completed the survey. Fifty-eight percent of the students felt that medical marijuana should be legalized in all states. However, the majority of students did not feel comfortable answering consumers' questions regarding efficacy, safety, or drug interactions related to the substance. Accurate responses for diseases or conditions for permitted medical marijuana use was low, with only cancer (91%) and glaucoma (57%) identified by more than half the students. With an increasing number of states adopting medical marijuana use, pharmacy schools need to evaluate the adequacy of medical marijuana education in their curriculum.

  17. Medical students' learning orientation regarding interracial interactions affects preparedness to care for minority patients: a report from Medical Student CHANGES.

    PubMed

    Burgess, Diana J; Burke, Sara E; Cunningham, Brooke A; Dovidio, John F; Hardeman, Rachel R; Hou, Yuefeng; Nelson, David B; Perry, Sylvia P; Phelan, Sean M; Yeazel, Mark W; van Ryn, Michelle

    2016-09-29

    There is a paucity of evidence on how to train medical students to provide equitable, high quality care to racial and ethnic minority patients. We test the hypothesis that medical schools' ability to foster a learning orientation toward interracial interactions (i.e., that students can improve their ability to successfully interact with people of another race and learn from their mistakes), will contribute to white medical students' readiness to care for racial minority patients. We then test the hypothesis that white medical students who perceive their medical school environment as supporting a learning orientation will benefit more from disparities training. Prospective observational study involving web-based questionnaires administered during first (2010) and last (2014) semesters of medical school to 2394 white medical students from a stratified, random sample of 49 U.S. medical schools. Analysis used data from students' last semester to build mixed effects hierarchical models in order to assess the effects of medical school interracial learning orientation, calculated at both the school and individual (student) level, on key dependent measures. School differences in learning orientation explained part of the school difference in readiness to care for minority patients. However, individual differences in learning orientation accounted for individual differences in readiness, even after controlling for school-level learning orientation. Individual differences in learning orientation significantly moderated the effect of disparities training on white students' readiness to care for minority patients. Specifically, white medical students who perceived a high level of learning orientation in their medical schools regarding interracial interactions benefited more from training to address disparities. Coursework aimed at reducing healthcare disparities and improving the care of racial minority patients was only effective when white medical students perceived their

  18. Medical student burnout: interdisciplinary exploration and analysis.

    PubMed

    Jennings, M L

    2009-12-01

    Burnout--a stress-related syndrome characterized by exhaustion, depersonalization, and a diminished sense of accomplishment--is a common phenomenon among medical students with significant potential consequences for student health, professionalism, and patient care. This essay proposes that the epidemic of medical student burnout can be attributed to a technocratic paradigm that fails to value medical students as persons with human needs and limitations. After briefly reviewing the literature on medical student burnout, the author uses two theories to elucidate potential causes: unsatisfactory aspects of the learning environment and a feeling one's efforts are meaningless or irrelevant. Cultural factors also facilitate burnout in medical students immersed in a clinical environment that cultivates excessive detachment from patient and self, impairing self-care, damaging a sense of self, and impeding the development of a mature, well-integrated professional identity. The ethical implications of medical student burnout are also addressed. Finally, this paper suggests possible preventive and remediative strategies such as optimizing the learning environment as well as narrative approaches that promise enhancement of both individual and institutional well-being.

  19. Medical professionalism in the formal curriculum: 5th year medical students' experiences.

    PubMed

    Stockley, Amelia J; Forbes, Karen

    2014-11-30

    The standards and outcomes outlined in the General Medical Council's publication 'Tomorrow's Doctors' include proposals that medical professionalism be included in undergraduate curricula. Learning the values and attitudes necessary to become a 'doctor as a professional' has traditionally been left largely to the informal and hidden curricula. There remains no consensus or confirmed evidence upon which to base best practice for teaching in this area. In 2010, as part of a revision of the fifth year curriculum the University of Bristol Medical School introduced tutorials which focused on students' achievement of the learning objectives in 'Tomorrow's Doctors Outcomes 3: the doctor as a professional'. This study sought to explore the students' experiences of these tutorials in order to develop the evidence base further. Sixteen medical students participated in three focus-group interviews exploring their experiences of medical professionalism tutorials. A course evaluation questionnaire to all fifth year students also provided data. Data were analysed using the principles of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Four main themes were identified: students' aversion to 'ticking-boxes', lack of engagement by the students, lack of engagement by the tutors and students' views on how medical professionalism should be taught. A curriculum innovation which placed the achievement of medical professionalism in the formal curriculum was not unanimously embraced by students or faculty. Further consideration of the students' aversion to 'ticking-boxes' is warranted. With continued demand for increased accountability and transparency in medical education, detailed check-lists of specific learning objectives will continue to feature as a means by which medical schools and learners demonstrate attainment. Students' experiences and acceptance of these check-lists deserves attention in order to inform teaching and learning in this area. Learner and faculty 'buy in' are imperative

  20. A systematic review of best practices in teaching ophthalmology to medical students.

    PubMed

    Succar, Tony; Grigg, John; Beaver, Hilary A; Lee, Andrew G

    2016-01-01

    Ophthalmic medical student education is a cornerstone to improving eye health care globally. We review the current state of the literature, listing barriers to potential best practices for undergraduate ophthalmology teaching and learning within medical curricula. We describe recent advances and pedagogical approaches in ophthalmic education and propose specific recommendations for further improvements and research. Future research should concentrate on developing teaching and learning innovations that may result in a more time- and resource-effective models for interactive and integrated learning. As well as demonstrating that a competency-based approach results not just in better eye health, but also improvements in patient care, education, and medical care in general. By optimizing teaching available through improved evidence-based education, the ultimate goal is to increase medical students' knowledge and produce graduates who are highly trained in eye examination skills, resulting in improved patient eye care through timely diagnosis, referrals, and treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. No debt for medical students in Greece.

    PubMed

    Koussidis, George A; Avgerinos, Efthimios; Bellos, Stefanos; Gourgoulianis, Konstantinos

    2002-07-01

    Medical education in Greece is government-funded by constitution. Tuition fees are therefore not payable by students. This investigation aims to identify the sources of income of medical students in Greece. This is a questionnaire-based analysis of a sample of 488 students who were asked to state their sources of income. Mean contributions to total student income are parental financial support (93.2%), part-time employment (2.4%), scholarships (2.5%) and other sources including loans (1.9%). The income of medical students in Greece is mostly dependent on parental contributions. Other sources do not represent popular options. This situation differs to that in other countries, where loans make significant contributions to the total income of medical students.

  2. Medical students' attitude towards influenza vaccination.

    PubMed

    Lehmann, Birthe A; Ruiter, Robert A C; Wicker, Sabine; Chapman, Gretchen; Kok, Gerjo

    2015-04-15

    Influenza vaccination is recommended for all healthcare personnel (HCP) and most institutions offer vaccination for free and on site. However, medical students do not always have such easy access, and the predictors that might guide the motivation of medical students to get vaccinated are largely unknown. We conducted a cross-sectional survey study among pre-clinical medical students in a German University hospital to assess the social cognitive predictors of influenza vaccination, as well as reasons for refusal and acceptance of the vaccine. Findings show that pre-clinical medical students have comparable knowledge gaps and negative attitudes towards influenza vaccination that have previously been reported among HCP. Lower injunctive norms and higher feelings of autonomy contribute to no intention to get vaccinated against influenza, while a positive instrumental attitude and higher feelings of autonomy contribute to a high intention to get vaccinated. The variables in the regression model explained 20% of the variance in intention to get vaccinated. The identified factors should be addressed early in medical education, and hospitals might benefit from a more inclusive vaccination program and accessibility of free vaccines for their medical students.

  3. PowerPoint or chalk and talk: Perceptions of medical students versus dental students in a medical college in India.

    PubMed

    Seth, Vikas; Upadhyaya, Prerna; Ahmad, Mushtaq; Moghe, Vijay

    2010-01-01

    To assess students' perceptions of the impact of PowerPoint (PPT) presentations in lectures in comparison to the traditional chalk and talk method and lectures using transparencies and overhead projector (TOHP). The study analyzes the preferences for teaching aids of medical students versus dental students. Second year medical and dental undergraduates were asked to fill in a nine-item questionnaire about their perceptions of the three lecture delivery methods. Following analysis of the questionnaire the students were interviewed further. The results were analyzed separately for medical and dental students to see if there was any difference in their perceptions. The majority of the medical students (65.33%) preferred PPT presentations, while 15.16% of students preferred the lectures using chalkboard, and 19.51% preferred TOHP for teaching (P < 0.001). Of the dental students: 41.84% preferred chalkboard, 31.21% preferred TOHP, and 25.85% students preferred PPT presentations in the lectures (P < 0.05). Some important comments of the students were also recorded on interview which could be valuable for the medical teachers. The medical students clearly preferred the use of PPT presentations while the dental students did not. The study does not bring out evidence based superiority of any lecture delivery method. It appears that in the hands of a trained teacher any teaching aid would be appropriate and effective. This highlights the need for formal training in teaching technologies to develop good presentation skills and thus motivate the students.

  4. Awareness of academic use of smartphones and medical apps among medical students in a private medical college?

    PubMed

    Shah, Jehanzaib; Haq, Usman; Bashir, Ali; Shah, Syed Aslam

    2016-02-01

    To assess the awareness of medical apps and academic use of smartphones among medical students. The questionnaire-based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in January 2015 and comprised medical students of the Rawal Institute of Health Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan. The self-designed questionnaire was reviewed by a panel of expert for content reliability and validity. Questionnaires were distributed in the classrooms and were filled by the students anonymously. SPSS 16 was used for statistical analysis. Among the 569 medical students in the study, 545 (95.8%) had smartphones and 24(4.2%) were using simple cell phones. Overall, 226(41.46%) of the smart phone users were using some medical apps. Besides, 137(24.08%) were aware of the medical apps but were not using them. Also, 391(71.7%) students were not using any type of medical text eBooks through their phone, and only 154(28.3%) had relevant text eBooks in their phones. Medical college students were using smartphones mostly as a means of telecommunication rather than a gadget for improving medical knowledge.

  5. Medical student service learning program teaches secondary students about career opportunities in health and medical fields.

    PubMed

    Karpa, Kelly; Vakharia, Kavita; Caruso, Catherine A; Vechery, Colin; Sipple, Lanette; Wang, Adrian

    2015-12-01

    Engagement of academic medical centers in community outreach provides the public with a better understanding of basic terms and concepts used in biomedical sciences and increases awareness of important health information. Medical students at one academic medical center initiated an educational outreach program, called PULSE, that targets secondary students to foster their interest in healthcare and medicine. High school student participants are engaged in a semester-long course that relies on interactive lectures, problem-based learning sessions, mentoring relationships with medical students, and opportunities for shadowing healthcare providers. To date, the curriculum has been offered for 7 consecutive years. To determine the impact that participation in the curriculum has had on college/career choices and to identify areas for improvement, an electronic questionnaire was sent to former participants. Based on a 32% response rate, 81% of former participants indicated that participation in the course influenced their decision to pursue a medical/science-related career. More than half (67%) of respondents indicated intent to pursue a MD/PhD or other postgraduate degree. Based on responses obtained, additional opportunities to incorporate laboratory-based research and simulation sessions should be explored. In addition, a more formalized mentoring component has been added to the course to enhance communication between medical students and mentees. Health/medicine-related educational outreach programs targeting high school students may serve as a pipeline to introduce or reinforce career opportunities in healthcare and related sciences. Copyright © 2015 The American Physiological Society.

  6. Patient safety awareness among Undergraduate Medical Students in Pakistani Medical School

    PubMed Central

    Kamran, Rizwana; Bari, Attia; Khan, Rehan Ahmed; Al-Eraky, Mohamed

    2018-01-01

    Objective: To measure the level of awareness of patient safety among undergraduate medical students in Pakistani Medical School and to find the difference with respect to gender and prior experience with medical error. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Lahore (UOL), Pakistan from January to March 2017, and comprised final year medical students. Data was collected using a questionnaire ‘APSQ- III’ on 7 point Likert scale. Eight questions were reverse coded. Survey was anonymous. SPSS package 20 was used for statistical analysis. Results: Questionnaire was filled by 122 students, with 81% response rate. The best score 6.17 was given for the ‘team functioning’, followed by 6.04 for ‘long working hours as a cause of medical error’. The domains regarding involvement of patient, confidence to report medical errors and role of training and learning on patient safety scored high in the agreed range of >5. Reverse coded questions about ‘professional incompetence as an error cause’ and ‘disclosure of errors’ showed negative perception. No significant differences of perceptions were found with respect to gender and prior experience with medical error (p= >0.05). Conclusion: Undergraduate medical students at UOL had a positive attitude towards patient safety. However, there were misconceptions about causes of medical errors and error disclosure among students and patient safety education needs to be incorporated in medical curriculum of Pakistan. PMID:29805398

  7. Medical Students' Affirmation of Ethics Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lehrmann, Jon A.; Hoop, Jinger; Hammond, Katherine Green; Roberts, Laura Weiss

    2009-01-01

    Objective: Despite the acknowledged importance of ethics education in medical school, little empirical work has been done to assess the needs and preferences of medical students regarding ethics curricula. Methods: Eighty-three medical students at the University of New Mexico participated in a self-administered written survey including 41 scaled…

  8. Sleep disturbances among medical students: a global perspective.

    PubMed

    Azad, Muhammad Chanchal; Fraser, Kristin; Rumana, Nahid; Abdullah, Ahmad Faris; Shahana, Nahid; Hanly, Patrick J; Turin, Tanvir Chowdhury

    2015-01-15

    Medical students carry a large academic load which could potentially contribute to poor sleep quality above and beyond that already experienced by modern society. In this global literature review of the medical students' sleep experience, we find that poor sleep is not only common among medical students, but its prevalence is also higher than in non-medical students and the general population. Several factors including medical students' attitudes, knowledge of sleep, and academic demands have been identified as causative factors, but other potential mechanisms are incompletely understood. A better understanding about the etiology of sleep problems in medical trainees is essential if we hope to improve the overall quality of medical students' lives, including their academic performance. Sleep self-awareness and general knowledge appear insufficient in many studied cohorts, so increasing education for students might be one beneficial intervention. We conclude that there is ample evidence for a high prevalence of the problem, and research in this area should now expand towards initiatives to improve general sleep education for medical students, identify students at risk, and target them with programs to improve sleep. © 2015 American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

  9. Medical technology advances from space research.

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pool, S. L.

    1971-01-01

    NASA-sponsored medical R & D programs for space applications are reviewed with particular attention to the benefits of these programs to earthbound medical services and to the general public. Notable among the results of these NASA programs is an integrated medical laboratory equipped with numerous advanced systems such as digital biotelemetry and automatic visual field mapping systems, sponge electrode caps for electroencephalograms, and sophisticated respiratory analysis equipment.

  10. Medical technology advances from space research

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pool, S. L.

    1972-01-01

    Details of medical research and development programs, particularly an integrated medical laboratory, as derived from space technology are given. The program covers digital biotelemetry systems, automatic visual field mapping equipment, sponge electrode caps for clinical electroencephalograms, and advanced respiratory analysis equipment. The possibility of using the medical laboratory in ground based remote areas and regional health care facilities, as well as long duration space missions is discussed.

  11. Learning environment, approaches to learning and learning preferences: medical students versus general education students.

    PubMed

    Ullah, Raza

    2016-05-01

    The main objective of the study was to see whether medical students use more desirable approaches to studying than general education students. Survey method was used to collect data from both the medical students and the general education students. The survey of the medical students was carried out between January and March, 2012. The survey was administered to all the medical students present in lecture halls on day of data collection, while general education students were randomly selected from four subject areas at two universities. In total, 976 medical students and 912 general students participated in the study. Of the general students, 494(54%) were boys and 418(46%)were girls with an overall mean age of 20.53±1.77 years (range: 17-27 years). The medical students' perceptions of their learning environment and their learning preferences were broadly similar to that of general education students with the exception of workload. The medical students perceived the workload to be less appropriate (Mean = 2.06±0.72) than the students in general education (Mean = 2.84±0.90). The medical students were more likely to use the deep approach to studying (Mean = 3.66±0.59) than the students in general education (Mean = 3.16±0.91). The students in general education were slightly more likely to use the organized studying (Mean = 3.44±0.90) than the medical students (Mean =3.23±0.90). Both medical students and the students in general education tended to use the surface approaches along with other approaches to studying. There was not a great difference between the medical students and the students pursuing general education with regard to perceptions of the learning environment and approaches to learning.

  12. Planning a pharmacy-led medical mission trip, part 4: an exploratory study of student experiences.

    PubMed

    Brown, Dana A; Fairclough, Jamie L; Ferrill, Mary J

    2012-09-01

    At the Gregory School of Pharmacy (GSOP), pharmacy students routinely participate in domestic and international medical mission trips. Participation can be for academic credit as part of final-year Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs) or as required community service hours. These mission experiences could potentially result in both professional and personal transformations for participating students. To evaluate data collected from GSOP pharmacy students regarding their experiences on the medical mission field in 2011 and how that participation has impacted the students professionally and personally. GSOP students participating in an international or domestic medical mission trip in the summer of 2011 were asked to voluntarily complete pre- and posttrip surveys. Of the 68 final-year APPE students and student volunteers who participated in a summer 2011 GSOP medical mission trip, 36 (53%) completed pre- and posttrip surveys. The mission trips significantly impacted students' beliefs regarding better preparation to care for the medical needs of patients, identification of others' needs, understanding team dynamics, perceptions about the value of patient care, and comfort level with the provision of medical and pharmaceutical care in a foreign country. However, there were no statistically significant improvements in students' perceptions of their ability to care for the emotional needs of patients, the importance of team unity, and their level of respect for team members; their ability to lead or participate in future trips; and their belief that participating preceptors and faculty serve as effective role models of servant leaders. Based on the findings from this exploratory study, participation in a domestic or international medical mission trip as a student volunteer or APPE student appears to have a positive impact on some of the beliefs and perceptions of GSOP students. By continuing to follow these particular students and similar cohorts of students in

  13. Sleep Disturbances among Medical Students: A Global Perspective

    PubMed Central

    Azad, Muhammad Chanchal; Fraser, Kristin; Rumana, Nahid; Abdullah, Ahmad Faris; Shahana, Nahid; Hanly, Patrick J.; Turin, Tanvir Chowdhury

    2015-01-01

    Medical students carry a large academic load which could potentially contribute to poor sleep quality above and beyond that already experienced by modern society. In this global literature review of the medical students' sleep experience, we find that poor sleep is not only common among medical students, but its prevalence is also higher than in non-medical students and the general population. Several factors including medical students' attitudes, knowledge of sleep, and academic demands have been identified as causative factors, but other potential mechanisms are incompletely understood. A better understanding about the etiology of sleep problems in medical trainees is essential if we hope to improve the overall quality of medical students' lives, including their academic performance. Sleep self-awareness and general knowledge appear insufficient in many studied cohorts, so increasing education for students might be one beneficial intervention. We conclude that there is ample evidence for a high prevalence of the problem, and research in this area should now expand towards initiatives to improve general sleep education for medical students, identify students at risk, and target them with programs to improve sleep. Citation: Azad MC, Fraser K, Rumana N, Abdullah AF, Shahana N, Hanly PJ, Turin TC. Sleep disturbances among medical students: a global perspective. J Clin Sleep Med 2015;11(1):69–74. PMID:25515274

  14. A Dissecting Competition for Medical Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Samalia, Latika; Stringer, Mark D.

    2012-01-01

    After repeated requests from medical students for more cadaver dissection opportunities, a voluntary dissecting "competition" was initiated for the third year medical students in 2006. This has been held annually on five occasions since, offering up to 30 dissection stations and accommodating an average of 53 students (range 40-66) per year,…

  15. Influence of medical training on self-medication by students.

    PubMed

    James, H; Handu, S S; Khaja, K A J Al; Sequeira, R P

    2008-01-01

    To examine the influence of medical training on the knowledge, attitude and practice of self-medication by medical students. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study. A self-developed, pre-validated questionnaire containing open-ended and close-ended items was used for data collection. Medical students in the 2nd and 4th year of the medical course at the Arabian Gulf University Bahrain filled in the questionnaire anonymously. Data were analyzed using SPSS and results expressed as counts and percentages. 2-tailed Chi2-test was applied and p < 0.05 was considered significant. The respondents (n = 141) had a mean age of 19.94 A+/- 1.21 years. Overall, they had a fair knowledge about appropriate self-medication but knowledge of the benefits and risks of self-medication was adequate. Self-medication was perceived to be time-saving, providing quick relief in common illnesses, a learning experience, economical, and convenient. Among the perceived disadvantages were adverse drug reactions, inappropriate drug use, and the risk of making a wrong diagnosis. Majority of the respondents had a positive attitude favoring self-medication and read the package insert. The practice of self-medication was common and often inappropriate. The commonest indications for self-medication were cough, cold and sore throat (63.2% in Year 2) and headache (78.3% in Year 4). Mild illness, previous experience, and lack of time were the most frequent reasons for resorting to self-medication. Analgesics were the commonest drugs used, and drugs were mostly obtained from private pharmacies. Students of Year 4 had better knowledge about appropriate self-medication (58.7% versus 35.8%, p = 0.02), had greater awareness of the risks of self-medication and would discourage others from practicing self-medication (58.7% versus 40.4%, p = 0.04). They had a more confident attitude (54.3% versus 35.1%, p = 0.03) and a smaller number of them would seek a prescription (34.8% versus 54.3%, p = 0.03). They

  16. Outcomes of an Advanced Ultrasound Elective: Preparing Medical Students for Residency and Practice.

    PubMed

    Prats, Michael I; Royall, Nelson A; Panchal, Ashish R; Way, David P; Bahner, David P

    2016-05-01

    Many medical specialties have adopted the use of ultrasound, creating demands for higher-quality ultrasound training at all levels of medical education. Little is known about the long-term benefit of integrating ultrasound training during undergraduate medical education. This study evaluated the effect of a longitudinal fourth-year undergraduate medical education elective in ultrasound and its impact on the future use of ultrasound in clinical practice. A cross-sectional survey of medical graduates from The Ohio State University College of Medicine (2006-2011) was done, comparing those who participated and those who did not participate in a rigorous ultrasound program for fourth-year medical students. A 38-item questionnaire queried graduates concerning ultrasound education in residency, their proficiency, and their current use of ultrasound in clinical practice. Surveys were completed by 116 respondents, for a return rate of 40.8% (116 of 284). The participants of the undergraduate medical education ultrasound elective (n = 61) reported more hours of ultrasound training after graduation (hands-on training, bedside scanning, and number of scans performed; P < .001), higher ultrasound proficiency (proficiency in using ultrasound for clinical decision making, use in emergency settings, and use of novel techniques; P< .001), and higher rates of ultrasound use in clinical practice (P < .001). The longitudinal undergraduate medical education ultrasound elective produced physicians who were more likely to seek additional training in residency, evaluate themselves as more proficient, and use ultrasound in their clinical practice. Early training in bedside ultrasound during undergraduate medical education yields physicians who are better prepared for integration of ultrasound into clinical practice. © 2016 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

  17. The Gatekeeper Disparity: Why Do Some Medical Schools Send More Medical Students into Urology?

    PubMed Central

    Kutikov, Alexander; Bonslaver, Jason; Casey, Jessica T.; Degrado, Justin; Dusseault, Beau N.; Fox, Janelle A.; Lashley-Rogers, Desri; Richardson, Ingride; Smaldone, Marc C.; Steinberg, Peter L.; Trivedi, Deep B.; Routh, Jonathan C.

    2010-01-01

    Introduction Urology continues to be a highly desirable specialty, despite decreasing exposure of students to Urology in U.S. medical schools. In this study, we set out to assess how U.S. medical schools compare to one another with regard to the number of students that each sends into Urological training and to evaluate the reasons why some medical schools consistently send more students into urology than others. Materials and Methods The authors obtained AUA Match data for the 5 Match seasons from 2005–2009. A survey of all successful participants was then performed. The survey instrument was designed to determine what aspects of the medical school experience influenced students to choose to specialize in Urology. A bivariate and multivariate analysis was then performed to assess which factors correlated with more students entering Urology from a particular medical school. Results Between 2005 and 2009, 1,149 medical students from 130 medical schools successfully participated in the Urology match. Of the 132 allopathic medical schools, 128 sent at least 1 student into Urology (mean 8.9, median 8, SD 6.5). A handful of medical schools were remarkable outliers, sending significantly more students into Urology than other institutions. Multivariate analysis revealed that a number of medical-school related variables including strong mentorship, medical school ranking, and medical school size correlated with more medical students entering Urology. Conclusion Some medical schools launch more Urologic careers than others. Although reasons for these findings are multifactorial, recruitment of Urologic talent pivots on these realities. PMID:21168862

  18. Justice and care: decision making by medical school student Promotions Committees

    PubMed Central

    Green, Emily P.; Gruppuso, Philip A.

    2017-01-01

    CONTEXT The function of medical school entities that determine student advancement or dismissal has gone largely unexplored. Decision making of “academic progress” or student promotions committees is examined using a theoretical framework contrasting ethics of justice and care, with roots in the moral development work of theorists Kohlberg and Gilligan. OBJECTIVES To ascertain promotions committee members’ conceptualization of the role of their committee, ethical orientations used in member decision making, and student characteristics most influential to that decision making. METHODS An electronic survey was distributed to voting members of promotions committees at 143 accredited allopathic medical schools in the U.S. Descriptive statistics were calculated and data were analyzed by gender, role, institution type and class size. RESULTS Respondents included 241 voting members of promotions committees at 55 medical schools. Respondents endorsed various promotions committee roles, including acting in the best interest of learners’ future patients and graduating highly qualified learners. Implementing policy was assigned lower importance. The overall pattern of responses did not indicate a predominant orientation toward an ethic of justice or care. Respondents indicated that committees have discretion to take individual student characteristics into consideration during deliberations, and that they do so in practice. Among the student characteristics with the greatest influence on decision making, professionalism and academic performance were paramount. Eighty-five percent of participants indicated that they received no training. CONCLUSIONS Promotions committee members do not regard orientations of justice and care as being mutually exclusive, and endorse an array of statements regarding committee purpose that may conflict with one another. The considerable variance in the influence of student characteristics, and the general absence of committee member

  19. The Effect of Medical Socialization on Medical Students' Need for Power.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kressin, Nancy R.

    1996-01-01

    Examines whether the individual personality characteristic of power motivation increases during medical school. Recorded interviews with a diverse group of medical students at two points in time were coded for power motivation. Results showed that white students' power motivation decreased, whereas minority students' levels remained the same,…

  20. Depression in medical students: current insights

    PubMed Central

    Moir, Fiona; Yielder, Jill; Sanson, Jasmine; Chen, Yan

    2018-01-01

    Medical students are exposed to multiple factors during their academic and clinical study that have been shown to contribute to high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. The purpose of this article was to explore the issue of depression in the medical student population, including prevalence, causes, and key issues, along with suggestions for early identification and support from one medical school in New Zealand. After establishing that the prevalence of depression is higher for medical students than the general population, the key issues explored include assessment used in the program, characteristics of the student population (such as Type A personality and perfectionism), resilience, selection procedures, students’ motivation, and the nature of the clinical environment. This review includes several recommendations to improve students’ psychological health such as positioning well-being within an overarching comprehensive workplace wellness model and integrating peer and faculty-led support into the day-to-day running of the institution. It also highlights the advantages of the addition of a well-being curriculum, as skills to prevent and manage distress and depression are relevant in supporting the competencies required by medical practitioners. It concludes that medical schools need wide-ranging strategies to address the complexities associated with the particular student population attracted to medicine and calls for educators to act, by noticing opportunities where they can introduce such initiatives into their medical programs. PMID:29765261

  1. Medical education changes students' attitudes on psychiatry: survey among medical students in Croatia.

    PubMed

    Flajsman, Ana Medic; Degmecic, Dunja; Pranjkovic, Tamara; Rogulja, Stanislav; Bošnjak, Dina; Kuzman, Martina Rojnic

    2017-12-01

    In Croatia, psychiatric disorders are the leading group of disorders by days of hospitalization and they are in second place according to the number of hospitalizations in the period of working age. Nevertheless, psychiatry in Croatia, as well as in the world, is one of the least attractive specialties for medical students. In this paper we determined the impact of compulsory education in psychiatry on the attitudes of medical students of the fourth year of the Zagreb school of medicine and Osijek school of medicine. We tested attitudes toward psychiatry, psychiatric treatment and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help using questionnaires that were filled out twice, at the beginning of psychiatry placement and at the end of psychiatry placement. Questionnaires were completed by 239 students from the Zagreb school of medicine and Faculty of medicine Osijek (response rate 78.4%). After the placement, students had significantly more positive attitudes about psychiatry and psychiatric treatment, as well as the attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help. Attitudes towards psychiatry, seeking psychological help and attitude towards psychiatric medication and psychotherapy correlated with the evaluation of the quality of psychiatric education. Additional forms of education in psychiatry should be offered, in order to maintain and increase the impact of education on students' attitudes.

  2. Medical Student Attitudes about Mental Illness: Does Medical-School Education Reduce Stigma?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Korszun, Ania; Dinos, Sokratis; Ahmed, Kamran; Bhui, Kamaldeep

    2012-01-01

    Background: Reducing stigma associated with mental illness is an important aim of medical education, yet evidence indicates that medical students' attitudes toward patients with mental health problems deteriorate as they progress through medical school. Objectives: Authors examined medical students' attitudes to mental illness, as compared with…

  3. Prevalence of plagiarism among medical students.

    PubMed

    Bilić-Zulle, Lidija; Frković, Vedran; Turk, Tamara; Azman, Josip; Petrovecki, Mladen

    2005-02-01

    To determine the prevalence of plagiarism among medical students in writing essays. During two academic years, 198 second year medical students attending Medical Informatics course wrote an essay on one of four offered articles. Two of the source articles were available in an electronic form and two in printed form. Two (one electronic and one paper article) were considered less complex and the other two more complex. The essays were examined using plagiarism detection software "WCopyfind," which counted the number of matching phrases with six or more words. Plagiarism rate, expressed as the percentage of the plagiarized text, was calculated as a ratio of the absolute number of matching words and the total number of words in the essay. Only 17 (9%) of students did not plagiarize at all and 68 (34%) plagiarized less than 10% of the text. The average plagiarism rate (% of plagiarized text) was 19% (5-95% percentile=0-88). Students who were strictly warned not to plagiarize had a higher total word count in their essays than students who were not warned (P=0.002) but there was no difference between them in the rate of plagiarism. Students with higher grades in Medical Informatics exam plagiarized less than those with lower grades (P=0.015). Gender, subject source, and complexity had no influence on the plagiarism rate. Plagiarism in writing essays is common among medical students. An explicit warning is not enough to deter students from plagiarism. Detection software can be used to trace and evaluate the rate of plagiarism in written student assays.

  4. Extracurricular research activities among senior medical students in Kuwait: experiences, attitudes, and barriers.

    PubMed

    Al-Halabi, Becher; Marwan, Yousef; Hasan, Mohammad; Alkhadhari, Sulaiman

    2014-01-01

    Research is the foundation of scientific advancement and improvement in quality of health care, which ensures the good health of the community. The aim of this study is to explore experiences, attitudes, and barriers of medical students in Kuwait University (KU) in regards to extracurricular research. A questionnaire about extracurricular research activities (ie, any research activity that is not part of the required undergraduate curriculum, such as publishing a paper, research elective, etc) was distributed to 175 senior medical students (years 6 and 7). Descriptive and chi-square analyses were used to analyze the responses, considering a P-value of <0.05 as the cut-off level for significance. The main outcome was defined as taking part in any of the extracurricular research activities. Of the 150 participants (response rate = 85.7%), 26 (17.3%), 68 (45.3%), 52 (34.7%), and 17 (11.3%) had published their required medical school research, presented abstracts in conferences, conducted extracurricular research, and completed a research elective/course, respectively; 99 (66.0%) took part in any of these activities. Participants who read medical journals regularly (81; 54%) reported higher participation in extracurricular research activities than those who did not read journals (P=0.003). Improving the availability of mentors for students' extracurricular research was ranked by the participants as the most important factor to improve their participation in extracurricular research (4.05/5.00). Despite the lack of adequate support, extracurricular research activities among medical students of KU were comparable to students from other countries. Barriers for these activities should be addressed by KU medical educators in order to enhance research activities among the students.

  5. Are new medical students' specialty preferences gendered? Related motivational factors at a Dutch medical school.

    PubMed

    van Tongeren-Alers, Margret; van Esch, Maartje; Verdonk, Petra; Johansson, Eva; Hamberg, Katarina; Lagro-Janssen, Toine

    2011-01-01

    Female students currently outnumber male students in most medical schools. Some medical specialties are highly gender segregated. Therefore, it is interesting to know whether medical students have early specialization preferences based on their gender. Consequently, we like to know importance stipulated to motivational factors. Our study investigates new medical students' early specialization preferences and motivational factors. New students at a Dutch medical school (n = 657) filled in a questionnaire about specialty preferences (response rate = 94%; 69.5% female, 30.5% male). The students chose out of internal medicine, psychiatry, neurology, pediatrics, surgery, gynecology and family medicine, "other" or "I don't know." Finally, they valued ten motivational factors. Forty percent of the medical students reported no specialty preference yet. Taken together, female medical students preferred pediatrics and wished to combine work and care, whereas male students opted for surgery and valued career opportunities. Gender-driven professional preferences in new medical students should be noticed in order to use competencies. Changes in specialty preferences and motivational factors in pre- and post graduates should further assess the role of medical education.

  6. Attitude towards psychiatry among medical students.

    PubMed

    Srivastava, Ashish

    2012-10-01

    The proportion of medical graduates opting for psychiatry in career has been observed to be distinctly less compared to those choosing other specialties. The study was undertaken to find out the attitudes of newly entrant medical students towards psychiatry in comparison to other specialties. Sixty-two students of first year MBBS were administered a questionnaire to assess their attitudes towards various specialties. Only 1 student (1.5%) opted for psychiatry as a career choice, another 2 students (3%) considered it as a strong possibility, 71.5% negated psychiatry as a career choice. Students rated psychiatry significantly lower than other specialties in regards to financially rewarding, enjoyable and satisfying work, intellectually challenging, scientific basis, prestige among others, lifestyle. Psychiatry was also rated as poor on prospects of having a bright and interesting future. The present study suggests that new entrants in medical college harbour a negative attitude towards psychiatry, which has not changed over the last three to four decades. A conscious effort in trying to make psychiatry an active and interesting component of medical education and an improved portrayal of this field in society thereby reducing stigma associated with it would be of immense importance in generating interest in this field among newly entrant medical students.

  7. Advancing Health Equity Through Student Empowerment and Professional Success: A Statewide Approach.

    PubMed

    Noone, Joanne; Wros, Peggy; Cortez, David; Najjar, Rana; Magdaleno, Leela

    2016-06-01

    A lack of diversity in the nursing workforce nationally has been identified by Oregon state leaders as a factor contributing to health inequity. The goal of Advancing Health Equity Through Student Empowerment and Professional Success (HealthE STEPS) is to graduate nursing students from disadvantaged backgrounds to improve health equity within their communities. A comprehensive plan of evidence-based strategies was developed based on social determinants of health and addresses academic socialization, learning support, financial resources, networking, curriculum development, and campus culture. Ninety undergraduate nursing students participated in the program during a 2-year period. Retention of participants was 97% with graduation rates of 94%. First-time licensure pass rates were 82% and 96% of participating graduates employed in a medically underserved community. This comprehensive innovative program of evidence-based strategies addresses health equity by developing a diverse nursing workforce to practice in medically underserved communities. [J Nurs Educ. 2016;55(6):316-322.]. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

  8. High prevalence of self-medication practices among medical and pharmacy students: a study from Jordan.

    PubMed

    Alkhatatbeh, Mohammad J; Alefan, Qais; Alqudah, Mohammad A Y

    2016-05-01

    To assess self-medication practices and to evaluate the impact of obtaining medical knowledge on self-medication among medical and pharmacy students at Jordan University of Science and Technology. This was a cross-sectional study. A well-validated questionnaire that included 3 sections about self-medication was administered to the subjects after introducing the term "self-medication" verbally. 1,317 students had participated in the study and were subgrouped according to their academic level into seniors and juniors. Compared to the general population rate of 42.5%, self-medication practice was reported by (1,034, 78.5%) of the students and most common amongst pharmacy students (n = 369, 82.9%) compared to Pharm.D. (n = 357, 77.9%) and medical students (n = 308, 74.4%) (p = 0.009). There was no significant difference between juniors and seniors (557, 79.1% vs. 477, 77.8%, p = 0.59, respectively). Headache (71.2%) and common cold (56.5%) were frequent ailments that provoked self-medication. Analgesics (79.9%) and antibiotics (59.8%) were frequently used to self-treat these aliments. Reasons for self-medication included previous disease experience (55.7%); minor aliments (55.3%); and having enough medical knowledge (32.1%). Medicines were used according to instructions obtained mainly from the leaflet (28.8%); pharmacist (20.7%); and university courses (19.7%). Senior students were more aware of the risk of self-medication than junior students. The majority of students frequently advise other people about self-medication (83.6%). Self-medication was common among students irrespective to their level of medical knowledge. Obtaining medical knowledge increased the students' awareness of the risk of self-medication which may result in practicing responsible self-medication. However, medical teaching institutions need to educate students about the proper use of medicines as a therapeutic tool.

  9. PowerPoint or chalk and talk: Perceptions of medical students versus dental students in a medical college in India

    PubMed Central

    Seth, Vikas; Upadhyaya, Prerna; Ahmad, Mushtaq; Moghe, Vijay

    2010-01-01

    Purpose To assess students’ perceptions of the impact of PowerPoint (PPT) presentations in lectures in comparison to the traditional chalk and talk method and lectures using transparencies and overhead projector (TOHP). The study analyzes the preferences for teaching aids of medical students versus dental students. Methods Second year medical and dental undergraduates were asked to fill in a nine-item questionnaire about their perceptions of the three lecture delivery methods. Following analysis of the questionnaire the students were interviewed further. The results were analyzed separately for medical and dental students to see if there was any difference in their perceptions. Results The majority of the medical students (65.33%) preferred PPT presentations, while 15.16% of students preferred the lectures using chalkboard, and 19.51% preferred TOHP for teaching (P < 0.001). Of the dental students: 41.84% preferred chalkboard, 31.21% preferred TOHP, and 25.85% students preferred PPT presentations in the lectures (P < 0.05). Some important comments of the students were also recorded on interview which could be valuable for the medical teachers. Conclusion: The medical students clearly preferred the use of PPT presentations while the dental students did not. The study does not bring out evidence based superiority of any lecture delivery method. It appears that in the hands of a trained teacher any teaching aid would be appropriate and effective. This highlights the need for formal training in teaching technologies to develop good presentation skills and thus motivate the students. PMID:23745057

  10. Justice and care: decision making by medical school student promotions committees.

    PubMed

    Green, Emily P; Gruppuso, Philip A

    2017-06-01

    The function of medical school entities that determine student advancement or dismissal has gone largely unexplored. The decision making of 'academic progress' or student promotions committees is examined using a theoretical framework contrasting ethics of justice and care, with roots in the moral development work of theorists Kohlberg and Gilligan. To ascertain promotions committee members' conceptualisation of the role of their committee, ethical orientations used in member decision making, and student characteristics most influential in that decision making. An electronic survey was distributed to voting members of promotions committees at 143 accredited allopathic medical schools in the USA. Descriptive statistics were calculated and data were analysed by gender, role, institution type and class size. Respondents included 241 voting members of promotions committees at 55 medical schools. Respondents endorsed various promotions committee roles, including acting in the best interest of learners' future patients and graduating highly qualified learners. Implementing policy was assigned lower importance. The overall pattern of responses did not indicate a predominant orientation toward an ethic of justice or care. Respondents indicated that committees have discretion to take individual student characteristics into consideration during deliberations, and that they do so in practice. Among the student characteristics with the greatest influence on decision making, professionalism and academic performance were paramount. Eighty-five per cent of participants indicated that they received no training. Promotions committee members do not regard orientations of justice and care as being mutually exclusive and endorse an array of statements regarding the committee's purpose that may conflict with one another. The considerable variance in the influence of student characteristics and the general absence of committee member training indicate a need for clear delineation of the

  11. Does medical students' clinical performance affect their actual performance during medical internship?

    PubMed

    Han, Eui-Ryoung; Chung, Eun-Kyung

    2016-02-01

    This study examines the relationship between the clinical performance of medical students and their performance as doctors during their internships. This retrospective study involved 63 applicants to a residency programme conducted at the Chonnam National University Hospital, South Korea, in November 2012. We compared the performance of the applicants during their internship with the clinical performance of the applicants during their fourth year of medical school. The performance of the applicants as interns was periodically evaluated by the faculty of each department, while the clinical performance of the applicants as fourth year medical students was assessed using the Clinical Performance Examination (CPX) and the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). The performance of the applicants as interns was positively correlated with their clinical performance as fourth year medical students, as measured by CPX and OSCE. The performance of the applicants as interns was moderately correlated with the patient-physician interactions items addressing communication and interpersonal skills in the CPX. The clinical performance of medical students during their fourth year in medical school was related to their performance as medical interns. Medical students should be trained to develop good clinical skills, through actual encounters with patients or simulated encounters using manikins, so that they are able to become competent doctors. Copyright © Singapore Medical Association.

  12. Communicating with patients who have advanced dementia: training nurse aide students.

    PubMed

    Beer, Laura E; Hutchinson, Susan R; Skala-Cordes, Kristine K

    2012-01-01

    The increase of dementia in older adults is changing how medical care is delivered. Recognizing symptoms of pain, managing behaviors, and providing quality of life for people who have advanced dementia requires a new skill set for caregivers. Researchers in this study targeted nurse aide students to test an educational module's effect on students' perceptions of dementia and their ability to care for patients with dementia. The results indicated the training was effective regarding nurse aides' understanding of residual cognitive abilities and need for meaningful contact among patients with advanced dementia; however, the training was not successful in terms of nurse aides' comfort level or perceived skills in working with this population of patients. The findings suggest a need to transform how caregivers are trained in communication techniques. Incorporating this training into nurse aide education has the potential to increase quality of life for people with dementia.

  13. Patient understanding of medical jargon: a survey study of U.S. medical students.

    PubMed

    LeBlanc, Thomas W; Hesson, Ashley; Williams, Andrew; Feudtner, Chris; Holmes-Rovner, Margaret; Williamson, Lillie D; Ubel, Peter A

    2014-05-01

    With increasing exposure, medical students may forget that technical jargon is unfamiliar to laypeople. To investigate this possibility, authors assessed student perceptions of patient understanding across different years in medical school. 533 students at 4 U.S. medical schools rated the proportion of patients likely to understand each of twenty-one different jargon terms. Students were either in the first month of their first year, the middle of their first year, or the middle of their fourth year of medical school. Fourth-year students were slightly more pessimistic about patients' understanding compared to new first-year students (mean percent understanding of 55.1% vs. 58.6%, p=0.004). Students both over- and under-estimated patient understanding of specific words compared to published estimates. In a multivariate model, other factors did not explain these differences. Students do not generally presume that patients understand medical jargon. In many cases they actually underestimate patients' understanding, and these estimates may become more pessimistic longitudinally. Jargon use in communication with patients does not appear to stem from unrealistic presumptions about patients' understanding or from desensitization to jargon during medical school. Training about patient knowledge of medical jargon may be a useful addition to communication skills curricula. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Medical Student Mental Health Services

    PubMed Central

    Roman, Brenda

    2009-01-01

    Medical school is a stressful and challenging time in the academic career of physicians. Because of the psychological pressure inherent to this process, all medical schools should have easily accessible medical student mental health services. Some schools of medicine provide these services through departments of psychiatry or other associated training programs. Since this stressful lifestyle often continues through residency training and life as a physician, this is a critical period in which to develop and utilize functional and effective coping strategies. When psychiatrists provide the mental health treatment to medical students, it is important to consider transference and countertransference issues, over intellectualization, and instances of strong idealization and identification. PMID:19724734

  15. What is different about medical students interested in non-clinical careers?

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background The proportion of medical school graduates who pursue careers other than full-time clinical practice has increased in some countries as the physician’s role has evolved and diversified with the changing landscape of clinical practice and the advancement of biomedicine. Still, past studies of medical students’ career choices have focused on clinical specialties and little is known about their choice of non-clinical careers. The present study examined backgrounds, motivation and perceptions of medical students who intended non-clinical careers. Methods A questionnaire was administered to students at six Korean medical schools distributed across all provinces in the nation. The questionnaire comprised 40 items on respondents’ backgrounds, their motivation for and interest in the study of medicine, their perceptions of medical professions, and their career intentions. Data was analyzed using various descriptive and inferential statistics. Results In total, 1,388 students returned the questionnaire (60% response rate), 12.3% of whom intended non-clinical careers (i.e., basic sciences, non-clinical medical fields, and non-medical fields). Those who planned non-clinical careers were comparable with their peers in their motivation for studying medicine and in their views of medical professions, but they were less interested in the study of medicine (P < 0.01). The two groups also differed significantly on their perceptions of what was uninteresting about the study of medicine (P < 0.01). The two groups were comparable in gender and entry-level ratios but their distributions across ages and years of study differed significantly (P < 0.01). A majority of respondents agreed with the statements that “it is necessary for medical school graduates to pursue non-clinical careers” and that “medical schools need to offer programs that provide information on such careers.” Still, our finding indicates that medical school curricula do not address

  16. Intervention for medical students: effective infection control.

    PubMed

    Calabro, K; Weltge, A; Parnell, S; Kouzekanani, K; Ramirez, E

    1998-08-01

    Needlestick injuries, which lead to the transmission of hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and the AIDS virus, are a potentially serious threat to students during their clinical experiences. Exposure to infectious diseases, blood, and hazardous body fluids is one of the most frequently reported injury events by medical students at a health science center in the southwestern region of the United States. This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of a customized intervention about infection control for second-year medical students (N = 200). Preparation for the intervention included a needs assessment, which included both qualitative and quantitative research methods that incorporated input from fourth-year medical students, medical staff members, and local hospital infection control specialists. The intervention included a pretest, a lecture, a demonstration of standard precautions and infection control procedure with 2 clinical scenarios, an exercise on proper handwashing, and a posttest. The evaluation of the intervention demonstrated a significant increase in posttest knowledge scores about infection control (from 12.6 +/- 2.1 pretest to 16.5 +/- 1.8 posttest, P < .001). Medical students showed a significant knowledge increase about infection control after participating in the intervention . Thus we recommend that all medical colleges and universities develop and evaluate a similar customized intervention for their medical students.

  17. Postgraduation retention of medical students from Otago and Auckland medical programmes.

    PubMed

    Shelker, William; Poole, Phillippa; Bagg, Warwick; Wood, Ian; Glue, Paul

    2014-01-24

    Auckland and Otago medical programmes have different methods for selecting students. This study compared postgraduate retention in New Zealand (NZ) of medical graduates from the two medical programmes, to assess whether different selection methods influenced retention. Other variables assessed included entrance category and age at graduation. Anonymised databases were created of all graduates from the Otago Faculty of Medicine (1999-2011) and the Auckland medical programme (2000-2012). Demographic and entry category data were recorded. Retention was defined as presence on the NZ Medical Register in December 2012. Risk differences (RD) were calculated to compare retention between the two medical programmes using the Mantel-Haenszel method. The influence of medical programme entrance category on retention was also tested. The influence of covariates on retaining graduates on the register was evaluated using a multiple logistic regression model. The postgraduate retention of graduates of the two medical programmes over 13 years was identical (Auckland 74.9%, Otago 73.6%, P=0.48). Retention of graduate and non-graduate entry students from both medical programmes was similar by 6 years after graduation. Age during medical school did not affect retention. University of attendance had no effect on postgraduation retention of students on the NZ Medical Register, suggesting that retention is not influenced by the different student selection methods at each programme. The data presented shows that New Zealand graduates regardless of programme completed show a similar profile in terms of retention.

  18. South African medical schools: Current state of selection criteria and medical students' demographic profile.

    PubMed

    van der Merwe, L J; van Zyl, G J; St Clair Gibson, A; Viljoen, M; Iputo, J E; Mammen, M; Chitha, W; Perez, A M; Hartman, N; Fonn, S; Green-Thompson, L; Ayo-Ysuf, O A; Botha, G C; Manning, D; Botha, S J; Hift, R; Retief, P; van Heerden, B B; Volmink, J

    2015-12-16

    Selection of medical students at South African (SA) medical schools must promote equitable and fair access to students from all population groups, while ensuring optimal student throughput and success, and training future healthcare practitioners who will fulfil the needs of the local society. In keeping with international practices, a variety of academic and non-academic measures are used to select applicants for medical training programmes in SA medical schools. To provide an overview of the selection procedures used by all eight medical schools in SA, and the student demographics (race and gender) at these medical schools, and to determine to what extent collective practices are achieving the goals of student diversity and inclusivity. A retrospective, quantitative, descriptive study design was used. All eight medical schools in SA provided information regarding selection criteria, selection procedures, and student demographics (race and gender). Descriptive analysis of data was done by calculating frequencies and percentages of the variables measured. Medical schools in SA make use of academic and non-academic criteria in their selection processes. The latter include indices of socioeconomic disadvantage. Most undergraduate medical students in SA are black (38.7%), followed by white (33.0%), coloured (13.4%) and Indian/Asian (13.6%). The majority of students are female (62.2%). The number of black students is still proportionately lower than in the general population, while other groups are overrepresented. Selection policies for undergraduate medical programmes aimed at redress should be continued and further refined, along with the provision of support to ensure student success.

  19. Relationship between student selection criteria and learner success for medical dosimetry students.

    PubMed

    Baker, Jamie; Tucker, Debra; Raynes, Edilberto; Aitken, Florence; Allen, Pamela

    2016-01-01

    Medical dosimetry education occupies a specialized branch of allied health higher education. Noted international shortages of health care workers, reduced university funding, limitations on faculty staffing, trends in learner attrition, and increased enrollment of nontraditional students force medical dosimetry educational leadership to reevaluate current admission practices. Program officials wish to select medical dosimetry students with the best chances of successful graduation. The purpose of the quantitative ex post facto correlation study was to investigate the relationship between applicant characteristics (cumulative undergraduate grade point average (GPA), science grade point average (SGPA), prior experience as a radiation therapist, and previous academic degrees) and the successful completion of a medical dosimetry program, as measured by graduation. A key finding from the quantitative study was the statistically significant positive correlation between a student׳s previous degree and his or her successful graduation from the medical dosimetry program. Future research investigations could include a larger research sample, representative of more medical dosimetry student populations, and additional studies concerning the relationship of previous work as a radiation therapist and the effect on success as a medical dosimetry student. Based on the quantitative correlation analysis, medical dosimetry leadership on admissions committees could revise student selection rubrics to place less emphasis on an applicant׳s undergraduate cumulative GPA and increase the weight assigned to previous degrees. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Medical Dosimetrists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. A Turkish study of medical student learning styles.

    PubMed

    Kalaca, S; Gulpinar, M

    2011-12-01

    A good understanding of the learning styles of students is necessary for optimizing the quality of the learning process. There are few studies in Turkey on the subject of the learning characteristics of medical students. The aim of this study was to define the learning patterns of Turkish medical students based on the Turkish version of Vermunts Inventory of Learning Styles (ILS). The Turkish version of the ILS was developed and administered to 532 medical students. Learning patterns were investigated using factor analysis. Internal consistencies of scales ranged from 0.43 to 0.80. The Turkish version of the ILS identified four learning styles among medical students. In comparing the pre-clinical and clinical phases of medical students related to mental models of learning, statistically significant differences (p < .01) were found between the two groups for the learning characteristics: lack of regulation; certificate; self-test and ambivalent orientation; intake of knowledge; and use of knowledge. The Turkish version of the ILS can be used to identify learning styles of medical students. Our findings indicate an intermediate position for our students on a teacher-regulated to student-regulated learning continuum. A variety of teaching methods and learning activities should be provided in medical schools in order to address the range of learning styles.

  1. Undergraduate medical research: the student perspective

    PubMed Central

    Burgoyne, Louise N.; O'Flynn, Siun; Boylan, Geraldine B.

    2010-01-01

    Background Research training is essential in a modern undergraduate medical curriculum. Our evaluation aimed to (a) gauge students' awareness of research activities, (b) compare students' perceptions of their transferable and research-specific skills competencies, (c) determine students' motivation for research and (d) obtain students' personal views on doing research. Methods Undergraduate medical students (N=317) completed a research skills questionnaire developed by the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning in Applied Undergraduate Research Skills (CETL-AURS) at Reading University. The questionnaire assessed students' transferable skills, research-specific skills (e.g., study design, data collection and data analysis), research experience and attitude and motivation towards doing research. Results The majority of students are motivated to pursue research. Graduate entrants and male students appear to be the most confident regarding their research skills competencies. Although all students recognise the role of research in medical practice, many are unaware of the medical research activities or successes within their university. Of those who report no interest in a career incorporating research, a common perception was that researchers are isolated from patients and clinical practice. Discussion Students have a narrow definition of research and what it entails. An explanation for why research competence does not align more closely with research motivation is derived from students' lack of understanding of the concept of translational research, as well as a lack of awareness of the research activity being undertaken by their teachers and mentors. We plan to address this with specific research awareness initiatives. PMID:20844608

  2. Career choices of medical students: a national survey of 1780 students.

    PubMed

    Lefevre, Jérémie H; Roupret, Morgan; Kerneis, Solen; Karila, Laurent

    2010-06-01

    OBJECTIVES Many factors influence the career specialty decisions made by medical students. The aim of this study was to broaden consideration of the determinants of specialty choice in a large population of medical students in their sixth year of study. METHODS A total of 2588 students distributed across all of the 39 medical schools in France participated in a National Practice Examination in December 2008, after which an electronic questionnaire was administered. Study criteria were: population characteristics; demographics, and motivation for and drawbacks to medical specialty choice. RESULTS A total of 1780 students (1111 women, 62%) responded to the questionnaire (69% response rate). The mean age of respondents was 23.8 years (22-35 years). Of these, 1555 students (87%) stated their preferred medical specialty. Surgical and medical specialties were the two specialties selected most frequently by students (n = 729, 47%). General practice was chosen by 20%. Gender influenced the choice of specialty: 88% of future paediatricians, 82% of gynaecologists and 77% of general practitioners (GPs) were women (p < 0.05). Main motivating factors included interesting diseases, opportunities for private practice and patient contact. Main drawbacks limiting the choice of other specialties were poor quality of life, an exclusively hospital-based career and loss of patient contact. Gender was the criterion most associated with significant differences in factors of motivation for or discouragement from a career. Patient contact and opportunities for private practice were significantly highlighted by future GPs compared with students opting for the medical or surgical specialties (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Students' career choices regarding specialties or general practice result from the interplay among several factors. Career interest in general practice is particularly low. Initiatives to address the factors affecting student career choices regarding less favoured specialties

  3. Relationships between medical student burnout, empathy, and professionalism climate.

    PubMed

    Brazeau, Chantal M L R; Schroeder, Robin; Rovi, Sue; Boyd, Linda

    2010-10-01

    Medical student burnout is prevalent, and there has been much discussion about burnout and professionalism in medical education and the clinical learning environment. Yet, few studies have attempted to explore relationships between those issues using validated instruments. Medical students were surveyed at the beginning of their fourth year using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy-Student Version, and the Professionalism Climate Instrument. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, and Spearman correlation analysis was performed. Scores indicative of higher medical student burnout were associated with lower medical student empathy scores and with lower professionalism climate scores observed in medical students, residents, and faculty. Investigators observed relationships between medical student burnout, empathy, and professionalism climate. These findings may have implications for the design of curriculum interventions to promote student well-being and professionalism.

  4. The failure of medical education to develop moral reasoning in medical students

    PubMed Central

    Murrell, Vicki S.

    2014-01-01

    Objectives The goal of this study was to determine differences in moral judgment among students in medical school. Methods This cross-sectional study involved students currently enrolled in undergraduate medical education. Recruited via email, 192 students took an online version of the Defining Issues Test to determine their current stage of moral judgment, as well as their percentage of post conventional thought. Independent variables included year of graduation, which indicated curriculum completion as well as participation in a professionalism course. Data was analyzed primarily using One-Way Analysis of Variance. Results Of the 192 participants, 165 responses were utilized. ANOVA showed no significant differences in moral judgment between or among any of the student cohorts, which were grouped by year of matriculation. Comparisons included students in the four years of medical school, divided by graduation year; students about to graduate (n=30) vs. those still in school (n=135); and students who had participated in a course in professionalism (n=91) vs. those who had not (n=74). Conclusions These results demonstrate a lack of evolution in the moral reasoning of medical students and raise the issue of what might stimulate positive changes in moral judgment during the medical school experience. PMID:25543016

  5. Promoting medical students’ reflection on competencies to advance a global health equities curriculum

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background The move to frame medical education in terms of competencies – the extent to which trainees “can do” a professional responsibility - is congruent with calls for accountability in medical education. However, the focus on competencies might be a poor fit with curricula intended to prepare students for responsibilities not emphasized in traditional medical education. This study examines an innovative approach to the use of potential competency expectations related to advancing global health equity to promote students’ reflections and to inform curriculum development. Methods In 2012, 32 medical students were admitted into a newly developed Global Health and Disparities (GHD) Path of Excellence. The GHD program takes the form of mentored co-curricular activities built around defined competencies related to professional development and leadership skills intended to ameliorate health disparities in medically underserved settings, both domestically and globally. Students reviewed the GHD competencies from two perspectives: a) their ability to perform the identified competencies that they perceived themselves as holding as they began the GHD program and b) the extent to which they perceived that their future career would require these responsibilities. For both sets of assessments the response scale ranged from “Strongly Disagree” to “Strongly Agree.” Wilcoxon’s paired T-tests compared individual students’ ordinal rating of their current level of ability to their perceived need for competence that they anticipated their careers would require. Statistical significance was set at p < .01. Results Students’ ratings ranged from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree” that they could perform the defined GHD-related competencies. However, on most competencies, at least 50 % of students indicated that the stated competencies were beyond their present ability level. For each competency, the results of Wilcoxon paired T-tests indicate

  6. Medical students' and patients' perceptions of patient-centred attitude.

    PubMed

    Hur, Yera; Cho, A Ra; Choi, Chang Jin

    2017-03-01

    Patient-centred care can increase patient satisfaction and lead to better clinical outcomes for them, such as improved physical status and higher health-related quality of life. However, doctors' and patients' views on patient-centred attitude might differ and could be affected by culture and the community environment. To clarify the differences in primary care patients' and senior medical students' perceptions of medical students' patient-centred attitude. A total of 1,025 subjects-827 patients from primary care institutions and 198 fourth-year medical students from a medical college in South Korea-completed the Patient Practitioner Orientation Scale (PPOS). The students completed the self-reported questionnaire at the end of their clinical clerkship. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and one-way analysis of variances were conducted in SPSS version 21.0. Firstly, sharing subscale scores were higher among patients than among medical students (students, 3.61 vs. patients, 3.76; p<0.001), but secondly, caring subscale scores were higher among medical students (students, 4.18 vs. patients, 3.82; p<0.001). Thirdly, PPOS total scores were higher among medical students (students, 3.90 vs. patients, 3.79; p=0.001). Finally, male students had the lowest sharing scores (F=6.811, p<0.001) and female students showed the highest PPOS total scores (F=5.805, p=0.001). Significant differences between medical students' and patients' perceptions of medical students' patient-centred attitudes suggest the necessity of educational efforts to overcome the gap between the groups.

  7. Preparation Strategies of Osteopathic Medical Students for the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE.

    PubMed

    Sandella, Jeanne M; Peters, Alex; Smith, Larissa L; Gimpel, John R

    2016-04-01

    Since 2002, osteopathic medical schools have made curricular changes to further enhance the clinical skills of their students, to prepare them for residency training, and to pass the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination-USA Level 2-Performance Evaluation (COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE). To report how students at osteopathic medical schools prepare for the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE, and to investigate the effect of these techniques on examination performance. A standardized survey was given to students before the beginning of their examination to assess the preparation of osteopathic medical students for the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE, such as coursework, orientation materials, and standardized patient (SP) encounters. Surveys that were completed by first-time test takers during the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 test cycles were included in this study. Of 9120 surveys administered, 8733 were completed, achieving a response rate of 95.8%. Of those 8733 respondents, 8706 students (99.7%) reported having SP encounters during the first and second year of medical school, and 7379 (84%) reported having at least 1 SP encounter in years 3 and 4. Of 8733 students, 6079 (70%) reported receiving feedback from an osteopathic physician on their SP encounters, and 6049 (69%) and 6253 (72%) reported having viewed the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE orientation video online and having read the examination's orientation guide, respectively. The largest difference in preparation between students who passed the COMLEX-USA Level 2-PE and students who did not was a prerequisite SP examination at their school, with 5574 students (68.9%) who passed reporting having participated compared with 364 students (56.5%) who failed. None of the differences in clinical skills training and test preparation was associated with statistically significant differences in pass or fail status. Osteopathic medical students use a variety of methods to enhance their clinical skills in preparation for the COMLEX-USA Level 2

  8. Factors Modifying Burnout in Osteopathic Medical Students.

    PubMed

    Lapinski, Jessica; Yost, Morgan; Sexton, Patricia; LaBaere, Richard J

    2016-02-01

    The purposes of the current study are to examine factors modifying burnout and identify which of these factors place osteopathic medical students at risk for developing burnout. The current study used a cross-sectional study design and an anonymous, web-based survey to assess burnout and depression in osteopathic medical students. The survey included Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Patient Health Questionnaire, the Stressors and their impact scale, students' sleeping and studying habits, and students' extracurricular involvement. In total, 1294 osteopathic medical students completed the survey. Burnout was present in 516 (39.9%) osteopathic medical students, and 1006 (77.0%) met criteria for depression. Females were 1.5 times more likely to be burned out in comparison to males. For the burnout subscales, males had lower emotional exhaustion, slightly higher depersonalization, and lower personal accomplishment. Lesbian/gay/bisexual/asexual students were 2.62 times more likely to be burned out compared with heterosexual students. Depression and academic, personal, and family stressors were all strongly linked to overall burnout. Finally, for modifiable factors, average hours of sleep, average hours spent studying, and club involvement appeared to be linked to burnout. The current study suggested that a variety of factors, including non-modifiable, situational, and modifiable, impact burnout in osteopathic medical students. Future research is necessary since burnout in physicians affects the quality of care provided to patients.

  9. Factors influencing medical students' choice of emergency medicine as a career specialty-a descriptive study of Saudi medical students.

    PubMed

    Alkhaneen, Hadeel; Alhusain, Faisal; Alshahri, Khalid; Al Jerian, Nawfal

    2018-03-07

    Choosing a medical specialty is a poorly understood process. Although studies conducted around the world have attempted to identify the factors that affect medical students' choice of specialty, data is scarce on the factors that influence the choice of specialty of Saudi Arabian medical students, in particular those planning a career in emergency medicine (EM). In this study, we investigated whether Saudi medical students choosing EM are influenced by different factors to those choosing other specialties. A cross-sectional survey was conducted at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAUHS), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire distributed among all undergraduate and postgraduate medical students of both sexes in the second and third phases (57% were males and 43% were females). A total of 436 students answered the questionnaire, a response rate of 53.4%. EM group was most influenced by hospital orientation and lifestyle and least influenced by social orientation and prestige provided by their specialty. Unlike controllable lifestyle (CL) group and primary care (PC) group, EM reported lesser influence of social orientation on their career choice. When compared with students primarily interested in the surgical subspecialties (SS), EM group were less likely to report prestige as an important influence. Moreover, students interested in SS reported a leaser influence of medical lifestyle in comparison to EM group. When compared with CL group, EM group reported more interest in medical lifestyle. We found that students primarily interested in EM had different values and career expectations to other specialty groups. The trends in specialty choice should be appraised to meet future needs.

  10. Comparing millennial and generation X medical students at one medical school.

    PubMed

    Borges, Nicole J; Manuel, R Stephen; Elam, Carol L; Jones, Bonnie J

    2006-06-01

    Two main generational cohorts comprising students enrolled in medical schools today are Generation Xers (born 1965-1980) and Millennial students (born 1981-1999). A subset is Cuspars (born 1975-1980), who share traits with both generations. Population theorists ascribe different personal characteristics, attitudes, and preferences to each group. The authors examined whether selected characteristics describing Generation X and Millennial students were quantifiable using a personality measure. Differences among Generation X, Millennial, and Cuspar medical students were investigated. Eight hundred and nine medical students (399 females and 410 males) who matriculated between 1989-94 and 2001-04 at the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine completed the 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF). Differences in responses to the 16PF among the three generations were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). Analyses showed significant differences for Generation X versus Millennial students on 10 of the 16 personality factors. Millennial students scored significantly higher than Generation X students on factors including Rule-Consciousness, Emotional Stability, and Perfectionism; Generation X students scored higher than Millennials on Self-Reliance. Millennials also were significantly different from Generation Xers on several other factors. Significant differences were noted among Cuspars, Generation Xers, and Millennials. The 16PF is a useful tool to examine differences among these groups and to help understand the factors that constitute their personalities. Given differences among the generational groups, the authors forecast possible educational implications for medical school academic affairs and student services, and suggest areas for future research.

  11. A review of self-medication in physicians and medical students.

    PubMed

    Montgomery, A J; Bradley, C; Rochfort, A; Panagopoulou, E

    2011-10-01

    There is a culture within medicine that doctors do not expect themselves or their colleagues to be sick. Thus, the associated complexities of self-diagnosis, self-referral and self-treatment among physicians are significant and may have repercussions for both their own health and, by implication, for the quality of care delivered to patients. To collate what is known about the self-treatment behaviour of physicians and medical students. The following databases were searched: PubMed, PsychInfo, EBSCO, Medline, BioMed central and Science Direct. Inclusion criteria specified research assessing self-treatment and self-medicating of prescription drugs among physicians and/or medical students. Only peer-reviewed English language empirical studies published between 1990 and 2009 were included. Twenty-seven studies were identified that fitted the inclusion criteria. Self-treatment and self-medicating was found to be a significant issue for both physicians and medical students. In 76% of studies, reported self-treatment was >50% (range: 12-99%). Overall, only one of two respondents was registered with a general practitioner or primary care physician (mean = 56%, range = 21-96). Deeper analysis of studies revealed that physicians believed it was appropriate to self-treat both acute and chronic conditions and that informal care paths were common within the medical profession. Self-treatment is strongly embedded within the culture of both physicians and medical students as an accepted way to enhance/buffer work performance. The authors believe that these complex self-directed care behaviours could be regarded as an occupational hazard for the medical profession.

  12. Medical students' note-taking in a medical biochemistry course: an initial exploration.

    PubMed

    Morrison, Elizabeth H; McLaughlin, Calvin; Rucker, Lloyd

    2002-04-01

    Beginning medical students spend numerous hours every week attending basic science lectures and taking notes. Medical faculty often wonder whether they should give students pre-printed instructors' notes before lectures. Proponents of this strategy argue that provided notes enhance learning by facilitating the accurate transmission of information, while opponents counter that provided notes inhibit students' cognitive processing or even discourage students from attending lectures. Little if any research has directly addressed medical students' note-taking or the value of providing instructors' notes. The educational literature does suggest that taking lecture notes enhances university students' learning. University students perform best on post-lecture testing if they review a combination of provided notes and their own personal notes, particularly if the provided notes follow a 'skeletal' format that encourages active note-taking.

  13. Measuring medical students' empathy using direct verbal expressions.

    PubMed

    Hur, Yera; Cho, A Ra; Kim, Sun

    2016-09-01

    Empathy is an important trait in physicians and a key element in the physician-patient relationship. Accordingly, one of the goals in medical education is developing empathy in students. We attempted to practically assess medical students' empathy through their direct verbal expressions. The medical students' empathy was measured using the modified Pencil-and-Paper Empathy Rating Test by Winefield and Chur-Hansen (2001). The students took 15 minutes or so to complete the scale, and it was then scored by one of two trained evaluators (0 to 4 points for each item, for a total score of 40). The subjects were 605 medical students, and the data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, independent t-test, and one-way analysis of variance in SPSS version 21.0. The students' empathy scores were low (mean, 12.13; standard deviation, 2.55); their most common responses (78.6%) registered as non-empathetic. Differences in empathy were observed by gender (female students>male students; t=-5.068, p<0.001), school system (medical school>medical college; t=-1.935, p=0.053), and academic level (pre-medical 1 year < other years; t=-4.050, p<0.001). Our findings lead us to the significant conclusion that there is the need for empathy enhancement training programs with practical content.

  14. Extracurricular research activities among senior medical students in Kuwait: experiences, attitudes, and barriers

    PubMed Central

    Al-Halabi, Becher; Marwan, Yousef; Hasan, Mohammad; Alkhadhari, Sulaiman

    2014-01-01

    Background Research is the foundation of scientific advancement and improvement in quality of health care, which ensures the good health of the community. The aim of this study is to explore experiences, attitudes, and barriers of medical students in Kuwait University (KU) in regards to extracurricular research. Methods A questionnaire about extracurricular research activities (ie, any research activity that is not part of the required undergraduate curriculum, such as publishing a paper, research elective, etc) was distributed to 175 senior medical students (years 6 and 7). Descriptive and chi-square analyses were used to analyze the responses, considering a P-value of <0.05 as the cut-off level for significance. The main outcome was defined as taking part in any of the extracurricular research activities. Results Of the 150 participants (response rate = 85.7%), 26 (17.3%), 68 (45.3%), 52 (34.7%), and 17 (11.3%) had published their required medical school research, presented abstracts in conferences, conducted extracurricular research, and completed a research elective/course, respectively; 99 (66.0%) took part in any of these activities. Participants who read medical journals regularly (81; 54%) reported higher participation in extracurricular research activities than those who did not read journals (P=0.003). Improving the availability of mentors for students’ extracurricular research was ranked by the participants as the most important factor to improve their participation in extracurricular research (4.05/5.00). Conclusion Despite the lack of adequate support, extracurricular research activities among medical students of KU were comparable to students from other countries. Barriers for these activities should be addressed by KU medical educators in order to enhance research activities among the students. PMID:24812535

  15. Study guides: effective tools to improve self-directed learning skills of medical students.

    PubMed

    Khabaz Mafinejad, Mahboobeh; Aghili, Rokhsareh; Emami, Zahra; Malek, Mojtaba; Baradaran, Hamidreza; Taghavinia, Mansoureh; Khamseh, Mohammad E

    2014-01-01

    In medicine, there is a rapid development of a knowledge base. Medical professionals need to sustain and advance their competence to practice in response to these varieties. So, there is increased interest in self-directed learning methods. Study guides can make a major contribution to self-directed learning. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of study guides on improving self-learning skills of medical students in the Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS). In this quasi-experimental study, 46 medical students were randomly assigned into two groups; the intervention group and the control group. Both groups participated in a diagnostic test at the beginning of the course (pre-test). The same test was taken at the end of the course (post-test). The intervention group was provided with study guides on thyroid disorders and diabetes. Meanwhile, they continued their routine clinical training. The control group was only involved in the conventional training program. Students in the intervention group were also asked to complete a designed questionnaire in regard to their attitude toward the study guides. At enrollment, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. The mean scores of the pre-test for the control group and the intervention group were 6.18 and 6.13 respectively (P=0.9). In the post-test, the mean score of the students in the intervention group was considerably higher: 9.25 vs. 12 (P=0.002). The students in the intervention group found the study guides useful. The study guides were potentially effective in motivating self-learning in this group of medical students and had a remarkable effect on their final score.

  16. Women's Health Curriculum for Medical Students.

    PubMed

    Sattari, Maryam; Cooke, Erinn; Vorhis, Elizabeth; Marshall, Julia; Daily, Karen

    2018-03-01

    Knowledge of women's health is important for physicians in various specialties, but training often is inadequate. The objective of this project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a women's health curriculum for medical students at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville. After reviewing previous pertinent literature and assessing institutional factors, we developed an interdisciplinary women's health elective for medical students. We present the curricular design for the course. The 2-week elective explores women's health topics such as disease prevention, screening, breast health, osteoporosis, and cardiovascular health. Teaching methodology includes case-based lectures, reading assignments, and clinic sessions at multiple sites. Senior medical students worked in a variety of clinical settings and were assigned a women's health project, a pretest before starting the elective, and a posttest after completion of the course. A statistically significant increase was seen in the students' mean posttest (98.8%) versus pretest (85.6%) scores (difference 13.1%; 95% confidence interval 7.3-19.0, P < 0.0001). Designing curricula that promote lifelong professional competency in the field of women's health can be challenging. At the University of Florida, we have successfully created and implemented a medical student elective in women's health using local resources and expertise. This elective satisfies important women's health training requirements, has been well received by our students, and has resulted in increased women's health-specific knowledge. The experience at our institution may be useful for other programs interested in developing a women's health curriculum geared toward medical students utilizing minimal resources.

  17. Depression and stigma in medical students at a private medical college.

    PubMed

    Vankar, Jagdish R; Prabhakaran, Anusha; Sharma, Himanshu

    2014-07-01

    This study aimed to assess prevalence rate of depression and perceptions regarding stigma associated with depression amongst medical students. A cross-sectional survey was conducted amongst 331 undergraduate medical students at a private medical college in Gujarat. Data was collected, which comprised of socio-demographic details, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and a 22-item semi-structured questionnaire to assess personal, perceived, and help-seeking stigma. Univariate analysis and chi-square tests were used to test for association between variables. Overall prevalence of depression was found to be 64%. Highest level of depression was seen in first year. Moderate to severe depression was found in 26.6% students. 73.3% students felt that having depression would negatively affect their education, and 52.3% saw depression as a sign of personal weakness. Females more strongly believed that students would not want to work with a depressed student (50.9% v/s 36.2%) and that if depressed, they would be unable to complete medical college responsibilities (61.9% v/s 44.1%). With increasing academic year, there was increase in stigma about disclosing depression to friends (P = 0.0082) and increase in stigma about working with a depressed student (P = 0.0067). Depressed students felt more strongly than non-depressed students on 10 items of the stigma questionnaire. High stigma exists among students about the causation of depression, and there exists an environment in which students discriminate fellow colleagues based on the presence of depression. This raises need for increasing awareness and support from peers and faculty.

  18. E-learning program for medical students in dermatology

    PubMed Central

    Silva, Cristiana Silveira; Souza, Murilo Barreto; Filho, Roberto Silveira Silva; de Medeiros, Luciana Molina; Criado, Paulo Ricardo

    2011-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: Dermatological disorders are common in medical practice. In medical school, however, the time devoted to teaching dermatology is usually very limited. Therefore, online educational systems have increasingly been used in medical education settings to enhance exposure to dermatology. OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to develop an e-learning program for medical students in dermatology and evaluate the impact of this program on learning. METHODS: This prospective study included second year medical students at the University of Technology and Science, Salvador, Brazil. All students attended discussion seminars and practical activities, and half of the students had adjunct online seminars (blended learning). Tests were given to all students before and after the courses, and test scores were evaluated. RESULTS: Students who participated in online discussions associated with face-to-face activities (blended learning) had significantly higher posttest scores (9.0±0.8) than those who only participated in classes (7.75±1.8, p <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that an associated online course might improve the learning of medical students in dermatology. PMID:21655756

  19. Introversion and medical student education: challenges for both students and educators.

    PubMed

    Davidson, Bernard; Gillies, Ralph A; Pelletier, Allen L

    2015-01-01

    Introversion is one of the personality factors that has been shown to be associated with performance in medical school. Prior cross-sectional studies highlight performance evaluation differences between introverted and extraverted medical students, though the mechanisms and implications of these differences remain relatively unexplained and understudied. This gap in the literature has become more salient as medical schools are employing more interactive learning strategies into their curricula which may disproportionately challenge introverted learners. In this article, we provide an overview and working definition of introversion as a valid construct occurring on a continuum. We apply a goodness of fit model to explore how various medical training contexts may be more or less challenging for introverted students and the potential consequences of a poor fit. As preliminary support for these hypothesized challenges, we share observations from students self-identified as introverts. Examples include introverted students feeling at times like misfits, questioning a need to change their identity to succeed in medical school, and being judged as underperformers. We offer pragmatic suggestions for improving the fit between introverted students and their training contexts, such as teachers and students pausing between a question being asked and the initial response being offered and teachers differentiating between anxious and introverted behaviors. We conclude with suggested areas for future qualitative and quantitative research to examine how medical school curricula and the teaching environment may be differentially impacting the learning and health of introverted and extraverted students. Extraverted behaviors will continue to be an important part of medical training and practice, but the merits of introverted behaviors warrant further consideration as both medical training and practice evolve. Educators who make manageable adjustments to current teaching practices

  20. Student and faculty perceptions on the rapid scale-up of medical students in Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Mengistu, Brittney S; Vins, Holly; Kelly, Caitrin M; McGee, Daphne R; Spicer, Jennifer O; Derbew, Miliard; Bekele, Abebe; Mariam, Damen Haile; Del Rio, Carlos; Blumberg, Henry M; Comeau, Dawn L

    2017-01-13

    Ethiopia is a country of over 94 million people that has a severe physician shortage with approximately only 2.5 physicians per 100,000 persons. Recently, the Ethiopian government implemented a "flood and retain" initiative to rapidly increase the quantity of physicians in Ethiopia. Consequently, medical student enrollment at Addis Ababa University (AAU) School of Medicine increased from 100 to approximately 300-400 students per class. This study evaluated the impact of the rapid scale-up in the number of medical students on the quality of medical education at AAU and the impact of the U.S. government-funded Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) grant awarded to AAU to provide resources to strengthen the quality of medical education at AAU. Qualitative, semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 22 key informants including faculty members, administrators and medical students at AAU. The audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and interview data were analyzed with thematic analysis. Four key themes emerged from the data. Overall, participants perceived a decrease in the quality of medical education at AAU due to challenges created by the rapid scale-up in the number of medical students. Positive learning environments were described as difficult to achieve due to overcrowding in classrooms and the limited numbers of textbooks. Overall, participants stated that infrastructure improvement is needed to provide adequate medical student training. The medical education initiatives implemented and funded by MEPI have provided significant resources to support the medical student curriculum but additional resources are required to accommodate a large student body. The unprecedented rapid scale-up of medical students has impacted multiple facets of medical education at AAU. It is important to consider the perspectives of students and faculty in order to focus future medical education policies, MEPI programming and the allocation of resources.

  1. Attitudes towards General Practice: a comparative cross-sectional survey of 1st and 5th year medical students

    PubMed Central

    Kruschinski, Carsten; Wiese, Birgitt; Hummers-Pradier, Eva

    2012-01-01

    Objective: Positive attitudes towards General Practice can be understood as a prerequisite for becoming a General Practitioner (GP) and for collaboration with GPs later on. This study aimed to assess attitudes of medical students at the beginning and the end of medical school. Methods: A total of 160 1st year students at Hannover Medical School were surveyed. Their attitudes were compared to those of 287 5th year students. Descriptive, bi- and multivariate analyses were performed to investigate influences of year of study and gender. Results: Year of study and gender both were associated with the attitudes towards General Practice. The interest in General Practice and patient-orientation (communication, care of older patients with chronic diseases) was higher in 1st year students compared to more advanced students. Female students valued such requirements more than male students, the differences in attitudes between the years of study being more pronounced in male students. Conclusion: Despite some limitations caused by the cross-sectional design, the attitudes towards General Practice competencies changed to their disadvantage during medical school. This suggests a formative influence of the strategies used in medical education. Educational strategies, however, could be used to bring about a change of attitudes in the other direction. PMID:23255966

  2. Establishment and Implementation of a Required Medication Therapy Management Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience

    PubMed Central

    Gilliam, Eric; Thompson, Megan; Vande Griend, Joseph

    2017-01-01

    Objective. To develop a community pharmacy-based medication therapy management (MTM) advanced pharmacy practice experience (APPE) that provides students with skills and knowledge to deliver entry-level pharmacy MTM services. Design. The University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences (SSPPS) partnered with three community pharmacy chains to establish this three-week, required MTM APPE. Students completed the American Pharmacists Association MTM Certificate Course prior to entering the APPE. Students were expected to spend 90% or more of their time at this experience working on MTM interventions, using store MTM platforms. Assessment. All 151 students successfully completed this MTM APPE, and each received a passing evaluation from their preceptor. Preceptor evaluations of students averaged above four (entry-level practice) on a five-point Likert scale. The majority of students reported engagement in MTM services for more than 80% of the time on site. Students’ self-reporting of their ability to perform MTM interventions improved after participation in the APPE. Conclusion. The SSPPS successfully implemented a required MTM APPE, preparing students for entry-level delivery of MTM services. PMID:28381896

  3. Students' Conceptions of Underlying Principles in Medical Physiology: An Interview Study of Medical Students' Understanding in a PBL Curriculum

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fyrenius, Anna; Silen, Charlotte; Wirell, Staffan

    2007-01-01

    Medical physiology is known to be a complex area where students develop significant errors in conceptual understanding. Students' knowledge is often bound to situational descriptions rather than underlying principles. This study explores how medical students discern and process underlying principles in physiology. Indepth interviews, where…

  4. Rising levels of New Zealand medical student debt.

    PubMed

    Verstappen, Antonia; Poole, Phillippa

    2017-06-16

    There is little recent data on the debt levels accrued by New Zealand medical graduates. We aimed to quantify the level of student loan debt accrued by medical graduates upon completion of their medical degree, and to investigate the association of New Zealand Government Student Loan (GSL) debt with gender and age. At graduation each year from 2006-2015, students from one New Zealand medical programme were invited to complete a career intention survey that included information on levels of GSL debt and the number of income sources used. The overall response rate was 83.8%. On average, 92% of domestic students reported having some student loan debt, with 28% a debt of $90,000 or more. The proportion of students reporting a student loan debt of $90,000 or more increased over the period of the study (P<0.0001). While older students were more likely to have a larger student loan debt than younger students, there was no difference in debt levels by gender. Students with larger student loans were more likely to rely on a larger number of financial sources to fund their studies. New Zealand medical students are carrying higher levels of student loan debt year on year. The effect of this on the future medical workforce is not certain; however, this could be negative if graduates choose to enter careers that are more highly paid over areas of high need. The full impact of large loans on individuals and the health system will take years to determine.

  5. Using a decade of data on medical student computer literacy for strategic planning.

    PubMed

    Seago, Brenda L; Schlesinger, Jeanne B; Hampton, Carol L

    2002-04-01

    From 1991 through 2000, incoming medical students (M-Is) at the School of Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University have been surveyed with a written questionnaire on their computer literacy. The survey's purpose is to learn the students' levels of knowledge, skill, and experience with computer technology to guide instructional services and facilities. The questionnaire was administered during M-I orientation or mailed to students' homes after matriculation. It evolved from sixteen questions in 1991 to twenty-three questions in 2000, with fifteen questions common to all. The average survey response rate was 81% from an average of 177 students. Six major changes were introduced based on information collected from the surveys and advances in technology: production of CD-ROMs distributed to students containing required computer-based instructional programs, delivery of evaluation instruments to students via the Internet, modification of the lab to a mostly PC-based environment, development of an electronic curriculum Website, development of computerized examinations for medical students to prepare them for the computerized national board examinations, and initiation of a personal digital assistant (PDA) project for students to evaluate PDAs' usefulness in clinical settings. The computer literacy survey provides a snapshot of students' past and present use of technology and guidance for the development of services and facilities.

  6. Adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism in medical students: a longitudinal investigation.

    PubMed

    Enns, M W; Cox, B J; Sareen, J; Freeman, P

    2001-11-01

    The personality of medical students may have an important impact on both their academic performance and emotional adjustment during medical school. There has been little systematic study of the impact of perfectionism on medical students. The present study sought to compare the perfectionism profile of medical students with that of a general arts student group and to examine the relationship among perfectionism, distress symptoms and academic expectations and satisfaction. Medical students (n=96) and arts students (n=289) completed a baseline assessment including two multidimensional perfectionism scales. The medical students also completed measures of distress symptoms, personality (neuroticism, conscientiousness) and questions about their perceptions of their academic performance. Of the medical students, 58 completed a second set of questionnaires 6 months later (time 2). First-, second- and third year medical students and first-year arts students. In comparison with arts students, the perfectionism profile of medical students showed higher personal standards, lower doubts about actions and lower maladaptive perfectionism scores. In the medical students adaptive perfectionism (achievement striving) was significantly correlated with baseline academic performance expectations and conscientiousness and was predictive of dissatisfaction with academic performance at time 2. Maladaptive perfectionism (excessive evaluative concerns) was significantly correlated with baseline distress symptoms and neuroticism and was predictive of symptoms of depression and hopelessness at time 2. Perfectionism in medical students differs systematically from perfectionism in general arts students. Distinguishing adaptive and maladaptive aspects of perfectionism is important in understanding the cross-sectional and longitudinal implications of perfectionism for medical students.

  7. Norwegian medical students' attitudes towards the pharmaceutical industry.

    PubMed

    Lea, Dordi; Spigset, Olav; Slørdal, Lars

    2010-07-01

    Whereas there is a considerable body of information on the interaction between physicians and the pharmaceutical industry, little is known about the pharmaceutical industry-medical student relationship. We have assessed the extent of contact between Norwegian medical students and the pharmaceutical industry as well as the attitudes of these students towards the pharmaceutical industry. A self-assessment questionnaire was distributed to fifth- and sixth-year students attending the four medical schools in Norway and to Norwegian medical students attending selected universities abroad. A total of 65.8% of all eligible students returned a completed questionnaire. Of these, 73.9% had been exposed to various levels of contact with the pharmaceutical industry, but only 17.5% reported having a generally positive attitude towards the industry. The level of exposure did not correlate in students' attitudes; rather, it correlated positively to a feeling of competence in terms of being able to handle such interactions. A majority of students responded that while they would decline accepting monetary gifts, they would welcome receiving reimbursements for meeting expenses, meals and educational material. Students favoured a practice of full disclosure of potential industry-related conflicts of interest among the university teaching staff. There were considerable differences in the students' attitudes between universities, suggesting that medical students are prone to influence from university lecturers. Norwegian medical students are opinionated, critical and curious with respect to pharmaceutical industry relations. This interest can be explored and probably also modified by educational initiatives.

  8. Relationship between student selection criteria and learner success for medical dosimetry students

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Baker, Jamie, E-mail: jabaker@mdanderson.org; Tucker, Debra; Raynes, Edilberto

    Medical dosimetry education occupies a specialized branch of allied health higher education. Noted international shortages of health care workers, reduced university funding, limitations on faculty staffing, trends in learner attrition, and increased enrollment of nontraditional students force medical dosimetry educational leadership to reevaluate current admission practices. Program officials wish to select medical dosimetry students with the best chances of successful graduation. The purpose of the quantitative ex post facto correlation study was to investigate the relationship between applicant characteristics (cumulative undergraduate grade point average (GPA), science grade point average (SGPA), prior experience as a radiation therapist, and previous academic degrees)more » and the successful completion of a medical dosimetry program, as measured by graduation. A key finding from the quantitative study was the statistically significant positive correlation between a student's previous degree and his or her successful graduation from the medical dosimetry program. Future research investigations could include a larger research sample, representative of more medical dosimetry student populations, and additional studies concerning the relationship of previous work as a radiation therapist and the effect on success as a medical dosimetry student. Based on the quantitative correlation analysis, medical dosimetry leadership on admissions committees could revise student selection rubrics to place less emphasis on an applicant's undergraduate cumulative GPA and increase the weight assigned to previous degrees.« less

  9. Medication calculation skills of graduating nursing students in Finland.

    PubMed

    Grandell-Niemi, H; Hupli, M; Leino-Kilpi, H

    2001-01-01

    The aim of this study was to describe the basic mathematical proficiency and the medication calculation skills of graduating nursing students in Finland. A further concern was with how students experienced the teaching of medication calculation. We wanted to find out whether these experiences were associated with various background factors and the students' medication calculation skills. In spring 1997 the population of graduating nursing students in Finland numbered around 1280; the figure for the whole year was 2640. A convenience sample of 204 students completed a questionnaire specially developed for this study. The instrument included structured questions, statements and a medication calculation test. The response rate was 88%. Data analysis was based on descriptive statistics. The students found it hard to learn mathematics and medication calculation skills. Those who evaluated their mathematical and medication calculation skills as sufficient successfully solved the problems included in the questionnaire. It was felt that the introductory course on medication calculation was uninteresting and poorly organised. Overall the students' mathematical skills were inadequate. One-fifth of the students failed to pass the medication calculation test. A positive correlation was shown between the student's grade in mathematics (Sixth Form College) and her skills in medication calculation.

  10. Knowledge and attitudes towards tuberculosis in non medical students University of Belgrade.

    PubMed

    Smolovic, Milos; Pesut, Dragica; Bulajic, Milica; Simic, Marija

    2012-01-01

    Population's knowledge on tuberculosis (TB) is crucial in early seeking of medical care. Delay in diagnosis for any reason contributes to advanced forms and TB transmission in the community. Knowledge about TB in general population of Serbia is poor, including vulnerable groups. to assess knowledge about TB in a group of non medical students in University of Belgrade, their attitudes towards TB patients, sources of medical information they use or desire. Observational, questionnaire based study. University students of the Faculty of Organizational Science and Faculty of Geography completed the 27-item questionnaires voluntarily and anonymously. The questions related to TB etiology, way of transmission, risk factors and the source of health information students preffer. Statistical analysis was performed. All the participants (69 students aged 20 +/- 0.777 years, 69.7% male, 30.3% female) previously heard about TB, mostly describing it as pulmonary disease. Only 22 (31.88%) selected bacillus as the only cause of TB, and 20% selected answer "I do not know". TB is curable (95%). One third does not know about TB symptoms and 45/69 (65%) think that TB is an infectious disease. Majority (78.3%) would pay visit to TB patient, 1/2 with fear of infection that is in positive correlation with knowledge on infectiousness (p=0.041). Television is the most common used source of health information. Students have the greatest confidence in doctors' information. Students' knowledge on TB is inadequate, especially on its cause and way of transmission. More effort is needed in university students' health education.

  11. Prevalence, perceptions, and consequences of substance use in medical students.

    PubMed

    Ayala, Erin E; Roseman, Destiny; Winseman, Jeffrey S; Mason, Hyacinth R C

    2017-01-01

    Research regarding the health and wellness of medical students has led to ongoing concerns regarding patterns of alcohol and drug use that take place during medical education. Such research, however, is typically limited to single-institution studies or has been conducted over 25 years ago. The objective of the investigation was to assess the prevalence and consequences of medical student alcohol and drug use and students' perceptions of their medical school's substance-use policies. A total of 855 medical students representing 49 medical colleges throughout the United States participated in an online survey between December 2015 and March 2016. Data showed that 91.3% and 26.2% of medical students consumed alcohol and used marijuana respectively in the past year, and 33.8% of medical students consumed five or more drinks in one sitting in the past two weeks. Differences in use emerged regarding demographic characteristics of students. Consequences of alcohol and drug use in this sample of medical students included but were not limited to interpersonal altercations, serious suicidal ideation, cognitive deficits, compromised academic performance, and driving under the influence of substances. Forty percent of medical students reported being unaware of their medical institution's substance-use policies. Findings suggest that substance use among medical students in the US is ongoing and associated with consequences in various domains. There is a lack of familiarity regarding school substance-use policies. Although there has been some progress in characterizing medical student alcohol use, less is known about the factors surrounding medical students' use of other substances. Updated, comprehensive studies on the patterns of medical student substance use are needed if we are to make the necessary changes needed to effectively prevent substance-use disorders among medical students and support those who are in need of help.

  12. How medical students use the computer and Internet at a Turkish military medical school.

    PubMed

    Kir, Tayfun; Ogur, Recai; Kilic, Selim; Tekbas, Omer Faruk; Hasde, Metin

    2004-12-01

    The aim of this study was to determine how medical students use the computer and World Wide Web at a Turkish military medical school and to discuss characteristics related to this computer use. The study was conducted in 2003 in the Department of Public Health at the Gulhane Military Medical School in Ankara, Turkey. A survey developed by the authors was distributed to 508 students, after pretest. Responses were analyzed statistically by using a computer. Most of the students (86.4%) could access a computer and the Internet and all of the computers that were used by students had Internet connections, and a small group (8.9%) had owned their own computers. One-half of the students use notes provided by attending stuff and textbooks as assistant resources for their studies. The most common usage of computers was connecting to the Internet (91.9%), and the most common use of the Internet was e-mail communication (81.6%). The most preferred site category for daily visit was newspaper sites (62.8%). Approximately 44.1% of students visited medical sites when they were surfing. Also, there was a negative correlation between school performance and the time spent for computer and Internet use (-0.056 and -0.034, respectively). It was observed that medical students used the computer and Internet essentially for nonmedical purposes. To encourage students to use the computer and Internet for medical purposes, tutors should use the computer and Internet during their teaching activities, and software companies should produce assistant applications for medical students. Also, medical schools should build interactive World Wide Web sites, e-mail groups, discussion boards, and study areas for medical students.

  13. Medical Student Interest in Flexible Residency Training Options.

    PubMed

    Piotrowski, Madison; Stulberg, Debra; Egan, Mari

    2018-05-01

    Medical residents continue to experience high rates of burnout during residency training even after implementation of the 2003 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education duty-hour restrictions. The purpose of this study is to determine medical student interest in flexible residency training options. Researchers developed an 11-question survey for second through fourth-year medical students. The populations surveyed included medical students who were: (1) attending the 2015 American Academy of Family Physicians National Conference, the 2015 Family Medicine Midwest Conference, and (2) enrolled at University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago, Drexel University College of Medicine, and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. The survey was completed by 789 medical students. Over half of medical students surveyed indicated that they would be interested in working part-time during some portion of their residency training (51%), and that access to part-time training options would increase their likelihood of applying to a particular residency program (52%). When given the option of three residency training schedules of varying lengths, 41% of male students and 60% of female students chose a 60-hour workweek, even when that meant extending the residency length by 33% and reducing their yearly salary to $39,000. There is considerable interest among medical students in access to part-time residency training options and reduced-hour residency programs. This level of interest indicates that offering flexible training options could be an effective recruitment tool for residency programs and could improve students' perception of their work-life balance during residency.

  14. A Novel Approach to Medical Student Peer-assisted Learning Through Case-based Simulations

    PubMed Central

    Jauregui, Joshua; Bright, Steven; Strote, Jared; Shandro, Jamie

    2018-01-01

    Introduction Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is the development of new knowledge and skills through active learning support from peers. Benefits of PAL include introduction of teaching skills for students, creation of a safe learning environment, and efficient use of faculty time. We present a novel approach to PAL in an emergency medicine (EM) clerkship curriculum using an inexpensive, tablet-based app for students to cooperatively present and perform low-fidelity, case-based simulations that promotes accountability for student learning, fosters teaching skills, and economizes faculty presence. Methods We developed five clinical cases in the style of EM oral boards. Fourth-year medical students were each assigned a unique case one week in advance. Students also received an instructional document and a video example detailing how to lead a case. During the 90-minute session, students were placed in small groups of 3–5 students and rotated between facilitating their assigned cases and participating as a team for the cases presented by their fellow students. Cases were supplemented with a half-mannequin that can be intubated, airway supplies, and a tablet-based app (SimMon, $22.99) to remotely display and update vital signs. One faculty member rotated among groups to provide additional assistance and clarification. Three EM faculty members iteratively developed a survey, based on the literature and pilot tested it with fourth-year medical students, to evaluate the course. Results 135 medical students completed the course and course evaluation survey. Learner satisfaction was high with an overall score of 4.6 on a 5-point Likert scale. In written comments, students reported that small groups with minimal faculty involvement provided a safe learning environment and a unique opportunity to lead a group of peers. They felt that PAL was more effective than traditional simulations for learning. Faculty reported that students remained engaged and required minimal oversight

  15. A Novel Approach to Medical Student Peer-assisted Learning Through Case-based Simulations.

    PubMed

    Jauregui, Joshua; Bright, Steven; Strote, Jared; Shandro, Jamie

    2018-01-01

    Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is the development of new knowledge and skills through active learning support from peers. Benefits of PAL include introduction of teaching skills for students, creation of a safe learning environment, and efficient use of faculty time. We present a novel approach to PAL in an emergency medicine (EM) clerkship curriculum using an inexpensive, tablet-based app for students to cooperatively present and perform low-fidelity, case-based simulations that promotes accountability for student learning, fosters teaching skills, and economizes faculty presence. We developed five clinical cases in the style of EM oral boards. Fourth-year medical students were each assigned a unique case one week in advance. Students also received an instructional document and a video example detailing how to lead a case. During the 90-minute session, students were placed in small groups of 3-5 students and rotated between facilitating their assigned cases and participating as a team for the cases presented by their fellow students. Cases were supplemented with a half-mannequin that can be intubated, airway supplies, and a tablet-based app (SimMon, $22.99) to remotely display and update vital signs. One faculty member rotated among groups to provide additional assistance and clarification. Three EM faculty members iteratively developed a survey, based on the literature and pilot tested it with fourth-year medical students, to evaluate the course. 135 medical students completed the course and course evaluation survey. Learner satisfaction was high with an overall score of 4.6 on a 5-point Likert scale. In written comments, students reported that small groups with minimal faculty involvement provided a safe learning environment and a unique opportunity to lead a group of peers. They felt that PAL was more effective than traditional simulations for learning. Faculty reported that students remained engaged and required minimal oversight. Unlike other simulations, our

  16. Medical students' views on thoracic surgery residency programs in a Japanese medical school.

    PubMed

    Morishita, Kiyofumi; Naraoka, Shu-ichi; Miyajima, Masahiro; Uzuka, Takeshi; Saito, Tatsuya; Abe, Tomio

    2003-09-01

    There has been a decline in the number of medical students applying for thoracic surgery training programs. We obtained knowledge of medical students' views on thoracic surgery residency programs. After completion of thoracic surgery clerkship, 17 students were asked to fill out questionnaires on first-year thoracic surgery residency programs. The majority of students considered thoracic surgery to be held in high regard by the general public, and felt that the salary was sufficient. However, only one student chose a thoracic surgery training program. The main reason for not applying for thoracic surgery residency was lifestyle issues. The factors in determining career choice included quality of education and work hours. Medical students are likely to select specialties other than thoracic surgery. Since the main factor influencing medical students' career is the quality of education in a residency program, efforts should be made to improve the quality of education.

  17. A simulated emergency department for medical students.

    PubMed

    Johnson, Patricia; Brazil, Victoria; Raymond-Dufresne, Éliane; Nielson, Tracy

    2017-08-01

    During their training, medical students often undertake a rotation in an emergency department (ED), where they are exposed to a wide variety of patient presentations. Simulation can be an effective teaching strategy to help prepare learners for the realities of the clinical environment. Simulating an ED shift can provide students with the opportunity to perform a range of clinical activities, within their scope of practice, in a supervised and supportive learning environment. Medical students often undertake a rotation in an emergency department CONTEXT: There is limited literature describing the structure, syllabus, feasibility and perceived usefulness of simulating a typical ED for medical student training. We developed a simulated ED (simED) teaching session for medical students at our university. Students were informed of the purpose and learning tasks of the session prior to attendance. At the start of their 2-hour simED shift students were allocated 'patients' by the Triage nurse. At the completion of their shift, students attended a debriefing discussion. Student feedback indicated that they felt that the simED: provided a good opportunity to practise skills and apply theory to practice; was realistic and challenging; highlighted the importance of teamwork; and enabled them to identify skills requiring further practise. Suggestions for improvements included a longer time spent in the simED and the opportunity to see more patients. The simED approach seemed to be well received and perceived by medical students as useful preparation for the ED. An overview of the structure, materials and resources used is provided to assist educators seeking to implement similar ED clinical scenarios in their curriculum. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

  18. Racial Differences in Mathematics Test Scores for Advanced Mathematics Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Minor, Elizabeth Covay

    2016-01-01

    Research on achievement gaps has found that achievement gaps are larger for students who take advanced mathematics courses compared to students who do not. Focusing on the advanced mathematics student achievement gap, this study found that African American advanced mathematics students have significantly lower test scores and are less likely to be…

  19. Analyzing Medical Students' Definitions of Sex

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Talley, Heather; Cho, Janice; Strassberg, Donald S.; Rullo, Jordan E.

    2016-01-01

    An inaccurate definition of what constitutes sex can negatively impact the sexual health and wellbeing of patients. This study aimed to determine which behaviors medical students consider to be sex. Survey questions about various sexual behaviors were administered to medical students. All participants agreed that penile-vaginal penetration is sex.…

  20. Teaching Medical Students about Treatment Compliance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blackwell, Barry; And Others

    1978-01-01

    To demonstrate poor patient compliance, medical students who preregistered for a conference on patient compliance were asked to adopt the role of "patient" and to take "medication" (Vitamin C) for one week, to observe certain dietary restrictions, and to complete an attitude and health beliefs questionnaire. Student attitudes resembled those of…

  1. Role of a medical student: patient perspectives.

    PubMed

    Evans, David; Owen, Stephanie; Green, John

    2017-08-01

    Medical students form an important part of the medical team; however, patients may not be fully aware of their role. Identifying students in the clinical setting is difficult because of their similar attire to other health care professionals. This parity may introduce unethical scenarios where patients may be speaking and consenting to individuals whom they do not recognise as students. A single-sided questionnaire was given to hospital in-patients during a 12-week period. Questions focused on the role of students. With their opinions, patients were given a list of clinical skills and asked whether or not they would allow a student to carry out these skills on themselves. The list included both required and non-required clinical skills by the General Medical Council (GMC). In total, 101 patients participated in the study: 34 males and 67 females. Age at admittance was 63.4 ± 18.0 years; 74.3 per cent of patients were able to identify a student, although 87.1 per cent believed that students should have a designated uniform. Patients were significantly more likely to allow a student to perform required skills on them, as opposed to non-required skills (p < 0.0001); however, previous contact with a medical student made no difference in the likelihood of consenting to a skill being performed. Identifying students in the clinical setting is difficult CONCLUSIONS: The apparent trade-off between patient safety and providing students with learning opportunities has been of long standing concern. Patients consider GMC-required skills as largely appropriate; however, patients feel that students should be more identifiable, and increasing the awareness of the role and capabilities of a student in patient care is important. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

  2. Medical students' use of Facebook for educational purposes.

    PubMed

    Ali, Anam

    2016-06-01

    Medical students use Facebook to interact with one another both socially and educationally. This study investigates how medical students in a UK medical school use Facebook to support their learning. In particular, it identifies the nature of their educational activities, and details their experiences of using an educational Facebook group. Twenty-four medical students who self-identified as being Facebook users were invited to focus groups to attain a general overview of Facebook use within an educational context. A textual analysis was then conducted on a small group of intercalating medical students who used a self-created Facebook group to supplement their learning. Five of these students participated in semi-structured interviews. Six common themes were generated. These included 'collaborative learning', 'strategic uses for the preparation for assessment', 'sharing experiences and providing support', 'creating and maintaining connections', 'personal planning and practical organization' and 'sharing and evaluating educational resources'. Evidence from this study shows that medical students are using Facebook informally to enhance their learning and undergraduate lives. Facebook has enabled students to create a supportive learning community amongst their peers. Medical educators wishing to capitalize on Facebook, as a platform for formal educational initiatives, should remain cautious of intruding on this peer online learning community.

  3. Irish Medical Students Understanding of the Intern Year.

    PubMed

    Gouda, P; Kitt, K; Evans, D S; Goggin, D; McGrath, D; Last, J; Hennessy, M; Arnett, R; O'Flynn, S; Dunne, F; O'Donovan, D

    2016-04-11

    Upon completion of medical school in Ireland, graduates must make the transition to becoming interns. The transition into the intern year may be described as challenging as graduates assume clinical responsibilities. Historically, a survey of interns in 1996 found that 91% felt unprepared for their role. However, recent surveys in 2012 have demonstrated that this is changing with preparedness rates reaching 52%. This can be partially explained by multiple initiatives at the local and national level. Our study aimed evaluate medical student understanding of the intern year and associated factors. An online, cross-sectional survey was sent out to all Irish medical students in 2013 and included questions regarding their understanding of the intern year. Two thousand, two hundred and forty-eight students responded, with 1,224 (55.4%) of students agreeing or strongly agreeing that they had a good understanding of what the intern year entails. This rose to 485 (73.7%) among senior medical students. Of junior medical students, 260 (42.8%) indicated they understood what the intern year, compared to 479 (48.7%) of intermediate medical students. Initiatives to continue improving preparedness for the intern year are essential in ensuring a smooth and less stressful transition into the medical workforce.

  4. Turkish Final Year Medical Students' Exposure to and Attitudes Concerning Drug Company Interactions: A Perspective from a Minimally Regulated Environment for Medical Students.

    PubMed

    Beyhun, Nazim Ercument; Kolayli, Cevriye Ceyda; Can, Gamze; Topbas, Murat

    2016-01-01

    Interactions between drug companies and medical students may affect evidence-based medical practice and patient safety. The aim of this study was to assess drug company-medical student interactions in a medical faculty where limited specific national or institutional regulations apply between drug companies and medical students. The objectives of the study were to determine the exposure and attitudes of final year medical students in terms of drug company-medical student and physician interactions, to identify factors affecting those attitudes and to provide data for policymakers working on the regulation of interactions between drug companies and medical students. This anonymous questionnaire-based study of 154 medical final year medical students at the Karadeniz Technical University Medical Faculty, Trabzon, Turkey, in April and May 2015 attracted a response rate of 92.2% (n/N, 154/164). Exposure to interaction with a pharmaceutical representative was reported by 90.3% (139/154) of students, and 68.8% (106/154) reported experiencing such interaction alongside a resident. In addition, 83.7% (128/153) of students reported an interaction during internship. Furthermore, 69.9% (107/153) of students agreed that interactions influence physicians' prescription preferences, while 33.1% (51/154) thought that a medical student should never accept a gift from a drug company and 24.7% (38/154) agreed with the proposition that "drug companies should not hold activities in medical faculties". Students with rational prescription training expressed greater agreement with the statement "I am skeptical concerning the information provided by drug companies during interactions" than those who had not received such training, and this finding was supported by logistic regression [O.R.(C.I), p -3.7(1.2-11.5), p = 0.022]. Acceptance of advertisement brochures was found to significantly reduce the level of agreement with the proposition that "A physician should not accept any gift from a

  5. Attitudes of Polish physicians and medical students toward breaking bad news, euthanasia and morphine administration in cancer patients.

    PubMed

    Leppert, Wojciech; Majkowicz, Mikolaj; Forycka, Maria

    2013-12-01

    Medical students and physicians should possess basic knowledge concerning medical ethics and palliative care. The aim of the study was to explore the knowledge on the end-of-life ethics and palliative care in third-year medical students and physicians during internal medicine specialty training and their attitude towards breaking bad news and euthanasia. A voluntary and anonymous questionnaire survey with the participation of 401 students and 217 physicians filled after lectures concerning ethics for medical students and after palliative medicine course for physicians during internal medicine specialty training. A total of 28 % students and 24 % physicians (p = 0.282) were ready to reveal full information to advanced cancer patients. A total of 82 % of students and 90 % of physicians (p = 0.008) would not practice euthanasia; 67 % of students and 75 % of physicians (p = 0.039) were opponents of euthanasia legalisation. A total of 70 % doctors and 23 % students indicated oral as the most preferable route of morphine administration. A total of 74 % physicians and 43 % students stated that there is no maximal dose of morphine; 64 % of doctors and 6 % of students indicated constipation as a constant adverse effect of morphine. Breaking bad news is a significant difficulty for both students and physicians. There is a small percentage of those tending to practice euthanasia and bigger accepting its legalisation with fewer physicians than students. In contrast to medical students, the majority of physicians have knowledge concerning chronic morphine use in the treatment of cancer patients.

  6. Professional identity in medical students: pedagogical challenges to medical education.

    PubMed

    Wilson, Ian; Cowin, Leanne S; Johnson, Maree; Young, Helen

    2013-01-01

    Professional identity, or how a doctor thinks of himself or herself as a doctor, is considered to be as critical to medical education as the acquisition of skills and knowledge relevant to patient care. This article examines contemporary literature on the development of professional identity within medicine. Relevant theories of identity construction are explored and their application to medical education and pedagogical approaches to enhancing students' professional identity are proposed. The influence of communities of practice, role models, and narrative reflection within curricula are examined. Medical education needs to be responsive to changes in professional identity being generated from factors within medical student experiences and within contemporary society.

  7. Procedural and interpretive skills of medical students: experiences and attitudes of third-year students.

    PubMed

    Wu, Edward H; Elnicki, D Michael; Alper, Eric J; Bost, James E; Corbett, Eugene C; Fagan, Mark J; Mechaber, Alex; Ogden, Paul E; Sebastian, James L; Torre, Dario M

    2006-10-01

    Recent data do not exist on medical students' performance of and attitudes toward procedural and interpretive skills deemed important by medical educators. A total of 171 medical students at seven medical schools were surveyed regarding frequency of performance, self-confidence, and perceived importance of 21 procedural and interpretive skills. Of the 122 responding students (71% response rate), a majority had never performed lumbar puncture, thoracentesis, paracentesis, or blood culture, and students reported lowest self-confidence in these skills. At least one-quarter of students had never performed phlebotomy, peripheral intravenous catheter insertion, or arterial blood sampling. Students perceived all 21 skills as important to learn and perform during medical school. Through the third year of medical school, a majority of students had never performed important procedures, and a substantial minority had not performed basic procedures. Students had low self-confidence in skills they rarely performed, but perceived all skills surveyed as important.

  8. Medical students' attitudes towards a career in psychiatry before and after viewing a promotional DVD.

    PubMed

    Robertson, Tasha; Walter, Garry; Soh, Nerissa; Hunt, Glenn; Cleary, Michelle; Malhi, Gin

    2009-08-01

    The objectives were, first, to determine attitudes towards psychiatry as a career among medical students currently enrolled at the University of Sydney and, second, to establish the immediate impact on those attitudes of a promotional DVD, released by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. Medical students enrolled in the University of Sydney in 2008 were invited to complete a voluntary online questionnaire, in which their attitudes towards psychiatry were explored, and the immediate effects of a 15-minute DVD were ascertained. A total of 123 students participated. Only one student identified psychiatry as their chosen career. Medical students viewed psychiatry as the least attractive specialty for the degree to which patients are helped effectively and in terms of having a reliable scientific foundation. However, it rated well in regard to being intellectually challenging, a rapidly advancing field of medicine, and providing research opportunities and a good lifestyle. Psychiatry is less respected than most other specialties by students and they perceive this discipline to be poorly respected by other medical students and current medical practitioners. After viewing the DVD, there were improved student ratings of the benefits of a career in psychiatry, especially in relation to the specialty being enjoyable, offering effective treatment and having a scientific foundation. There was also enhanced understanding of the role of a psychiatrist in just over half of the participants and increased interest in psychiatry in about 30% of participants. The DVD was most effective in increasing awareness of the diversity of subspecialties available within psychiatry, good lifestyle factors, and the training involved. Among medical students, psychiatry is perceived as unattractive and fails to command the respect afforded other specialties. The viewing of a promotional DVD by medical students was found to be effective in improving their attitudes towards

  9. [Current states and future aspects of graduate schools for adult graduate students: experiences of the master's course as a medical technologist].

    PubMed

    Obara, Takehiro; Suwabe, Akira

    2012-12-01

    The educational system for medical technologists (MTs) has gradually shifted from a three-year technical school system to a four-year university system. It is worthwhile for MTs to advance to a graduate school, in order to improve their routine-work skills, performances, and also to advance their own research as well as to learn how to direct younger MTs. Recently, MTs who advance to the graduate school as adult graduate students are increasing. In this article, the current states and future aspects of the graduate school of Iwate Medical University are reported. In our Department of Central Clinical Laboratory in Iwate Medical University Hospital, three of my colleagues have completed the master's course of the graduate school as adult graduate students, and three are currently attending the school. Nevertheless, none of them has advanced to the doctor's course yet. The primary reason why they do not advance is the heavy burden on any adult graduate students physically, mentally, and financially to study in the graduate school and carry out routine duties at the same time. Thus, in order to encourage MTs to go or to graduate school education, it is important to arrange systems which will enable MTs to advance to the graduate school as adult graduate students. I believe there are three key elements to make this possible. Firstly, prepare easier access to curriculums for MTs to study special fields and learn special skills. Secondly, arrange an increase in the salary scheme depending on the degree attained from the graduate school. Thirdly, provide financial support for graduate school expenses. In conclusion, it is expected that a large number of MTs will advance to the graduate school if these changes for a better educational environment are made.

  10. Supporting medical students with learning disabilities in Asian medical schools

    PubMed Central

    Majumder, Md. Anwarul Azim; Rahman, Sayeeda; D’Souza, Urban JA; Elbeheri, Gad; Abdulrahman, Khalid Bin; Huq, M Muzaherul

    2010-01-01

    Learning disabilities (LDs) represent the largest group of disabilities in higher education (HE) institutes, including medical schools, and the numbers are continuing to rise. The worrying concern is that two-thirds to half of these students with LDs remain undiagnosed when they start their undergraduate education and may even graduate without having their disabilities diagnosed. These students struggle with their academic abilities, receive poor grades and, as a result, develop lower perceptions of their intellectual abilities than do those students without LDs. All these ultimately hamper their professional practice, employment, and career progression. Appropriate and adequate educational policies, provisions, and practices help students to progress satisfactorily. In Asian countries, public and professional awareness about LDs is low, supportive provisions are limited, legislations are inadequate, data are scarce, and equal-opportunity/widening-participation policies are not implemented effectively in the HE sector. This article discusses the issues related to LDs in medical education and draws policy, provision, and practice implications to identify, assess, and support students with LDs in medical schools, particularly in an Asian context. PMID:23745060

  11. A history of medical student debt: observations and implications for the future of medical education.

    PubMed

    Greysen, S Ryan; Chen, Candice; Mullan, Fitzhugh

    2011-07-01

    Over the last 50 years, medical student debt has become a problem of national importance, and obtaining medical education in the United States has become a loan-dependent, individual investment. Although this phenomenon must be understood in the general context of U.S. higher education as well as economic and social trends in late-20th-century America, the historical problem of medical student debt requires specific attention for several reasons. First, current mechanisms for students' educational financing may not withstand debt levels above a certain ceiling which is rapidly approaching. Second, there are no standards for costs of medical school attendance, and these can vary dramatically between different schools even within a single city. Third, there is no consensus on the true cost of educating a medical student, which limits accountability to students and society for these costs. Fourth, policy efforts to improve physician workforce diversity and mitigate shortages in the primary care workforce are inhibited by rising levels of medical student indebtedness. Fortunately, the current effort to expand the U.S. physician workforce presents a unique opportunity to confront the unsustainable growth of medical student debt and explore new approaches to the financing of medical students' education.

  12. Refractive errors in medical students in Singapore.

    PubMed

    Woo, W W; Lim, K A; Yang, H; Lim, X Y; Liew, F; Lee, Y S; Saw, S M

    2004-10-01

    Refractive errors are becoming more of a problem in many societies, with prevalence rates of myopia in many Asian urban countries reaching epidemic proportions. This study aims to determine the prevalence rates of various refractive errors in Singapore medical students. 157 second year medical students (aged 19-23 years) in Singapore were examined. Refractive error measurements were determined using a stand-alone autorefractor. Additional demographical data was obtained via questionnaires filled in by the students. The prevalence rate of myopia in Singapore medical students was 89.8 percent (Spherical equivalence (SE) at least -0.50 D). Hyperopia was present in 1.3 percent (SE more than +0.50 D) of the participants and the overall astigmatism prevalence rate was 82.2 percent (Cylinder at least 0.50 D). Prevalence rates of myopia and astigmatism in second year Singapore medical students are one of the highest in the world.

  13. Predictors of leadership styles of medical students: implications for medical education.

    PubMed

    Sriratanaban, J; Chiravisit, M; Viputsiri, O

    1999-09-01

    Providing effective health care services for a population involves a great deal of team-work among health care workers and leadership of physicians. The primary purpose of this study was to assess the leadership styles of medical students, and to explore factors that may be associated with them. Leadership questionnaires were used to assess leadership styles of 97 sixth-year medical students of the 1995 class at Chulalongkorn University attending the community medicine III program which was designed to introduce basic knowledge and skills in health care management. The baseline leadership styles of the students were more people-oriented than task-oriented. Multivariate analyses revealed that administrative experiences from extracurricular activities and perceived importance of a health administration course were significantly associated with leadership styles. Medical students should be encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities during their medical studies, taking leader positions, in order to develop an optimal leadership style to be effective health team leaders.

  14. Perceptions, experiences and expectations of Iraqi medical students.

    PubMed

    Lafta, Riyadh; Al-Ani, Waleed; Dhiaa, Saba; Cherewick, Megan; Hagopian, Amy; Burnham, Gilbert

    2018-03-27

    The environment for medical education in Iraq has been difficult for many years. The 2003 invasion of Iraq accelerated a steady emigration of faculty and graduates. Kidnappings and deaths of doctors became commonplace. To understand current career plans, expectations and perceptions of medical students, three Baghdad medical schools were surveyed. Written questionnaires were completed by 418 medical students variously in their 4th, 5th and 6th (final)years of training. We asked about perceptions of the quality of their medical education, the quality of health services in Iraq generally, and about deaths, injuries and migration of faculty, classmates and family. The average age of students was 22 years, with 59% women. Most students (90%) were originally from Baghdad. Although there were some positive responses, many students (59%) rated the overall quality of their medical education as fair or poor. Three-fourths of students believed the quality of hospital care in Iraq to be only fair or poor. A majority of students (57%) stated they were thinking frequently or all the time about leaving Iraq after graduation. Reasons given for leaving included the desire for further education, seeking a better lifestyle and fleeing conflict. Leading reasons for staying included the pull of friends and family, familiarity with the health system, and a sense of responsibility to the country. Nearly one in five (18%) students reported the death of a family member attributable to intentional violence, and 15% reported the violent death of a medical school classmate or faculty member since the 2003 invasion. Half the students reported at least one school faculty members had left Iraq because of the war. Medical students hold a mediocre view of the quality of their medical education and of Iraq's health system. Many of their faculty members have left the country. The majority of students may leave Iraq after graduation, afforded the opportunity. This poses a significant problem for

  15. [Learning strategies of autonomous medical students].

    PubMed

    Márquez U, Carolina; Fasce H, Eduardo; Ortega B, Javiera; Bustamante D, Carolina; Pérez V, Cristhian; Ibáñez G, Pilar; Ortiz M, Liliana; Espinoza P, Camila; Bastías V, Nancy

    2015-12-01

    Understanding how autonomous students are capable of regulating their own learning process is essential to develop self-directed teaching methods. To understand how self-directed medical students approach learning in medical schools at University of Concepción, Chile. A qualitative and descriptive study, performed according to Grounded Theory guidelines, following Strauss & Corbin was performed. Twenty medical students were selected by the maximum variation sampling method. The data collection technique was carried out by a semi-structured thematic interview. Students were interviewed by researchers after an informed consent procedure. Data were analyzed by the open coding method using Atlas-ti 7.5.2 software. Self-directed learners were characterized by being good planners and managing their time correctly. Students performed a diligent selection of contents to study based on reliable literature sources, theoretical relevance and type of evaluation. They also emphasized the discussion of clinical cases, where theoretical contents can be applied. This modality allows them to gain a global view of theoretical contents, to verbalize knowledge and to obtain a learning feedback. The learning process of autonomous students is intentional and planned.

  16. Headache among medical and psychology students.

    PubMed

    Ferri-de-Barros, João Eliezer; Alencar, Mauricio José de; Berchielli, Luis Felipe; Castelhano Junior, Luis Carlos

    2011-06-01

    Headaches occur frequently and thus are a key component of sociocentric medical education. To study headaches among students of medicine and psychology in a single university. This was a questionnaire-based survey of a cohort of students of medicine and psychology. The overall lifetime prevalence of headache was 98% and over the last year, 91%. Tensional headache accounted for 59% and migraine 22% in medicine; and 48.5% and 32% respectively in psychology. Forty-five percent reported that headaches had a variable sporadic impact on their productivity. The self-medication rate was 77%. Thirty-six percent reported worsening since admission to the university. The prevalence of headaches was very high. Tension-type headaches predominated in males and migraine in females. Tension-type was more frequent among medical students than among psychology students; migraine was more frequent in psychology (more females) than in medicine. Both kinds of students reported that headaches caused low interference with daily activities. The students reported that their symptoms had worsened since admission to the university.

  17. Technical Standards and Deaf and Hard of Hearing Medical School Applicants and Students: Interrogating Sensory Capacity and Practice Capacity.

    PubMed

    Argenyi, Michael

    2016-10-01

    Applicants to medical schools who are deaf and hard of hearing (DHoH) or who have other disabilities face significant barriers to medical school admission. One commonly cited barrier to admission is medical schools' technical standards (TS) for admission, advancement, and graduation. Ethical values of diversity and equity support altering the technical standards to be more inclusive of people with disabilities. Incorporating these values into admissions, advancement, and graduation considerations for DHoH and other students with disabilities can contribute to the physician workforce being more representative of the diverse patients it serves and better able to care for them. © 2016 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.

  18. The attractiveness of family medicine among Polish medical students.

    PubMed

    Gowin, Ewelina; Horst-Sikorska, Wanda; Michalak, Michał; Avonts, Dirk; Buczkowski, Krzysztof; Lukas, Witold; Korman, Tomasz; Litwiejko, Alicja; Chlabicz, Sławomir

    2014-06-01

    In many developed countries tuning supply and demand of medical doctors is a continuous challenge to meet the ever changing needs of community and individual patients. The long study period for medical doctors creates the opportunity to observe the current career preferences of medical students and evolution in time. To investigate the career choices of Polish students in different stages of their medical education. Medical students at five Polish medical universities were questioned about their career aspirations in the first, third and sixth year. A total of 2020 students were recruited for the survey. Among first year students 17% preferred family medicine as final career option, compared to 20% in the third year, and 30% in the sixth year (significant trend, P < 0.0001). In particular, female students prefer family medicine: 71% women versus 62% women in the group with a preference for a non-family medicine orientation (P = 0.008). Medical students rejecting a career as a family doctor stated that the impossibility to work in a hospital environment was the determining factor. The opportunity for professional development seems to be an important determining factor in the choice of a medical specialty in Poland. The proportion of Polish students choosing family medicine increases during their progress in medical education, with one third of students interested in a career in family medicine by year six.

  19. Survey of medical students' use of social media.

    PubMed

    Kang, James; Djafari Marbini, Hosnieh; Patel, Prabir; Fawcett, Nicola; Leaver, Laurence

    2015-12-01

    Medical students are not sufficiently knowledgeable about the dangers of online social media, and education about how to use it responsibly may be beneficial. We conducted an online questionnaire to assess whether or not medical students in years 2-6 of study at the University of Oxford would intuitively know what doctors should and should not do on social media. We also assessed whether the study intervention of sending out guidance about appropriate use of social media published by the UK General Medical Council (GMC) would improve students' knowledge of how to use social media correctly. We found that, although social media use was widespread among medical students, the majority were unaware of GMC guidance on this issue. Administration of GMC guidance significantly improved the proportion of GMC-correct responses in four of 16 questionnaire items. Medical students are not sufficiently knowledgeable about the dangers of online social media It is possible that educating medical students about the dangers of online social media, and how to use it appropriately, could be worthwhile. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Stereotype Threat? Male and Female Students in Advanced High School Courses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Corra, Mamadi

    Propositions of stereotype threat theory imply that the social consequences of academic distinction in advanced quantitative areas (such as math and the physical sciences) for women may promote the under representation of female students in advanced quantitative academic courses. The hypothesis that female students will be underrepresented in advanced quantitative (honors and advanced placement math and physical science) courses is tested using academic performance and enrollment data for high school students in a "Student/Parent Informed Choice" (open registration) school district in North Carolina. Results show female students to be overrepresented in both advanced verbal/writing intensive (honors and advanced placement English, foreign language, and social science) and advanced quantitative (honors and advanced placement math and physical science) courses compared to their proportion of the student body. More surprisingly, results also indicate female students (compared to male students) to be overrepresented in advanced courses compared to their proportion of high-performing students. Furthermore, as with patterns observed at the district level, additional analysis of enrollment data for the entire state reveals similar results. Taken together, the findings call into question the prevailing presumption that female students continue to be underrepresented in math and physical science courses. Instead, the changing social context within which females and males experience schooling may provide an explanation for the findings.

  1. Creativity in Medical Education: The Value of Having Medical Students Make Stuff.

    PubMed

    Green, Michael J; Myers, Kimberly; Watson, Katie; Czerwiec, M K; Shapiro, Dan; Draus, Stephanie

    2016-12-01

    What is the value of having medical students engage in creative production as part of their learning? Creating something new requires medical students to take risks and even to fail--something they tend to be neither accustomed to nor comfortable with doing. "Making stuff" can help students prepare for such failures in a controlled environment that doesn't threaten their professional identities. Furthermore, doing so can facilitate students becoming resilient and creative problem-solvers who strive to find new ways to address vexing questions. Though creating something new can be fun, this is not the main outcome of interest. Rather, the principle reason we recommend devoting precious curricular time to creative endeavors is because it helps medical students become better doctors.

  2. Perceived Medical School stress of undergraduate medical students predicts academic performance: an observational study.

    PubMed

    Kötter, Thomas; Wagner, Josefin; Brüheim, Linda; Voltmer, Edgar

    2017-12-16

    Medical students are exposed to high amounts of stress. Stress and poor academic performance can become part of a vicious circle. In order to counteract this circularity, it seems important to better understand the relationship between stress and performance during medical education. The most widespread stress questionnaire designed for use in Medical School is the "Perceived Medical School Stress Instrument" (PMSS). It addresses a wide range of stressors, including workload, competition, social isolation and financial worries. Our aim was to examine the relation between the perceived Medical School stress of undergraduate medical students and academic performance. We measured Medical School stress using the PMSS at two different time points (at the end of freshman year and at the end of sophomore year) and matched stress scores together with age and gender to the first medical examination (M1) grade of the students (n = 456). PMSS scores from 2 and 14 months before M1 proved to be significant predictors for medical students' M1 grade. Age and gender also predict academic performance, making older female students with high stress scores a potential risk group for entering the vicious circle of stress and poor academic performance. PMSS sum scores 2 and 14 months before the M1 exam seem to have an independent predictive validity for medical students' M1 grade. More research is needed to identify potential confounders.

  3. Adherence to antidepressant medications: a randomized controlled trial of medication reminding in college students.

    PubMed

    Hammonds, Tracy; Rickert, Krista; Goldstein, Carly; Gathright, Emily; Gilmore, Sarah; Derflinger, Bethany; Bennett, Brooke; Sterns, Anthony; Drew, Barbara L; Hughes, Joel W

    2015-01-01

    To determine if medication reminding via smartphone app increases adherence to antidepressant medications in college students. College students (N = 57) enrolled at a state-funded institution who had a current prescription for an antidepressant and regularly used a smartphone device. Participants were randomized to either a reminder group or a control group. Both groups were asked to complete a survey and undergo a manual pill count at the beginning of the study and 30 days later. There was a strong trend suggesting that the use of a medication reminder app was beneficial for adherence to antidepressant medication regimens. Factors influencing medication adherence in college students included health beliefs, use of illicit drugs, and type of professional care received. Use of a medication reminder may increase adherence to antidepressant medications in college students.

  4. Medical Training Experience and Expectations Regarding Future Medical Practice of Medical Students at the University of Cape Verde.

    PubMed

    Delgado, Antonio Pedro; Soares Martins, Antonieta; Ferrinho, Paulo

    2017-10-31

    Cape Verde is a small insular developing state. Its first experience of undergraduate medical education began in October 2015. The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze the professional expectations and profile of the first class of medical students at the University of Cape Verde. A piloted, standardized questionnaire, with closed and open-ended questions, was distributed to registered medical students attending classes on the day of the survey. All data were analyzed using SPSS. Students decided to study medicine in their mid-teens with relatives and friends having had significant influence over their decisions. Other major reasons for choosing medical training include "to take care of other people", "fascination for the subject matters of medicine" and "I have always wanted to". The degree of feminization of the student population is extremely high (20/25; 80.0%). Medical students are in general satisfied with the training program, and have expectations that the training received will allow them to be good professionals. Nevertheless, they consider the course too theoretical. Medical students know that this represents an opportunity for them to contribute to public welfare. Nonetheless, their expectations are to combine public sector practice with private work. Medical students come mostly from Santiago Island where the Capital of the Country is located. They still do not know about their future area of specialization. But all of those who want to specialize want to do so abroad. They mostly expect to follow hospital careers rather than health administration or family and community medicine. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge about medical students' difficulties and expectations regarding medical schools or curriculums in lusophone countries. The decision to invest in the training of local physicians is justified by the need to be less dependent on foreigners. Local postgraduate medical training programs are already

  5. Vocabulary Learning Strategies of Medical Students at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seddigh, Fatemeh

    2012-01-01

    This study aimed to investigate the use of vocabulary learning strategies among medical students at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS) in Iran as an EFL context. A questionnaire was administered to 120 medical students (53 males, 67 females) to identify; 1) the effective types of vocabulary learning strategies used by the learners and 2)…

  6. Medical student abuse: perceptions and experience.

    PubMed

    Bourgeois, J A; Kay, J; Rudisill, J R; Bienenfeld, D; Gillig, P; Klykylo, W M; Markert, R J

    1993-07-01

    A questionnaire containing 18 vignettes of common clinical educational situations with potentially abusive treatment of medical students and a 10-item attitude assessment about abusive behaviour were administered to the first- and fourth-year medical students at a mid-west US university medical school. The first- and fourth-year groups did not differ significantly on perceived abusiveness of most of the vignettes, although several of the individual vignettes were perceived significantly differently by the two groups. As hypothesized, the fourth-year students had experienced such situations more frequently. Attitudes towards abusive behaviour did not differ between the two groups. The authors contrast teaching interactions perceived as educationally useful and not abusive with those seen as abusive and not useful and offer explanations for the differences observed. Finally, the possible implications of the results for medical education are discussed.

  7. Medical students' perceptions of emerging learning communities at one medical school.

    PubMed

    Rosenbaum, Marcy E; Schwabbauer, Marian; Kreiter, Clarence; Ferguson, Kristi J

    2007-05-01

    In 1999, the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine (UICCOM) established a student management model consisting of four student-style learning communities (LCs), each comprising one quarter of the students from each class, with the goal of fostering student connection, excellence, learning, leadership, and service. The authors present results of a prospective evaluation of medical students' perceptions of emerging LCs and their impact on medical student life at UICCOM. A two-page questionnaire, administered in 1999 and again in 2003 to all second-through fourth-year and MD/PhD students, assessed connections among students from different years of study, students' participation in activities, anticipated/perceived benefits of LCs, concerns about LCs, and the impact of LCs on students' perceptions of the learning environment. Questions were open ended or Likert scaled; statistical analyses were descriptive, parametric, and nonparametric. Comparison of results between 1999 and 2003 demonstrated increased connections between students and participation in LC activities, positive perceptions of the overall learning environment, increased access to faculty and staff, and increased involvement in leadership and service activities. Student concerns included continued obstacles to involvement in LCs for third- and fourth-year students. This prospective evaluation demonstrates that LCs can contribute to more positive perceptions of the learning environment and increased interaction between students throughout medical school. LCs seem to increase student leadership development and engagement in the broader community. Further investigation is needed to determine how these potential benefits of LCs can be maximized and made more accessible to all students.

  8. Psychometric properties of the Medical Student Well-Being Index among medical students in a Malaysian medical school.

    PubMed

    Yusoff, Muhamad Saiful Bahri; Yaacob, Mohd Jamil; Naing, Nyi Nyi; Esa, Ab Rahman

    2013-02-01

    This study evaluated the convergent, discriminant, construct, concurrent and discriminative validity of the Medical Student Wellbeing Index (MSWBI) as well as to evaluate its internal consistency and optimal cut-off total scores to detect at least moderate levels of general psychological distress, stress, anxiety and depression symptoms. A cross sectional study was done on 171 medical students. The MSWBI and DASS-21 were administered and returned immediately upon completion. Confirmatory factor analysis, reliability analysis, ROC analysis and Pearson correlation test were applied to assess psychometric properties of the MSWBI. A total of 168 (98.2%) medical students responded. The goodness of fit indices showed the MSWBI had a good construct (χ(2)=6.14, p=0.803, RMSEA<0.001, RMR=0.004, GFI=0.99, AGFI=0.97, CFI=1.00, IFI=1.02, TLI=1.04). The Cronbach's alpha value was 0.69 indicating an acceptable level of internal consistency. Pearson correlation coefficients and ROC analysis suggested each MSWBI's item showed adequate convergent and discriminant validity. Its optimal cut-off scores to detect at least moderate levels of general psychological distress, stress, anxiety, and depression were 1.5, 2.5, 1.5 and 2.5 respectively with sensitivity and specificity ranged from 62 to 80% and the areas under ROC curve ranged from 0.71 to 0.83. This study showed that the MSWBI had good level of psychometric properties. The MSWBI score more than 2 can be considered as having significant psychological distress. The MSWBI is a valid and reliable screening instrument to assess psychological distress of medical students. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Burnout in medical students: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Ishak, Waguih; Nikravesh, Rose; Lederer, Sara; Perry, Robert; Ogunyemi, Dotun; Bernstein, Carol

    2013-08-01

    Burnout is a state of mental and physical exhaustion related to work or care-giving activities. Distress during medical school can lead to burnout, with significant consequences, particularly if burnout continues into residency and beyond. The authors reviewed literature pertaining to medical student burnout, its prevalence, and its relationship to personal, environmental, demographic and psychiatric factors. We ultimately offer some suggestions to address and potentially ameliorate the current dilemma posed by burnout during medical education. A literature review was conducted using a PubMed/Medline, and PsycInfo search from 1974 to 2011 using the keywords: 'burnout', 'stress', 'well-being', 'self-care', 'psychiatry' and 'medical students'. Three authors agreed independently on the studies to be included in this review. The literature reveals that burnout is prevalent during medical school, with major US multi-institutional studies estimating that at least half of all medical students may be affected by burnout during their medical education. Studies show that burnout may persist beyond medical school, and is, at times, associated with psychiatric disorders and suicidal ideation. A variety of personal and professional characteristics correlate well with burnout. Potential interventions include school-based and individual-based activities to increase overall student well-being. Burnout is a prominent force challenging medical students' well-being, with concerning implications for the continuation of burnout into residency and beyond. To address this highly prevalent condition, educators must first develop greater awareness and understanding of burnout, as well as of the factors that lead to its development. Interventions focusing on generating wellness during medical training are highly recommended. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Are medical students satisfied with rural community posting? A survey among final year students in medical schools of south-east Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Ossai, Edmund N; Azuogu, Benedict N; Uwakwe, Kenechi A; Anyanwagu, Uchenna C; Ibiok, Ntat C; Ekeke, Ngozi

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the study was to determine whether final year medical students in medical schools of south-east Nigeria were satisfied with rural community posting. A cross-sectional descriptive study design was used. All final year medical students in the six medical schools in south-east Nigeria who had completed their rural community posting and were willing to participate were included in the study. The students were interviewed using a pretested, self-administered questionnaire. A total of 457 medical students participated in the study, representing a response rate of 86.7%. Only a minor proportion of the students (22.5%) were satisfied with rural community posting. The most common reason for dissatisfaction among the students was lack of interest in rural communities. Most students (68.7%) were of the opinion that a good rural community posting could influence the students to practise in a rural area after graduation. Factors associated with satisfaction with rural community posting included being a student in a federal institution (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=0.6, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.4-0.9), being a male student (AOR=2.4, 95%CI=1.5-3.9) and intention to specialize in community medicine after graduation (AOR=2.7, 95%CI=1.2-6.0). Most students were dissatisfied with rural community postings and the major reason for dissatisfaction was lack of interest in rural communities. A properly organized rural community posting is capable of changing the negative attitude of the students towards life and medical practice in the rural area. Adequate orientation of the students on the relevance of the posting, good community exposure and enhanced student lecturer interactions during the posting period could ensure satisfaction of the students. There should be a targeted evaluation of the rural community posting at the various medical schools in the country with the aim of strengthening and modifying the posting where necessary so as to ensure its purpose is realized.

  11. Biomedical research competencies for osteopathic medical students

    PubMed Central

    Cruser, des Anges; Dubin, Bruce; Brown, Sarah K; Bakken, Lori L; Licciardone, John C; Podawiltz, Alan L; Bulik, Robert J

    2009-01-01

    Background Without systematic exposure to biomedical research concepts or applications, osteopathic medical students may be generally under-prepared to efficiently consume and effectively apply research and evidence-based medicine information in patient care. The academic literature suggests that although medical residents are increasingly expected to conduct research in their post graduate training specialties, they generally have limited understanding of research concepts. With grant support from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, and a grant from the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation, the University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC) is incorporating research education in the osteopathic medical school curriculum. The first phase of this research education project involved a baseline assessment of students' understanding of targeted research concepts. This paper reports the results of that assessment and discusses implications for research education during medical school. Methods Using a novel set of research competencies supported by the literature as needed for understanding research information, we created a questionnaire to measure students' confidence and understanding of selected research concepts. Three matriculating medical school classes completed the on-line questionnaire. Data were analyzed for differences between groups using analysis of variance and t-tests. Correlation coefficients were computed for the confidence and applied understanding measures. We performed a principle component factor analysis of the confidence items, and used multiple regression analyses to explore how confidence might be related to the applied understanding. Results Of 496 total incoming, first, and second year medical students, 354 (71.4%) completed the questionnaire. Incoming students expressed significantly more confidence than first or second year students (F = 7.198, df = 2, 351, P = 0.001) in their ability to understand the

  12. Mental illness stigma among medical students and teachers.

    PubMed

    Janoušková, Miroslava; Weissová, Aneta; Formánek, Tomáš; Pasz, Jiří; Bankovská Motlová, Lucie

    2017-12-01

    Medical school curriculum contributes to future doctors' attitude formation towards people with mental illness. The purpose of this study was to compare stigmatizing attitudes between medical students and faculty, analyse stigmatizing attitudes among students from different years of study and identify factors predicting stigma. A cross-sectional study with the use of scales measuring attitudes and social distance was designed. Online questionnaires were distributed to all students and teachers at a medical faculty in the Czech Republic. The response rate was 32.1% ( n = 308) among students and 26.7% ( n = 149) among teachers. Teachers had a greater prevalence of stigmatizing attitudes than students. Increased tolerant attitudes in students were detected after the fourth year, that is, following introduction to psychiatry. Preferred specialization in psychiatry and attending two psychiatry courses predicted more tolerant attitudes. Among both students and teachers, men possessed more stigmatizing attitudes towards people with mental illness. Age was an important predictor of stigmatizing attitudes among teachers. Educators should pay closer attention to the role of medical psychology and communication training implementation, which may be beneficial to improving skills and increasing medical students' self-esteem and feeling of competence throughout their psychiatry rotation.

  13. Teaching communications skills to medical students: Introducing the fine art of medical practice.

    PubMed

    Choudhary, Anjali; Gupta, Vineeta

    2015-08-01

    Like many other people based professions, communications skills are essential to medical practice also. Traditional medical teaching in India does not address communication skills which are most essential in dealing with patients. Communication skills can be taught to medical students to increase clinical competence. To teach basic communication and counseling skills to fourth-year undergraduate students to increase their clinical competence. A total of 48, fourth-year MBBS students participated in the study. They were given training in basic communication and counseling skills and taught the patient interview technique according to Calgary-Cambridge guide format. Improvement in communication was assessed by change in pre- and post-training multiple choice questions, clinical patient examination, and Standardized Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (SPSQ) scores. About 88% of the students in the sample were convinced of the importance of learning communication skills for effective practice. Almost 90% students were communicating better after training, as tested by improved SPSQ. As judged by Communication Skill Attitude Scale, student's positive attitude toward learning communication skill indicated that there is a necessity of communication skill training during undergraduate years. The ability to communicate effectively is a core competency for medical practitioners. Inculcating habits of good communications skill during formative years will help the medical students and future practitioners. Regular courses on effective communication should be included in the medical school curriculum.

  14. Assessment of Research Interests of First-Year Osteopathic Medical Students.

    PubMed

    Carter, John; McClellan, Nicholas; McFaul, Derek; Massey, Blaine; Guenther, Elisabeth; Kisby, Glen

    2016-07-01

    According to a 2014 survey, 59% of students entering allopathic medical school reported previous research experience. However, limited data exist on the amount of research experience that students have before entering osteopathic medical school. A strong understanding of the research skills and level of interest of first-year osteopathic medical students is essential for developing research programs at osteopathic medical schools. Limited data exist on the amount of research experience that students have before starting osteopathic medical school. A strong understanding of the research skills and level of interest of first-year medical students is essential for developing research programs at osteopathic medical schools. To determine the amount of previous research experience of first-year osteopathic medical students, their level of interest in participating in research during medical school, the factors influencing their interest in research, and their research fields of interest. First-year osteopathic medical students (class of 2019) at the Western University of Health Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific in Pomona, California (WesternU/COMP), and Pacific-Northwest in Lebanon, Oregon (WesternU/COMP-Northwest), campuses were surveyed about their previous research experiences and whether they were interested in participating in research during medical school. Surveys were administered through an anonymous online portal. Responses were evaluated for evidence of interest in conducting research. Of the 346 osteopathic medical students invited to participate in the study, the response rate was 77% (N=266). A total of 167 from WesternU/COMP and 99 from the WesternU/COMP-Northwest responded. More than 215 students (81%) reported they had participated in research before entering medical school. In addition, 200 students (75%) either expressed a strong interest in participating in research during medical school or were currently conducting research

  15. [Development of a New Scholastic Program for Medication Counseling Practice in Preclinical Training, Constructed for Junior Students by Senior Students Based on Their Experiences of On-site Practice].

    PubMed

    Suzuki, Sayo; Aono, Izumi; Imai, Natsumi; Kuwabara, Aki; Kenda, Yuki; Matsumoto, Minako; Yoshida, Aya; Watanabe, Asuka; Takagi, Akinori; Kobayashi, Noriko; Saeki, Haruko; Ohtani, Hisakazu; Nakamura, Tomonori; Kizu, Junko

    2017-01-01

     Long-term practical on-site training, based on the Model Core Curriculum for Pharmaceutical Education, is a core program of the 6-year course of pharmaceutical education, introduced in Japan in 2010. In particular, medication counseling in practical training in 5th-year provides valuable opportunities for communication with real patients rather than simulated patients (SPs). However, it can also cause anxiety in 4th-year students before practical training. To address such concerns, upperclassmen (5th- and 6th-year students), who have already completed practical training, constructed and conducted a new educational program for medication counseling practice in preclinical training based on their experiences. They also developed case scenarios and played the role of patients themselves to create more realistic clinical settings. Advice from professional SPs was also provided. The 5-step program is composed of 1st counseling, 1st small group discussion (SGD) for improving counseling, 2nd revised counseling based on the 1st SGD, 2nd SGD, and development of a counseling plan and presentation. Educational effects of the program were evaluated by questionnaire survey after preclinical training in 4th-year students and after their practical training in 5th-year students. This new program, the Advanced Medication Counseling Practice, was found to be useful to reduce anxiety about communication with patients among 4th-year students (about 90%). Even after their practical training in 5th-year, they still appreciated usefulness of this program (about 80%). This program is still valued 4 years after its development. We developed the Advanced Medication Counseling Practice in preclinical training for junior students by senior students.

  16. Medical professionalism on television: student perceptions and pedagogical implications.

    PubMed

    Weaver, Roslyn; Wilson, Ian; Langendyk, Vicki

    2014-11-01

    Previous research has pointed to the role television can play in informing health practices and beliefs. Within the academic setting in particular, some educators have raised concerns about the influence of medical dramas on students. Less research, however, draws on the perspectives of students, and this study therefore explores medical students' perceptions of medical practice and professionalism in popular medical television programmes. Qualitative data from surveys of Australian undergraduate medical students showed that students perceived professionalism in dichotomous ways, with three main themes: cure-care, where a doctor's skill is either technical or interpersonal; work-leisure, where a doctor is either dedicated to work or personal life; and clinical-administration, where work is either direct patient care or administration. There continue to be imagined divisions between curing and caring for students, who express concerns about balancing work and leisure, and expectations that doctors should have little administrative work. Given students were able to identify these important contemporary issues around professionalism on television, there is pedagogical value in using popular images of the medical world in medical education. © The Author(s) 2014.

  17. Computer laboratory in medical education for medical students.

    PubMed

    Hercigonja-Szekeres, Mira; Marinović, Darko; Kern, Josipa

    2009-01-01

    Five generations of second year students at the Zagreb University School of Medicine were interviewed through an anonymous questionnaire on their use of personal computers, Internet, computer laboratories and computer-assisted education in general. Results show an advance in students' usage of information and communication technology during the period from 1998/99 to 2002/03. However, their positive opinion about computer laboratory depends on installed capacities: the better the computer laboratory technology, the better the students' acceptance and use of it.

  18. Racial Identity and Mental Well-Being: The Experience of African American Medical Students, A Report from the Medical Student CHANGE Study.

    PubMed

    Hardeman, Rachel R; Perry, Sylvia P; Phelan, Sean M; Przedworski, Julia M; Burgess, Diana J; van Ryn, Michelle

    2016-06-01

    Diversification of the physician workforce continues to be a national priority; however, a paucity of knowledge about the medical school experience for African American medical students limits our ability to achieve this goal. Previous studies document that African American medical students are at greater risk for depression and anxiety. This study moves beyond these findings to explore the role of racial identity (the extent to which a person normatively defines her/himself with regard to race) and its relationship to well-being for African American medical students in their first year of training. This study used baseline data from the Medical Student Cognitive Habits and Growth Evaluation (CHANGE) Study; a large national longitudinal cohort study of 4732 medical students at 49 medical schools in the US racial identity for African American students (n = 301) was assessed using the centrality sub-scale of the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity. Generalized linear regression models with a Poisson regression family distribution were used to estimate the relative risks of depression, anxiety, and perceived stress. First year African American medical students who had lower levels of racial identity were less likely to experience depressive and anxiety symptoms in their first year of medical school. After controlling for other important social predictors of poor mental health (gender and SES), this finding remained significant. Results increase knowledge about the role of race as a core part of an individual's self-concept. These findings provide new insight into the relationship between racial identity and psychological distress, particularly with respect to a group of high-achieving young adults.

  19. Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Self-Medication Among Basic Science Undergraduate Medical Students in a Medical School in Western Nepal.

    PubMed

    Gyawali, Sudesh; Shankar, P Ravi; Poudel, Phanindra Prasad; Saha, Archana

    2015-12-01

    Studies have shown self-medication to be common among medical students. These studies are however, few in Nepal. The present study assessed knowledge, attitude, and practice of self-medication among second and fourth semesters' undergraduate medical students and studied differences in knowledge and attitude (if any) among different subgroups of the respondents. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a questionnaire among basic science medical students of Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Nepal. Semester of study, gender, age, nationality, and the profession of their parents were noted. Students' knowledge and attitude about self-medication was studied by noting their degree of agreement with a set of 40 statements using a Likert-type scale. The average scores and frequency of occurrence of particular behaviors among different categories of respondents were compared using appropriate statistical tests. Two hundred and seventy-six of the 295 (93.6%) students participated. The mean (SD) knowledge, attitude, and total scores were 74.54 (6.92), 67.18 (5.68), and 141.73 (10.76) with maximum possible scores 100, 100 and 200, respectively. There was no significant difference in scores according to respondents' gender, age, and the profession of their parents. However, the mean knowledge, attitude and total scores were significantly different among students of different nationalities. Mean scores of fourth semester students were significantly higher compared to second semester students. There were differences in knowledge and total scores among students of different nationalities. Eighty two percent of respondents had self-medicated during the one year period preceding the study; 149 respondents (54%) shared that previous experience with the medicine was one of the information sources for self-medication. Prevalence of self-medication among respondents according to semester of study, gender, age, and profession of the parents was not significantly different. The

  20. Andragogy and medical education: are medical students internally motivated to learn?

    PubMed

    Misch, Donald A

    2002-01-01

    Andragogy - the study of adult education - has been endorsed by many medical educators throughout North America. There remains, however, considerable controversy as to the validity and utility of adult education principles as espoused by the field's founder, Malcolm Knowles. Whatever the utility of andragogic doctrine in general education settings, there is reason to doubt its wholesale applicability to the training of medical professionals. Malcolm Knowles' last tenet of andragogy holds that adult learners are more motivated by internal than by external factors. The validity of this hypothesis in medical education is examined, and it is demonstrated that medical students' internal and external motivation are context-dependent, not easily distinguishable, and interrelate with one another in complex ways. Furthermore, the psychological motivation for medical student learning is determined by a variety of factors that range from internal to external, unconscious to conscious, and individual to societal. The andragogic hypothesis of increased internal motivation to learn on the part of adults in general, and medical trainees in particular, is rejected as simplistic, misleading, and counterproductive to developing a greater understanding of the forces that drive medical students to learn.

  1. Child psychiatry: what are we teaching medical students?

    PubMed

    Dingle, Arden D

    2010-01-01

    The author describes child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP) undergraduate teaching in American and Canadian medical schools. A survey asking for information on CAP teaching, student interest in CAP, and opinions about the CAP importance was sent to the medical student psychiatry director at 142 accredited medical schools in the United States and Canada. The results were summarized and various factors considered relevant to CAP student interest were analyzed statistically. Approximately 81% of the schools returned surveys. Most teach required CAP didactics in the preclinical and clinical years. Almost 63% of the schools have CAP clinical rotations; most are not required. Twenty-three percent of all medical students have a clinical CAP experience during their psychiatry clerkship. The majority of schools have CAP electives, and approximately 4.8% of students participate. Child and adolescent psychiatry leadership, early exposure to CAP, and CAP clinical experiences were related to student CAP interest, but these relationships were not statistically significant. The time allotted to teaching CAP in the undergraduate medical curriculum is minimal, consistent with previous survey results. Most schools require didactic instruction averaging about 12 hours and offer elective clinical opportunities. The survey findings should help direct future planning to improve CAP medical student education.

  2. Medical students' attitudes towards early clinical exposure in Iran.

    PubMed

    Khabaz Mafinejad, Mahboobeh; Mirzazadeh, Azim; Peiman, Soheil; Khajavirad, Nasim; Mirabdolhagh Hazaveh, Mojgan; Edalatifard, Maryam; Allameh, Seyed-Farshad; Naderi, Neda; Foroumandi, Morteza; Afshari, Ali; Asghari, Fariba

    2016-06-19

    This study was carried out to investigate the medical students' attitudes towards early clinical exposure at Tehran University of Medical Sciences. A cross-sectional study was conducted during 2012-2015. A convenience sample of 298 first- and second-year students, enrolled in the undergraduate medical curriculum, participated in an early clinical exposure program. To collect data from medical students, a questionnaire consisting of open-ended questions and structured questions, rated on a five-point Likert scale, was used to investigate students' attitudes toward early clinical exposure. Of the 298 medical students, 216 (72%) completed the questionnaires. The results demonstrated that medical students had a positive attitude toward early clinical exposure. Most students (80.1%) stated that early clinical exposure could familiarize them with the role of basic sciences knowledge in medicine and how to apply this knowledge in clinical settings. Moreover, 84.5% of them believed that early clinical exposure increased their interest in medicine and encouraged them to read more. Furthermore, content analysis of the students' responses uncovered three main themes of early clinical exposure, were considered helpful to improve learning: "integration of theory and practice", "interaction with others and professional development" and "desire and motivation for learning medicine". Medical students found their first experience with clinical setting valuable. Providing clinical exposure in the initial years of medical curricula and teaching the application of basic sciences knowledge in clinical practice can enhance students' understanding of the role they will play in the future as a physician.

  3. Implicit and explicit weight bias in a national sample of 4,732 medical students: the medical student CHANGES study.

    PubMed

    Phelan, Sean M; Dovidio, John F; Puhl, Rebecca M; Burgess, Diana J; Nelson, David B; Yeazel, Mark W; Hardeman, Rachel; Perry, Sylvia; van Ryn, Michelle

    2014-04-01

    To examine the magnitude of explicit and implicit weight biases compared to biases against other groups; and identify student factors predicting bias in a large national sample of medical students. A web-based survey was completed by 4,732 1st year medical students from 49 medical schools as part of a longitudinal study of medical education. The survey included a validated measure of implicit weight bias, the implicit association test, and 2 measures of explicit bias: a feeling thermometer and the anti-fat attitudes test. A majority of students exhibited implicit (74%) and explicit (67%) weight bias. Implicit weight bias scores were comparable to reported bias against racial minorities. Explicit attitudes were more negative toward obese people than toward racial minorities, gays, lesbians, and poor people. In multivariate regression models, implicit and explicit weight bias was predicted by lower BMI, male sex, and non-Black race. Either implicit or explicit bias was also predicted by age, SES, country of birth, and specialty choice. Implicit and explicit weight bias is common among 1st year medical students, and varies across student factors. Future research should assess implications of biases and test interventions to reduce their impact. Copyright © 2013 The Obesity Society.

  4. Factors potentially influencing academic performance among medical students.

    PubMed

    Al Shawwa, Lana; Abulaban, Ahmad A; Abulaban, Abdulrhman A; Merdad, Anas; Baghlaf, Sara; Algethami, Ahmed; Abu-Shanab, Joullanar; Balkhoyor, Abdulrahman

    2015-01-01

    Studies are needed to examine predictors of success in medical school. The aim of this work is to explore factors that potentially influence excellence of medical students. The study was conducted in the Medical Faculty of King Abdulaziz University during October 2012. A self-administered questionnaire was used. Medical students with a grade point average (GPA) ≥4.5 (out of 5) were included and compared to randomly selected medical students with a GPA <4.5, who were available at the time of the study. A total of 359 undergraduate students participated in the study. 50.4% of the sample was students with a GPA ≥4.5. No statistically significant difference regarding the time spent on outings and social events was found. However, 60.7% of high GPA students spend less than 2 hours on social networking per day as compared to 42.6% of the lower GPA students (P<0.01). In addition, 79% of high GPA students prefer to study alone (P=0.02), 68.0% required silence and no interruptions during studying time (P=0.013), and 47% revise their material at least once before an exam (P=0.02). Excellent medical students have many different characteristics. For example, they do not use social networking for prolonged periods of time, and they have strong motivation and study enjoyment. Further studies are needed to examine whether these differences have a real impact on GPA or not.

  5. Exposure of medical students to body fluids.

    PubMed

    Ganguly, R; Holt, D A; Sinnott, J T

    1999-03-01

    Three hundred forty-two students at 3 Florida medical schools were surveyed concerning occupational exposures to blood and body fluids during their 3rd-year clerkship. The 16-item questionnaire was anonymously returned by 150 students, and differences among groups were assessed at p < .05. Most of the students complied with universal precautions guidelines (UVPG); 62 reported 101 exposures, including 9 with HIV-positive blood and body fluids. Most of the exposed students knew about the guidelines but regarded the incidents as irrelevant to their safety or supervision training. Noncompliant students reported significantly more exposures than compliant students. Time constraints, inconvenience of using gloves during procedures, and belief that patients were at low HIV risk discouraged adherence to the guidelines. Common practices following exposure were "no action" or "washed area only" without medical follow-up. Medical students' UVPG adherence should be increased by workload modification, user-friendly safety products, and supervised practice training in clinical exposure settings.

  6. Ireland's medical brain drain: migration intentions of Irish medical students.

    PubMed

    Gouda, Pishoy; Kitt, Kevin; Evans, David S; Goggin, Deirdre; McGrath, Deirdre; Last, Jason; Hennessy, Martina; Arnett, Richard; O'Flynn, Siun; Dunne, Fidelma; O'Donovan, Diarmuid

    2015-03-12

    To provide the optimum level of healthcare, it is important that the supply of well-trained doctors meets the demand. However, despite many initiatives, Ireland continues to have a shortfall of physicians, which has been projected to persist. Our study aimed to investigate the migration intentions of Irish medical students and identify the factors that influence their decisions in order to design appropriate interventions to sustain the supply of trained doctors in order to maintain a viable medical system. An online cross-sectional survey was undertaken of all Irish medical students studying in the Republic of Ireland. The survey included nominal, ordinal, and scale items to determine migration intentions, factors influencing their decisions, and understanding of the Irish healthcare system. A total of 2 273 medical students responded (37% response rate), of whom 1 519 were classified as Irish medical students (having completed secondary school in Ireland). Of these, 88% indicated they were either definitely migrating or contemplating migrating following graduation or completion of the pre-registration intern year. Forty percent expressed an intention of returning to Ireland within 5 years. The factors most influencing their decision to leave were career opportunities (85%), working conditions (83%), and lifestyle (80%). The migration intentions expressed in this study predict an immediate and severe threat to the sustainability of the Irish healthcare service. Urgent interventions such as providing information about career options and specialty training pathways are required. These must begin in the undergraduate phase and continue in postgraduate training and are needed to retain medical school graduates.

  7. Mentoring programs for medical students--a review of the PubMed literature 2000-2008.

    PubMed

    Frei, Esther; Stamm, Martina; Buddeberg-Fischer, Barbara

    2010-04-30

    Although mentoring is acknowledged as a key to successful and satisfying careers in medicine, formal mentoring programs for medical students are lacking in most countries. Within the framework of planning a mentoring program for medical students at Zurich University, an investigation was carried out into what types of programs exist, what the objectives pursued by such programs are, and what effects are reported. A PubMed literature search was conducted for 2000 - 2008 using the following keywords or their combinations: mentoring, mentoring program, medical student, mentor, mentee, protégé, mentorship. Although a total of 438 publications were identified, only 25 papers met the selection criteria for structured programs and student mentoring surveys. The mentoring programs reported in 14 papers aim to provide career counseling, develop professionalism, increase students' interest in research, and support them in their personal growth. There are both one-to-one and group mentorships, established in the first two years of medical school and continuing through graduation. The personal student-faculty relationship is important in that it helps students to feel that they are benefiting from individual advice and encourages them to give more thought to their career choices. Other benefits are an increase in research productivity and improved medical school performance in general. Mentored students also rate their overall well-being as higher. - The 11 surveys address the requirements for being an effective mentor as well as a successful mentee. A mentor should empower and encourage the mentee, be a role model, build a professional network, and assist in the mentee's personal development. A mentee should set agendas, follow through, accept criticism, and be able to assess performance and the benefits derived from the mentoring relationship. Mentoring is obviously an important career advancement tool for medical students. In Europe, more mentoring programs should be

  8. Mentoring programs for medical students - a review of the PubMed literature 2000 - 2008

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Although mentoring is acknowledged as a key to successful and satisfying careers in medicine, formal mentoring programs for medical students are lacking in most countries. Within the framework of planning a mentoring program for medical students at Zurich University, an investigation was carried out into what types of programs exist, what the objectives pursued by such programs are, and what effects are reported. Methods A PubMed literature search was conducted for 2000 - 2008 using the following keywords or their combinations: mentoring, mentoring program, medical student, mentor, mentee, protégé, mentorship. Although a total of 438 publications were identified, only 25 papers met the selection criteria for structured programs and student mentoring surveys. Results The mentoring programs reported in 14 papers aim to provide career counseling, develop professionalism, increase students' interest in research, and support them in their personal growth. There are both one-to-one and group mentorships, established in the first two years of medical school and continuing through graduation. The personal student-faculty relationship is important in that it helps students to feel that they are benefiting from individual advice and encourages them to give more thought to their career choices. Other benefits are an increase in research productivity and improved medical school performance in general. Mentored students also rate their overall well-being as higher. - The 11 surveys address the requirements for being an effective mentor as well as a successful mentee. A mentor should empower and encourage the mentee, be a role model, build a professional network, and assist in the mentee's personal development. A mentee should set agendas, follow through, accept criticism, and be able to assess performance and the benefits derived from the mentoring relationship. Conclusion Mentoring is obviously an important career advancement tool for medical students. In Europe

  9. Medical students' exposure to pharmaceutical industry marketing: a survey at one U.S. medical school.

    PubMed

    Bellin, Melena; McCarthy, Susan; Drevlow, Laurel; Pierach, Claus

    2004-11-01

    While much is known about the interactions between the pharmaceutical industry and physicians, very little is known about pharmaceutical marketing directed toward medical students. This study sought to characterize the extent and forms of medical students' exposure to pharmaceutical industry marketing. In 2001-02, an anonymous, 17-item questionnaire was distributed to 165 preclinical and 116 clinical students at the University of Minnesota Medical School-Twin Cities. The main outcome measures were the number and forms of exposures to pharmaceutical industry marketing reported by medical students and whether students had discussed these exposures with teachers or advisors. Preclinical and clinical students were compared using chi(2) analysis (p < .05). One hundred fourteen (69.1%) preclinical students and 107 (92.2%) clinical students responded. Nearly all students reported at least one exposure to pharmaceutical industry marketing. Seventy-six (71.7%) clinical students compared to 38 (33.3%) preclinical students recalled over 20 exposures (p < .005). Clinical students were more likely to have received a free meal (p < .01), textbook (p < .005), pocket text (p < .005), or trinket (p < .005) than were their preclinical colleagues. Most students (68.2%) had not discussed pharmaceutical marketing with an instructor or advisor; 59 (55.7%) clinical students as compared to 87 (80.6%) preclinical students recalled no such discussion (p < .005). Medical students have extensive exposure to pharmaceutical industry marketing during their early years of training. Given existing evidence that such exposure influences physicians' practice and prescribing patterns, the authors propose that medical school curricula include formal instruction to prepare students to critically assess these contacts.

  10. Scientific Skills as Core Competences in Medical Education: What do medical students think?

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ribeiro, Laura; Severo, Milton; Pereira, Margarida; Amélia Ferreira, Maria

    2015-08-01

    Background: Scientific excellence is one of the most fundamental underpinnings of medical education and its relevance is unquestionable. To be involved in research activities enhances students' critical thinking and problem-solving capacities, which are mandatory competences for new achievements in patient care and consequently to the improvement of clinical practice. Purposes: This work aimed to study the relevance given by Portuguese medical students to a core of scientific skills, and their judgment about their own ability to execute those skills. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on students attending the first, fourth and sixth years of medical course in the same period. An assessment istrument, exploring the importance given by Portuguese medical students to scientific skills in high school, to clinical practice and to their own ability to execute them, was designed, adapted and applied specifically to this study. Results: Students' perceptions were associated with gender, academic year, previous participation in research activities, positive and negative attitudes toward science, research integration into the curriculum and motivation to undertake research. The viewpoint of medical students about the relevance of scientific skills overall, and the ability to execute them, was independently associated with motivation to be enrolled in research. Conclusions: These findings have meaningful implications in medical education regarding the inclusion of a structural research program in the medical curriculum. Students should be aware that clinical practice would greatly benefit from the enrollment in research activities. By developing a solid scientific literacy future physicians will be able to apply new knowledge in patient care.

  11. Results of a near-peer musculoskeletal medicine curriculum for senior medical students interested in orthopedic surgery.

    PubMed

    Schiff, Adam; Salazar, Dane; Vetter, Christopher; Andre, John; Pinzur, Michael

    2014-01-01

    It has been previously demonstrated that medical students do not achieve an adequate musculoskeletal knowledge base on graduation from American medical schools. Several curriculums have been developed to address this measured deficit. Students entering orthopedic surgery residencies have a better musculoskeletal knowledge foundation than their peers but still fail to achieve an acceptable level of proficiency on graduation from medical school. Fourth-year medical students participating in senior elective rotations in orthopedic surgery over a 2-year period were given a series of lectures developed and presented by post graduate year 3 orthopedic surgery residents. Students completed a validated musculoskeletal competency examination and a survey following the conclusion of their experience, evaluating the effect of this curriculum. A total of 71 students over 2 years participated in the near-peer curriculum, with all students completing the validated test. The mean score for the students was 83.6%. Of the 71 students, 60 (84.5%) scored more than the previously published passing rate of 73.1%. There was no correlation identified with the mean test scores and the number of previous orthopedic surgery rotations. From the survey, 96% of the students rated the near-peer curriculum as appropriate for their level, whereas 75% noted that their own medical school's musculoskeletal curriculum was too advanced for their level of training. A series of lectures was developed by midlevel orthopedic residents for students interested in pursuing a career in orthopedic surgery. After participation in the curriculum, students scored 30-percentage points higher than a previously published test. This study demonstrates that a resident-initiated, near-peer curriculum increases the fundamental knowledge level of students entering orthopedic surgery. An added benefit appeared to be the skills obtained by the residents who created and delivered the lecture series. Copyright © 2014

  12. Influencing factors of mental health of medical students in China.

    PubMed

    Yang, Fan; Meng, Heng; Chen, Hui; Xu, Xin-hao; Liu, Zhuo; Luo, Ai; Feng, Zhan-chun

    2014-06-01

    This study investigated the mental health status of medical students in China, and analyzed the influencing factors in order to provide evidence for mental health education for medical students. A stratified cluster sampling method was used to recruit medical students from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China. The questionnaire survey on general information and Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) were used for investigation and analysis. The results showed among the 1137 valid questionnaires, 278 (24.45%) participants had SCL-90 score ≥ 160. The top three mental problems of medical students were obsessive-compulsive disorder, interpersonal sensitivity and depression in terms of the factor score ≥ 2.5 and the number of participants who reflected on the diseases. The third-year medical students had the worst mental health status, and fifth-year medical students had the best mental health status. Students from rural area had more psychological problems than those from urban area; furthermore, students with high professional satisfaction, those who were the single child of the family, non-poor students, and those whose parents had high education level had better mental health status. It was concluded that the mental health of medical students is not optimistic in China. Medical students have some mental health problems of different degrees. Factors that influence the mental health of medical students include academic pressure, professional satisfaction level and family environment.

  13. What Do Medical Students Do for Self-Care? A Student-Centered Approach to Well-Being.

    PubMed

    Ayala, Erin E; Omorodion, Aisha M; Nmecha, Dennis; Winseman, Jeffrey S; Mason, Hyacinth R C

    2017-01-01

    Phenomenon: Despite the promotion of medical student health and wellness through recent program and curricular changes, research continues to show that medical education is associated with decreased well-being in medical students. Although many institutions have sought to more effectively assess and improve self-care in medical students, no self-care initiatives have been designed using the explicit perspectives of students themselves. Using concept mapping methodology, the research team created a student-generated taxonomy of self-care behaviors taken from a national sample of medical students in response to a brainstorming prompt. The research team examined how students' conceptualizations of self-care may be organized into a framework suitable for use in programming and curricular change in medical education. Ten clusters of self-care activities were identified: nourishment, hygiene, intellectual and creative health, physical activity, spiritual care, balance and relaxation, time for loved ones, big picture goals, pleasure and outside activities, and hobbies. Using results of the two-dimensional scaling analysis, students' individual self-care behaviors were organized within two orthogonal dimensions of self-care activities. Insights: This concept map of student-identified self-care activities provides a starting point for better understanding and ultimately improving medical student self-care. Students' brainstormed responses fit within a framework of varying levels of social engagement and physical-psychological health that included a wide range of solitary, social, physical, and mental health behaviors. As students' preferred self-care practices did not often include programmatic activities, medical educators may benefit from consulting this map as they plan new approaches to student self-care and in counseling individual students searching for more effective ways to ease the burdens of medical school.

  14. Competency in ECG Interpretation Among Medical Students

    PubMed Central

    Kopeć, Grzegorz; Magoń, Wojciech; Hołda, Mateusz; Podolec, Piotr

    2015-01-01

    Background Electrocardiogram (ECG) is commonly used in diagnosis of heart diseases, including many life-threatening disorders. We aimed to assess skills in ECG interpretation among Polish medical students and to analyze the determinants of these skills. Material/Methods Undergraduates from all Polish medical schools were asked to complete a web-based survey containing 18 ECG strips. Questions concerned primary ECG parameters (rate, rhythm, and axis), emergencies, and common ECG abnormalities. Analysis was restricted to students in their clinical years (4th–6th), and students in their preclinical years (1st–3rd) were used as controls. Results We enrolled 536 medical students (females: n=299; 55.8%), aged 19 to 31 (23±1.6) years from all Polish medical schools. Most (72%) were in their clinical years. The overall rate of good response was better in students in years 4th–5th than those in years 1st–3rd (66% vs. 56%; p<0.0001). Competency in ECG interpretation was higher in students who reported ECG self-learning (69% vs. 62%; p<0.0001) but no difference was found between students who attended or did not attend regular ECG classes (66% vs. 66%; p=0.99). On multivariable analysis (p<0.0001), being in clinical years (OR: 2.45 [1.35–4.46] and self-learning (OR: 2.44 [1.46–4.08]) determined competency in ECG interpretation. Conclusions Polish medical students in their clinical years have a good level of competency in interpreting the primary ECG parameters, but their ability to recognize ECG signs of emergencies and common heart abnormalities is low. ECG interpretation skills are determined by self-education but not by attendance at regular ECG classes. Our results indicate qualitative and quantitative deficiencies in teaching ECG interpretation at medical schools. PMID:26541993

  15. Using a decade of data on medical student computer literacy for strategic planning

    PubMed Central

    Seago, Brenda L.; Schlesinger, Jeanne B.; Hampton, Carol L.

    2002-01-01

    Purpose: From 1991 through 2000, incoming medical students (M-Is) at the School of Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University have been surveyed with a written questionnaire on their computer literacy. The survey's purpose is to learn the students' levels of knowledge, skill, and experience with computer technology to guide instructional services and facilities. Methodology: The questionnaire was administered during M-I orientation or mailed to students' homes after matriculation. It evolved from sixteen questions in 1991 to twenty-three questions in 2000, with fifteen questions common to all. Results: The average survey response rate was 81% from an average of 177 students. Six major changes were introduced based on information collected from the surveys and advances in technology: production of CD-ROMs distributed to students containing required computer-based instructional programs, delivery of evaluation instruments to students via the Internet, modification of the lab to a mostly PC-based environment, development of an electronic curriculum Website, development of computerized examinations for medical students to prepare them for the computerized national board examinations, and initiation of a personal digital assistant (PDA) project for students to evaluate PDAs' usefulness in clinical settings. Conclusion: The computer literacy survey provides a snapshot of students' past and present use of technology and guidance for the development of services and facilities. PMID:11999178

  16. Do medical students really understand plagiarism? - Case study.

    PubMed

    Badea, Oana

    2017-01-01

    In the last decade, more and more medicine students are involved in research, either in the form of a research project within specialized courses or as a scientific article to be presented at student international conferences or published in prestigious medical journals. The present study included 250 2nd year medical students, currently studying within the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, Romania. There were collected 239 responses, with a response rate of 95.6%. In our study, the results showed that foreign students within the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova did have some issues understanding plagiarism with fewer foreign students (34%) than Romanian students (66%) recognizing that simply changing words does not avoid plagiarism. In our opinion, there should be put more emphasis upon plagiarism implications and its aspects, as well, with a permanent order to try to prevent future attempts of plagiarizing among medical students as future researchers within the medical science field.

  17. [Development of performance evaluation and management system on advanced schistosomiasis medical treatment].

    PubMed

    Zhou, Xiao-Rong; Huang, Shui-Sheng; Gong, Xin-Guo; Cen, Li-Ping; Zhang, Cong; Zhu, Hong; Yang, Jun-Jing; Chen, Li

    2012-04-01

    To construct a performance evaluation and management system on advanced schistosomiasis medical treatment, and analyze and evaluate the work of the advanced schistosomiasis medical treatment over the years. By applying the database management technique and C++ programming technique, we inputted the information of the advanced schistosomiasis cases into the system, and comprehensively evaluated the work of the advanced schistosomiasis medical treatment through the cost-effect analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, and cost-benefit analysis. We made a set of software formula about cost-effect analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, and cost-benefit analysis. This system had many features such as clear building, easy to operate, friendly surface, convenient information input and information search. It could benefit the performance evaluation of the province's advanced schistosomiasis medical treatment work. This system can satisfy the current needs of advanced schistosomiasis medical treatment work and can be easy to be widely used.

  18. Factors associated with stress among medical students.

    PubMed

    Qamar, Khadija; Khan, Najamus Saqib; Bashir Kiani, Muhammad Rizwan

    2015-07-01

    To determine the probable factors responsible for stress among undergraduate medical students. The qualitative descriptive study was conducted at a public-sector medical college in Islamabad, Pakistan, from January to April 2014. Self-administered open-ended questionnaires were used to collect data from first year medical students in order to study the factors associated with the new environment. There were 115 students in the study with a mean age of 19±6.76 years. Overall, 35(30.4%) students had mild to moderate physical problems, 20(17.4%) had severe physical problems and 60(52.2%) did not have any physical problem. Average stress score was 19.6±6.76. Major elements responsible for stress identified were environmental factors, new college environment, student abuse, tough study routines and personal factors. Majority of undergraduate students experienced stress due to both academic and emotional factors.

  19. Lectures in medical educaton: what students think?

    PubMed

    Mustafa, Tajammal; Farooq, Zerwa; Asad, Zunaira; Amjad, Rabbia; Badar, Iffat; Chaudhry, Abdul Majeed; Khan, Mohammad Amer Zaman; Rafique, Farida

    2014-01-01

    The volume of medical knowledge has increased exponentially and so has the need to improve the efficiency of current teaching practices.With increasing emphasis on interactive and problem based learning, the place of lectures in modern medical education has become a questionable issue. Objectives were to assess the perspective of undergraduate medical students regarding the role and effectiveness of lectures as a mode of instruction as well as the ways and means that can be employed to enhance the effectiveness of lectures. A cross sectional study was carried out among 2nd to final year medical students from five medical colleges including both private and public sector institutions. A total of 347 students participated by completing a structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS-17. Sixty seven percent students considered lectures as a useful mode of instruction (47% males and 77% females), whereas 83% of the students reported that clinical sessions were superior to lectures because of small number of students in clinical sessions, active student participation, enhanced clinical orientation, and interaction with patients. About 64% responded that lectures should be replaced by clinical sessions. Majority of the students (92%) reported not being able to concentrate during a lecture beyond 30 minutes, whereas 70% skipped lectures as they were boring. A significantly greater proportion of male respondents, students from clinical years, and those who skipped lectures, considered lectures to be boring, a poor utilization of time and resources, and could not concentrate for the full duration of a lecture compared to females, students from preclinical years, and those who do not skip lectures, respectively. Lecturing techniques need to be improvised. The traditional passive mode of instruction has to be replaced with active learning and inquiry based approach to adequately utilize the time and resources spent on lectures.

  20. Knowledge of scientific misconduct in publication among medical students.

    PubMed

    Mubeen, Syed Muhammad; Ghayas, Rabia; Adil Rizvi, Syed Hasan; Khan, Sohaib Ahmed

    2017-01-01

    Publication is a central element in research dissemination and scientific misconduct in publication is relatively ignored in biomedical research. This study is to assess the knowledge of scientific misconduct in publication among private and public sector medical students. A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was carried in four (two public and two private) medical colleges of Karachi in 2015. After ethical approval, data were collected through convenient sampling and analyzed in SPSS 16.0. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize the data and Chi-square test was used for cross tabulation with sex, type of medical colleges, and knowledge of scientific misconduct in publication. A total of 592 medical students participated with mean age of 22.2 ± 1.47 years. The majority (491, 79%) of medical students had heard about the word "publication ethics," higher among public sector students than from private sector (P < 0.001). Only 78 (13.2%) reported to had published original articles, and 64 (10.8%) and 53 (9%) medical students had heard of "ICMJE authorship criteria" and "COPE," respectively. Knowledge about fabrication of data and scientific misconduct in publication was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05) among males than female students. Statistically significant differences were also observed between public and private medical students for knowledge regarding salami slicing, ghost author, fabrication, and photomanipulation (P < 0.001) and for plagiarism (P < 0.005). Participants from public sector colleges scored significantly better in all above variables than private medical colleges except knowledge about salami slicing in which participants from latter performed significantly better than public sector students. The study demonstrates deficiencies in knowledge regarding several aspects of publication ethics among medical students of both public and private medical colleges in Karachi. There is a need to increase the awareness of research

  1. [Medical students and their attitude to psychiatry].

    PubMed

    den Held, O M; Hegge, I R H J; van Schaik, D J F; van Balkom, A J L M

    2011-01-01

    The attitudes of medical students to psychiatry are important for the future care of patients with psychiatric (co)morbidity. Up till now the attitude of medical students to psychiatry has not been investigated in the Netherlands and the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium. To measure the attitude of third year medical students towards psychiatry by means of the ATP-30. This is a validated instrument, used internationally. To determine the extent to which medical students' attitudes were influenced by the psychiatry curriculum and by some sociodemographic determinants and which aspects of a career – according to earlier Dutch research – made students decide to opt for a particular specialism. Our research was of the prospective cohort type; without controls. The design was a pre- and post design. Attitudes to psychiatry were generally positive (n = 262, ATP score: 106.1, sd 10.9, ATP score ≤ 90 was regarded as negative) and improved after students received instruction in psychiatry. Men were less positive than women. Students who previously had positive experiences with the psychiatric services had higher scores. Foreign students, mainly from non-Western countries, had lower scores. After these foreign students had completed their studies in the Netherlands, there was no longer any significant difference between the scores of the two groups. Attitudes to psychiatry are positive within our cohort. Tuition has a positive effect on students' attitudes. The less positive score of the foreign students at the start of their course is probably due to the fact that they were not familiar with psychiatry and psychiatric services.

  2. Establishing advanced practice for medical imaging in New Zealand

    PubMed Central

    Yielder, Jill; Young, Adrienne; Park, Shelley; Coleman, Karen

    2014-01-01

    IntroductionThis article presents the outcome and recommendations following the second stage of a role development project conducted on behalf of the New Zealand Institute of Medical Radiation Technology (NZIMRT). The study sought to support the development of profiles and criteria that may be used to formulate Advanced Scopes of Practice for the profession. It commenced in 2011, following on from initial research that occurred between 2005 and 2008 investigating role development and a possible career structure for medical radiation technologists (MRTs) in New Zealand (NZ). MethodsThe study sought to support the development of profiles and criteria that could be used to develop Advanced Scopes of Practice for the profession through inviting 12 specialist medical imaging groups in NZ to participate in a survey. ResultsFindings showed strong agreement on potential profiles and on generic criteria within them; however, there was less agreement on specific skills criteria within specialist areas. ConclusionsThe authors recommend that one Advanced Scope of Practice be developed for Medical Imaging, with the establishment of generic and specialist criteria. Systems for approval of the overall criteria package for any individual Advanced Practitioner (AP) profile, audit and continuing professional development requirements need to be established by the Medical Radiation Technologists Board (MRTB) to meet the local needs of clinical departments. It is further recommended that the NZIMRT and MRTB promote and support the need for an AP pathway for medical imaging in NZ. PMID:26229631

  3. Establishing advanced practice for medical imaging in New Zealand

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yielder, Jill, E-mail: j.yielder@auckland.ac.nz; Young, Adrienne; Park, Shelley

    Introduction: This article presents the outcome and recommendations following the second stage of a role development project conducted on behalf of the New Zealand Institute of Medical Radiation Technology (NZIMRT). The study sought to support the development of profiles and criteria that may be used to formulate Advanced Scopes of Practice for the profession. It commenced in 2011, following on from initial research that occurred between 2005 and 2008 investigating role development and a possible career structure for medical radiation technologists (MRTs) in New Zealand (NZ). Methods: The study sought to support the development of profiles and criteria that couldmore » be used to develop Advanced Scopes of Practice for the profession through inviting 12 specialist medical imaging groups in NZ to participate in a survey. Results: Findings showed strong agreement on potential profiles and on generic criteria within them; however, there was less agreement on specific skills criteria within specialist areas. Conclusions: The authors recommend that one Advanced Scope of Practice be developed for Medical Imaging, with the establishment of generic and specialist criteria. Systems for approval of the overall criteria package for any individual Advanced Practitioner (AP) profile, audit and continuing professional development requirements need to be established by the Medical Radiation Technologists Board (MRTB) to meet the local needs of clinical departments. It is further recommended that the NZIMRT and MRTB promote and support the need for an AP pathway for medical imaging in NZ.« less

  4. Go Home, Med Student: Comics as Visual Media for Students' Traumatic Medical Education Experiences.

    PubMed

    Monk, Jeffrey

    2018-02-01

    A comic created by a medical student allows the reader to share the student's own unique perception of the medical education experience. Through the process of comic creation, medical students have opportunities to gain insight into how their relationships with patients and supervising physicians have shaped the physician they will become. The comic itself can be a safe space for expression and provides an opportunity for students and educators to share experiences. © 2018 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.

  5. Medical students' evaluation of physiology learning environments in two Nigerian medical schools.

    PubMed

    Anyaehie, U S B; Nwobodo, E; Oze, G; Nwagha, U I; Orizu, I; Okeke, T; Anyanwu, G E

    2011-06-01

    The expansion of biomedical knowledge and the pursuit of more meaningful learning have led to world-wide evidence-based innovative changes in medical education and curricula. The recent emphasis on problem-based learning (PBL) and student-centred learning environments are, however, not being implemented in Nigerian medical schools. Traditional didactic lectures thus predominate, and learning is further constrained by funding gaps, poor infrastructure, and increasing class sizes. We reviewed medical students' perceptions of their exposed learning environment to determine preferences, shortcomings, and prescriptions for improvements. The results confirm declining interest in didactic lectures and practical sessions with preferences for peer-tutored discussion classes, which were considered more interactive and interesting. This study recommends more emphasis on student-centered learning with alternatives to passive lecture formats and repetitive cookbook practical sessions. The institutionalization of student feedback processes in Nigerian medical schools is also highly recommended.

  6. Burnout and career choice motivation in medical students.

    PubMed

    Pagnin, Daniel; De Queiroz, Valéria; De Oliveira Filho, Márcio Amaral; Gonzalez, Naira Vanessa Anomal; Salgado, Ana Emília Teófilo; Cordeiro e Oliveira, Bernardo; Lodi, Caio Silva; Melo, Raquel Muniz Da Silva

    2013-05-01

    Burnout is a stress-induced syndrome, which affects medical students. Some environmental and personal factors can favor burnout onset and its serious consequences as dropping out, sleep disorders, depression, and suicide. The motivation for choosing medicine is a personal aspect that can modulate the distress with academic demands. We applied self-administered questionnaires in 277 medical students to investigate the predictive role of career choice motivations on burnout dimensions. Specifically, we studied the influence of the main reasons for choosing medicine on emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and academic efficacy. Intellectual curiosity, professional autonomy, altruism, and interest in human relationships were the most common reasons for choosing medicine. However, the medical students motivated by personal illness or family member's illness or death revealed a significant greater emotional exhaustion when compared with the students with other motivations. The students who apply for medical school motivated by illness/death experiences are at a great risk for burnout. We suggest that students who are at risk for emotional exhaustion can be identified at the admission of medical school. Primary prevention strategies for burnout should consider this risk group.

  7. Personal and professional correlates of US medical students' vegetarianism.

    PubMed

    Spencer, Elsa Helene; Elon, Lisa Katz; Frank, Erica

    2007-01-01

    To determine prevalence and correlates of US medical students' self-identification as vegetarians. Medical students were anonymously surveyed via questionnaire three times: at freshmen orientation, orientation to wards, and during senior year. Medical students in the Class of 2003 (n=1,849) at 15 US medical schools (response rate 80%). We examined self-reported vegetarianism, abstinence from meat items on a food frequency questionnaire, and associations between students' vegetarianism and their health-related outcomes. Bivariate associations were tested with chi(2) tests. During medical school, 7.2% of students self-identified as vegetarians; this percentage declined over time. Those who were vegetarians for health reasons (66% of vegetarians) ate more fruits and vegetables than those who were vegetarians for nonhealth reasons (P=0.02). Vegetarians were more likely (P<0.01) than nonvegetarians to eat more fruits and vegetables (P=0.002); be women (P=0.009); be Hindu, Buddhist, or Seventh Day Adventist (P< or =0.0004); be politically liberal (P=0.007); have a body mass index < or =25 (P=0.008); or, as freshmen, to perceive nutrition counseling as highly relevant to their intended practices (P=0.007). Vegetarian students were no more likely to counsel patients about nutrition than were nonvegetarians. Prevalence of vegetarianism was higher among US medical students than among other US adults, although the prevalence declined during medical school. Medical students and physicians with healthful personal practices are more likely to encourage such behaviors in their patients, although the specific nutrition habit of vegetarianism among medical students was unassociated with their nutrition counseling practices.

  8. Design, dissemination, and evaluation of an advanced communication elective at seven U.S. medical schools.

    PubMed

    Mauksch, Larry; Farber, Stuart; Greer, H Thomas

    2013-06-01

    To test educational methods that continue communication training into the fourth year of medical school. The authors disseminated and evaluated an advanced communication elective in seven U.S. medical schools between 2007 and 2009; a total of 9 faculty and 22 fourth-year students participated. The elective emphasized peer learning, practice with real patients, direct observation, and applications of video technology. The authors used qualitative and quantitative survey methods and video review to evaluate the experience of students and faculty. Students reported that the elective was better than most medical school clerkships they had experienced. Their self-confidence in time management and in the use of nine communication skills improved significantly. The most valued course components were video review, repeated practice with real patients, and peer observation. Analysis of student videos with real patients and in role-plays showed that some skills (e.g., agenda setting, understanding the patient perspective) were more frequently demonstrated than others (e.g., exploring family and cultural values, communication while using the electronic health record). Faculty highly valued this learner-centered model and reported that their self-awareness and communication skills grew as teachers and as clinicians. Learner-centered methods such as peer observation and video review and editing may strengthen communication training and reinforce skills introduced earlier in medical education. The course design may counteract a "hidden curriculum" that devalues respectful interactions with trainees and patients. Future research should assess the impact of course elements on skill retention, attitudes for lifelong learning, and patients' health outcomes.

  9. Motivation and academic achievement in medical students.

    PubMed

    Yousefy, Alireza; Ghassemi, Gholamreza; Firouznia, Samaneh

    2012-01-01

    Despite their ascribed intellectual ability and achieved academic pursuits, medical students' academic achievement is influenced by motivation. This study is an endeavor to examine the role of motivation in the academic achievement of medical students. In this cross-sectional correlational study, out of the total 422 medical students, from 4th to final year during the academic year 2007-2008, at School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 344 participated in completion of the Inventory of School Motivation (ISM), comprising 43 items and measuring eight aspects of motivation. The gold standard for academic achievement was their average academic marks at pre-clinical and clinical levels. Data were computer analyzed by running a couple of descriptive and analytical tests including Pearson Correlation and Student's t-student. Higher motivation scores in areas of competition, effort, social concern, and task were accompanied by higher average marks at pre-clinical as well as clinical levels. However, the latter ones showed greater motivation for social power as compared to the former group. Task and competition motivation for boys was higher than for girls. In view of our observations, students' academic achievement requires coordination and interaction between different aspects of motivation.

  10. WISE-MD usage among millennial medical students.

    PubMed

    Phitayakorn, Roy; Nick, Michael W; Alseidi, Adnan; Lind, David Scott; Sudan, Ranjan; Isenberg, Gerald; Capella, Jeannette; Hopkins, Mary A; Petrusa, Emil R

    2015-01-01

    E-learning is increasingly common in undergraduate medical education. Internet-based multimedia materials should be designed with millennial learner utilization preferences in mind for maximal impact. Medical students used all 20 Web Initiative for Surgical Education of Medical Doctors modules from July 1, 2013 to October 1, 2013. Data were analyzed for topic frequency, time and week day, and access to questions. Three thousand five hundred eighty-seven students completed 35,848 modules. Students accessed modules for average of 51 minutes. Most frequent use occurred on Sunday (23.1%), Saturday (15.4%), and Monday (14.3%). Friday had the least use (8.2%). A predominance of students accessed the modules between 7 and 10 PM (34.4%). About 80.4% of students accessed questions for at least one module. They completed an average of 40 ± 30 of the questions. Only 827 students (2.3%) repeated the questions. Web Initiative for Surgical Education of Medical Doctors has peak usage during the weekend and evenings. Most frequently used modules reflect core surgical problems. Multiple factors influence the manner module questions are accessed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Mental Well-Being in First Year Medical Students: A Comparison by Race and Gender: A Report from the Medical Student CHANGE Study.

    PubMed

    Hardeman, Rachel R; Przedworski, Julia M; Burke, Sara E; Burgess, Diana J; Phelan, Sean M; Dovidio, John F; Nelson, Dave; Rockwood, Todd; van Ryn, Michelle

    2015-09-01

    In this study, authors sought to characterize race and gender disparities in mental health in a national sample of first year medical students early in their medical school experience. This study used cross-sectional baseline data of Medical Student CHANGES, a large national longitudinal study of a cohort of medical students surveyed in the winter of 2010. Authors ascertained respondents via the American Association of Medical Colleges questionnaire, a third-party vendor-compiled list, and referral sampling. A total of 4732 first year medical students completed the baseline survey; of these, 301 were African American and 2890 were White. Compared to White students and after adjusting for relevant covariates, African American students had a greater risk of being classified as having depressive (relative risk (RR)=1.59 [95 % confidence interval, 1.37-2.40]) and anxiety symptoms (RR=1.66 [1.08-2.71]). Women also had a greater risk of being classified as having depressive (RR=1.36 [1.07-1.63]) and anxiety symptoms (RR-1.95 [1.39-2.84]). At the start of their first year of medical school, African American and female medical students were at a higher risk for depressive symptoms and anxiety than their White and male counterparts, respectively. The findings of this study have practical implications as poor mental and overall health inhibit learning and success in medical school, and physician distress negatively affects quality of clinical care.

  12. A Student Authored Online Medical Education Textbook: Editing Patterns and Content Evaluation of a Medical Student Wiki

    PubMed Central

    Thompson, CL; Schulz1, Wade L.; Terrence, Adam

    2011-01-01

    The University of Minnesota medical student wiki (UMMedWiki) allows students to collaboratively edit classroom notes to support medical education. Since 2007, UMMedWiki has grown to include 1,591 articles that have collectively received 1.2 million pageviews. Although small-scale wikis have become increasingly important, little is known about their dynamics compared to large wikis, such as Wikipedia. To better understand UMMedWiki’s management and its potential reproducibility at other medical schools, we used an edit log with 28,000 entries to evaluate the behavior of its student editors. The development of tools to survey UMMedwiki allows for quality comparisons that improve both the wiki and the curriculum itself. We completed a content survey by comparing the UMMedWiki with two types of rubric data: TIME, a medical education taxonomy consisting of 1500 terms and national epidemiological data on 2,100 diseases. PMID:22195202

  13. Comparative attitude and plans of the medical students and young Nepalese doctors.

    PubMed

    Lakhey, M; Lakhey, S; Niraula, S R; Jha, D; Pant, R

    2009-01-01

    Many doctors are leaving Nepal to work abroad. To understand this problem better, we decided to study the attitude and plans of young doctors and medical students. This cross-sectional study was conducted at Kathmandu Medical College involving 65 first year medical students, 100 interns and 100 house officers. The data collected was entered in Microsoft excel and analysed by SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) programme. Chi-square test was used to compare two proportions. Significance level was set at 5%. Only 2% house officers said that their job prospects were excellent as compared to 22.4% of students, whereas 20% house officers as compared to 9% students thought job prospects in Nepal were poor (p= 0.003). Eighty two percent of students thought that a doctor's service to his country was very important as compared to 51% of interns (p= 0.001) and 58% of house officers. Forty percent of students, 58% of interns and 48% of house officers (no statistical significance between the three groups) planned to migrate to a developed country after graduation. Eighty eight percent of students, 89% interns and 74% of house officers (no statistical significant differences between the three groups) were of the opinion that improving career opportunities or working environment of the doctor could make the profession more attractive. Although majority of students, interns and house officers were of the opinion that a doctor's service to his community/country was very important, almost half of them still planned to migrate to a developed country after graduation. Improving the chances of professional advancement and professional working environment can make the profession more attractive, and therefore, may decrease this tendency for brain drain from our country.

  14. Nurturing virtues of the medical profession: does it enhance medical students' empathy?

    PubMed

    Schweller, Marcelo; Ribeiro, Diego Lima; Celeri, Eloisa Valer; de Carvalho-Filho, Marco Antonio

    2017-07-11

    To examine if the empathy levels of first-year medical students are amenable to didactic interventions idealized to promote values inherent to medical professional identity. This is a pretest-posttest study designed to assess the empathy levels of first-year medical students (n=166) comprising two consecutive classes of a Brazilian medical school, performed before and after a didactic intervention. Students attended a course based on values and virtues related to medical professional identity once a week over four months. Every didactic approach (interviews with patients and physicians, supervised visits to the hospital, and discussion of videotaped simulated consultations) was based on "real-world" situations and designed to promote awareness of the process of socialization. Students filled out the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE) on the first and last days of this course, and the pretest-posttest analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test. The mean pretest JSPE score was 117.9 (minimum 92, maximum 135) and increased to 121.3 after the intervention (minimum 101, maximum 137). The difference was significant (z=-5.2, p<.001.), with an effect size of 0.40. The observed increase was greater among students with lower initial JSPE scores. Empathy is a fundamental tool used to achieve a successful physician-patient relationship, and it seems to permeate other virtues of a good physician. This study's results suggest that medical students' empathy may be amenable to early curricular interventions designed to promote a positive development of their professional identity, even when empathy is not central in discussion.

  15. Medical Students Teaching Medical Students Surgical Skills: The Benefits of Peer-Assisted Learning.

    PubMed

    Bennett, Samuel Robert; Morris, Simon Rhys; Mirza, Salman

    2018-04-10

    Teaching surgical skills is a labor intensive process, requiring a high tutor to student ratio for optimal success, and teaching for undergraduate students by consultant surgeons is not always feasible. A surgical skills course was developed, with the aim of assessing the effectiveness of undergraduate surgical peer-assisted learning. Five surgical skills courses were conducted looking at eight domains in surgery, led by foundation year doctors and senior medical students, with a tutor to student ratio of 1:4. Precourse and postcourse questionnaires (Likert scales 0-10) were completed. Mean scores were compared precourse and postcourse. Surgical skills courses took place within clinical skills rooms in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (UK). Seventy students (59 medical, 2 dental, and 9 physician associate students) from a range of academic institutions across the UK completed the course. There was an overall increase in mean scores across all eight domains. Mean improvement score precourse and postcourse in WHO surgical safety checklist (+3.94), scrubbing (+2.99), gowning/gloving (+3.34), knot tying (+5.53), interrupted sutures (+5.89), continuous sutures (+6.53), vertical mattress sutures (+6.46), and local anesthesia (+3.73). Peer-assisted learning is an effective and feasible method for teaching surgical skills in a controlled environment, subsequently improving confidence among healthcare undergraduates. Such teaching may provide the basis for feasibly mass-producing surgical skills courses for healthcare students. Copyright © 2018 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Evaluation of palliative care training and skills retention by medical students.

    PubMed

    Parikh, Priti P; White, Mary T; Buckingham, Lynne; Tchorz, Kathryn M

    2017-05-01

    Training in palliative and end-of-life care has been introduced in medical education; however, the impact of such training and the retention of skills and knowledge have not been studied in detail. This survey study examines long-term follow-up on end-of-life communication skills training, evaluation, and skills retention in medical students. During the surgical clerkship, all third-year medical students received communication skills training in palliative care using simulated patients. The training involved three scenarios involving diverse surgical patients with conditions commonly encountered during the surgical clerkship. The students used web-based best practice guidelines to prepare for the patient encounters. The following communication abilities were evaluated: (1) giving bad news clearly and with empathy, (2) initiating death and dying conversations with patients and/or their family members, (3) discussing do not resuscitate status and exploring preferences for end-of-life care, and (4) initiating conversations regarding religious or spiritual values and practices. All students were surveyed after 1 year (12-24 mo) to ascertain: (1) the retention of skills and/or knowledge gained during this training, (2) application of these skills during subsequent clinical rotations, and (3) overall perception of the value added by the training to their undergraduate medical education. These results were correlated with residency specialty choice. The survey was sent to all graduating fourth-year medical students (n = 105) in our program, of which 69 students responded to the survey (66% response rate). All respondents agreed that palliative care training is essential in medical school training. Seventy percent of the respondents agreed that the simulated encounters allowed development of crucial conversation skills needed for palliative/end-of-life care communications. The most useful part of the training was the deliberate practice of "giving bad news" (85%). Most

  17. Emergency Medical Technician Training for Medical Students: A Two-Year Experience.

    PubMed

    Blackwell, Thomas H; Halsey, R Maglin; Reinovsky, Jennifer H

    2016-01-01

    New medical school educational curriculum encourages early clinical experiences along with clinical and biomedical integration. The University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, one of the new expansion schools, was established in 2011 with the first class matriculating in 2012. To promote clinical skills early in the curriculum, emergency medical technician (EMT) training was included and begins in the first semester. Along with the early clinical exposure, the program introduces interprofessional health and teams and provides the opportunity for students to personally see and appreciate the wide variety of environments from which their future patients emanate. This report describes the EMT program and changes that were made after the first class that were designed to integrate EMT training with the biomedical sciences and to assess the value of these integrative changes using objective criteria. A two-year retrospective study was conducted that involved the first two classes of medical students. Baseline student data and pass rates from the psychomotor skill and written components of the State examination were used to determine if students performed better in the integrated, prolonged course. There were 53 students in the first class and 54 in the second. Of the 51 students in the first class and 53 students in the second class completing the state psychomotor and written examination, 20 (39%) in the first class and 17 (32%) in the second passed on the initial psychomotor skill attempt; however, more students passed in the first three attempts in the second class than the first class, 51 (96%) versus 45 (88%) , respectively. All students passed by 5 attempts. For the written examination, 50 (98%) students in the first class and 51 (96%) in the second class passed on the first attempt. All students passed by the third attempt. Pass rates on both components of the State examination were not significantly different between classes. Medical students who

  18. A student's perspective on medical ethics education.

    PubMed

    Terndrup, Christopher

    2013-12-01

    Despite many efforts to increase ethics education in US medical schools, barriers continue to arise that impede the production of morally driven physicians who practice medicine with ideal empathy. Research has shown that, particularly during the clinical years, medical students lose the ability both to recognize ethical dilemmas and to approach such situations with compassionate reasoning. This article summarizes the current status of ethics education in US medical schools, described through the eyes of and alongside the story of a graduating medical student.

  19. Are medical students accepted by patients in teaching hospitals?

    PubMed Central

    Marwan, Yousef; Al-Saddique, Muhammad; Hassan, Adnan; Karim, Jumanah; Al-Saleh, Mervat

    2012-01-01

    Background Worldwide, patients are the cornerstone of bedside teaching of medical students. In this study, the authors aimed to assess patients’ acceptability toward medical students in teaching hospitals of the Faculty of Medicine of Kuwait University. Methods Ninehundred and ninety five patients were approached in 14 teaching hospitals; 932 patients agreed to participate (refusal rate is 6.3%). A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Results In general, higher acceptance of students by patients was found when there is no direct contact between the patient and the student (e.g., reading patients’ files, presenting in outpatient clinic, observing doctors performing examination or procedures) compared to other situations (e.g., performing physical examination or procedures). Pediatrics patients showed higher acceptance of students compared to patients in other specialties, while Obstetrics/Gynecology patients showed the highest refusal of students. Gender of patients (especially females) and students appeared to affect the degree of acceptance of medical students by patients. Majority of the patients (436; 46.8%) believed that the presence of medical students in hospitals improves the quality of health care. Conclusion Patients are an important factor of bedside teaching. Clinical tutors must take advantage of patients who accept medical students. Clinical tutors and medical students should master essential communication skills to convince patients in accepting students, thus improving bedside teaching. Also, using simulation and standardization should be considered to address scenarios that most patients are unwilling to allow students to participate. PMID:22509091

  20. Evaluating the Relationship Between Participation in Student-Run Free Clinics and Changes in Empathy in Medical Students.

    PubMed

    Modi, Anita; Fascelli, Michele; Daitch, Zachary; Hojat, Mohammadreza

    2017-07-01

    We explored differences in changes in medical student empathy in the third year of medical school between volunteers at JeffHOPE, a multisite medical student-run free clinic of Sidney Kimmel Medical College (SKMC), and nonvolunteers. Volunteerism and leadership experience at JeffHOPE were documented for medical students in the Class of 2015 (n = 272) across their medical educations. Students completed the Jefferson Scale of Empathy at the beginning of medical school and at the end of the third year. Students who reported participation in other Jefferson-affiliated clinics (n = 44) were excluded from this study. Complete data were available for 188 SKMC students. Forty-five percent of students (n = 85) volunteered at JeffHOPE at least once during their medical educations. Fifteen percent of students (n = 48) were selected for leadership positions involving weekly clinic participation. Nonvolunteers demonstrated significant decline in empathy in medical school ( P = 0.009), while those who volunteered at JeffHOPE at least once over the course of their medical educations did not show any significant decline ( P = 0.07). These findings suggest that medical students may benefit from volunteering at student-run free clinics to care for underserved populations throughout medical school.

  1. Health-related quality of life of medical students.

    PubMed

    Paro, Helena B M S; Morales, Nívea M O; Silva, Carlos H M; Rezende, Carlos H A; Pinto, Rogério M C; Morales, Rogério R; Mendonça, Tânia M S; Prado, Marília M

    2010-03-01

    Mental problems such as stress, anxiety and depression have been described among medical students and are associated with poor academic and professional performance. It has been speculated that these problems impair students' quality of life (QoL). The authors aimed to assess the health-related QoL (HRQL) of medical students throughout their 6 years of training at a school with a traditional curriculum. Of a total of 490 students attending our institution's medical school, 38 were surveyed in February 2006 (incoming Year 1 group, surveyed when students were in the second week of Year 1 classes) and 352 were surveyed in February 2007 (students in Years 1-6). Students self-reported their HRQL and depressive symptoms using the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Comparisons were performed according to year in training, presence of depressive symptoms, gender, living arrangements and correlations with family income. The students' ages ranged from 18 to 31 years (median 22.3 years). Students in Years 2, 3, 4 and 6 had lower scores for mental and physical dimensions of HRQL compared with the incoming Year 1 group (P < 0.01), with the largest difference observed for Year 3 students. Students with depressive symptoms had lower scores in all domains of the SF-36 (P < 0.01). Female students had lower HRQL scores than males (P < 0.01). No differences were observed for students living with versus without family and no correlation with family income was found. Major impairments in HRQL were observed among Year 3 students, students with depressive symptoms and women. Medical schools should institute efforts to ensure that students' HRQL and emotional support are maintained, particularly during critical phases of medical training.

  2. Attitude toward mental illness and psychiatry among the medical students and interns in a medical college.

    PubMed

    Risal, Ajay; Sharma, Pushpa Prasad; Sanjel, Seshananda

    2013-01-01

    Medical students tend to have a neutral or negative attitude to Psychiatry as a discipline. This study was initiated to explore the attitude towards mental illness and Psychiatry among the medical students and interns in Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences. A cross-sectional questionnaire based study was conducted among the medical students and interns at Dhulikhel Hospital.Two self-rating scales; Attitudes towards Psychiatry-30 and Attitudes to Mental Illnesswere used to assess attitudes towards mental illness and Psychiatryamong the total 159 subjects. Descriptive statistics and independent sample t-test were applied using SPSS- 16 for analysis. Among the total 159 subjects, 44 (27.7%) were interns. Comparison of means of each item in Attitudes towards Psychiatry-30 and Attitudes to Mental Illnesswas done between males and females, medical students and interns, fi rst semester and ninth semester students. Most of the subjects showed neutral attitude towards all the scoring items; though there were a few signifi cant differences in mean scores of some items in group wise comparison. Overall attitudes towards mental illness and psychiatry among the medical students and interns in our medical school were positive or neutral. A further study with medical students from different institutions is needed to get a detail nationwide picture. attitude; interns; medical students; mental illness; psychiatry.

  3. [Advancement of the medical doctorate].

    PubMed

    Baum, C; Förster, R; Schmidt, R E

    2009-08-01

    The medical doctorate and the subsequent advanced research qualification in medicine have an exceptional position within the natural sciences. While, in the German system, graduation to the degree of a medical doctor is often an initiation into scientific practice, the in-depth scientific education of medical doctors may be achieved in various configurations. In recent years, structured programs for doctorates in medicine and natural sciences have found increasing acceptance, following recommendations of national scientific councils ("Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft" and "Hochschulrat"). Hannover Medical School has been offering such programs for a number of years. The StrucMed program increases the quality of medical doctorate studies, typically performed in the third and fourth years of university studies. The Hannover Biomedical Research School (HBRS) combines several programs for a doctorate in natural sciences, creating a platform for an internationally oriented education of post-graduates in various disciplines of life sciences. Evaluating the achievements and career paths of the trainees will contribute to the successful integration of research work in an efficiency-oriented clinical environment.

  4. Influence of pharmacy students on the attitudes of medical students following an interprofessional course.

    PubMed

    Dabaghzadeh, Fatemeh; Zihayat, Bahare; Sarafzadeh, Farhad

    2017-01-01

    Clinical interprofessional education (IPE) can promote mutual understanding of other health professions and respectful behaviors among health-care professionals. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of IPE on the attitudes of medical and pharmacy students in an inpatient hospital setting and, in particular, the influence of pharmacy students on the attitudes of medical students. The 6th year doctor of pharmacy students and medical students were enrolled in a prospective cohort study. They were paired and each pair was responsible for three beds and all the patients occupying these mentioned beds over the 2-week course. The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) questionnaire was used to assess the students' attitudes before and after the course. The attitudes of the medical students changed positively after the IPE course based on RIPLS teamwork and collaboration and professional identity subscales. Changes in the attitudes of the pharmacy students were not statistically significant based on the mentioned scale and subscales. IPE could improve the attitudes of the medical students regarding interprofessional teamwork, communication, and sharing learning experience. Based on the current investigation, IPE did not have an effect on pharmacy students.

  5. Social learning: medical student perceptions of geriatric house calls.

    PubMed

    Abbey, Linda; Willett, Rita; Selby-Penczak, Rachel; McKnight, Roberta

    2010-01-01

    Bandura's social learning theory provides a useful conceptual framework to understand medical students' perceptions of a house calls experience at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. Social learning and role modeling reflect Liaison Committee on Medical Education guidelines for "Medical schools (to) ensure that the learning environment for medical students promotes the development of explicit and appropriate professional attributes (attitudes, behaviors, and identity) in their medical students." This qualitative study reports findings from open-ended survey questions from 123 medical students who observed a preceptor during house calls to elderly homebound patients. Their comments included reflections on the medical treatment as well as interactions with family and professional care providers. Student insights about the social learning process they experienced during house calls to geriatric patients characterized physician role models as dedicated, compassionate, and communicative. They also described patient care in the home environment as comprehensive, personalized, more relaxed, and comfortable. Student perceptions reflect an appreciation of the richness and complexity of details learned from home visits and social interaction with patients, families, and caregivers.

  6. Western medical ethics taught to junior medical students can cross cultural and linguistic boundaries

    PubMed Central

    Ypinazar, Valmae A; Margolis, Stephen A

    2004-01-01

    Background Little is known about teaching medical ethics across cultural and linguistic boundaries. This study examined two successive cohorts of first year medical students in a six year undergraduate MBBS program. Methods The objective was to investigate whether Arabic speaking students studying medicine in an Arabic country would be able to correctly identify some of the principles of Western medical ethical reasoning. This cohort study was conducted on first year students in a six-year undergraduate program studying medicine in English, their second language at a medical school in the Arabian Gulf. The ethics teaching was based on the four-principle approach (autonomy, beneficence, non-malfeasance and justice) and delivered by a non-Muslim native English speaker with no knowledge of the Arabic language. Although the course was respectful of Arabic culture and tradition, the content excluded an analysis of Islamic medical ethics and focused on Western ethical reasoning. Following two 45-minute interactive seminars, students in groups of 3 or 4 visited a primary health care centre for one morning, sitting in with an attending physician seeing his or her patients in Arabic. Each student submitted a personal report for summative assessment detailing the ethical issues they had observed. Results All 62 students enrolled in these courses participated. Each student acting independently was able to correctly identify a median number of 4 different medical ethical issues (range 2–9) and correctly identify and label accurately a median of 2 different medical ethical issues (range 2–7) There were no significant correlations between their English language skills or general academic ability and the number or accuracy of ethical issues identified. Conclusions This study has demonstrated that these students could identify medical ethical issues based on Western constructs, despite learning in English, their second language, being in the third week of their medical school

  7. Western medical ethics taught to junior medical students can cross cultural and linguistic boundaries.

    PubMed

    Ypinazar, Valmae A; Margolis, Stephen A

    2004-07-30

    Little is known about teaching medical ethics across cultural and linguistic boundaries. This study examined two successive cohorts of first year medical students in a six year undergraduate MBBS program. The objective was to investigate whether Arabic speaking students studying medicine in an Arabic country would be able to correctly identify some of the principles of Western medical ethical reasoning. This cohort study was conducted on first year students in a six-year undergraduate program studying medicine in English, their second language at a medical school in the Arabian Gulf. The ethics teaching was based on the four-principle approach (autonomy, beneficence, non-malfeasance and justice) and delivered by a non-Muslim native English speaker with no knowledge of the Arabic language. Although the course was respectful of Arabic culture and tradition, the content excluded an analysis of Islamic medical ethics and focused on Western ethical reasoning. Following two 45-minute interactive seminars, students in groups of 3 or 4 visited a primary health care centre for one morning, sitting in with an attending physician seeing his or her patients in Arabic. Each student submitted a personal report for summative assessment detailing the ethical issues they had observed. All 62 students enrolled in these courses participated. Each student acting independently was able to correctly identify a median number of 4 different medical ethical issues (range 2-9) and correctly identify and label accurately a median of 2 different medical ethical issues (range 2-7) There were no significant correlations between their English language skills or general academic ability and the number or accuracy of ethical issues identified. This study has demonstrated that these students could identify medical ethical issues based on Western constructs, despite learning in English, their second language, being in the third week of their medical school experience and with minimal instruction

  8. Debt crisis ahead for Irish medical students.

    PubMed

    Haugh, C; Doyle, B; O'Flynn, S

    2014-06-01

    Internationally medical student debt is a cause of concern. A survey of medical students in UCC (response rate of 191 representing 35% of the EU student cohort) reveals that 34 (26%) of direct entry medicine (DEM) students and 36 (61%) graduate entrants (GEM) have a loan with an anticipated average debt of Euro17,300 and Euro80,000 on graduation respectively. Fifty-three (90%) graduate entrants and 75 (57%) direct entrants revealed that they often worry about their current financial situation. Fifty-three (28%) of students have a part-time job and many were concerned about the degree to which this conflicted with their academic workload. 118 (89%) of school leavers and 48 (81%) graduates received financial assistance from their families to fund their college expenses. Student responses recommended the introduction of a government supported low interest rate loan and other incentives to help service high levels of debt associated with medical education.

  9. Learning styles of postgraduate and undergraduate medical students.

    PubMed

    Shukr, Irfan; Zainab, Roop; Rana, Mowadat H

    2013-01-01

    To compare learning styles of undergraduate and postgraduate medical students. Observational, comparative study. Department of Medical Education, Army Medical College, NUST, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, during February and March 2012. A total of 170 students were divided into two equal groups of undergraduate students of Army Medical College, and postgraduate students of Armed Forces Post Graduate Medical Institute, Rawalpindi. Learning Style Questionnaire (LSQ) was used to assess and categorize the participants into Honey and Mumford classification of learning styles. The responses of each student ranging from 'very strong,' 'strong', 'moderate', and 'low' preference towards activist, theorist, reflector and pragmatist learning styles were compiled. The two groups were compared using SPSS version 17, using Fisher's exact test and the chi-square test. A p-value of $lt; 0.05 was considered significant. Preferences for all four learning styles were present in both groups. The results reveal an overall statistically significant difference in the 'very strong' preference in learning styles between the two study groups (p=0.002). Among the undergraduate students, 45% had a very strong preference for being an activist, whereas in postgraduate students, 38% had very strong preference for reflector, and 35% for theorist. This was statistically significant for activist, and reflector, and attained a p-value of < 0.001, for activist, and of 0.018 for reflector. The most uncommon 'very strong', and 'strong preference' for learning style was pragmatist in both undergraduate and postgraduate students. Diversity of learning styles at undergraduate and postgraduate level of medical education calls for multiplicity of instructional and assessment modalities to match them. The learning styles amongst the undergraduate medical students are different from the postgraduates. The postgraduates commonly have the reflector learning style while the undergraduates are predominantly activists and

  10. Contraceptive usage patterns in North American medical students

    PubMed Central

    Rowen, Tami S.; Smith, James F.; Eisenberg, Michael L.; Breyer, Benjamin N.; Drey, Eleanor A.; Shindel, Alan W.

    2013-01-01

    Background Previous studies indicate that the sexual beliefs and mores of students in medical professions may influence their capacity to care for patients’ sexuality and contraception issues. Students also represent a large sample of reproductive-age individuals. In this study, we examined contraceptive usage patterns in North American medical students. Study Design Students using online medical student social and information networks enrolled in allopathic and osteopathic medical schools in North America between February and July of 2008 were invited to participate via email and published announcements in an Internet-based survey consisting of a questionnaire that assessed ethnodemographic factors, year in school and sexual history. We also collected information about current use of contraceptive and barrier methods. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were utilized to analyze responses. Results Among our 2269 complete responses, at least one form of contraception was being utilized by 71% of men and 76% of women. Condoms were the most popular form of contraceptive, utilized by 1011 respondents (50% of men and 40% of women). Oral contraceptive pills were the contraceptive of choice for 34% of men and 41% of women. Decreased rates of contraception use were associated with being black or Asian, not being in a relationship and having more sexual dysfunction in female respondents. Students who reported comfort discussing sexual issues with patients were more likely to use effective contraceptive methods themselves. Ten percent of this of sexually active medical students was not currently using contraception. Conclusions There are significant differences in contraceptive use based on demographics, even at the highest education levels. The personal contraception choices of medical students may influence their ability to accurately convey information about contraception to their patients. In addition, medical students may personally benefit from improved

  11. Contraceptive usage patterns in North American medical students.

    PubMed

    Rowen, Tami S; Smith, James F; Eisenberg, Michael L; Breyer, Benjamin N; Drey, Eleanor A; Shindel, Alan W

    2011-05-01

    Previous studies indicate that the sexual beliefs and mores of students in medical professions may influence their capacity to care for patients' sexuality and contraception issues. Students also represent a large sample of reproductive-age individuals. In this study, we examined contraceptive usage patterns in North American medical students. Students using online medical student social and information networks enrolled in allopathic and osteopathic medical schools in North America between February and July of 2008 were invited to participate via email and published announcements in an Internet-based survey consisting of a questionnaire that assessed ethnodemographic factors, year in school and sexual history. We also collected information about current use of contraceptive and barrier methods. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were utilized to analyze responses. Among our 2269 complete responses, at least one form of contraception was being utilized by 71% of men and 76% of women. Condoms were the most popular form of contraceptive, utilized by 1011 respondents (50% of men and 40% of women). Oral contraceptive pills were the contraceptive of choice for 34% of men and 41% of women. Decreased rates of contraception use were associated with being black or Asian, not being in a relationship and having more sexual dysfunction in female respondents. Students who reported comfort discussing sexual issues with patients were more likely to use effective contraceptive methods themselves. Ten percent of this of sexually active medical students was not currently using contraception. There are significant differences in contraceptive use based on demographics, even at the highest education levels. The personal contraception choices of medical students may influence their ability to accurately convey information about contraception to their patients. In addition, medical students may personally benefit from improved knowledge of effective contraceptive practices

  12. Medical student mental health 3.0: improving student wellness through curricular changes.

    PubMed

    Slavin, Stuart J; Schindler, Debra L; Chibnall, John T

    2014-04-01

    Medical education can have significant negative effects on the well-being of medical students. To date, efforts to improve student mental health have focused largely on improving access to mental health providers, reducing the stigma and other barriers to mental health treatment, and implementing ancillary wellness programs. Still, new and innovative models that build on these efforts by directly addressing the root causes of stress that lie within the curriculum itself are needed to properly promote student wellness. In this article, the authors present a new paradigm for improving medical student mental health, by describing an integrated, multifaceted, preclinical curricular change program implemented through the Office of Curricular Affairs at the Saint Louis University School of Medicine starting in the 2009-2010 academic year. The authors found that significant but efficient changes to course content, contact hours, scheduling, grading, electives, learning communities, and required resilience/mindfulness experiences were associated with significantly lower levels of depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and stress, and significantly higher levels of community cohesion, in medical students who participated in the expanded wellness program compared with those who preceded its implementation. The authors discuss the utility and relevance of such curricular changes as an overlooked component of change models for improving medical student mental health.

  13. Empathic orientation among medical students from three universities in Barranquilla, Colombia and one university in the Dominican Republic.

    PubMed

    Díaz Narváez, Víctor Patricio; Alonso Palacio, Luz Marina; Caro, Sara Elvira; Silva, María Guadalupe; Castillo, Joel Arboleda; Bilbao, Jorge Luis; Acosta, Jesús Iglesias

    2014-02-01

    To compare empathic orientation among medical students from three schools of medicine in Colombia and one in the Dominican Republic. Empathic orientation of medical students was measured using the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE), Spanish version for students (the "S" version) validated in Mexico and Chile, and culturally adapted to Colombia and the Dominican Republic. Data were compared using a three-factor analysis of variance (model III) and a discriminant analysis. No differences in empathic orientation were observed among courses and between sexes, but differences were found in schools of medicine considered as a unit in each studied country. Empathic orientation levels tend to reduce as courses advance. This was observed in both male and female students and in all schools analyzed.

  14. Implementation of the Medical Education Partnership Initiative: medical students' perspective.

    PubMed

    Bagala, John Paul; Macheka, Nyasha D; Abebaw, Hiwot; Wen, Leana S

    2014-08-01

    The Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) is contributing to the transformation of medical training in Africa. In this paper, medical students present their perspective on how MEPI initiatives have influenced five key areas related to African medical trainees: educational infrastructure, information technology, community-based training, scientific research, and professional outlook and goals. They propose three new areas of focus that could further assist MEPI in bettering medical training in Africa.

  15. A study to enhance medical students' professional decision-making, using teaching interventions on common medications.

    PubMed

    Wilcock, Jane; Strivens, Janet

    2015-01-01

    Aim To create sustained improvements in medical students' critical thinking skills through short teaching interventions in pharmacology. Method The ability to make professional decisions was assessed by providing year-4 medical students at a UK medical school with a novel medical scenario (antenatal pertussis vaccination). Forty-seven students in the 2012 cohort acted as a pretest group, answering a questionnaire on this novel scenario. To improve professional decision-making skills, 48 students from the 2013 cohort were introduced to three commonly used medications, through tutor-led 40-min teaching interventions, among six small groups using a structured presentation of evidence-based medicine and ethical considerations. Student members then volunteered to peer-teach on a further three medications. After a gap of 8 weeks, this cohort (post-test group) was assessed for professional decision-making skills using the pretest questionnaire, and differences in the 2-year groups analysed. Results Students enjoyed presenting on medications to their peers but had difficulty interpreting studies and discussing ethical dimensions; this was improved by contextualising information via patient scenarios. After 8 weeks, most students did not show enhanced clinical curiosity, a desire to understand evidence, or ethical questioning when presented with a novel medical scenario compared to the previous year group who had not had the intervention. Students expressed a high degree of trust in guidelines and expert tutors and felt that responsibility for their own actions lay with these bodies. Conclusion Short teaching interventions in pharmacology did not lead to sustained improvements in their critical thinking skills in enhancing professional practice. It appears that students require earlier and more frequent exposure to these skills in their medical training.

  16. A study to enhance medical students' professional decision-making, using teaching interventions on common medications.

    PubMed

    Wilcock, Jane; Strivens, Janet

    2015-01-01

    To create sustained improvements in medical students' critical thinking skills through short teaching interventions in pharmacology. The ability to make professional decisions was assessed by providing year-4 medical students at a UK medical school with a novel medical scenario (antenatal pertussis vaccination). Forty-seven students in the 2012 cohort acted as a pretest group, answering a questionnaire on this novel scenario. To improve professional decision-making skills, 48 students from the 2013 cohort were introduced to three commonly used medications, through tutor-led 40-min teaching interventions, among six small groups using a structured presentation of evidence-based medicine and ethical considerations. Student members then volunteered to peer-teach on a further three medications. After a gap of 8 weeks, this cohort (post-test group) was assessed for professional decision-making skills using the pretest questionnaire, and differences in the 2-year groups analysed. Students enjoyed presenting on medications to their peers but had difficulty interpreting studies and discussing ethical dimensions; this was improved by contextualising information via patient scenarios. After 8 weeks, most students did not show enhanced clinical curiosity, a desire to understand evidence, or ethical questioning when presented with a novel medical scenario compared to the previous year group who had not had the intervention. Students expressed a high degree of trust in guidelines and expert tutors and felt that responsibility for their own actions lay with these bodies. Short teaching interventions in pharmacology did not lead to sustained improvements in their critical thinking skills in enhancing professional practice. It appears that students require earlier and more frequent exposure to these skills in their medical training.

  17. Students' medical ethics rounds: a combinatorial program for medical ethics education.

    PubMed

    Beigy, Maani; Pishgahi, Ghasem; Moghaddas, Fateme; Maghbouli, Nastaran; Shirbache, Kamran; Asghari, Fariba; Abolfat-H Zadeh, Navid

    2016-01-01

    It has long been a common goal for both medical educators and ethicists to develop effective methods or programs for medical ethics education. The current lecture-based courses of medical ethics programs in medical schools are demonstrated as insufficient models for training "good doctors''. In this study, we introduce an innovative program for medical ethics education in an extra-curricular student-based design named Students' Medical Ethics Rounds (SMER). In SMER, a combination of educational methods, including theater-based case presentation, large group discussion, expert opinions, role playing and role modeling were employed. The pretest-posttest experimental design was used to assess the impact of interventions on the participants' knowledge and attitude regarding selected ethical topics. A total of 335 students participated in this study and 86.57% of them filled the pretest and posttest forms. We observed significant improvements in the knowledge (P < 0.0500) and attitude (P < 0.0001) of participants. Interestingly, 89.8% of participants declared that their confidence regarding how to deal with the ethical problems outlined in the sessions was increased. All of the applied educational methods were reported as helpful. We found that SMER might be an effective method of teaching medical ethics. We highly recommend the investigation of the advantages of SMER in larger studies and interdisciplinary settings.

  18. The hidden curriculum in undergraduate medical education: qualitative study of medical students' perceptions of teaching.

    PubMed

    Lempp, Heidi; Seale, Clive

    2004-10-02

    To study medical students' views about the quality of the teaching they receive during their undergraduate training, especially in terms of the hidden curriculum. Semistructured interviews with individual students. One medical school in the United Kingdom. 36 undergraduate medical students, across all stages of their training, selected by random and quota sampling, stratified by sex and ethnicity, with the whole medical school population as a sampling frame. Medical students' experiences and perceptions of the quality of teaching received during their undergraduate training. Students reported many examples of positive role models and effective, approachable teachers, with valued characteristics perceived according to traditional gendered stereotypes. They also described a hierarchical and competitive atmosphere in the medical school, in which haphazard instruction and teaching by humiliation occur, especially during the clinical training years. Following on from the recent reforms of the manifest curriculum, the hidden curriculum now needs attention to produce the necessary fundamental changes in the culture of undergraduate medical education.

  19. [Should medical schools train students in human rights? An exploratory study among medical students in 46 countries].

    PubMed

    Kabengele Mpinga, E; Meier, S; Zesiger, V; Chastonay, P

    2006-06-07

    The interest of medical students from 46 countries for human rights issues and training was investigated in a cross sectional study. Training in human rights is demanded by 85,4% of respondents. Nearly 55% consider that such training should be compulsory. Nearly 85% of students consider as specific tasks of a medical practitioner "to prevent actively professional practices that violate basic human rights in the health systems" or "to develop and promote attitudes respectful of human rights in care". Our study suggests that human rights training could be integrated into basic medical curriculum.

  20. Factors Associated with Undertreatment of Medical Student Depression.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tjia, Jennifer; Givens, Jane L.; Shea, Judy A.

    2005-01-01

    The authors measured factors associated with undertreatment of medical students' depression. They administered a cross-sectional Beck Depression Inventory and sociodemographic questionnaire to students at 1 medical school, defining their outcome measure as the use of counseling services or antidepressant medication. Of an estimated 450 available…

  1. Medical Student Service Learning Program Teaches Secondary Students about Career Opportunities in Health and Medical Fields

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karpa, Kelly; Vakharia, Kavita; Caruso, Catherine A.; Vechery, Colin; Sipple, Lanette; Wang, Adrian

    2015-01-01

    Engagement of academic medical centers in community outreach provides the public with a better understanding of basic terms and concepts used in biomedical sciences and increases awareness of important health information. Medical students at one academic medical center initiated an educational outreach program, called PULSE, that targets secondary…

  2. All Students Need Advanced Mathematics. Math Works

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Achieve, Inc., 2013

    2013-01-01

    This fact sheet explains that to thrive in today's world, all students will need to graduate with very strong math skills. That can only mean one thing: advanced math courses are now essential math courses. Highlights of this paper include: (1) Advanced math equals college success; (2) Advanced math equals career opportunity; and (3) Advanced math…

  3. Cultivating Interest in Oncology Through a Medical Student Oncology Society.

    PubMed

    Agarwal, Ankit; Shah, Aishwarya; Byler, Shannon; Hirsch, Ariel E

    2017-03-01

    The purpose of this descriptive analysis is to describe a formal method to foster interest in oncology among medical students through a Student Oncology Society (SOS). The SOS is a student-run multidisciplinary interest group that offers oncology-related events to interested medical students at the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM). We employed a student survey to document the impact of the SOS on student interest in careers in oncology and students' perceived accessibility of mentors in oncology at our institution. All 35 students who attended the event reported that they found the discussion panels "valuable" or "somewhat valuable." A minority of students reported that student and faculty were "somewhat accessible" or "very accessible." At the end of the survey, 37 % of the students reported that a discussion of career paths of various physicians or a student/resident panel on oncology would be beneficial. By giving students an opportunity to learn about the different medical and surgical specialties within oncology, the SOS is able to cultivate early interest and understanding of the field of oncology among pre-clinical medical students. Further work must be done to connect medical students to faculty mentors in oncology. Although this short report provides a model for other medical schools to begin their own student oncology interest groups, further rigorous evaluation of pre-clinical oncology education initiatives are necessary in order to document their long-term impact on medical education.

  4. Decline in medical students' attitudes to interprofessional learning and patient-centredness.

    PubMed

    Hudson, Judith N; Lethbridge, Alistair; Vella, Susan; Caputi, Peter

    2016-05-01

    Interprofessional learning (IPL) is valuable in preparing health care students to work collaboratively in teams, with patients' needs at the core. Patient-centredness is the impetus for communication and collaboration in health care. Debate continues on when it is best to develop positive student attitudes towards these aspects of care. Should IPL commence early before attitudes to patients, professional stereotypes and identity are formed, or later for advanced learners with greater experience of their roles and responsibility in health care? This study explores graduate-entry medical students' attitudes to IPL and patient-centred care, on programme entry and after an early interdisciplinary clinical experience (ICE). An extended version of the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) was administered to four cohorts of medical students (n = 279) on entry and after the 3-week placement. This 26-item RIPLS comprised four subscales: team work and collaboration; professional identity; roles and responsibilities; and patient-centredness. The impact of the placement on students' attitudes was assessed by using repeated measures analysis of variance to compare pre- and post-ICE subscale scores. There were significant main effects of time (pre- versus post-ICE) for the subscales of teamwork and collaboration, professional identity and patient-centredness, but not for roles and responsibilities. Scores for teamwork and collaboration, professional identity and patient-centredness were all lower post-ICE. The students' less positive attitudes to teamwork and collaboration and professional identity may be due to the experience itself, or because it reinforced negative beliefs about the value of learning from non-medical health professionals. Perhaps the students' idealised view of their future role as a doctor was challenged by the experience, or they had an underdeveloped professional identity. Limited student experience of patients having an active role in

  5. Rural medical education: five medical students spend a year in rural Port Lincoln, Australia.

    PubMed

    Baillie, Sue; Matena, Jenni; Yerxa, John; Newbury, Jonathan

    2007-01-01

    The University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia established the Spencer Gulf Rural Health School (SGRHS) as a joint venture to facilitate rural health professional education and research. Annually a cohort of medical students from the University of Adelaide volunteer and are placed in various SGRHS 'learning centres' throughout rural South Australia for the 5th year of their medical training. This article addresses the issues encountered in one of these 'learning centres' in Port Lincoln, rural South Australia. The challenge was to integrate five students into a general medical practice and the local hospital and to provide high quality medical education for the academic year. Medical practice, student and university requirements were identified and a range of strategies implemented to address these. To date, four groups of medical students have successfully completed their rural academic year in Port Lincoln since 2003. The local systems have evolved to allow five students to integrate into the practice and hospital using a range of teaching and learning methods and resources.

  6. Interpreter training for medical students: pilot implementation and assessment in a student-run clinic.

    PubMed

    Diaz, Jennifer E L; Ekasumara, Nydia; Menon, Nikhil R; Homan, Edwin; Rajarajan, Prashanth; Zamudio, Andrés Ramírez; Kim, Annie J; Gruener, Jason; Poliandro, Edward; Thomas, David C; Meah, Yasmin S; Soriano, Rainier P

    2016-09-29

    Trained medical interpreters are instrumental to patient satisfaction and quality of care. They are especially important in student-run clinics, where many patients have limited English proficiency. Because student-run clinics have ties to their medical schools, they have access to bilingual students who may volunteer to interpret, but are not necessarily formally trained. To study the feasibility and efficacy of leveraging medical student volunteers to improve interpretation services, we performed a pilot study at the student-run clinic at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. In each fall semester in 2012-2015, we implemented a 6-h course providing didactic and interactive training on medical Spanish interpreting techniques and language skills to bilingual students. We then assessed the impact of the course on interpreter abilities. Participants' comfort levels, understanding of their roles, and understanding of terminology significantly increased after the course (p < 0.05), and these gains remained several months later (p < 0.05) and were repeated in an independent cohort. Patients and student clinicians also rated participants highly (averages above 4.5 out of 5) on these measures in real clinical encounters. These findings suggest that a formal interpreter training course tailored for medical students in the setting of a student-run clinic is feasible and effective. This program for training qualified student interpreters can serve as a model for other settings where medical students serve as interpreters.

  7. Attitude of Saudi medical students towards complementary and alternative medicine.

    PubMed

    Albadr, Badr O; Alrukban, Mohammed; Almajed, Jawad; Alotaibi, Khalid; Alangari, Abdullah; Bawazir, Abdullah; Aljasser, Abdulelah

    2018-01-01

    Alternative medicine is defined as medical therapies that are not regarded as orthodox by the medical profession. The teaching of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in medical schools is becoming prevalent worldwide. Only a few studies have been done to assess medical students' attitude toward CAM and the need for CAM courses. An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on medical students in two universities, King Saud (KSU) and Majmaah (MU) medical colleges, between February and April 2015. A survey was developed and validated by a pilot study. Data were gathered from both colleges by means of hard and soft copy surveys. Medical students of both genders from the 1 st year to the 5 th year from both universities were targeted in this study. Fifth-year students from Majmaah and students from the preparatory year were excluded from the study. KSU students comprised 1433, while MU students comprised only 180. The sample size was 384. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. The study included 399 medical students. Bloodletting is the most known modality (80.7%), while homeopathy is the least known with a percentage of 7.47%. The overall assessment of the attitude toward CAM was neutral, with a mean of 3.1. Students who had taken a CAM course previously were more satisfied with their knowledge than those who had not, showing a statistical significance of P = 0.0001. This study showed a lack of knowledge of CAM among medical students. There was an association between taking a CAM course and students' satisfaction with their knowledge. Most of the students agreed with the inclusion of CAM courses in the medical curriculum.

  8. E-learning readiness from perspectives of medical students: A survey in Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Obi, I E; Charles-Okoli, A N; Agunwa, C C; Omotowo, B I; Ndu, A C; Agwu-Umahi, O R

    2018-03-01

    Learning in the medical school of the study university is still by the traditional face-to-face approach with minimal e-communication. This paper assesses student's perspectives of E-learning readiness, its predictors and presents a model for assessing them. A descriptive cross-sectional study of medical students. By proportional quota sampling 284 students responded to a semi-structured self-administered questionnaire adapted from literature. Ethical issues were given full consideration. Analysis was with SPSS version 20, using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, Spearman's correlation, and multiple regression. Statistical significance was considered at P < 0.05. Medical students are ready for E-learning (Mlr = 3.8 > Melr = 3.4), beyond reliance on the face-to-face approach (69.7%), expecting effective (51.1%), and quality improvement in their learning (73.1%). Having basic information and communications technology skills (68.9%) (Mict = 3.7 > Melr = 3.4), access to laptops (76.1%), ability to use web browsers confidently (91.8%) (Mwb = 4.3 > Melr = 3.4), with only few able to use asynchronous tools (45.5%), they consider content design important to attract users (75.6%), and agree they need training on E-learning content (71.4%). They however do not believe the university has enough information technology infrastructure (62.4%) (Mi = 2.7 < Melr = 3.4) nor sufficient professionals to train them (M = 2.9). Predictors are attitude, content readiness, technological readiness, and culture readiness. The model however only explains 37.1% of readiness in the population. Medical students in this environment are ready to advance to E-learning. Predicted by their attitude, content, technological and cultural readiness. Further study with qualitative methodology will help in preparing for this evolution in learning.

  9. Medical studies and Nazi medicine: Nazi medicine as perceived by Austrian medical students.

    PubMed

    Nowak, Stefan; Rásky, Éva; Freidl, Wolfgang

    2016-02-01

    Austrian medical universities have not covered the topic of Nazi medicine in their curricula to any satisfactory degree to date. In the context of medical-ethical education and on-going medical ethics debates, it seems indispensable to be confronted also with the dark chapters of medical history, and especially Nazi medicine. Students should learn to understand controversial discussions, e.g. about euthanasia, in a historical context. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether students had, during their studies, been confronted with Nazi medical crime and whether they considered such a confrontation as important. The survey also focused on extant knowledge about this topic. From late 2012 to May 2013, 341 late semester students of the medical universities in Vienna, Graz, and Innsbruck were questioned about the coverage of Nazi medicine during their courses, using multiple choice questionnaires. The data were evaluated using a descriptive-statistical approach. The study has shown a low level of knowledge of students about Nazi medicine in the three universities. Only a third of the students had ever heard about "Aktion T4". About 65% of the participants found it important to be comprehensively informed about Nazi medicine during their studies, e.g. with a view to their future career. On average across the three universities, only 43% of the students had been confronted with this topic. The study found a clear wish for more information about Nazi medicine. Universities should, therefore, offer students various opportunities and ways of discussing this issue in the university context.

  10. [Attitudes on euthanasia and medical advance directives].

    PubMed

    van Oorschot, B; Lipp, V; Tietze, A; Nickel, N; Simon, A

    2005-02-11

    With regard to medical decisions and measures at the end of life, the values and attitudes of those concerned are crucial. However, they have hardly been taken into account so far in German empirical studies on euthanasia and medical advance directives. Between October 2003 and May 2004, a mail survey of a representative group of internists, anaesthetists and general practitioners from Bavaria, Westphalia-Lippe and Thuringia was conducted. Of 1,557 mailed questionnaires 727 were returned (rate of returns: 46 %). The survey showed, high of appreciation for medical advance directives and, at the same, time scepticism regarding surrogate decision-making by legal guardians and authorized representatives. Furthermore, the survey revealed a considerable amount of uncertainty in the physicians about the application of certain measures at the end of life to the different forms of euthanasia. In practice, many physicians do not comprehend the juridical differentiation between (illegal) active and (legal) passive or indirect euthanasia. In training and further education more scope should be given to the reflection of medical decisions at the end of life. At the same time, the usual, partly counterintuitive legal definitions should be brought more into line with medical decision making, while taking into account developments in English speaking areas. A transdisciplinary discourse is indispensable for the development of medical ethical and legal justifications suitable as guidance for action.

  11. Gift-Giving in the Podiatric Medical Student-Patient Relationship.

    PubMed

    López, Daniel López; Pazo, Paula Torreiro; Iglesias, Marta E Losa; de Bengoa Vallejo, Ricardo Becerro

    2016-09-02

    We sought to explore the relationship between the podiatric medical student and the patient as it relates to the act of gift-giving as a sign of gratefulness for the services provided. This article presents the clinical case of a man who visited a podiatric medical student because of pain in his feet and subsequently presented the student with several gifts. Philanthropy, empathy, a positive attitude, treatment instructions, and the time devoted to the patient are some of the reasons why patients offer gifts to podiatric medical students. The relationship between the podiatric medical student and the patient and the act of gift-giving by patients are of ethical concern.

  12. Using multimedia tools and high-fidelity simulations to improve medical students' resuscitation performance: an observational study

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Candice; Huang, Chin-Chou; Lin, Shing-Jong; Chen, Jaw-Wen

    2016-01-01

    Objectives The goal of our study was to shed light on educational methods to strengthen medical students' cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) leadership and team skills in order to optimise CPR understanding and success using didactic videos and high-fidelity simulations. Design An observational study. Setting A tertiary medical centre in Northern Taiwan. Participants A total of 104 5–7th year medical students, including 72 men and 32 women. Interventions We provided the medical students with a 2-hour training session on advanced CPR. During each class, we divided the students into 1–2 groups; each group consisted of 4–6 team members. Medical student teams were trained by using either method A or B. Method A started with an instructional CPR video followed by a first CPR simulation. Method B started with a first CPR simulation followed by an instructional CPR video. All students then participated in a second CPR simulation. Outcome measures Student teams were assessed with checklist rating scores in leadership, teamwork and team member skills, global rating scores by an attending physician and video-recording evaluation by 2 independent individuals. Results The 104 medical students were divided into 22 teams. We trained 11 teams using method A and 11 using method B. Total second CPR simulation scores were significantly higher than first CPR simulation scores in leadership (p<0.001), teamwork (p<0.001) and team member skills (p<0.001). For methods A and B students' first CPR simulation scores were similar, but method A students' second CPR simulation scores were significantly higher than those of method B in leadership skills (p=0.034), specifically in the support subcategory (p=0.049). Conclusions Although both teaching strategies improved leadership, teamwork and team member performance, video exposure followed by CPR simulation further increased students' leadership skills compared with CPR simulation followed by video exposure. PMID:27678539

  13. Non-Medical Prescription Drug Use among University Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vidourek, Rebecca A.; King, Keith A.; Knopf, Ellen E.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Non-medical prescription drug use is an increasing problem among university students. Purpose: The present study investigated university students' involvement in non-medical prescription drug (NMPD) use and associations between use and other risky behaviors. Methods: A sample of 363 university students completed a four page survey…

  14. Radiology curriculum topics for medical students: students' perspectives.

    PubMed

    Subramaniam, Rathan M; Beckley, Vaughan; Chan, Michael; Chou, Tina; Scally, Peter

    2006-07-01

    We sought to establish medical students' perspectives of a set of curriculum topics for radiology teaching. A multicenter study was conducted in New Zealand. A modified Delphi method was adopted. Students enrolled in two New Zealand Universities received a questionnaire. Each learning topic was graded on a scale of 1 (very strongly disagree) to 6 (very strongly agree). Students could also put forward and grade suggestions that were not on the questionnaire. Of 200 questionnaires, 107 were returned. Fifty male and 57 female students participated, with an average age of 23.7 years. The five highest ranking curriculum topics in order of importance were developing a system for viewing chest radiographs (5.77, SD 0.7), developing a system for viewing abdominal radiographs (5.66, SD 0.8), developing a system for viewing bone and joint radiographs (5.56, SD 0.8), distinguishing normal structures from abnormal in chest and abdominal radiographs (5.38, SD 0.9), and identifying gross bone or joint abnormalities in skeletal radiographs (5.29, SD 0.9). Medical students want to know how to look at radiographs, how to distinguish normal from abnormal, and how to identify gross abnormalities.

  15. How Much Do Medical Students Know about Physical Income?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nicholson, Sean

    2005-01-01

    A comparative study of medical students who estimated physicians' income during their first and fourth years of study throws up interesting results. The medical students typically overestimated physician income by 25% on an average, with differences marked by age, women, older students, students with high MCAT scores. Final year students'…

  16. Flexible but boring: medical students' perceptions of a career in general practice.

    PubMed

    Koehler, Nicole; McMenamin, Christine

    2016-07-01

    Australia will continue to face a general practitioner (GP) shortage unless a significant number of medical students make general practice their chosen career. Perceptions regarding general practice may influence career choices. Thus this study investigated what Australian medical students perceived to be the advantages and disadvantages of pursuing a career in general practice via an anonymous online survey. Fifty-one students indicated general practice to be their first ranked career preference, 200 indicated a career other than general practice, and 106 were undecided. Two-hundred and two students reported having been on a GP placement, whereas 88 students had not. Flexibility, continuity of patient care and work-life balance were the three most common stated advantages to pursuing a career in general practice whereas general practice being boring, poorly paid, and of low prestige were the three most common disadvantages stated. Some disadvantages stated by those with a non-GP preference were not stated by those with a GP preference (e.g. lack of procedural skills, lack of career advancement opportunities). Students with more than 80 h of GP placement experience were more likely to list the advantages of work-life balance and a diversity of problems/illnesses/patients than those with no placement experience but were also more likely to list the disadvantage of low prestige. Negative stereotypes regarding general practice continue to exist which may influence students' career choices.

  17. [Psychopathology screening in medical school students].

    PubMed

    Galván-Molina, Jesús Francisco; Jiménez-Capdeville, María E; Hernández-Mata, José María; Arellano-Cano, José Ramón

    2017-01-01

    Screening of psychopathology and associated factors in medical students employing an electronic self-report survey. A transversal, observational, and comparative study that consisted of the following instruments: Sociodemographic survey; 2. Adult Self-Report Scale-V1 (ASRS); State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI); Zung and Conde Self-Rating Depression Scale, Almonte-Herskovic Sexual Orientation Self-Report; Plutchik Suicide Risk Scale; Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test Identification (AUDIT); Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence; 9. Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI); Eating Disorder Inventory 2 (EDI). We gathered 323 student surveys from medical students of the first, third and sixth grades. The three more prevalent disorders were depression (24%), attention deficit disorders with hyperactivity (28%) and anxiety (13%); the prevalence of high-level burnout syndrome was 13%. Also, the fifth part of the students had detrimental use of tobacco and alcohol. Sixty percent of medical students had either one or more probable disorder or burnout. An adequate screening and treatment of this population could prevent severe mental disorders and the associated factors could help us to create a risk profile. This model is an efficient research tool for screening and secondary prevention.

  18. Comparing Tolerance of Ambiguity in Veterinary and Medical Students.

    PubMed

    Hancock, Jason; Hammond, Jennifer A; Roberts, Martin; Mattick, Karen

    Current guidelines suggest that educators in both medical and veterinary professions should do more to ensure that students can tolerate ambiguity. Designing curricula to achieve this requires the ability to measure and understand differences in ambiguity tolerance among and within professional groups. Although scales have been developed to measure tolerance of ambiguity in both medical and veterinary professions, no comparative studies have been reported. We compared the tolerance of ambiguity of medical and veterinary students, hypothesizing that veterinary students would have higher tolerance of ambiguity, given the greater patient diversity and less well-established evidence base underpinning practice. We conducted a secondary analysis of questionnaire data from first- to fourth-year medical and veterinary students. Tolerance of ambiguity scores were calculated and compared using the TAMSAD scale (29 items validated for the medical student population), the TAVS scale (27 items validated for the veterinary student population), and a scale comprising the 22 items common to both scales. Using the TAMSAD and TAVS scales, medical students had a significantly higher mean tolerance of ambiguity score than veterinary students (56.1 vs. 54.1, p<.001 and 60.4 vs. 58.5, p=.002, respectively) but no difference was seen when only the 22 shared items were compared (56.1 vs. 57.2, p=.513). The results do not support our hypothesis and highlight that different findings can result when different tools are used. Medical students may have slightly higher tolerance of ambiguity than veterinary students, although this depends on the scale used.

  19. Estimation of optimal educational cost per medical student.

    PubMed

    Yang, Eunbae B; Lee, Seunghee

    2009-09-01

    This study aims to estimate the optimal educational cost per medical student. A private medical college in Seoul was targeted by the study, and its 2006 learning environment and data from the 2003~2006 budget and settlement were carefully analyzed. Through interviews with 3 medical professors and 2 experts in the economics of education, the study attempted to establish the educational cost estimation model, which yields an empirically computed estimate of the optimal cost per student in medical college. The estimation model was based primarily upon the educational cost which consisted of direct educational costs (47.25%), support costs (36.44%), fixed asset purchases (11.18%) and costs for student affairs (5.14%). These results indicate that the optimal cost per student is approximately 20,367,000 won each semester; thus, training a doctor costs 162,936,000 won over 4 years. Consequently, we inferred that the tuition levels of a local medical college or professional medical graduate school cover one quarter or one-half of the per- student cost. The findings of this study do not necessarily imply an increase in medical college tuition; the estimation of the per-student cost for training to be a doctor is one matter, and the issue of who should bear this burden is another. For further study, we should consider the college type and its location for general application of the estimation method, in addition to living expenses and opportunity costs.

  20. Attractiveness of family medicine for medical students

    PubMed Central

    Vanasse, Alain; Orzanco, Maria Gabriela; Courteau, Josiane; Scott, Sarah

    2011-01-01

    Abstract Objective To examine the association between students’ personal characteristics, backgrounds, and medical schools and their intention to enter a family medicine (FM) specialty. Design Descriptive study using data from the 2007 National Physician Survey. Setting Canada. Participants Clinical (n = 1109) and preclinical (n = 829) medical student respondents to the 2007 National Physician Survey. Main outcome measures The main variable was hoping to enter an FM specialty, and 40 independent variables were included in regression and classification-tree models. Results Fewer than 1 medical student in 3 (30.2% at the preclinical level and 31.4% at the clinical level) hoped to enter into an FM career. Those who did were more likely to be female, were slightly older, were more frequently married or living with partners, were typically born in Canada, and were more likely to have previous exposure to non-urban environments. The most important predictor for both populations was the debt related to medical studies, which acted in the opposite direction of whether or not students were interested in research. Students interested in research were attracted by specialties with high earning potential, while those not interested in research looked for short residency programs, such as FM, so they could begin to pay off debt sooner. Therefore, the interest in research appears to be inversely related to the choice of FM. Conclusion Less than one-third of medical students were looking for residencies in FM in Canada. This is far below the goals of 45% set at the national level and 50% set by some provinces like Quebec. Debt and interest in research have strong influences on the choice of residency by medical students. PMID:21673198

  1. Medical student perspectives on geriatrics and geriatric education.

    PubMed

    Bagri, Anita S; Tiberius, Richard

    2010-10-01

    To ascertain medical students' perspectives on geriatrics. Interpretative phenomenological analysis. An allopathic, Liaison Committee on Medical Education-accredited, former Donald W. Reynolds Foundation grant recipient, U.S. medical school. Thirty fourth-year medical students who completed geriatric educational activities in all 4 years of medical school. Two researchers independently reviewed verbatim transcripts from five focus groups and identified themes using the constant comparative method. Seventeen themes that elaborate on students' perspectives on geriatrics were identified. Students reported not feeling appropriately engaged in geriatrics, despaired at the futility of care, were depressed by the decline and death of their patients, were frustrated by low reimbursement rates and low prestige despite fellowship training, were concerned about patients' unrealistic expectations and opportunities for litigation, felt unsure how to handle ethical dilemmas, and found communicating with older adults to be enjoyable but time consuming and challenging. They felt they had too much exposure to geriatrics in medical school. Current attitude scales fail to capture some of the dimensions uncovered in this study, whereas students did not mention other dimensions commonly included in attitude scales. Regarding curriculum development, students may find an integrated preclinical geriatric curriculum to be more relevant to their careers than a stand-alone curriculum. Clinical clerkships might be in a better position to emphasize the positive aspects of geriatrics and develop strategies to address students' negative attitudes. © 2010, Copyright the Authors. Journal compilation © 2010, The American Geriatrics Society.

  2. Critical review: medical students' motivation after failure.

    PubMed

    Holland, Chris

    2016-08-01

    About 10 % of students in each years' entrants to medical school will encounter academic failure at some stage in their programme. The usual approach to supporting these students is to offer them short term remedial study programmes that often enhance approaches to study that are orientated towards avoiding failure. In this critical review I will summarise the current theories about student motivation that are most relevant to this group of students and describe how they are enhanced or not by various contextual factors that medical students experience during their programme. I will conclude by suggesting ways in which support programmes for students who have encountered academic failure might be better designed and researched in the future.

  3. Child Psychiatry: What Are We Teaching Medical Students?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dingle, Arden D.

    2010-01-01

    Objective: The author describes child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP) undergraduate teaching in American and Canadian medical schools. Methods: A survey asking for information on CAP teaching, student interest in CAP, and opinions about the CAP importance was sent to the medical student psychiatry director at 142 accredited medical schools in the…

  4. [How medical students perform academically by admission types?].

    PubMed

    Kim, Se-Hoon; Lee, Keumho; Hur, Yera; Kim, Ji-Ha

    2013-09-01

    Despite the importance of selecting students whom are capable for medical education and to become a good doctor, not enough studies have been done in the category. This study focused on analysing the medical students' academic performance (grade point average, GPA) differences, flunk and dropout rates by admission types. From 2004 to 2010, we gathered 369 Konyang University College of Medicine's students admission data and analyzed the differences between admission method and academic achievement, differences in failure and dropout rates. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), ordinary least square, and logistic regression were used. The rolling students showed higher academic achievement from year 1 to 3 than regular students (p < 0.01). Using admission type variable as control variable in multiple regression model similar results were shown. But unlike the results of ANOVA, GPA differences by admission types were shown not only in lower academic years but also in year 6 (p < 0.01). From the regression analysis of flunk and dropout rate by admission types, regular admission type students showed higher drop out rate than the rolling ones which demonstrates admission types gives significant effect on flunk or dropout rates in medical students (p < 0.01). The rolling admissions type students tend to show lower flunk rate and dropout rates and perform better academically. This implies selecting students primarily by Korean College Scholastic Ability Test does not guarantee their academic success in medical education. Thus we suggest a more in-depth comprehensive method of selecting students that are appropriate to individual medical school's educational goal.

  5. [Medical students and drug marketing].

    PubMed

    Calderón Larrañaga, Sara; Rabanaque Hernández, María José

    2014-03-01

    To determine the exposure of medical students to the marketing activities of the pharmaceutical industry, and identify their opinions and attitudes, and also the possible effects this exposure on their training and future professional practice. Descriptive cross-sectional. University of Zaragoza Faculty of Medicine. Third, fourth, fifth and sixth year medical students. The information was obtained using a previously adapted, self-report questionnaire on the exposure, attitudes and perceived suitability of drug marketing activities. Percentages were calculated for the categorical variables, applying the chi squared test for the comparison between the groups. A logistic regression was performed to determine the factors associated with their attitudes towards these activities. A total of 369 questionnaires were returned (93% of those attending classes). The exposure to marketing activities is high, particularly in the clinical stage (78.6% said to have received a gift non-educational gift). The students recognised the possible biases and repercussions in professional practice, although with ambiguity and contradictions. The most accepted activities are those associated with training, and the most critical attitudes appear in the clinical stage, particularly in the sixth year. Exposure to drug marketing by medical students and its possible training and professional effects is frequent and significant. The training environment is particularly open to promotional activities. The differences observed in the later years suggest the need for a specific curriculum subject and development of reflective attitudes by the students themselves. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

  6. The training and expectations of medical students in Mozambique

    PubMed Central

    Sousa, Fernando; Schwalbach, João; Adam, Yussuf; Gonçalves, Luzia; Ferrinho, Paulo

    2007-01-01

    Background This paper describes the socio-economic profile of medical students in the 1998/99 academic year at the Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM) Medical Faculty in Maputo. It aims to identify their social and geographical origins in addition to their expectations and difficulties regarding their education and professional future. Methods The data were collected through a questionnaire administered to all medical students at the faculty. Results Although most medical students were from outside Maputo City and Maputo Province, expectations of getting into medical school were already associated with a migration from the periphery to the capital city, even before entering medical education. This lays the basis for the concentration of physicians in the capital city once their term of compulsory rural employment as junior doctors is completed. The decision to become a doctor was taken at an early age. Close relatives, or family friends seem to have been an especially important variable in encouraging, reinforcing and promoting the desire to be a doctor. The academic performance of medical students was dismal. This seems to be related to several difficulties such as lack of library facilities, inadequate financial support, as well as poor high school preparation. Only one fifth of the students reported receiving financial support from the Mozambican government to subsidize their medical studies. Conclusion Medical students seem to know that they will be needed in the public sector, and that this represents an opportunity to contribute to the public's welfare. Nevertheless, their expectations are, already as medical students, to combine their public sector practice with private medical work in order to improve their earnings. PMID:17445263

  7. Injuries occurring in medical students during international medical rotations: a strategy toward maximizing safety.

    PubMed

    Galvin, Shannon; Robertson, Russell; Hargarten, Stephen

    2012-06-01

    The number of medical students traveling to nations outside the United States is steadily increasing. The Association of American Medical Colleges graduation questionnaire notes an increase from 2,838 students in 2001 to 3,799 students in 2009, the last year for which information is available. The risk of having any type of illness during international travel approaches 50%. Up to 19% of students will seek medical care on their return to the United States for illnesses. Most illnesses are benign and self limited. However, when deaths do occur, the leading causes are motor vehicle crashes and drownings. If air medical evacuation occurs, the most likely cause is an injury event. The authors review the literature to determine the risk of and type of illnesses and injuries suffered by travelers while overseas, especially medical volunteers. We describe the major categories of illness and injury risk and propose reasonable risk reduction and prevention strategies for prevention for injury, a relatively neglected area. We recommend that medical schools provide pre-travel training that includes injury prevention so that students are prepared not only for illness prevention but also for injury prevention. A focus on injury prevention, especially from motor vehicle crashes and drowning, is warranted given their role in causing death and serious injury to traveling students.

  8. Using ultrasound to teach medical students cardiac physiology.

    PubMed

    Bell, Floyd E; Wilson, L Britt; Hoppmann, Richard A

    2015-12-01

    Ultrasound is being incorporated more into undergraduate medical education. Studies have shown that medical students have positive perceptions about the value of ultrasound in teaching courses like anatomy and physiology. The purpose of the present study was to provide objective evidence of whether ultrasound helps students learn cardiac physiology. In this study, 20 medical students took a pretest to assess their background knowledge of cardiac physiology. Next, they acquired ultrasound video loops of the heart. Faculty members taught them nonelectrical aspects of cardiac physiology using those loops. Finally, students took a posttest to evaluate for improvements in their knowledge. Students also completed an anonymous questionnaire about their experience. The mean pretest score was 4.8 of 9 (53.3%). The mean posttest score was 7.35 of 9 (81.7%). The mean difference was significant at P < 0.0001. Student feedback was very positive about the ultrasound laboratory. Ninety-five percent of the students agreed or strongly agreed that the ultrasound laboratory was a valuable teaching tool and that it improved their understanding of cardiac physiology. All students agreed or strongly agreed the laboratory was helpful from a visual learning standpoint. A hands-on ultrasound laboratory can indeed help medical students learn the nonelectrical components of cardiac physiology. Copyright © 2015 The American Physiological Society.

  9. Predictors of Depression Stigma in Medical Students: Potential Targets for Prevention and Education.

    PubMed

    Wimsatt, Leslie A; Schwenk, Thomas L; Sen, Ananda

    2015-11-01

    Suicide rates are higher among U.S. physicians than the general population. Untreated depression is a major risk factor, yet depression stigma presents a barrier to treatment. This study aims to identify early career indications of stigma among physicians-in-training and to inform the design of stigma-reduction programs. A cross-sectional student survey administered at a large, Midwestern medical school in fall 2009 included measures of depression symptoms, attitudes toward mental health, and potential sources of depression stigma. Principal components factor analysis and linear regression were used to examine stigma factors associated with depression in medical students. The response rate was 65.7%, with 14.7% students reporting a previous depression diagnosis. Most students indicated that, if depressed, they would feel embarrassed if classmates knew. Many believed that revealing depression could negatively affect professional advancement. Factor analyses revealed three underlying stigma constructs: personal weakness, public devaluation, and social/professional discrimination. Students associating personal weakness with depression perceived medication as less efficacious and the academic environment as more competitive. Those endorsing public stigma viewed medication and counseling as less efficacious and associated depression with an inability to cope. Race, gender, and diagnosis of past/current depression also related to beliefs about stigma. Depression measures most strongly predicted stigma associated with personal weakness and social/professional discrimination. Recommendations for decreasing stigma among physicians-in-training include consideration of workplace perceptions, depression etiology, treatment efficacy, and personal attributes in the design of stigma reduction programs that could facilitate help-seeking behavior among physicians throughout their career. Copyright © 2015 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All

  10. Evaluating the Relationship Between Participation in Student-Run Free Clinics and Changes in Empathy in Medical Students

    PubMed Central

    Modi, Anita; Fascelli, Michele; Daitch, Zachary; Hojat, Mohammadreza

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: We explored differences in changes in medical student empathy in the third year of medical school between volunteers at JeffHOPE, a multisite medical student–run free clinic of Sidney Kimmel Medical College (SKMC), and nonvolunteers. Method: Volunteerism and leadership experience at JeffHOPE were documented for medical students in the Class of 2015 (n = 272) across their medical educations. Students completed the Jefferson Scale of Empathy at the beginning of medical school and at the end of the third year. Students who reported participation in other Jefferson-affiliated clinics (n = 44) were excluded from this study. Complete data were available for 188 SKMC students. Results: Forty-five percent of students (n = 85) volunteered at JeffHOPE at least once during their medical educations. Fifteen percent of students (n = 48) were selected for leadership positions involving weekly clinic participation. Nonvolunteers demonstrated significant decline in empathy in medical school (P = 0.009), while those who volunteered at JeffHOPE at least once over the course of their medical educations did not show any significant decline (P = 0.07). Conclusions: These findings suggest that medical students may benefit from volunteering at student-run free clinics to care for underserved populations throughout medical school. PMID:28033737

  11. Preparing Medical Students as Agentic Learners through Enhancing Student Engagement in Clinical Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richards, Janet; Sweet, Linda; Billett, Stephen

    2013-01-01

    Preparing medical students to be agentic learners is held to be increasingly important. This is because beyond sequencing, enhancing and varying of experiences across university and health care settings, medical students require epistemological agency to optimize their learning. The positioning of students in these settings, and their engagement…

  12. [Aspirations of medical students: "planning for a secure career" - results of an online-survey among students at five medical schools in Germany].

    PubMed

    Götz, K; Miksch, A; Hermann, K; Loh, A; Kiolbassa, K; Joos, S; Steinhäuser, J

    2011-02-01

    In times of shortage of doctors, expectations and interests of the future generation of doctors towards their career aspiration is of major importance. The aim of this study was to analyze expectations of medical students at the five medical schools in the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg (Germany) concerning their career choice and factors influencing it. Between January and February 2010, 1299 medical students (out of 12 062 medical students at the five medical schools) participated in an online-survey. In addition to sociodemographic items, career choice and aspects of planning reliability were raised. Three quarters of the students assign a medical profession for their future occupation. There is a dominance of internal medicine (n = 152), gynaecology (n = 127), paediatrics (n = 125), surgery (n = 115), anaesthesiology (n = 101), and family medicine (n = 88). The time point of decision varies between the different undergraduate years of medical school and specialty. Students at the beginning of their studies seem to be interested mostly in surgery. During medical school the interests towards internal medicine grows. Regarding planning dependability important aspects for medical students were to work in a job that has a future (61.2 % fully agree), to have a safe job (57.7 %), and to have a safe income (57.1 %). Less important seems to be to have good opportunity to earn money (29.6 %). Interest in a certain specialty changes markedly at during medical school. Factors such as economical guarantee, good future prospects and also the studies itself have an essential impact for students on choosing a specific career. Strategies to face physicians' shortage in different specialties need to be close to the needs and expectations of future physicians. This is not only valid for the undergraduate time period but also for the work circumstances of their future. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  13. Patients’ Perceptions Towards the Participation of Medical Students in their Care

    PubMed Central

    Ghobain, Mohammed Al; Alghamdi, Abdullah; Arab, Ala; Alaem, Nora; Aldress, Turki; Ruhyiem, Mead

    2016-01-01

    Objectives: Patient interaction is a vital part of healthcare training. This study aimed to investigate patients’ perceptions of the participation of medical students in their care. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2014 and March 2015 among 430 patients admitted to the medical and surgical wards at the King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. An Arabic questionnaire was designed to assess the demographic characteristics of the patients and their perceptions of students’ participation in their medical care. Results: A total of 416 patients completed the survey (response rate: 97%). Overall, 407 patients (98%) acknowledged the educational benefit of involving medical students in their care. A total of 368 patients (88%) had no objection to a medical student being involved in their care. Of these, 98% were willing to be asked about their medical history by medical students, 89% would permit physical examinations by medical students and 39% preferred that the gender of the medical student match their own. Education level (P <0.003), a positive prior experience with a medical student (P <0.001) and perception of the medical students’ attitudes (P <0.001) had a significant effect on patients’ acceptance of medical students participating in their care. Conclusion: In general, the patients had a positive perception of medical students, with most patients acknowledging the educational benefit of student participation in patient care. As patients’ perceptions of students’ professionalism, confidence and respect for privacy were significantly related to acceptance of care, education on these aspects should be a priority in medical curricula. PMID:27226915

  14. Residency choices by graduating medical students: why not pathology?

    PubMed

    Hung, Tawny; Jarvis-Selinger, Sandra; Ford, Jason C

    2011-06-01

    Pathology is an unpopular residency choice for medical students worldwide. In some countries, this has contributed to a crisis in pathologist human resources that has affected the quality of clinical laboratories. Several previous studies have used information from junior medical students and from residents to suggest ways of improving pathology recruitment. There are, however, no published studies of pathology residency choice that focus on the senior medical students who must be recruited. This study uses focus groups of senior medical students to explore both general and pathology-specific influences on residency choice. Several general influences are identified, including students' expectations for their future clinical practices, their own clinical rotation experiences, influences from other people including mentors, and their choice to reject certain fields. Several specific antipathology influences are also revealed, including negative stereotypes about pathologists, a perceived incompatibility of personality between most medical students (extroverted) and pathologists (introverted), and perceptions of pathologists as being in some ways nonmedical. The most important antipathology influence was that, from the students' perspective, pathology was utterly invisible in clinical practice. Most students did not consider and then reject a pathology residency: instead, pathology was completely ignored. Given the importance of clerkship electives in influencing medical student career choice, promoting clerkship experiences in pathology may improve recruitment. However, departments of pathology must first make pathology visible to students and teach them how pathologists contribute to clinical care. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. The Impact of Everyday Discrimination and Racial Identity Centrality on African American Medical Student Well-Being: a Report from the Medical Student CHANGE Study

    PubMed Central

    Hardeman, Rachel; Burke, Sara E.; Cunningham, Brooke; Burgess, Diana J.; van Ryn, Michelle

    2015-01-01

    Positive psychological well-being is an important predictor of and contributor to medical student success. Previous work showed that first-year African American medical students whose self-concept was highly linked to their race (high racial identity centrality) were at greater risk for poor well-being. The current study extends this work by examining (a) whether the psychological impact of racial discrimination on well-being depends on African American medical students' racial identity centrality and (b) whether this process is explained by how accepted students feel in medical school. This study used baseline data from the Medical Student Cognitive Habits and Growth Evaluation (CHANGE) Study, a large national longitudinal cohort study of 4732 medical students at 49 medical schools in the USA (n = 243). Regression analyses were conducted to test whether medical student acceptance mediated an interactive effect of discrimination and racial identity centrality on self-esteem and well-being. Both racial identity centrality and everyday discrimination were associated with negative outcomes for first-year African American medical students. Among participants who experienced higher, but not lower, levels of everyday discrimination, racial identity centrality was associated with negative outcomes. When everyday discrimination was high, but not low, racial identity was negatively related to perceived acceptance in medical school, and this in turn was related to increased negative outcomes. Our results suggest that discrimination may be particularly harmful for African American students who perceive their race to be central to their personal identity. Additionally, our findings speak to the need for institutional change that includes commitment and action towards inclusivity and the elimination of structural racism. PMID:27294743

  16. The Impact of Everyday Discrimination and Racial Identity Centrality on African American Medical Student Well-Being: a Report from the Medical Student CHANGE Study.

    PubMed

    Perry, Sylvia P; Hardeman, Rachel; Burke, Sara E; Cunningham, Brooke; Burgess, Diana J; van Ryn, Michelle

    2016-09-01

    Positive psychological well-being is an important predictor of and contributor to medical student success. Previous work showed that first-year African American medical students whose self-concept was highly linked to their race (high racial identity centrality) were at greater risk for poor well-being. The current study extends this work by examining (a) whether the psychological impact of racial discrimination on well-being depends on African American medical students' racial identity centrality and (b) whether this process is explained by how accepted students feel in medical school. This study used baseline data from the Medical Student Cognitive Habits and Growth Evaluation (CHANGE) Study, a large national longitudinal cohort study of 4732 medical students at 49 medical schools in the USA (n = 243). Regression analyses were conducted to test whether medical student acceptance mediated an interactive effect of discrimination and racial identity centrality on self-esteem and well-being. Both racial identity centrality and everyday discrimination were associated with negative outcomes for first-year African American medical students. Among participants who experienced higher, but not lower, levels of everyday discrimination, racial identity centrality was associated with negative outcomes. When everyday discrimination was high, but not low, racial identity was negatively related to perceived acceptance in medical school, and this in turn was related to increased negative outcomes. Our results suggest that discrimination may be particularly harmful for African American students who perceive their race to be central to their personal identity. Additionally, our findings speak to the need for institutional change that includes commitment and action towards inclusivity and the elimination of structural racism.

  17. Medical student storytelling on an institutional blog: a case study analysis.

    PubMed

    Becker, Katherine A; Freberg, Karen

    2014-05-01

    Despite the proclivity and proliferation of blogs on the Internet, the use of blogs at medical institutions is not well documented. In examining the structured stories that medical students share with the digital community, we may better understand how students use institutional blogs to discuss their medical school experiences while maintaining their role as a medical student ambassador for the program. We conducted a case study to analyze the stories within 309 medical student blogs from one medical institution in the United States. In an attempt to communicate their experiences to different benefactors, student bloggers engaged in structured and personal storytelling. Structured stories offered medical school advice to prospective students, while personal stories embodied features of a personal diary where students recounted significant milestones, talked about personal relationships and engaged in emotional reflection and disclosure. Institutional blogs may provide social marketing for medical institutions, as students strategically framed their experiences to reflect a positive attitude about the medical institution and focused on providing advice to prospective students. Although these structured stories limit complete disclosure, students may still achieve benefits by engaging in emotional disclosure and personal reflection.

  18. Experiences of alcohol-related harassment among medical students.

    PubMed

    Nagata-Kobayashi, Shizuko; Koyama, Hiroshi; Asai, Atsushi; Noguchi, Yoshinori; Maeno, Tetsuhiro; Fukushima, Osamu; Yamamoto, Wari; Koizumi, Shunzo; Shimbo, Takuro

    2010-12-01

    Although fatal accidents caused by alcohol-related harassment occur frequently among college students, this issue has not been adequately examined. This study set out to investigate the prevalence of alcohol-related harassment among medical students in Japan. A multi-institutional, cross-sectional survey was carried out across seven medical schools in Japan. A self-report anonymous questionnaire was distributed to 1152 medical students; 951 respondents (82.6%) satisfactorily completed it. From the responses, we determined the reported prevalences of the following types of alcohol-related harassment among medical students by senior medical students or doctors: (i) being coerced into drinking alcohol; (ii) being compelled to drink an alcoholic beverage all at once (the ikki drinking game); (iii) being deliberately forced to drink until unconscious, and (iv) being subjected to verbal abuse, physical abuse or sexual harassment in relation to alcohol. The prevalence of becoming a harasser among medical students was also measured. Multivariate regressions were used to assess the associations between experiences of alcohol-related harassment and student characteristics. A total of 821 respondents (86.3%) had experienced alcohol-related harassment and 686 (72.1%) had harassed others. Experiences of the ikki drinking game were frequently reported by both victims (n=686, 72.1% of all respondents) and harassers (n=595, 62.6% of all respondents). In multivariate regression, having an experience of alcohol-related harassment correlated with both being harassed (odds ratio [OR] 14.22, 95% confidence interval [CI] 8.73-23.98) and being a harasser (OR 13.19, 95% CI 8.05-22.34). The presence of senior members of medical college clubs who were regular drinkers also correlated with both being harassed (OR 2.96, 95% CI 1.88-4.67) and being a harasser (OR 2.97, 95% CI 2.06-4.27). Alcohol-related harassment among medical students is common and tends to occur at drinking parties with

  19. Research-Oriented Series: A Portal into the Culture of Biomedical Research for Junior Medical Students at Alfaisal University in Saudi Arabia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shareef, Mohammad Abrar; Dweik, Loai M.; Abudan, Zainab; Gazal, Abdalla M.; Abu-Dawas, Reema B.; Chamseddin, Ranim A.; Albali, Nawaf H.; Ali, Alaa A.; Khan, Tehreem A.; AlAmodi, Abdulhadi A.

    2015-01-01

    Student contributions to research have been shown to effectively reflect on their communication and critical thinking skills. Short-term research courses offer opportunities for medical students to advance their research experience in subsequent high-demanding long-term research opportunities. The purpose of the present study was to describe the…

  20. Reported Use of Objectives by Medical Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mast, Terrill A.; And Others

    The way that medical students used objectives throughout the curriculum and factors that influenced their level of use was studied at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, a three-year medical school with an entirely objectives-based curriculum. A questionnaire mailed to 75 students yielded a 75 percent return. The predominant modes for…

  1. The involvement of older inpatients in medical student education.

    PubMed

    Aquilina, T; Thompson, S M; Metcalfe, K H M; Hughes, H; Sinclair, L; Batt, F

    2018-01-01

    To examine older inpatients' experiences with medical student education, their views on future interactions, and to seek their opinion on the most important curricular topics related to geriatric medicine. The study involved 112 non-confused inpatients older than 65 years of age, who completed a uniformed questionnaire on the day of their discharge from a teaching hospital. The mean age was 81 years, with equal number of male and female participants. 57% interacted with the students during their admission, the majority being interviewed and examined. Almost all (92%) of these patients described their experience as positive, some described it as time-consuming (23%), repetitive (19%) and tiresome (9%). 92% of all participants agreed that the older patients should be part of medical students' education. Dementia, cardiac conditions, cancer, arthritis, isolation/loneliness were highlighted as the most important topics to teach medical students related to geriatric medicine, while patience and listening were listed as important skills. They suggested practical, easily implemented advice for the improvement of the interaction between students and older patients; including allowing more time for interactions and for students to speak louder. Older patients felt positively about their interactions with medical students, and believed that older patients should be involved in medical student education. As well as medical conditions such as dementia, cardiac disease and cancer, these patients highlighted isolation and loneliness as important topics for undergraduate geriatric medical education, implying that students should learn about broader aspects of older patients' health and wellbeing.

  2. Safety in numbers 7: Veni, vidi, duci: a grounded theory evaluation of nursing students' medication dosage calculation problem-solving schemata construction.

    PubMed

    Weeks, Keith W; Higginson, Ray; Clochesy, John M; Coben, Diana

    2013-03-01

    This paper evaluates nursing students' transition through schemata construction and competence development in medication dosage calculation problem-solving (MDC-PS). We advance a grounded theory from interview data that reflects the experiences and perceptions of two groups of undergraduate pre-registration nursing students: eight students exposed to a prototype authentic MDC-PS environment and didactic transmission methods of education and 15 final year students exposed to the safeMedicate authentic MDC-PS environment. We advance a theory of how classroom-based 'chalk and talk' didactic transmission environments offered multiple barriers to accurate MDC-PS schemata construction among novice students. While conversely it was universally perceived by all students that authentic learning and assessment environments enabled MDC-PS schemata construction through facilitating: 'seeing' the authentic features of medication dosage problems; context-based and situational learning; learning within a scaffolded environment that supported construction of cognitive links between the concrete world of clinical MDC-PS and the abstract world of mathematics; and confidence-building in their cognitive and functional competence ability. Drawing on the principle of veni, vidi, duci (I came, I saw, I calculated), we combined the two sets of evaluations to offer a grounded theoretical basis for schemata construction and competence development within this critical domain of professional practice. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Medical student attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in medical education: a critical review.

    PubMed

    Joyce, Paul; Wardle, Jon; Zaslawski, Chris

    2016-12-01

    Background This paper aims to remedy a gap in the knowledge by presenting the first critical review of the literature on major themes relating to medical students perceptions and attitudes towards the exponentially growing field of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). MethodsAfter a comprehensive database search of the literature, 21 papers were chosen as suitable for the review. The results from these papers were tabled and discussed. ResultsThe results indicated that medical students lacked knowledge of CAM and are generally positive towards CAM education (especially in the preclinical years, if it provided evidence of efficacy and post-placement). Medical students thought that CAM should generally be incorporated into the medical curriculum mainly so they can confidently undertake referral to CAM practitioners. Being able to communicate with future patients about their CAM use was a major motivation for medical students to learn about CAM and a factor for medical student support of further incorporation of CAM content in the medical curricula. Educational exposure to CAM in many forms and in many papers was shown to significantly affect medical student attitudes to CAM. This may be reflective of the fact that, outside direct CAM training, there may be limited accessible opportunities for medical students and if integration is to occur, educational exposure is most important. ConclusionsThe rise of CAM as a social and clinical phenomenon necessitates consideration of further inclusion of these topics in the medical curriculum, if future physicians are to be able to fully discharge their role as care providers in an increasingly medically pluralistic world. However, the inclusion of CAM needs to be done in an objective and critical manner, which is relevant to the learner.

  4. Tobacco abuse and physical activity among medical students

    PubMed Central

    2009-01-01

    Objective This lifestyle is mainly determined during childhood and connected with poor public prophylactic health policy. The aim of this study was to estimate physical activity and level of tobacco abuse, as well as knowledge about health behaviours, among medical students. Methods Questionnaires were completed by Polish (243) and foreign medical students (80). Results It was stated that about 20% of the students smoked cigarettes. Female students from Norway took up smoking significantly more often than other participants, whereas there were more smokers among those from Poland. There was a significantly larger percentage of smoking males from Norway than among male Polish students. The same students presented a low level of physical activity. The smallest level of physical activity was characteristic of the Polish women. Conclusion This situation requires an intensification of activities aimed at supporting pro-health lifestyles and the elimination of unfavourable effects, especially among medical students. PMID:20156733

  5. Enhancing Pharmacy Student Learning and Perceptions of Medical Apps

    PubMed Central

    Aungst, Timothy Dy; Brown, Nicole V; Cui, Yan; Tam, Leonard

    2016-01-01

    Background The use of mobile apps in health care is growing. Current and future practitioners must be equipped with the skills to navigate and utilize apps in patient care, yet few strategies exist for training health care professional students on the usage of apps. Objective To characterize first-year pharmacy student use of medical apps, evaluate first-year pharmacy student's perception of skills in finding, evaluating, and using medical apps before and after a focused learning experience, and assess student satisfaction and areas for improvement regarding the learning experience. Methods Students listened to a recorded, Web-based lecture on finding, evaluating, and using mobile apps in patient care. A 2-hour, interactive workshop was conducted during which students were led by an instructor through a discussion on strategies for finding and using apps in health care. The students practiced evaluating 6 different health care–related apps. Surveys were conducted before and after the focused learning experience to assess students' perceptions of medical apps and current use and perspectives on satisfaction with the learning experience and role of technology in health care. Results This educational intervention is the first described formal, interactive method to educate student pharmacists on medical apps. With a 99% response rate, surveys conducted before and after the learning experience displayed perceived improvement in student skills related to finding (52/119, 44% before vs 114/120, 95% after), evaluating (18/119, 15% before vs 112/120, 93% after), and using medical apps in patient care (31/119, 26% before vs 108/120, 90% after) and the health sciences classroom (38/119, 32% before vs 104/120, 87% after). Students described satisfaction with the educational experience and agreed that it should be repeated in subsequent years (89/120, 74% agreed or strongly agreed). Most students surveyed possessed portable electronic devices (107/119, 90% mobile phone) and

  6. Enhancing Pharmacy Student Learning and Perceptions of Medical Apps.

    PubMed

    Rodis, Jennifer; Aungst, Timothy Dy; Brown, Nicole V; Cui, Yan; Tam, Leonard

    2016-05-12

    The use of mobile apps in health care is growing. Current and future practitioners must be equipped with the skills to navigate and utilize apps in patient care, yet few strategies exist for training health care professional students on the usage of apps. To characterize first-year pharmacy student use of medical apps, evaluate first-year pharmacy student's perception of skills in finding, evaluating, and using medical apps before and after a focused learning experience, and assess student satisfaction and areas for improvement regarding the learning experience. Students listened to a recorded, Web-based lecture on finding, evaluating, and using mobile apps in patient care. A 2-hour, interactive workshop was conducted during which students were led by an instructor through a discussion on strategies for finding and using apps in health care. The students practiced evaluating 6 different health care-related apps. Surveys were conducted before and after the focused learning experience to assess students' perceptions of medical apps and current use and perspectives on satisfaction with the learning experience and role of technology in health care. This educational intervention is the first described formal, interactive method to educate student pharmacists on medical apps. With a 99% response rate, surveys conducted before and after the learning experience displayed perceived improvement in student skills related to finding (52/119, 44% before vs 114/120, 95% after), evaluating (18/119, 15% before vs 112/120, 93% after), and using medical apps in patient care (31/119, 26% before vs 108/120, 90% after) and the health sciences classroom (38/119, 32% before vs 104/120, 87% after). Students described satisfaction with the educational experience and agreed that it should be repeated in subsequent years (89/120, 74% agreed or strongly agreed). Most students surveyed possessed portable electronic devices (107/119, 90% mobile phone) and agreed with the concept of medical apps

  7. Medical students as human subjects in educational research

    PubMed Central

    Sarpel, Umut; Hopkins, Mary Ann; More, Frederick; Yavner, Steven; Pusic, Martin; Nick, Michael W.; Song, Hyuksoon; Ellaway, Rachel; Kalet, Adina L.

    2013-01-01

    Introduction Special concerns often arise when medical students are themselves the subjects of education research. A recently completed large, multi-center randomized controlled trial of computer-assisted learning modules for surgical clerks provided the opportunity to explore the perceived level of risk of studies where medical students serve as human subjects by reporting on: 1) the response of Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) at seven institutions to the same study protocol; and 2) the thoughts and feelings of students across study sites about being research subjects. Methods From July 2009 to August 2010, all third-year medical students at seven collaborating institutions were eligible to participate. Patterns of IRB review of the same protocol were compared. Participation burden was calculated in terms of the time spent interacting with the modules. Focus groups were conducted with medical students at each site. Transcripts were coded by three independent reviewers and analyzed using Atlas.ti. Results The IRBs at the seven participating institutions granted full (n=1), expedited (n=4), or exempt (n=2) review of the WISE Trial protocol. 995 (73% of those eligible) consented to participate, and 207 (20%) of these students completed all outcome measures. The average time to complete the computer modules and associated measures was 175 min. Common themes in focus groups with participant students included the desire to contribute to medical education research, the absence of coercion to consent, and the low-risk nature of the research. Discussion Our findings demonstrate that risk assessment and the extent of review utilized for medical education research vary among IRBs. Despite variability in the perception of risk implied by differing IRB requirements, students themselves felt education research was low risk and did not consider themselves to be vulnerable. The vast majority of eligible medical students were willing to participate as research subjects

  8. Quantitative Description of Medical Student Interest in Neurology and Psychiatry.

    PubMed

    Ramos, Raddy L; Cuoco, Joshua A; Guercio, Erik; Levitan, Thomas

    2016-07-01

    Given the well-documented shortage of physicians in primary care and several other specialties, quantitative understanding of residency application and matching data among osteopathic and allopathic medical students has implications for predicting trends in the physician workforce. To estimate medical student interest in neurology and psychiatry based on numbers of applicants and matches to neurology and psychiatry osteopathic and allopathic residency programs. Also, to gauge students' previous academic experience with brain and cognitive sciences. The number of available postgraduate year 1 positions, applicants, and matches from graduating years 2011 through 2015 were collected from the National Matching Services Inc and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine for osteopathic programs and the National Resident Matching Program and the Association of American Medical Colleges for allopathic programs. To determine and compare osteopathic and allopathic medical students' interest in neurology and psychiatry, the number of positions, applicants, and matches were analyzed considering the number of total osteopathic and allopathic graduates in the given year using 2-tailed χ2 analyses with Yates correction. In addition, osteopathic and allopathic medical schools' websites were reviewed to determine whether neurology and psychiatry rotations were required. Osteopathic medical students' reported undergraduate majors were also gathered. Compared with allopathic medical students, osteopathic medical students had significantly greater interest (as measured by applicants) in neurology (χ21=11.85, P<.001) and psychiatry (χ21=39.07, P<.001), and an equal proportion of osteopathic and allopathic medical students matched in neurology and psychiatry residency programs. Approximately 6% of osteopathic vs nearly 85% of allopathic medical schools had required neurology rotations. Nearly 10% of osteopathic applicants and matriculants had undergraduate

  9. Stress in medical students.

    PubMed

    Nechita, Florina; Nechita, Dan; Pîrlog, Mihail Cristian; Rogoveanu, Ion

    2014-01-01

    Stress has been defined as the state of a body threatened by imbalance under the influence of agents or conditions endangering its homeostatic mechanisms but the concept have multiple meanings in correlation with the origin and biological support of its effects. Also, stressors are multiple, recording one of the highest levels during the academic studies. For the medical students, stress represents an important challenge, especially during the first year of medical school, caused by the absence of a learning strategy, the sleepless night before the exam and also an unhealthy food intake during the exams. The coping strategies are important, their background being represented by the social support, especially within the family, and emotional, the passions of the medicine students being the most important stress-combating factor. Gender represents also an important factor for the stress vulnerability, manifested through medical and psychiatric symptoms. In order to train good doctors, fair and above all healthy, it is important to consider not only the information we want to transmit, but also the context in which we educate.

  10. Reaching out: medical students leading in local communities.

    PubMed

    Bannon, Aidan; O'Hare, Niamh; Corr, Michael; Sterling, Margaret; Gormley, Gerard J

    2015-06-01

    Queen's University Red Cross is a medical student-led volunteer group with a key aim of promoting social change within local communities and empowering young people to aspire to higher education. We describe 'The Personal Development Certificate', a 12-week community development programme devised by third-year medical students at Queen's University Belfast to target young people who are lacking educational motivation, are disengaged at home or are marginalised through social circumstances. Community-based education is of increasing importance within undergraduate and postgraduate medical education in the UK, and further afield. We evaluated the perceived improvements in key skills such as teamwork, leadership, communication, and problem solving in students following participation in this programme, and the extent to which their attitude and appreciation of community-based medicine changed. [Students] appreciated the opportunity to translate a series of classroom-learned skills to real-life environments Following facilitation of this community-based initiative, all students reported a perceived improvement in the acquired skill sets. Students made strong links from this programme to previous clinical experiences and appreciated the opportunity to translate a series of classroom-learned skills to real-life environments and interactions. The students' appreciation and understanding of community-based medicine was the single most improved area of our evaluation. We have demonstrated that medical students possess the skills to develop and facilitate their own educational projects. Non-clinical, student-led community projects have the potential to be reproduced using recognised frameworks and guidelines to complement the current undergraduate medical curriculum. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Unprofessional behaviour on social media by medical students.

    PubMed

    Barlow, Christopher J; Morrison, Stewart; Stephens, Hugh On; Jenkins, Emily; Bailey, Michael J; Pilcher, David

    2015-12-14

    To describe the social media usage patterns of medical students and to identify factors associated with their posting of unprofessional content on social media. Voluntary survey, delivered online. All students in all 20 Australian medical schools were eligible to participate (16 993 individuals). Of 1027 initial respondents during the study period (29 March - 12 August 2013), 880 completed the survey. Prevalence of unprofessional online behaviour on social media by medical students, as reported by students about their own and others' accounts. Posting of unprofessional content was self-reported by 306 students (34.7%), mainly depictions of intoxication (301 students, 34.2%) or illegal drug use (14 students, 1.6%), or posting of patient information (14 students, 1.6%). Posting of unprofessional content was associated with posting evidence of alcohol use and racist content online, MySpace use, and planning to change one's profile name after graduation. Factors associated with reduced unprofessional content included believing that videos depicting medical events with heavy alcohol use were inappropriate, and being happy with one's own social media portrayal. Exposure to guidelines on professional online conduct had no effect on posting behaviour. Social media use was nearly universal in the surveyed cohort. Posting of unprofessional content was highly prevalent despite understanding that this might be considered inappropriate, and despite awareness of professionalism guidelines. Medical educators should consider approaches to this problem that involve more than simply providing guidelines or policies, and students should be regularly prompted to evaluate and moderate their own online behaviour.

  12. Senior Medical Student Mock Interview Program in Pediatrics.

    PubMed

    Multerer, Sara; Carothers, Becky; Patel, Pradip D; Ziegler, Craig; Rowland, Michael; Davis, Deborah Winders

    2016-02-01

    Residency interviews play an integral part in medical residency placement. We aimed to develop and evaluate a mock interview program for fourth-year medical students interested in a pediatric specialty. A mock interview program for fourth-year medical students interested in pediatrics was developed and implemented. Preinterview quantitative data and postinterview qualitative data were collected. Fifty-nine students completed the program across three consecutive academic years. Preinterview surveys were completed regarding comfort and confidence levels specific to aspects of the interview process. Descriptive analyses were used. In addition, a focus group was held with nine of the participating students to obtain qualitative data via a paper blog process. Themes in student responses were identified through constant comparative analysis. Before the mock interview, students were most uncomfortable with introductory and closing remarks and their confidence levels varied by topic. A thematic analysis of focus group data identified five themes (preparation, stress reduction, interview process familiarity, confidence of skills, and receiving feedback) for which the mock interviews were most helpful. Implementation of a mock interview program was feasible and acceptable for senior medical students and may improve comfort and confidence levels in the residency interview process. Further longitudinal research is needed.

  13. Medical student resilience and stressful clinical events during clinical training.

    PubMed

    Houpy, Jennifer C; Lee, Wei Wei; Woodruff, James N; Pincavage, Amber T

    2017-01-01

    Medical students face numerous stressors during their clinical years, including difficult clinical events. Fostering resilience is a promising way to mitigate negative effects of stressors, prevent burnout, and help students thrive after difficult experiences. However, little is known about medical student resilience. To characterize medical student resilience and responses to difficult clinical events during clinical training. Sixty-two third-year (MS3) and 55 fourth-year (MS4) University of Chicago medical students completed surveys in 2016 assessing resilience (Connor Davidson Resilience Scale, CD-RISC 10), symptoms of burnout, need for resilience training, and responses to difficult clinical events. Medical student mean resilience was lower than in a general population sample. Resilience was higher in males, MS4s, those without burnout symptoms, and students who felt able to cope with difficult clinical events. When students experienced difficult events in the clinical setting, the majority identified poor team dynamics among the most stressful, and agreed their wellbeing was affected by difficult clinical events. A majority also would prefer to discuss these events with their team later that day. Students discussed events with peers more than with attendings or residents. Students comfortable discussing stress and burnout with peers had higher resilience. Most students believed resilience training would be helpful and most beneficial during MS3 year. Clinical medical student resilience was lower than in the general population but higher in MS4s and students reporting no burnout. Students had some insight into their resilience and most thought resilience training would be helpful. Students discussed difficult clinical events most often with peers. More curricula promoting medical student resilience are needed.

  14. Development of a career coaching model for medical students.

    PubMed

    Hur, Yera

    2016-03-01

    Deciding on a future career path or choosing a career specialty is an important academic decision for medical students. The purpose of this study is to develop a career coaching model for medical students. This research was carried out in three steps. The first step was systematic review of previous studies. The second step was a need assessment of medical students. The third step was a career coaching model using the results acquired from the researched literature and the survey. The career coaching stages were defined as three big phases: The career coaching stages were defined as the "crystallization" period (Pre-medical year 1 and 2), "specification" period (medical year 1 and 2), and "implementation" period (medical year 3 and 4). The career coaching model for medical students can be used in programming career coaching contents and also in identifying the outcomes of career coaching programs at an institutional level.

  15. Early bedside care during preclinical medical education: can technology-enhanced patient simulation advance the Flexnerian ideal?

    PubMed

    Gordon, James A; Hayden, Emily M; Ahmed, Rami A; Pawlowski, John B; Khoury, Kimberly N; Oriol, Nancy E

    2010-02-01

    Flexner wanted medical students to study at the patient bedside-a remarkable innovation in his time-so that they could apply science to clinical care under the watchful eye of senior physicians. Ever since his report, medical schools have reserved the latter years of their curricula for such an "advanced" apprenticeship, providing clinical clerkship experiences only after an initial period of instruction in basic medical sciences. Although Flexner codified the segregation of preclinical and clinical instruction, he was committed to ensuring that both domains were integrated into a modern medical education. The aspiration to fully integrate preclinical and clinical instruction continues to drive medical education reform even to this day. In this article, the authors revisit the original justification for sequential preclinical-clinical instruction and argue that modern, technology-enhanced patient simulation platforms are uniquely powerful for fostering simultaneous integration of preclinical-clinical content in a way that Flexner would have applauded. To date, medical educators tend to focus on using technology-enhanced medical simulation in clinical and postgraduate medical education; few have devoted significant attention to using immersive clinical simulation among preclinical students. The authors present an argument for the use of dynamic robot-mannequins in teaching basic medical science, and describe their experience with simulator-based preclinical instruction at Harvard Medical School. They discuss common misconceptions and barriers to the approach, describe their curricular responses to the technique, and articulate a unifying theory of cognitive and emotional learning that broadens the view of what is possible, feasible, and desirable with simulator-based medical education.

  16. A Strategy to Enhance Student Experiences in Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response: Medical Reserve Corps Nursing Student Summer Externship.

    PubMed

    Stein, Loren Nell Melton

    Development of the public health nursing workforce is crucial to advancing our nation's health. Many organizations, including the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the US Department of Health and Human Services, have identified the need for strengthening academia's connection to public health and tailoring experiences to enhance workforce competency. The Oklahoma Medical Reserve Corps (OKMRC) Nursing Student Summer Externship was developed as a strategy to provide nursing students with strengthened knowledge and skills in disaster response through a structured summer volunteer experience with nurse educators within the OKMRC. The Medical Reserve Corps is a national organization with more than 200 000 volunteers dedicated to strengthening public health, improving emergency response capabilities, and building community resiliency. In the summer of 2015, the OKMRC offered a 10-week public health emergency preparedness and response externship pilot program to 8 nursing students. In the summer of 2016, the program expanded to include 3 Oklahoma baccalaureate nursing programs. Students completed trainings and participated in activities designed to provide a broad base of knowledge, an awareness of the local disaster plans, and leadership skills to assist their communities with preparedness and disaster response.

  17. [Knowledge and perception of medical students about infertility].

    PubMed

    Erdei, Márta; Cserepes, Réka Eszter; Bugán, Antal

    2015-01-18

    The effectiveness of fertility treatments is influenced by the health care professionals' knowledge regarding infertility as well as their empathy. The aim of the study was to examine infertility-related knowledge and perceptions of emotional and mind/body consequences of infertility among medical students. A questionnaire design was used. Data were obtained from 112 medical university students (76 women, 36 men) who participated involuntary and compensation-free. Medical students' knowledge concerning infertility proved to be incomplete and ambiguous. Subjects underestimated the presence of mind/body and emotional symptoms caused by infertility in men particularly, and overestimated some emotional concerns in women, e.g. sadness. Medical students have gaps in their subject-specific knowledge, so that they need more (even practical) information regarding infertility during their studies. Students' conceptions about emotional and physical consequences of infertility are distorted by stereotypes. The risk of these biases is that it could make it difficult to perceive patients in a non-distorted way, especially infertile male patients.

  18. Associations of medical student empathy with clinical competence.

    PubMed

    Casas, Rachel S; Xuan, Ziming; Jackson, Angela H; Stanfield, Lorraine E; Harvey, Nanette C; Chen, Daniel C

    2017-04-01

    Empathy is a crucial skill for medical students that can be difficult to evaluate. We examined if self-reported empathy in medical students was associated with clinical competence. This study combined cross-sectional data from four consecutive years of medical students (N=590) from the Boston University School of Medicine. We used regression analysis to evaluate if self-reported empathy (Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE)) predicted scores in clinical clerkships, United States Medical Licensing Examinations, and OBJECTIVE: Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs). We separately analyzed overall and OSCE communication scores based on interpersonal skills reported by standardized patients. We controlled for age, gender, debt, and specialty affinity. JSPE scores of medical students were positively associated with OSCE communication scores, and remained significant when controlling for demographics. We found that JSPE score was also predictive of overall OSCE scores, but this relationship was confounded by gender and age. JSPE scores were associated with performance in the Pediatrics clerkship, but not other clerkships or standardized tests. JSPE scores were positively associated with OSCE communication scores in medical students. This study supports that self-reported empathy may predict OSCE performance, but further research is needed to examine differences by gender and age. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Medical student views on interactions with pharmaceutical representatives.

    PubMed

    Ganzini, Linda; Chen, Zunqiu; Peters, Dawn; Misra, Sahana; Macht, Madison; Osborne, Molly; Keepers, George

    2012-05-01

    In 2006, the Housestaff Association presented the Dean at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) with a proposal to effectively end the influence of the pharmaceutical industry on campus. The Dean convened a workgroup to examine the issue, and faculty, residents, and medical students were surveyed on their views and interactions. Authors present here the responses from medical students. A web-based, anonymous survey was sent to all OHSU medical students in 2007; 59% completed it. The survey included items measuring attitudes about the pharmaceutical industry and interactions with pharmaceutical representatives (PRs). Only 5% of clinical and 7% of preclinical students agreed that PRs have an important teaching role, and fewer than 1 in 6 believed that PRs provided useful and accurate information on either new or established drugs; 54% of clinical students indicated that PRs should be restricted from making presentations on campus, versus 32% of preclinical students, and only 30% of clinical students agreed that accepting gifts had no impact on their own prescribing, versus 50% of preclinical students. Students who acknowledged the influence of PRs and perceived less educational benefit were less likely to accept gifts such as textbooks; however, 84% of clinical students had attended an on-campus event sponsored by a pharmaceutical company in the previous year. Only a small proportion of OHSU medical students value interactions with PRs, but many still attend events sponsored by pharmaceutical companies.

  20. Pedagogical Implications on Medical Students' Linguistic Needs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hwang, Yanling

    2011-01-01

    In this paper, an extended teaching implication is performed based on the study of medical students' linguistic needs in Tawian (Hwang, Lin, 2010). The aims of previous study were to provide a description of the linguistic needs and perceptions of medical students and faculty members in Taiwan. However, this paper put more thoughts on the…

  1. Assessing medical students' perception of effective teaching and learning in Nigerian medical school.

    PubMed

    Chinawa, Josephat M; Manyike, Pius; Chukwu, B; Eke, C B; Isreal, Odetunde Odutola; Chinawa, A T

    2015-01-01

    Medical education is always in a state of dynamic equilibrium with continuous evolution of new techniques in teaching and learning. Objective of this study is to determine medical students' perception on preferences of teaching and learning. A total of 207 medical students participated in the study. Most (73.9%) of them were males while the modal age group was 23-25 years. Majority (57.5%) of the students belong the middle socioeconomic class and 65.7% resided within the hostel. Majority of the students (48.8%) believe two hours is enough to per lecture. Among the five different teaching-learning methods investigated, use of multimedia methods was found to be most effective. There exist a statistically significant association was found only in gender with regular oral examinations (Χ2 = 4.5, df = 1, p = 0.03) and socioeconomic class with dictation of lecture notes (Χ2 = 17.9, df = 9, p = 0.03). The present day medical student will end up as a good clinician if modern techniques of teaching and communication skills of the lecturers are adopted.

  2. MedTalks: developing teaching abilities and experience in undergraduate medical students.

    PubMed

    Bandeali, Suhair; Chiang, Albert; Ramnanan, Christopher J

    2017-01-01

    According to the CanMEDS' Scholar competency, physicians are expected to facilitate the learning of colleagues, patients and other health professionals. However, most medical students are not provided with formal opportunities to gain teaching experience with objective feedback. To address this, the University's Medical Education Interest Group (MEIG) created a pilot teaching program in January 2015 entitled 'MedTalks'. Four 3-hour sessions were held at the University Faculty of Medicine, where first and second year medical students taught clinically oriented topics to undergraduate university students. Each extracurricular session included three 30-minute content lectures, and a 90-minute small group session on physical examination skills. Each medical student-teacher received formal feedback from undergraduate students and from faculty educators regarding teaching style, communication abilities, and professionalism. In addition, medical student-teachers self-evaluated their own teaching experience. Over 50 medical students from the University participated as medical student-teachers. Based on quantitative and qualitative evaluation surveys, 100% of medical students agreed that MedTalks was a useful way to develop teaching skills and 92% gained a greater confidence in individual teaching capabilities, based largely on the opportunity to gain experience (with feedback) in teaching roles. A program designed to give medical students multi-source teaching experience (lecture- and small group-based) and feedback on their teaching (from learners and Faculty observers, in addition to their own self-reflection) can improve medical student confidence and enthusiasm towards teaching. Future studies will clarify if medical student self-perceived enhancements in teaching ability can be corroborated by independent (Faculty, learner) observations of future teaching activity.

  3. Associations between medical school and career preferences in Year 1 medical students in Scotland.

    PubMed

    Cleland, Jennifer; Johnston, Peter W; French, Fiona H; Needham, Gillian

    2012-05-01

    Little is known about the relationship between the career preferences of medical students and the medical schools at which they are enrolled. Our aim was to explore this relationship early in students' medical training. Year 1 (2009-2010) medical students at the five Scottish medical schools were invited to take part in a career preference questionnaire survey. Questions were asked about demographic factors, career preferences and influencing factors. The response rate was 87.9% (883/1005). No significant differences were found among medical schools with regard to first-choice specialty. Surgery (22.5%), medicine (19.0%), general practice (17.6%) and paediatrics (16.1%) were the top career choices. Work-life balance, perceived aptitude and skills, intellectual satisfaction, and amount of patient contact were rated as the most important job-related factors by most respondents. Few differences were found among schools in terms of the impact of job-related factors on future career preferences. Students for whom the work-life balance was extremely important (odds ratio [OR]=0.6) were less likely to prefer surgery. Students for whom the work-life balance (OR=2.2) and continuity of care (OR=2.1) were extremely important were more likely to prefer general practice. Students' early career preferences were similar across the five medical schools. These preferences result from the interplay among demographic factors and the perceived characteristics of the various specialties. Maintaining a satisfactory work-life balance is very important to tomorrow's doctors, and the data hint that this may be breaking down some of the traditional gender differences in specialty choice. Longitudinal work is required to explore whether students' career preferences change as they progress through medical school and training. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2012.

  4. What does "disability" mean for medical students? An exploration of the words medical students associate with the term "disability".

    PubMed

    Byron, Margaret; Cockshott, Zoë; Brownett, Hilary; Ramkalawan, Tina

    2005-02-01

    Disability teaching is a core theme in undergraduate medical education. Medical students bring a range of experiences of disability to their medical training. The principal aim of this study was to explore the words that medical students associate with the term "disability" and to consider how the resulting information could inform teaching. A secondary aim was to see if a short disability course changed the word associations. Students were asked to write down 2 words that came to mind when they heard the word "disability", before and after a 4-day course in disability. Words from 4 cohorts were analysed by frequency and the following word dichotomies: visual icons/personal attributes; loss/enabling, and medical model/social model. A random sample of students took part in focus groups at the beginning and end of the course. A total of 381 students provided 667 before-course words and 189 students provided 336 after-course words. Before the course, words denoting visual icons of disability, and loss were prominent, accounting for 85% of the words, and 74% of the words describing personal attributes were negative. Focus group responses at this stage reflected an eagerness to help but patronising terms were prominent, along with concern about political correctness. Students also expressed nervousness about encountering disabled people. In response, teaching was adapted to make it more learner-focused, to offer a safe environment in which students can test out their language, to build on the positive associations and to develop a range of pre-course creative activities with disabled people. After the course a considerable and significant shift in emphasis was observed, with a reduction in the use of visual icon words, an increase in words denoting enablement, and an increase in words relating to the social model of disability and to positive personal attributes (P < 0.001). Focus group participants at this stage reported greater confidence in approaching disabled

  5. Decolonising medical curricula through diversity education: lessons from students.

    PubMed

    Nazar, Mahdi; Kendall, Kathleen; Day, Lawrence; Nazar, Hamde

    2015-04-01

    The General Medical Council (GMC) expects that medical students graduate with an awareness of how the diversity of the patient population may affect health outcomes and behaviours. However, little guidance has been provided on how to incorporate diversity teaching into medical school curricula. Research highlights the existence of two different models within medical education: cultural competency and cultural humility. The Southampton medical curriculum includes both models in its diversity teaching, but little was known about which model was dominant or about the students' experience. Fifteen semi-structured, in-depth interviews were carried out with medical students at the University of Southampton. Data were analysed thematically using elements of grounded theory and constant comparison. Students identified early examples of diversity teaching consistent with a cultural humility approach. In later years, the limited diversity teaching recognised by students generally adopted a cultural competency approach. Students tended to perceive diversity as something that creates problems for healthcare professionals due to patients' perceived differences. They also reported witnessing a number of questionable practices related to diversity issues that they felt unable to challenge. The dissonance created by differences in the largely lecture based and the clinical environments left students confused and doubting the value of cultural humility in a clinical context. Staff training on diversity issues is required to encourage institutional buy-in and establish consistent educational and clinical environments. By tackling cultural diversity within the context of patient-centred care, cultural humility, the approach students valued most, would become the default model. Reflective practice and the development of a critical consciousness are crucial in the improvement of cultural diversity training and thus should be facilitated and encouraged. Educators can adopt a

  6. Suicidality among medical students – A practical guide for staff members in medical schools

    PubMed Central

    Rau, Thea; Plener, Paul; Kliemann, Andrea; Fegert, Jörg M.; Allroggen, Marc

    2013-01-01

    Although suicidality in medical students is important, few studies dealt with this issue regarding German universities. Our aims were to describe the epidemiology as well as factors leading to suicidality in medical students. Furthermore we wanted to raise awareness for this topic among university employees and show options for handling suicidal crises in students. This manuscript especially aims to address university employees working in direct contact with students (such as student counselors or teachers). PMID:24282451

  7. Nonmedical Use of Prescription Medications Among Medical Students in Greece: Prevalence of and Motivation for Use.

    PubMed

    Papazisis, Georgios; Tsakiridis, Ioannis; Pourzitaki, Chryssa; Apostolidou, Eirini; Spachos, Dimitrios; Kouvelas, Dimitrios

    2018-01-02

    Non-medical use of prescription medications has risen to unprecedented levels over the past decade worldwide; however, studies assessing misuse across medical students are sparse. The purpose of this study was to1) estimate the lifetime and the past-year prevalence of non-medical use of prescription medications among medical students in Greece 2) identify the motivation for use. 591 medical students completed an anonymous, self-administered, web-based survey assessing lifetime and past-year prevalence of non-medical use of four classes of prescription drugs (opioid painkillers, tranquillizers, sleeping and stimulant medications). According to the motivation to use the responders were classified into three subtypes (selftreatment, recreational, and mixed). The prevalence of lifetime use was 10.7% for at least one of the four prescription drug classes and 9% of the respondents reported lifetime misuse of multiple categories of prescription drugs. The past-year prevalence was approximately 7.7% for at least one of the four prescription drug classes, while the majority misused the drugs "1-2 times per year". Senior students used tranquilizers more than junior students. Self-treatment and mixed subtypes of tranquillizers misuse was more prevalent among women than men while the self-treatment subtype was the most prevalent subtype in all the four drug classes. This is the first study investigating non-medical use of prescription medications among Greek medical students and indicates a high prevalence of misuse of some categories of prescription drugs, mostly for self-treatment purposes.

  8. The impact of an Emergency Medical Technician basic course prior to medical school on medical students.

    PubMed

    Wyatt, Tasha R; Wood, Elena A; McManus, John; Ma, Kevin; Wallach, Paul M

    2018-12-01

    Previous research on Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) programs as an early clinical experience indicates that medical students' confidence in patient care and team-building skills increases with participation. However, very little is known about the unplanned, long-term effects of EMT courses on medical students once they enter medical school. This study examined the immediate outcomes produced by the month-long summer EMT course and the unplanned outcomes that students reported 1 year later. Pre/postsurveys were collected on all 25 students who graduated from the EMT course offered before their first year. These survey data were analyzed using a paired-samples t test. A subset of students (N = 14) consented to taking a survey and be interviewed on the lasting impact of their EMT experience. Interviews were conducted 10 months after the 2016 cohort completed the EMT course and at 22 months for the 2015 cohort. They were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using inductive content analysis. Survey results indicated that students' confidence in patient care and team-building skills increased significantly for all identified skills at the P < 0.05 level. Overall confidence in patient care increased 1.5 points (P = 0.001) on 1-4 Likert-type scale. Overall confidence in team-building skills increased at 0.7 points (P = 0.01). Qualitative analysis of interviews discovered four themes, including the retention and transferability of practical skills, a developed understanding of team communication, comfort with patient interactions, and the development of a framework for assessing patients' needs. Students applied the EMT skills in various extracurricular volunteering experiences and in clinical skills courses. This study concludes that EMT programs have both immediate and lasting effects that seem to assist students with making sense of and navigating other learning opportunities. Specifically, EMT courses offered to students prior to their entry into

  9. Family Systems Training for Medical Students.

    PubMed

    Thabrew, Hiran

    2018-05-01

    To evaluate whether a workshop on family systems delivered to medical students could improve participants' understanding of families from a systemic point of view and help them recognise and address systemic issues that may be affecting their patients. Fifth year (senior) medical students ( n = 36) from the University of Auckland participated in a 90-min workshop about family systems. Pre- and post-workshop, self-reported measures of knowledge and confidence were completed and qualitative feedback was also obtained from participants. The workshop was well received and its interactive and role-play based nature were particularly appreciated. Participants reported gains in all explored areas of knowledge and understanding, suggesting that the workshop met its desired aims. This workshop is an educationally effective and expedient way to equip medical students with some knowledge and understanding about family systems. It may benefit their future work with individual patients and families.

  10. How we used a patient visit tracker tool to advance experiential learning in systems-based practice and quality improvement in a medical student clinic.

    PubMed

    Chen, Chen Amy; Park, Ryan J; Hegde, John V; Jun, Tomi; Christman, Mitalee P; Yoo, Sun M; Yamasaki, Alisa; Berhanu, Aaron; Vohra-Khullar, Pamela; Remus, Kristin; Schwartzstein, Richard M; Weinstein, Amy R

    2016-01-01

    Poorly designed healthcare systems increase costs and preventable medical errors. To address these issues, systems-based practice (SBP) education provides future physicians with the tools to identify systemic errors and implement quality improvement (QI) initiatives to enhance the delivery of cost-effective, safe and multi-disciplinary care. Although SBP education is being implemented in residency programs and is mandated by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) as one of its core competencies, it has largely not been integrated into undergraduate medical education. We propose that Medical Student-Faculty Collaborative Clinics (MSFCCs) may be the ideal environment in which to train medical students in SBPs and QI initiatives, as they allow students to play pivotal roles in project development, administration, and management. Here we describe a process of experiential learning that was developed within a newly established MSFCC, which challenged students to identify inefficiencies, implement interventions, and track the results. After identifying bottlenecks in clinic operations, our students designed a patient visit tracker tool to monitor clinic flow and implemented solutions to decrease patient visit times. Our model allowed students to drive their own active learning in a practical clinical setting, providing early and unique training in crucial QI skills.

  11. Swedish medical students' expectations of their future life

    PubMed Central

    Andersson, Jenny; Johansson, Eva E.; Verdonk, Petra; Lagro-Janssen, Antoine; Hamberg, Katarina

    2011-01-01

    Objectives: To investigate future life expectations among male and female medical students in their first and final year. Methods The study was cross-sectional and conducted at a Swedish medical school. Out of 600 invited students, 507 (85%) answered an open-ended question about their future life, 298 (59%) first-year students and 209 (41%) last-year students. Women constituted 60% of the respondents. A mixed model design was applied; qualitative content analysis was utilized to create statistically comparable themes and categories. Results Students’ written answers were coded, categorized and clustered into four themes: “Work”, “Family”, “Leisure” and “Quality of personal life”. Almost all students included aspects of work in their answers. Female students were more detailed than male ones in their family concerns. Almost a third of all students reflected on a future work-life balance, but considerations regarding quality of personal life and leisure were more common among last-year students. Conclusions Today’s medical students expect more of life than work, especially those standing on the doorstep of working life. They intend to balance work not only with a family but also with leisure activities. Our results reflect work attitudes that challenge the health care system for more adaptive working conditions. We suggest that discussions about work-life balance should be included in medical curricula.

  12. Tough Conversations: Development of a Curriculum for Medical Students to Lead Family Meetings.

    PubMed

    Hagiwara, Yuya; Ross, Jeanette; Lee, Shuko; Sanchez-Reilly, Sandra

    2017-12-01

    Few educational interventions have been developed to teach Family Meeting (FM) communication skills at the undergraduate level. We developed an innovative curriculum to address this gap. Fourth year medical students during 2011-2013 (n = 674) completed training for conducting a FM. To assess the effectiveness of this training, students completed a FM Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) that included 15 domains rated on a 1-5 point Likert scale. Tasks included discussing prognosis, establishing goals of care and demonstrating conflict resolution skills. Students received one-to-one feedback from standardized family members and faculty observers. Group debriefings with faculty were held after the OSCE. Analysis of faculty feedback narratives revealed four themes in which students required improvement: 1) Discussing prognosis, 2) Explaining palliative care/hospice, 3) Avoiding medical jargon, and 4) Discussing cultural/religious preferences. Evaluation total mean score was 28.2 (Min 15, Max 63; SD 7.57), and identified student's need to; 1) Ask more about the degree of knowledge family members want, 2) Ask religious beliefs, and 3) Assess family members' level of education ( p < 0.001). Qualitative analysis of group debriefings suggested that student perception of the OSCE experience was positive overall. Students found the case to be realistic and immediate feedback to be helpful. Conducting a FM is an advanced skill. This study shows that it is possible to train fourth year students to lead FMs and identify their strengths, needs using a FM OSCE.

  13. Medical students hierarchy of values and sense of responsibility.

    PubMed

    Pawelczyk, Agnieszka; Pawelczyk, Tomasz; Rabe-Jablonska, Jolanta

    2012-01-01

    Ethical skills and personal values contribute to making students competent and humane physicians. However, there is not much research done on medical students' personal values and sense of responsibility. The study was designed to examine differences in personal values and sense of responsibility between medical students and their peers. The students performed demographic survey and reliable tests: Scheler's Value Scale and Responsibility Scale. Medical students scored higher in responsibility, also in values of hedonism and truth, and scored lower in values of holy, both religion and secularism. They did not differ from the control group in values of vitality, aesthetics, morals, physical fitness as well as strength and stamina. Medical students differ from their peers from other faculties at the level of responsibility and hierarchy of values. They rate higher at such values as hedonism and truth and lower values of holy.

  14. Medical student career choice: a qualitative study of fourth-year medical students at Memorial University, Newfoundland

    PubMed Central

    Pianosi, Kiersten; Bethune, Cheri; Hurley, Katrina F.

    2016-01-01

    Background: Specialty career choice is a critical decision for medical students, and research has examined factors influencing particular specialties or assessed it from a demographic perspective. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe influential factors in students' decision-making, irrespective of their particular specialty in a Canadian medical school. Methods: Study participants were recruited from fourth-year medical classes at the Memorial University of Newfoundland in 2003, 2006, 2007 and 2008. Sixteen focus groups (n = 70) were led by a nonfaculty facilitator to uncover factors affecting medical student career choice. The analysis was guided by principles of grounded theory methodology. The focus group transcripts were sequentially coded based on recurring topics and themes that arose in the students' discussions. A set of key themes emerged and representative quotations for each theme were tracked. Results: Twenty themes were identified from the focus group discussions: 7 major, 3 intermediate and 10 minor themes. The major themes were undergraduate experience, exposure, public perception and recruitment, teacher influence, family/outside influences, residency issues and personal philosophy. Intermediate themes included lifestyle, bad-mouthing/negative perceptions and context. Minor themes included critical incidents/experiences, information gaps, uncertainty, nature of the work, extracurricular programs, timing of decision-making, financial issues, prestige, fit with colleagues and gender issues. Interpretation: Exposure to specialties and the timing of this exposure appears to be crucial to career choice, as does the context (who, what, when, where) of any particular rotation. Given the influence of personal philosophy, future research examining students' level of self-assessment and self-reflection in their decision-making processes and level of certainty about their selected specialty would be useful. PMID:27398357

  15. Medical student career choice: a qualitative study of fourth-year medical students at Memorial University, Newfoundland.

    PubMed

    Pianosi, Kiersten; Bethune, Cheri; Hurley, Katrina F

    2016-01-01

    Specialty career choice is a critical decision for medical students, and research has examined factors influencing particular specialties or assessed it from a demographic perspective. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe influential factors in students' decision-making, irrespective of their particular specialty in a Canadian medical school. Study participants were recruited from fourth-year medical classes at the Memorial University of Newfoundland in 2003, 2006, 2007 and 2008. Sixteen focus groups (n = 70) were led by a nonfaculty facilitator to uncover factors affecting medical student career choice. The analysis was guided by principles of grounded theory methodology. The focus group transcripts were sequentially coded based on recurring topics and themes that arose in the students' discussions. A set of key themes emerged and representative quotations for each theme were tracked. Twenty themes were identified from the focus group discussions: 7 major, 3 intermediate and 10 minor themes. The major themes were undergraduate experience, exposure, public perception and recruitment, teacher influence, family/outside influences, residency issues and personal philosophy. Intermediate themes included lifestyle, bad-mouthing/negative perceptions and context. Minor themes included critical incidents/experiences, information gaps, uncertainty, nature of the work, extracurricular programs, timing of decision-making, financial issues, prestige, fit with colleagues and gender issues. Exposure to specialties and the timing of this exposure appears to be crucial to career choice, as does the context (who, what, when, where) of any particular rotation. Given the influence of personal philosophy, future research examining students' level of self-assessment and self-reflection in their decision-making processes and level of certainty about their selected specialty would be useful.

  16. Educational climate perception by preclinical and clinical medical students in five Spanish medical schools.

    PubMed

    Palés, Jorge; Gual, Arcadi; Escanero, Jesús; Tomás, Inmaculada; Rodríguez-de Castro, Felipe; Elorduy, Marta; Virumbrales, Montserrat; Rodríguez, Gerardo; Arce, Víctor

    2015-06-08

    The purpose of this study was to investigate student's perceptions of Educational Climate (EC) in Spanish medical schools, comparing various aspects of EC between the 2nd (preclinical) and the 4th (clinical) years to detect strengths and weaknesses in the on-going curricular reform. This study utilized a cross-sectional design and employed the Spanish version of the "Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure" (DREEM). The survey involved 894 2nd year students and 619 4th year students from five Spanish medical schools. The global average score of 2nd year students from the five medical schools was found to be significantly higher (116.2±24.9, 58.2% of maximum score) than that observed in 4th year students (104.8±29.5, 52.4% of maximum score). When the results in each medical school were analysed separately, the scores obtained in the 2nd year were almost always significantly higher than in the 4th year for all medical schools, in both the global scales and the different subscales. The perception of the EC by 2nd and 4th year students from five Spanish medical schools is more positive than negative although it is significantly lower in the 4th year. In both years, although more evident in the 4th year, students point out the existence of several important "problematic educational areas" associated with the persistence of traditional curricula and teaching methodologies. Our findings of this study should lead medical schools to make a serious reflection and drive the implementation of the necessary changes required to improve teaching, especially during the clinical period.

  17. Educational climate perception by preclinical and clinical medical students in five Spanish medical schools

    PubMed Central

    Gual, Arcadi; Escaneroi, Jesus; Tomás, Inmaculada; Rodríguez de Castro, Felipe; Elorudy, Marta; Virumbrales, Montserrat; Rodríguez, Gerardo; Arce, Victor

    2015-01-01

    Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate student's perceptions of Educational Climate (EC) in Spanish medical schools, comparing various aspects of EC between the 2nd (preclinical) and the 4th (clinical) years to detect strengths and weaknesses in the on-going curricular reform. Methods This study utilized a cross-sectional design and employed the Spanish version of the "Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure" (DREEM). The survey involved 894 2nd year students and 619 4th year students from five Spanish medical schools. Results The global average score of 2nd year students from the five medical schools was found to be significantly higher (116.2±24.9, 58.2% of maximum score) than that observed in 4th year students (104.8±29.5, 52.4% of maximum score). When the results in each medical school were analysed separately, the scores obtained in the 2nd year were almost always significantly higher than in the 4th year for all medical schools, in both the global scales and the different subscales. Conclusions The perception of the EC by 2nd and 4th year students from five Spanish medical schools is more positive than negative although it is significantly lower in the 4th  year. In both years, although more evident in the 4th year, students point out the existence of several important "problematic educational areas" associated with the persistence of traditional curricula and teaching methodologies. Our findings of this study should lead medical schools to make a serious reflection and drive the implementation of the necessary changes required to improve teaching, especially during the clinical period. PMID:26057355

  18. Common medical problems of the college student.

    PubMed

    Ellen Rimsza, Mary; Kirk, Gary M

    2005-02-01

    The college health physician cares for college students who present with a wide variety of medical disorders. This article reviews the management of four common medical problems: infectious mononucleosis, asthma, migraine headaches, and urinary tract infections. College students can become ill, and it is important that they have health care services designed to deal with their health care issues.

  19. Cinemeducation: A pilot student project using movies to help students learn medical professionalism.

    PubMed

    Lumlertgul, Nuttha; Kijpaisalratana, Naruchorn; Pityaratstian, Nuttorn; Wangsaturaka, Danai

    2009-07-01

    Using movies has been accepted worldwide as a tool to help students learn medical professionalism. In the second year, a group of medical students conducted the "Cinemeducation" project to promote professionalism in the "Medical Ethics and Critical Thinking" course. Five movies with professionalism issues were screened with 20-30 students attending each session. After the show, participants then were asked to reflect on what they had learned in terms of professionalism. Two students led group discussion emphasizing questioning and argumentation for 60 min. Additional learning issues emerging from each session were also explored in more depth and arranged into a report. In the Cinemeducation Project, medical students have learned five main ethical issues in each film, which were the doctor-patient relationship, informed consent and clinical trials in patients, management of genetic disorders, patient management, and brain death and organ transplantation. In addition to issues of professionalism, they also developed critical thinking and moral reasoning skills. Using a case-based scenario in movies has proven to be an effective and entertaining method of facilitating students with learning on professionalism.

  20. Medical students' attitudes towards conscientious objection: a survey.

    PubMed

    Nordstrand, Sven Jakob; Nordstrand, Magnus Andreas; Nortvedt, Per; Magelssen, Morten

    2014-09-01

    To examine medical students' views on conscientious objection and controversial medical procedures. Questionnaire study among Norwegian 5th and 6th year medical students. Five hundred and thirty-one of 893 students (59%) responded. Respondents object to a range of procedures not limited to abortion (up to 19%)-notably euthanasia (62%), ritual circumcision for boys (52%), assisted reproduction for same-sex couples (9.7%) and ultrasound in the setting of prenatal diagnosis (5.0%). A small minority (4.9%) would object to referrals for abortion. In the case of abortion, up to 55% would tolerate conscientious refusals, whereas 42% would not. Higher proportions would tolerate refusals for euthanasia (89%) or ritual circumcision for boys (72%). A majority of Norwegian medical students would object to participation in euthanasia or ritual circumcision for boys. However, in most settings, many medical students think doctors should not be able to refuse participation on grounds of conscience. A minority would accept conscientious refusals for procedures they themselves do not object to personally. Most students would not accept conscientious refusals for referrals. Conscientious objection remains a live issue in the context of several medical procedures not limited to abortion. Although most would want a right to object to participation in euthanasia, tolerance towards conscientious objectors in general was moderate or low. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  1. Leadership training for undergraduate medical students.

    PubMed

    Maddalena, Victor

    2016-07-04

    Purpose Physicians play an important leadership role in the management and governance of the healthcare system. Yet, many physicians lack formal management and leadership training to prepare them for this challenging role. This Viewpoint article argues that leadership concepts need to be introduced to undergraduate medical students early and throughout their medical education. Design/methodology/approach Leadership is an integral part of medical practice. The recent inclusion of "Leader" competency in the CanMEDS 2015 represents a subtle but important shift from the previous "manager" competency. Providing medical students with the basics of leadership concepts early in their medical education allows them to integrate leadership principles into their professional practice. Findings The Faculty of Medicine at the Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) has developed an eight-module, fully online Physician Leadership Certificate for their undergraduate medical education program. This program is cited as an example of an undergraduate medical curriculum that offers leadership training throughout the 4 years of the MD program. Originality/value There are a number of continuing professional development opportunities for physicians in the area of management and leadership. This Viewpoint article challenges undergraduate medical education programs to develop and integrate leadership training in their curricula.

  2. Improving medical student performance in adolescent anti-smoking health promotion.

    PubMed

    Roseby, R; Marks, M K; Conn, J; Sawyer, S M

    2003-08-01

    We developed a 1-hour teaching seminar for medical students on anti-smoking health promotion for adolescents. We report the development of the programme and a performance-based evaluation. To develop a seminar for medical students with the objective of improving medical student inquiry into smoking and the delivery of advice accordingly for adolescent patients in routine consultations. The seminar was developed using principles of adult learning and delivered to a cohort of medical students (intervention group). Participants were Year 5 medical students in their paediatrics term. A comparison group of 58 medical students who did not receive the seminar was studied in the semester prior to the intervention. The primary outcome measure was a change in anti-smoking health promotion practice within an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), where taking a smoking history and making links between smoking status and health were indicated in a 15-year-old simulated patient (SP) with poorly controlled asthma. This was part of the summative assessment in the paediatrics term. In the OSCE, 21 of 58 (36%) students in the comparison group asked the asthmatic SP about smoking, compared with 41 of 56 (73%) students in the intervention group (P = 0.0001). In all, 15 (26%) of the comparison group students addressed the patient's smoking, compared with 33 of the 56 (59%) intervention group students (P = 0.0004). A carefully designed seminar addressing adolescent smoking can increase the frequency of smoking inquiry and advice by medical students.

  3. Graduate-entry medical students: older and wiser but not less distressed.

    PubMed

    Casey, Dion; Thomas, Susan; Hocking, Darren R; Kemp-Casey, Anna

    2016-02-01

    Australia has a growing number of graduate-entry medical courses. It is known that undergraduate medical students have high levels of psychological distress; however, little is known about graduate-entry medical students. We examined whether graduate-entry medical students had higher levels of psychological distress than the same-age general population. Psychological distress was assessed in 122 graduate-entry medical students in an Australian graduate-entry medical school using the 21-item Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale. Mean scores and the proportion of students with scores in the highly distressed range were compared with non-clinical population norms. Scores were also compared across demographic characteristics. Medical students reported higher mean depression, anxiety and stress scores than the general population and were more likely to score in the moderate to extremely high range for anxiety (45% vs. 13%; p<0.001) and stress (17% vs. 13%; p=0.003). Anxiety and stress were higher in students aged ≥30 years than in younger students. Despite their maturity, graduate-entry students experienced high psychological distress. Anxiety and stress were higher, not lower, with increasing age. Our results suggest that graduate-entry medical students warrant the same level of concern as their school-leaving counterparts. Further interventions to support these students during medical school are warranted. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.

  4. Development of a career coaching model for medical students

    PubMed Central

    Hur, Yera

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: Deciding on a future career path or choosing a career specialty is an important academic decision for medical students. The purpose of this study is to develop a career coaching model for medical students. Methods: This research was carried out in three steps. The first step was systematic review of previous studies. The second step was a need assessment of medical students. The third step was a career coaching model using the results acquired from the researched literature and the survey. Results: The career coaching stages were defined as three big phases: The career coaching stages were defined as the “crystallization” period (Pre-medical year 1 and 2), “specification” period (medical year 1 and 2), and “implementation” period (medical year 3 and 4). Conclusion: The career coaching model for medical students can be used in programming career coaching contents and also in identifying the outcomes of career coaching programs at an institutional level. PMID:26867586

  5. Introducing quality assurance and medical audit into the UCSF medical center curriculum.

    PubMed

    Barbaccia, J C

    1976-05-01

    The experience gained by a medical school faculty in developing and piloting a course for undergraduate medical students in medical care evaluation led to a similar effort for house staff. It is recognized that if the profession is to fulfill the demand by society for social accountability in the use of resources for health care, medical care assessment and quality assurance mechanisms must become an intimate part of the clinical experience of medical students and house officers. Teaching these subjects requires a theoretical framework; introduction of content and skills appropriate to the level of the student and continuation of progressively more advanced training throughout medical education; use of assessment and quality assurance techniques by clinician-teachers themselves to provide models for the student; and continued evolution of pedagogic approach and course content based on developments in the area.

  6. Resilience and Psychological Distress in Psychology and Medical Students.

    PubMed

    Bacchi, Stephen; Licinio, Julio

    2017-04-01

    The authors investigated levels of resilience and psychological distress in medical and psychology students, factors that may affect these levels, the relationship between resilience and psychological distress, and student opinion on causes of stress and possible interventions. A voluntary anonymous online survey was distributed to University of Adelaide medical and psychology students. Medical and psychology students (n = 560; response rate = 24.7%) had similar mean resilience and psychological distress scores, and 47.9% of medical students and 55.1% of psychology students were psychologically distressed. Higher levels of resilience were associated with lower levels of distress (p < 0.001). Students supported resilience-based interventions, greater financial support, clearer learning objectives and more continuous assessment as potential means to reduce the effects of stress. Higher levels of resilience were associated with lower levels of psychological distress. Further studies are required to determine the efficacy of resilience-based interventions in these groups.

  7. Spectrum of tablet computer use by medical students and residents at an academic medical center.

    PubMed

    Robinson, Robert

    2015-01-01

    Introduction. The value of tablet computer use in medical education is an area of considerable interest, with preliminary investigations showing that the majority of medical trainees feel that tablet computers added value to the curriculum. This study investigated potential differences in tablet computer use between medical students and resident physicians. Materials & Methods. Data collection for this survey was accomplished with an anonymous online questionnaire shared with the medical students and residents at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine (SIU-SOM) in July and August of 2012. Results. There were 76 medical student responses (26% response rate) and 66 resident/fellow responses to this survey (21% response rate). Residents/fellows were more likely to use tablet computers several times daily than medical students (32% vs. 20%, p = 0.035). The most common reported uses were for accessing medical reference applications (46%), e-Books (45%), and board study (32%). Residents were more likely than students to use a tablet computer to access an electronic medical record (41% vs. 21%, p = 0.010), review radiology images (27% vs. 12%, p = 0.019), and enter patient care orders (26% vs. 3%, p < 0.001). Discussion. This study shows a high prevalence and frequency of tablet computer use among physicians in training at this academic medical center. Most residents and students use tablet computers to access medical references, e-Books, and to study for board exams. Residents were more likely to use tablet computers to complete clinical tasks. Conclusions. Tablet computer use among medical students and resident physicians was common in this survey. All learners used tablet computers for point of care references and board study. Resident physicians were more likely to use tablet computers to access the EMR, enter patient care orders, and review radiology studies. This difference is likely due to the differing educational and professional demands placed on

  8. Spectrum of tablet computer use by medical students and residents at an academic medical center

    PubMed Central

    2015-01-01

    Introduction. The value of tablet computer use in medical education is an area of considerable interest, with preliminary investigations showing that the majority of medical trainees feel that tablet computers added value to the curriculum. This study investigated potential differences in tablet computer use between medical students and resident physicians. Materials & Methods. Data collection for this survey was accomplished with an anonymous online questionnaire shared with the medical students and residents at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine (SIU-SOM) in July and August of 2012. Results. There were 76 medical student responses (26% response rate) and 66 resident/fellow responses to this survey (21% response rate). Residents/fellows were more likely to use tablet computers several times daily than medical students (32% vs. 20%, p = 0.035). The most common reported uses were for accessing medical reference applications (46%), e-Books (45%), and board study (32%). Residents were more likely than students to use a tablet computer to access an electronic medical record (41% vs. 21%, p = 0.010), review radiology images (27% vs. 12%, p = 0.019), and enter patient care orders (26% vs. 3%, p < 0.001). Discussion. This study shows a high prevalence and frequency of tablet computer use among physicians in training at this academic medical center. Most residents and students use tablet computers to access medical references, e-Books, and to study for board exams. Residents were more likely to use tablet computers to complete clinical tasks. Conclusions. Tablet computer use among medical students and resident physicians was common in this survey. All learners used tablet computers for point of care references and board study. Resident physicians were more likely to use tablet computers to access the EMR, enter patient care orders, and review radiology studies. This difference is likely due to the differing educational and professional demands placed on

  9. Comparison of Smoking and Khat Chewing Habits between Medical and Non-Medical Female Students at UST, Sana'a, Yemen.

    PubMed

    Kubas, Mohammed Abdullah; Wadi, Majed

    2015-01-01

    Smoking is a worldwide problem that kills millions of people. Women smoke much lower than males but the numbers of smoker women are growing up. The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence of smoking and khat chewing in medical and non-medical female students at University of Science and Technology (UST), Sana'a, Yemen. We used self-administrated questionnaire to collect cross-sectional data from a randomly selected sample of medical and non-medical female students of UST in 2012-2013. Overall, 480 students completed and returned the questionnaire, of them medical students represented 50% of them. The prevalence of smoking was significantly low among female medical students (P=0.045), however, not significantly difference was found between medical and non-medical female students in khat chewing habits (P=0.083). Non-smoker medical female students who tried smoking (45.6%) were significantly lower than non-medical students (54.4%), and curiosity was the main reason for trying smoking. Water pipe was the most common type of smoking among smoker students (78.6%). Out of 26 female students who smoke and chew khat, 18 students reported that they smoke more while they chew khat. Our study highlights the need for increased health education, awareness, and knowledge of the risks of smoking and particularly khat chewing to reduce these habits among female university students especially in non-medical female students.

  10. [Are medical students being properly cared for? A question for the current student advisory program].

    PubMed

    Hur, Yera; Lee, Keumho

    2013-09-01

    Medical students need close care and systematic management of their mental and emotional health during their academic tenure. This study examined the status of the current student advisory program and counseling office, the satisfaction of the current student advisory program, the core content of an advisory program, and the quality of a good advisor. We asked 64 faculties that were in charge of the student advisory program and medical education and 774 medical students from 41 medical schools in Korea to answer a survey. Statistical analysis, chi-square test, and ordered multiple response analysis were performed. A significant number of faculty members (63.5%) and students (53.4%) indicated the existence of problems with the current advisory program. 'Deviations from the content (27.3%)' was the faculty's predominant complaint versus 'too formal (31.3%)' for students. A total of 55.5% of faculty members replied that the counseling program was helpful, but students were somewhat skeptical (13.9%). The core content of the advisory program was 'school life & academic counseling (28.3%)' by the faculty versus 'life as a medical doctor (22.3%)' for students. Both faculty and students replied that the quality of a good advisor is having 'concerns about students.' Current student advisory and counseling programs are not much help to students. A differentiated program for specific academic years should be considered to provide a tailored and valuable service.

  11. The effects of human interest framing in television news coverage of medical advances.

    PubMed

    Hong, Hyehyun

    2013-01-01

    The last few decades have witnessed the increasing dissemination of information on medical advances such as new medical treatments and prevention/diagnosis technologies through television news. To engage lay audiences with complex information, medical journalists often personalize news stories about medical advances by exemplifying individual patients and their personal experiences. This study investigates the effects of this journalistic technique, which is referred to as human interest framing, on audiences. The results of an experiment provide empirical evidence that the human interest framing of medical news stories can increase audiences' involvement in those stories and facilitate their positive perception of medical advances.

  12. Attitudes of Medical Graduate and Undergraduate Students toward the Learning and Application of Medical Statistics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wu, Yazhou; Zhang, Ling; Liu, Ling; Zhang, Yanqi; Liu, Xiaoyu; Yi, Dong

    2015-01-01

    It is clear that the teaching of medical statistics needs to be improved, yet areas for priority are unclear as medical students' learning and application of statistics at different levels is not well known. Our goal is to assess the attitudes of medical students toward the learning and application of medical statistics, and discover their…

  13. International medical students – a survey of perceived challenges and established support services at medical faculties

    PubMed Central

    Huhn, D.; Junne, F.; Zipfel, S.; Duelli, R.; Resch, F.; Herzog, W.; Nikendei, C.

    2015-01-01

    Introduction: Medical students with a non-German background face several challenges during their studies. Besides support given by foreign student offices further specific projects for international students have been developed and are offered by medical faculties. However, so far, neither a systematic survey of the faculties’ perceived problems nor of the offered support exists. Method: All study deaneries of medical faculties in Germany were contacted between April and October 2013 and asked for their participation in a telephone interview. Interview partners were asked about 1.) The percentage of non-German students at the medical faculty; 2.) The perceived difficulties and problems of foreign students; 3.) The offers for non-German students; and 4.) The specification of further possibilities of support. Given information was noted, frequencies counted and results interpreted via frequency analysis. Results: Only 39% of the medical faculties could give detailed information about the percentage of non-German students. They reported an average share of 3.9% of students with an EU migration background and 4.9% with a non-EU background. Most frequently cited offers are student conducted tutorials, language courses and tandem-programs. The most frequently reported problem by far is the perceived lack of language skills of foreign students at the beginning of their studies. Suggested solutions are mainly the development of tutorials and the improvement of German medical terminology. Discussion: Offers of support provided by medical faculties for foreign students vary greatly in type and extent. Support offered is seen to be insufficient in coping with the needs of the international students in many cases. Hence, a better coverage of international students as well as further research efforts to the specific needs and the effectiveness of applied interventions seem to be essential. PMID:25699112

  14. Translating medical documents into plain language enhances communication skills in medical students--A pilot study.

    PubMed

    Bittner, Anja; Jonietz, Ansgar; Bittner, Johannes; Beickert, Luise; Harendza, Sigrid

    2015-09-01

    To train and assess undergraduate medical students' written communication skills by exercises in translating medical reports into plain language for real patients. 27 medical students participated in a newly developed communication course. They attended a 3-h seminar including a briefing on patient-centered communication and an introduction to working with the internet platform http://washabich.de. In the following ten weeks, participants "translated" one medical report every fortnight on this platform receiving feedback by a near-peer supervisor. A pre- and post-course assignment consisted of a self-assessment questionnaire on communication skills, analysis of a medical text with respect to medical jargon, and the translation of a medical report into plain language. In the self-assessment, students rated themselves in most aspects of patient-centered communication significantly higher after attending the course. After the course they marked significantly more medical jargon terms correctly than before (p<0.001). In a written plain language translation of a medical report they scored significantly higher with respect to communicative aspects (p<0.05) and medical correctness (p<0.001). Translating medical reports into plain language under near-peer supervision is associated with improved communication skills and medical knowledge in undergraduate medical students. To include translation exercises in the undergraduate medical curriculum. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Medical student attitudes toward video games and related new media technologies in medical education

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Studies in K-12 and college students show that their learning preferences have been strongly shaped by new media technologies like video games, virtual reality environments, the Internet, and social networks. However, there is no known research on medical students' game experiences or attitudes towards new media technologies in medical education. This investigation seeks to elucidate medical student experiences and attitudes, to see whether they warrant the development of new media teaching methods in medicine. Methods Medical students from two American universities participated. An anonymous, 30-item, cross-sectional survey addressed demographics, game play experience and attitudes on using new media technologies in medical education. Statistical analysis identified: 1) demographic characteristics; 2) differences between the two universities; 3) how video game play differs across gender, age, degree program and familiarity with computers; and 4) characteristics of students who play most frequently. Results 217 medical students participated. About half were female (53%). Respondents liked the idea of using technology to enhance healthcare education (98%), felt that education should make better use of new media technologies (96%), and believed that video games can have educational value (80%). A majority (77%) would use a multiplayer online healthcare simulation on their own time, provided that it helped them to accomplish an important goal. Men and women agreed that they were most inclined to use multiplayer simulations if they were fun (97%), and if they helped to develop skill in patient interactions (90%). However, there was significant gender dissonance over types of favorite games, the educational value of video games, and the desire to participate in games that realistically replicated the experience of clinical practice. Conclusions Overall, medical student respondents, including many who do not play video games, held highly favorable views about

  16. Medical student attitudes toward video games and related new media technologies in medical education.

    PubMed

    Kron, Frederick W; Gjerde, Craig L; Sen, Ananda; Fetters, Michael D

    2010-06-24

    Studies in K-12 and college students show that their learning preferences have been strongly shaped by new media technologies like video games, virtual reality environments, the Internet, and social networks. However, there is no known research on medical students' game experiences or attitudes towards new media technologies in medical education. This investigation seeks to elucidate medical student experiences and attitudes, to see whether they warrant the development of new media teaching methods in medicine. Medical students from two American universities participated. An anonymous, 30-item, cross-sectional survey addressed demographics, game play experience and attitudes on using new media technologies in medical education. Statistical analysis identified: 1) demographic characteristics; 2) differences between the two universities; 3) how video game play differs across gender, age, degree program and familiarity with computers; and 4) characteristics of students who play most frequently. 217 medical students participated. About half were female (53%). Respondents liked the idea of using technology to enhance healthcare education (98%), felt that education should make better use of new media technologies (96%), and believed that video games can have educational value (80%). A majority (77%) would use a multiplayer online healthcare simulation on their own time, provided that it helped them to accomplish an important goal. Men and women agreed that they were most inclined to use multiplayer simulations if they were fun (97%), and if they helped to develop skill in patient interactions (90%). However, there was significant gender dissonance over types of favorite games, the educational value of video games, and the desire to participate in games that realistically replicated the experience of clinical practice. Overall, medical student respondents, including many who do not play video games, held highly favorable views about the use of video games and related new

  17. Twelve tips for introducing students to research and publishing: a medical student's perspective.

    PubMed

    Mabvuure, Nigel Tapiwa

    2012-01-01

    Medical students claim to have inadequate opportunities to conduct research, whilst some do not know how to make the initial steps. There is a need for medical educators to not only direct students to research opportunities but also to counsel them on the attitudes required for the student's success in a research environment. This article gives educators 12 tips on guidance that might help motivated medical students when starting their research careers. The various opportunities for students to participate in research are also identified. Tips were devised from personal experience and a review of the literature. The 12 tips are: (1) Educate students on the benefits of research. (2) Encourage students to take the initiative to create opportunities for themselves. (3) Encourage students to undertake extracurricular research. (4) Encourage students to network with other researchers. (5) Encourage students to engage with student-selected components of their courses. (6) Encourage students to apply for summer research programmes. (7) Encourage students to attend scientific conferences. (8) Advise students to consider intercalated degrees. (9) Encourage students to do research during elective placements. (10) Make students aware of the MBPhD courses. (11) Emphasise research as a learning process and reduce focus on output. (12) Advise students to balance their academic and research interests. The 12 tips highlight important attitudes for students to take in research as well as highlighting various opportunities for research.

  18. MedTalks: developing teaching abilities and experience in undergraduate medical students

    PubMed Central

    Bandeali, Suhair; Chiang, Albert; Ramnanan, Christopher J.

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Objectives: According to the CanMEDS’ Scholar competency, physicians are expected to facilitate the learning of colleagues, patients and other health professionals. However, most medical students are not provided with formal opportunities to gain teaching experience with objective feedback. Methods: To address this, the University’s Medical Education Interest Group (MEIG) created a pilot teaching program in January 2015 entitled ‘MedTalks’. Four 3-hour sessions were held at the University Faculty of Medicine, where first and second year medical students taught clinically oriented topics to undergraduate university students. Each extracurricular session included three 30-minute content lectures, and a 90-minute small group session on physical examination skills. Each medical student-teacher received formal feedback from undergraduate students and from faculty educators regarding teaching style, communication abilities, and professionalism. In addition, medical student-teachers self-evaluated their own teaching experience. Results: Over 50 medical students from the University participated as medical student-teachers. Based on quantitative and qualitative evaluation surveys, 100% of medical students agreed that MedTalks was a useful way to develop teaching skills and 92% gained a greater confidence in individual teaching capabilities, based largely on the opportunity to gain experience (with feedback) in teaching roles. Conclusions: A program designed to give medical students multi-source teaching experience (lecture- and small group-based) and feedback on their teaching (from learners and Faculty observers, in addition to their own self-reflection) can improve medical student confidence and enthusiasm towards teaching. Future studies will clarify if medical student self-perceived enhancements in teaching ability can be corroborated by independent (Faculty, learner) observations of future teaching activity. PMID:28178910

  19. Medical student debt at the Christchurch School of Medicine. The New Zealand Wellbeing, Intentions, Debt and Experiences (WIDE) survey of medical students pilot study. Results part I.

    PubMed

    Gill, D; Palmer, C; Mulder, R; Wilkinson, T

    2001-10-26

    To determine the level and sources of medical student debt at the Christchurch School of Medicine. A questionnaire, The New Zealand Wellbeing, Intentions, Debt, and Experiences (WIDE) Survey of Medical Students, was developed and administered to all 204 medical students at the Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences. Included were questions on student demographics, sources and levels of debt, parental financial support, and student perceptions of their debt. The response rate was 88%. International students, whose debt was with an overseas government, and students with mortgages were excluded from the data analysis. The combined total debt for the remaining 165 students was $7775000 with $6290000 (81%) owed to the Government Students Loans scheme. One quarter of 6th year medical students had a debt over $83250, 50% had a debt over $70000, and 75% had a debt over $50000. Student allowances were inaccessible to 64% of 4th and 5th year students and part-time employment during term-time was common. Lack of funds was reported to impair full participation in the medical course. The majority of medical students at the Christchurch School of Medicine accumulate high levels of debt, mainly dtrough the Government Student Loans scheme, during their medical training.

  20. [Family medicine as a medical specialty and an academic discipline in the medical students' assessment].

    PubMed

    Krztoń-Królewiecka, Anna; Jarczewska, Dorota Łucja; Windak, Adam

    2015-01-01

    Family medicine has been recognized as the key element of a good health care system. Despite the significance of the family physician's role the number of medical students choosing to train in family medicine has been declining in recent years. The aim of this study was to describe opinions about family medicine and family medicine teaching among medical students. A cross sectional study with an anonymous questionnaire was carried out. The study population was all sixth-year students in Faculty Medicine of Jagiellonian University Medical College, who completed family medicine course in winter semester of academic year 2012/2013. 111 students filled in the questionnaire. The response rate was 84.1%. Less than one third of respondents (30.6%) considered family medicine as a future career choice. Almost all students recognized responsibility of the family doctor for the health of community. 52% of respondents agreed that the family doctor is competent to provide most of the health care an individual may require. Experience from family medicine course was according to the students the most important factor influencing their opinions. Medical students appreciate the social role of family doctors. Family medicine teachers should not only pass on knowledge, but they also should encourage medical students to family medicine as a future career choice.

  1. Diversity of Emotional Intelligence among Nursing and Medical Students.

    PubMed

    Chun, Kyung Hee; Park, Euna

    2016-08-01

    The purpose of this study is to identify the types of perception of emotional intelligence among nursing and medical students and their characteristics using Q methodology, and to build the basic data for the development of a program for the would-be medical professionals to effectively adapt to various clinical settings in which their emotions are involved. Data were collected from 35 nursing and medical students by allowing them to classify 40 Q statements related to emotional intelligence and processed using the PC QUANL program. The perceptions of emotional intelligence by nursing and medical students were categorized into three types: "sensitivity-control type", "sympathy-motivation type", and "concern-sympathy type". The perceptions of emotional intelligence by nursing and medical students can represent an effective coping strategy in a situation where emotion is involved. In the medical profession, an occupation with a high level of emotional labor, it is important to identify the types of emotional intelligence for an effective coping strategy, which may have a positive effect on the performance of an organization. Based on the findings of this study, it is necessary to plan an education program for vocational adaptability for nursing and medical students by their types.

  2. Educational and Relational Stressors Associated with Burnout in Korean Medical Students.

    PubMed

    Seo, Ji-Hyun; Kim, Hye Jung; Kim, Bong-Jo; Lee, So-Jin; Bae, Hwa-Ok

    2015-10-01

    This study aimed to examine whether educational stressors and relational stressors are associated with burnout in medical students and to test social support as a moderator between stressors and burnout. A total of 263 medical students attending Gyeongsang National University composed the study sample. A standardized questionnaire was used to investigate educational and relational stressors, three dimensions of burnout, and social support of medical students. The findings showed that overall burnout is very high among Korean medical students, with 9.9% totally burned out. Educational and relational stressors were significantly associated with the risk of burnout in medical students after controlling for socio-demographics and health behaviors. Social support moderated educational and relational stressors on personal accomplishment, but did not moderate stressors on emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Burnout level is substantially high among Korean medical students. Educational and relational stressors are significantly associated with burnout risk in Korean medical students. Social support had moderated educational and relational stressors on personal accomplishment. The results suggest that more social support for medical students is needed to buffer stressors on and burnout.

  3. Perception of illegal practice of medicine by Brazilian medical students.

    PubMed

    Lins, Liliane; Herbas, Suzana; Lisboa, Larissa; Damasceno, Hannah; Menezes, Marta

    2014-06-01

    Illegal practice of medicine by medical students is a worldwide problem. In Brazil, information about this issue is scarce. To describe the perception of illegal practice of medicine by medical students. A cross-sectional study in a stratified random sample of 130 medical students in the 6th to 12th semesters from a private faculty of medicine in Salvador, State of Bahia, Brazil, from September to October 2011. Students responded to a standardised questionnaire about the illegal practice of medicine by medical students. Knowing medical students who practised medical activities without supervision was reported by 86% of the respondents, and 93.8% had heard about someone who performed such practices. Medical specialties most often associated with illegal practice were general medicine (78.8%) and occupational health (55.9%). Illegal practice of medicine was more common in peripheral cities/towns (83.9%) than in the State capital, Salvador City (52.4%). Only 10.5% of illegal activities were reported to the authorities. Unsupervised medical practice was more often reported in the 8th-9th semester (56.8%) and 10th-11th semester (54.4%) of medical school. Illegal practice of medicine was commonly reported by the medical students questioned. The high frequency of reported illegal practice for financial reasons highlights the need for greater availability of paid internships for medical students. Educational institutions represent the social control responsible for supervising the activities of academics. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  4. Teaching leadership: the medical student society model.

    PubMed

    Matthews, Jacob H; Morley, Gabriella L; Crossley, Eleanor; Bhanderi, Shivam

    2018-04-01

    All health care professionals in the UK are expected to have the medical leadership and management (MLM) skills necessary for improving patient care, as stipulated by the UK General Medical Council (GMC). Newly graduated doctors reported insufficient knowledge about leadership and quality improvement skills, despite all UK medical schools reporting that MLM is taught within their curriculum. A medical student society organised a series of extracurricular educational events focusing on leadership topics. The society recognised that the events needed to be useful and interesting to attract audiences. Therefore, clinical leaders in exciting fields were invited to talk about their experiences and case studies of personal leadership challenges. The emphasis on personal stories, from respected leaders, was a deliberate strategy to attract students and enhance learning. Evaluation data were collected from the audiences to improve the quality of the events and to support a business case for an intercalated degree in MLM. When leadership and management concepts are taught through personal stories, students find it interesting and are prepared to give up their leisure time to engage with the subject. Students appear to recognise the importance of MLM knowledge to their future careers, and are able to organise their own, and their peers', learning and development. Organising these events and collecting feedback can provide students with opportunities to practise leadership, management and quality improvement skills. These extracurricular events, delivered through a student society, allow for subjects to be discussed in more depth and can complement an already crowded undergraduate curriculum. Newly graduated doctors reported insufficient knowledge about leadership and quality improvement skills. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

  5. Prevalence of and factors influencing smoking among medical and non-medical students in Tbilisi, Georgia*

    PubMed Central

    Chkhaidze, Ivane; Maglakelidze, Nino; Maglakelidze, Tamaz; Khaltaev, Nikolai

    2013-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Smoking is a serious problem that has a devastating impact on health. The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence of and factors influencing smoking among medical and non-medical students in Tbilisi, Georgia, as well as to determine whether medical education has an impact on smoking. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out at Tbilisi State Medical University and Tbilisi State University, both of which are located in Tbilisi, Georgia. A total of 400 4th-year students (200 students at each university) were asked to complete standardized questionnaires. RESULTS: Of the sample as a whole, 48.75% were identified as smokers and 51.25% were identified as nonsmokers. The mean age was 20.24 years among smokers and 20.26 years among nonsmokers. Of the medical students, 49.5% were smokers, as were 48.0% of the non-medical students. The male-to-female ratio in the study population was 0.9:1.1. Smoking was found to have a strong relationship with gender, males accounting for 65% of all smokers. Of the smokers, 56.9% stated that they would like to quit smoking (for health or financial reasons). Of the medical students, 59.5% expressed a willingness to quit smoking, as did 54.2% of the non-medical students. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to improve smoking education for undergraduate students. Special attention should be given to the inclusion of anti-smoking education in undergraduate curricula, as well as to the implementation of smoking prevention campaigns at institutions of higher education. However, such measures will be effective only if tobacco control policies are strictly enforced on the national level as well. PMID:24310631

  6. [Research interest and recruitment potential--medical students and research].

    PubMed

    Lehmann, A K; Hexeberg, E; Engebråten, O; Bjugn, R

    1992-06-30

    A questionnaire survey on scientific interest among 324 medical students at the University of Bergen in 1990 showed that 14% of the students had already participated in medical research programmes (10% still research trainees). In addition, 45% had considered starting working as a research trainee while a student. Many were discouraged, however, by the problem of finding a suitable supervisor. Relatively more of the male students expressed considerable interest in science (32 versus 22% of the females). The medical students already recruited to scientific work stressed the importance of scientific experience for their future career. The faculty has recently made participation in research projects compulsory. The personal supervision during this short period (6-8 weeks) will probably have major impact on the interest in research and the recruitment of future medical research trainees.

  7. Use of Mobile Apps Among Medical and Nursing Students in Iran.

    PubMed

    Sheikhtaheri, Abbas; Kermani, Farzaneh

    2018-01-01

    Mobile technologies have a positive impact on patient care and cause to improved decision making, reduced medical errors and improved communication in care team. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of mobile technologies by medical and nursing students and their tendency in future. This study was conducted among 372 medical and nursing students of Tehran University of Medical Science. Respectively, 60.8% and 62.4% of medical and nursing students use smartphone. The most commonly used apps among medical students were medical dictionary, drug apps, medical calculators and anatomical atlases and among nursing students were medical dictionary, anatomical atlases and nursing care guides. Also, the use of decision support systems, remote monitoring, patient imagery and remote diagnosis, patient records documentation, diagnostic guidelines and laboratory tests will be increased in the future.

  8. [Motivation and self-directed learning among medical students].

    PubMed

    Fasce H, Eduardo; Ortega B, Javiera; Ibáñez G, Pilar; Márquez U, Carolina; Pérez V, Cristhian; Bustamante D, Carolina; Ortiz M, Liliana; Matus B, Olga; Bastías V, Nancy; Espinoza P, Camila

    2016-05-01

    Motivation is an essential aspect in the training process of medical students. The association that motivation can have with learning self-regulation is of utmost importance for the design of curriculum, teaching methods and evaluation. To describe the motivational aspects of self-directed learning among medical students from a traditional Chilean University. A qualitative, descriptive study based on grounded theory of Strauss and Corbin. Twenty 4th and 5th year medical students were selected using a maximum variation sampling technique. After obtaining an informed consent, semi-structured interviews and field notes were carried out. Data were analyzed to the level of open coding through Atlas-ti 7.5.2. From the student point of view, personal motivational aspects are linked to the search for information, constant updating, the perception of the physician-patient relationship and interest in subject matters. From the scope of teachers, a main issue is related to their ability to motivate students to develop independent study skills. Personal motivational aspects facilitate the development of independent study skills, specifically in the search of information. The role of teachers is crucial in promoting these skills and the perception of medical students from their learning process.

  9. A STUDY OF SCURCE TRAITS : MEDICAL STUDENTS

    PubMed Central

    Srinivastava, Kalpana; Chakraborty, P.K.; Valdiya, P.S.; Raju, M.S.V.K.; Basannar, Dasharath

    2000-01-01

    Medical profession is one of the prestigious and esteemed professions amidst the professional opportunities available to young aspirants. Armed Forces Medical College by its virtue of selective admission procedures, training and induction becomes the primary focus of such research. The aim of the present study was to evaluate source traits of 300 medical students, 150 each from AFMC and civil medical college. 16 PF was administered to evaluate the source traits of study groups. Findings revealed significant differences between two colleges. The students from two colleges differed significantly on factors ‘B’, ‘F’, ‘G’, ‘I’, ‘O’, Q1, Q3, Q4. PMID:21407913

  10. Medical students' medication communication skills regarding drug prescription-a qualitative analysis of simulated physician-patient consultations.

    PubMed

    Hauser, Katarina; Matthes, Jan

    2017-04-01

    Poor medication communication of physicians to patients is detrimental, e.g. for medication adherence. Reasons for physicians' deficits in medication communication may be unfavourable conditions in daily practice or already insufficient training during their (undergraduate) medical studies. We explored medical students' communication on new medications in simulated physician-patient conversations to identify actual deficits indicating apparent educational needs. Fifth year medical students attending a mandatory course at the University of Cologne had simulated physician-patient consultations aiming at drug prescription. In 2015, 21 consultations were recorded, transcribed and subjected to qualitative content analysis based on the method of inductive coding. Even essential information on drug therapy was often lacking (e.g. adverse effects, drug administration). Some aspects were addressed more frequently than others. This seemed to differ depending on the diagnosis underlying the particular treatment (acute event vs. chronic disease). The extent of information on drug treatments given in simulated physician-patient consultations varied significantly between students. Fifth year medical students showed appreciable deficits in communicating drug prescriptions to patients though there were remarkable inter-individual differences. Our findings suggest that communication on drug therapy to patients is no self-evolving skill. Thus, there is obviously a need for emphasizing medication communication in the training of medical students. Communication aids specifically aiming at medication communication might facilitate learning of adequate medication communication skills.

  11. Factors influencing US medical students' decision to pursue surgery.

    PubMed

    Schmidt, Lauren E; Cooper, Clairice A; Guo, Weidun Alan

    2016-06-01

    Interest and applications to surgery have steadily decreased over recent years in the United States. The goal of this review is to collect the current literature regarding US medical students' experience in surgery and factors influencing their intention to pursue surgery as a career. We hypothesize that multiple factors influence US medical students' career choice in surgery. Six electronic databases (PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, Education Resources Information Center, Embase, and PsycINFO) were searched. The inclusion criteria were studies published after the new century related to factors influencing surgical career choice among US medical students. Factors influencing US medical student surgical career decision-making were recorded. A quality index score was given to each article selected to minimize risk of bias. We identified 38 relevant articles of more than 1000 nonduplicated titles. The factors influencing medical student decision for a surgical career were categorized into five domains: mentorship and role model (n = 12), experience (clerkship n = 9, stereotype n = 4), timing of exposure (n = 9), personal (lifestyle n = 8, gender n = 6, finance n = 3), and others (n = 2). This comprehensive systemic review identifies mentorship, experience in surgery, stereotypes, timing of exposure, and personal factors to be major determinants in medical students' decisions to pursue surgery. These represent areas that can be improved to attract applicants to general surgery residencies. Surgical faculty and residents can have a positive influence on medical students' decisions to pursue surgery as a career. Early introduction to the field of surgery, as well as recruitment strategies during the preclinical and clinical years of medical school can increase students' interest in a surgical career. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Promoting innovation: Enhancing transdisciplinary opportunities for medical and engineering students.

    PubMed

    Brazile, Tiffany; Hostetter Shoop, Glenda; McDonough, Christine M; Van Citters, Douglas W

    2018-01-30

    Addressing current healthcare challenges requires innovation and collaboration. Current literature provides limited guidance in promoting these skills in medical school. One approach involves transdisciplinary training in which students from different disciplines work together toward a shared goal. We assessed the need for such a curriculum at Dartmouth College. We surveyed medical and engineering students' educational values; learning experiences; professional goals; and interest in transdisciplinary education and innovation. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Shared values among student groups included leadership development, innovation, collaboration, and resource sharing. Medical students felt their curriculum inadequately addressed creativity and innovation relative to their engineering counterparts (p < 0.05). Medical students felt less prepared for entrepreneurial activities (p < 0.05), while engineering students indicated a need for basic medical knowledge and patient-oriented design factors. Despite strong interest, collaboration was less than 50% of indicated interest. Medical and engineering students share an interest in the innovation process and need a shared curriculum to facilitate collaboration. A transdisciplinary course that familiarizes students with this process has the potential to promote physicians and engineers as leaders and innovators who can effectively work across industry lines. A transdisciplinary course was piloted in Spring 2017.

  13. Advancing the Relationship between Business School Ranking and Student Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elbeck, Matt

    2009-01-01

    This commentary advances a positive relationship between a business school's ranking in the popular press and student learning by advocating market-oriented measures of student learning. A framework for student learning is based on the Assurance of Learning mandated by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International,…

  14. UK medical students' perceptions, attitudes, and interest toward medical leadership and clinician managers.

    PubMed

    Rouhani, Maral J; Burleigh, Eleanor J; Hobbis, Chloe; Dunford, Charlotte; Osman, Nadir I; Gan, Christine; Gibbons, Norma B; Ahmed, Hashim U; Miah, Saiful

    2018-01-01

    We aimed to determine UK medical students' perceptions and attitudes and interest toward medical leadership and clinician managers. A cross-sectional study was conducted during the academic year 2015-2016. An online questionnaire was distributed to 2,349 final-year students from 10 UK medical schools. Participants were asked to complete a 5-point Likert scale on their current perceptions, attitudes, and interest toward medical leadership and clinician managers. They were also asked to self-rate their leadership competences set by the Medical Leadership Competency Framework and to rate the quality of management and leadership training they received from their medical school. In total, we received 114 complete responses. Only 7.9% of respondents were in agreement (strongly agree or agree) when asked whether they felt they were well informed about what a managerial position in medicine entails. When asked whether clinicians should influence managerial decisions within a clinical setting, 94.7% of respondents were in agreement with the statement. About 85% of respondents were in agreement that it is important for clinicians to have managerial or leadership responsibilities, with 63.2% of students in agreement that they would have liked more management or leadership training during medical school. Over half the respondents rated their management and leadership training they received during medical school as "very poor" or "poor" (54.4%). Our study suggests that UK medical students have an appetite for management and leadership training and appreciate its importance but feel that the training they are receiving is poor. This suggests that there is a gap between the demand for management and leadership training and the quality of training supplied by UK medical schools.

  15. Advance directives and medical treatment at the end of life.

    PubMed

    Kessler, Daniel P; McClellan, Mark B

    2004-01-01

    To assess the consequences of advance medical directives--which explicitly specify a patient's preferences for one or more specific types of medical treatment in the event of a loss of competence--we analyze the medical care of elderly Medicare beneficiaries who died between 1985 and 1995. We compare the care of patients from states that adopted laws enhancing incentives for compliance with advance directives and laws requiring the appointment of a health care surrogate in the absence of an advance directive to the care of patients from states that did not. We report three key findings. First, laws enhancing incentives for compliance significantly reduce the probability of dying in an acute care hospital. Second, laws requiring the appointment of a surrogate significantly increase the probability of receiving acute care in the last month of life, but decrease the probability of receiving nonacute care. Third, neither type of law leads to any savings in medical expenditures.

  16. Professionalism perspectives among medical students of a novel medical graduate school in Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Haque, Mainul; Zulkifli, Zainal; Haque, Seraj Zohurul; Kamal, Zubair M; Salam, Abdus; Bhagat, Vidya; Alattraqchi, Ahmed Ghazi; Rahman, Nor Iza A

    2016-01-01

    Defining professionalism in this constantly evolving world is not easy. How do you measure degrees of benevolence and compassion? If it is so obvious to our profession, what professionalism is, then why is it so difficult to teach it to medical students and residents? Today's definition of medical professionalism is evolving - from autonomy to accountability, from expert opinion to evidence-based medicine, and from self-interest to teamwork and shared responsibility. However, medical professionalism is defined as the basis for the trust in the patient-physician relationship, caring and compassion, insight, openness, respect for patient dignity, confidentiality, autonomy, presence, altruism, and those qualities that lead to trust-competence, integrity, honesty, morality, and ethical conduct. The purpose of this study is to explore professionalism in terms of its fundamental elements among medical students of Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA). This was a cross-sectional study carried out on medical students of UniSZA. The study population included preclinical and clinical medical students of UniSZA from Year I to Year V of academic session 2014/2015. The simple random sampling technique was used to select the sample. Data were collected using a validated instrument. The data were then compiled and analyzed using SPSS Version 21. Out of 165 questionnaires distributed randomly among Year I to Year V medical students of UniSZA, 144 returned, giving a response rate of 87%. Among the study participants, 38% (54) and 62% (90) were males and females, respectively. The grand total score was 170.92±19.08. A total of 166.98±20.15 and 173.49±18.09 were the total professionalism score of male and female study participants, respectively, with no statistically significant (P=0.61) differences. This study found almost similar levels of familiarity with all fundamental issues of professionalism with no statistically (P>0.05) significant differences. Medical faculty members

  17. Stigma and mental health challenges in medical students

    PubMed Central

    Hankir, Ahmed Khaldoon; Northall, Amy; Zaman, Rashid

    2014-01-01

    Despite the perception that medical students and doctors should be ‘invincible’, mental health challenges are common in this population. Medical students and doctors have low levels of help seeking for their own psychiatric problems often only presenting to mental health services once a crisis arises. Fear of exposure to stigmatisation is a crucial factor contributing to symptom concealment and is a barrier to accessing mental health services. Autobiographical narratives of the ‘Wounded Healer’ are gaining popularity among medical students and doctors with mental health challenges both as an effective form of adjunctive therapy and as a means to campaign against stigma. Indeed, the results of a randomised controlled trial to assess the efficacy of Coming Out Proud with mental illness revealed immediate positive effects on stigma stress-related variables. We provide an autobiographical narrative from a medical student who has first-hand experience with mental health challenges. PMID:25183806

  18. Social network utilization (Facebook) & e-Professionalism among medical students.

    PubMed

    Jawaid, Masood; Khan, Muhammad Hassaan; Bhutto, Shahzadi Nisar

    2015-01-01

    To find out the frequency and contents of online social networking (Facebook) among medical students of Dow University of Health Sciences. The sample of the study comprised of final year students of two medical colleges of Dow University of Health Sciences - Karachi. Systematic search for the face book profiles of the students was carried out with a new Facebook account. In the initial phase of search, it was determined whether each student had a Facebook account and the status of account as ''private'' ''intermediate'' or ''public'' was also sought. In the second phase of the study, objective information including gender, education, personal views, likes, tag pictures etc. were recorded for the publicly available accounts. An in depth qualitative content analysis of the public profiles of ten medical students, selected randomly with the help of random number generator technique was conducted. Social networking with Facebook is common among medical students with 66.9% having an account out of a total 535 students. One fifth of profiles 18.9% were publicly open, 36.6% profiles were private and 56.9% were identified to have an intermediate privacy setting, having customized settings for the profile information. In-depth analysis of some public profiles showed that potentially unprofessional material mostly related to violence and politics was posted by medical students. The usage of social network (Facebook) is very common among students of the university. Some unprofessional posts were also found on students' profiles mostly related to violence and politics.

  19. Sleep quality in medical students: a comparison across the various phases of the medical course

    PubMed Central

    Corrêa, Camila de Castro; de Oliveira, Felipe Kazan; Pizzamiglio, Diego Scherlon; Ortolan, Erika Veruska Paiva; Weber, Silke Anna Theresa

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate and compare subjective sleep quality in medical students across the various phases of the medical course. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving medical undergraduates at one medical school in the city of Botucatu, Brazil. All first- to sixth-year students were invited to complete the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, which has been validated for use in Brazil. Participants were divided into three groups according to the phase of the medical course: group A (first- and second-years); group B (third- and fourth-years); and group C (fifth- and sixth-years). The results obtained for the instrument components were analyzed for the total sample and for the groups. Results: Of the 540 students invited to participate, 372 completed the instrument fully. Of those, 147 (39.5%) reported their sleep quality to be either very or fairly bad; 110 (29.5%) reported taking more than 30 min to fall asleep; 253 (68.0%) reported sleeping 6-7 h per night; 327 (87.9%) reported adequate sleep efficiency; 315 (84.6%) reported no sleep disturbances; 32 (8.6%) reported using sleeping medication; and 137 (36.9%) reported difficulty staying awake during the day at least once a week. Group comparison revealed that students in group A had worse subjective sleep quality and greater daytime dysfunction than did those in groups B and C. Conclusions: Medical students seem to be more exposed to sleep disturbance than other university students, and first- and second-years are more affected than those in other class years because they have worse subjective sleep quality. Active interventions should be implemented to improve sleep hygiene in medical students. PMID:29365004

  20. 'Part of the team': professional identity and social exclusivity in medical students.

    PubMed

    Weaver, Roslyn; Peters, Kath; Koch, Jane; Wilson, Ian

    2011-12-01

    Medical students must develop not only their professional identity but also inclusive social attitudes for effective medical practice in the future. This study explores the elements that contribute to medical students' sense of professional identity and investigates the concept of social exclusivity and how this might relate to students' development of their identity as medical professionals. The study is based on qualitative data gathered in telephone interviews with 13 medical students enrolled in Years 1 or 3 at an undergraduate medical school at a university in Australia. The questions were open-ended and asked students about their experiences in medical school, sense of identity and social connections. Two main components contributed to a strong sense of professional identity in medical students: professional inclusivity and social exclusivity. Students experienced professional inclusivity when they attended clinical placements and when they were treated as future medical professionals by lecturers, doctors and patients. Social exclusivity was demonstrated by participants' perceptions of themselves as socially separate from non-medical students and isolated from students in other disciplines. Students described a sense of peer unity and a shared sense of identity as medical students within the medical school. It is important to understand how students develop their sense of identity as medical professionals and the ways in which medical education and clinical placements can influence this professional identity. Although this study noted a very strong sense of social exclusivity in its findings, there were also high levels of intra-discipline inclusivity. These results suggest that there is a reciprocal and reinforcing relationship between student experiences of professional inclusivity and social exclusivity that creates a defined sense of professional identity. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011.

  1. [Intensive care medicine on medical undergraduation: student's perspective].

    PubMed

    Almeida, Alessandro de Moura; Albuquerque, Ligia Carvalho; Bitencourt, Almir Galvão Vieira; Rolim, Carlos Eduardo Cerqueira; Godinho, Tiana Mascarenhas; Liberato, Maurício Valverde; Oliveira Filho, Fernando Cezar Cabral; Azevedo, Ana Bárbara Galvão de; Neves, Ana Paula Soares da Silva; Martins, Marcelo de Jesus; Silva, João Paulo Maciel; Jesuíno, Paulo André; Souza Filho, Sydney Agareno de

    2007-12-01

    There are deficiencies on Intensive Medicine (IM) teaching in most of medical undergraduate schools. Those deficiencies may imply damages on their clinical competence. The objective of this study was to analyze current status of IM teaching and the medical undergraduate student interest in this speciality. A cross-sectional study was performed in 2005. We applied a self-reported questionnaire to enrolled students between the sixth and the last semesters of two medical schools from Salvador-Bahia. The questionnaire contained questions about students' interest and knowledge on IM, and opinion on IM teaching in their schools. We studied 570 students. Most of them (57.5%) had never realized a clerkship in intensive care unit (ICU) despite classifying its usefulness as high (mean of 4.14 ± 1.05, in a scale from 1 to 5). IM interest was high or very high in 53.7% of sample. Almost all students (97%) thought that IM topics should be more explored at their curriculum. Only 42.1% reported to be able to assess a critical care patient and this assurance was higher among students with previous clerkship in ICU (p < 0.001). Shock, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and sepsis were the most interesting topics in ICU for students' opinion. This study revealed a high interest in IM among medical undergraduate students. However, most had never practice a clerkship in ICU, demonstrating to be an important factor on undergraduate student performance faced to a critical care patient.

  2. Internet addiction and its determinants among medical students.

    PubMed

    Chaudhari, Bhushan; Menon, Preethi; Saldanha, Daniel; Tewari, Abhinav; Bhattacharya, Labhanya

    2015-01-01

    Exponential use of internet has resulted in internet addiction in recent times. Students are particularly at risk because of their unique personal, social, and academic needs. The study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of internet addiction and its determinants among medical students. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 282 medical students with the help of semi-structured questionnaire consisting of questions related to demographic information, information related to internet use, and Young's internet addiction test. We found prevalence of internet addiction among medical students to be 58.87% (mild - 51.42%, moderate -7.45%) and significantly associated factors with internet addiction being male gender, staying in private accommodation, lesser age of first internet use, using mobile for internet access, higher expenditure on internet, staying online for longer time, and using internet for social networking, online videos, and watching website with sexual content. Medical students are vulnerable for internet addiction and efforts should be taken to increase awareness and prevent the problem of internet addiction in them.

  3. Positive attitudes towards psychiatry among Chinese medical students.

    PubMed

    Williams, Joshua A; Liu, Ni; Afzal, Khalid; Cooper, Brian; Sherer, Renslow; Morgan, Ivy; Dong, Hongmei

    2014-02-01

    Increasingly positive attitudes have been reported among young people in China towards mental illness, but little is known about Chinese medical students' attitudes towards psychiatry, psychiatric services and patients. We administered a bilingual survey to Wuhan University medical students in the final years of their clinical training. Primary outcomes were composite scores on a 21-item attitudes toward psychiatry (ATP) survey and the number of correct responses to diagnostic questions following a series of three clinical case vignettes. Mean composite score on the ATP items was 78/105 (SD = 9.6), representing overall positive attitudes among the students. Female gender and having learned about more psychiatric disorders were positively associated with a higher mean ATP score and remained so after adjustment for relevant covariates. Chinese medical students reported positive attitudes towards psychiatry, openness with regard to psychiatric services, and respect for psychiatric patients. Learning about a broad spectrum of psychiatric diagnoses and greater clinical contact with patients may improve overall attitudes of Chinese medical students towards psychiatry and their ability to make accurate diagnoses.

  4. How do medical students differ in their interpersonal needs?

    PubMed

    Hur, Yera; Cho, A Ra; Huh, Sun; Kim, Sun

    2017-02-21

    Knowing one's interpersonal relationship preferences can be tremendously helpful for medical students' lives. The purpose of this study was to examine the interpersonal needs in medical students. Between 2010 and 2015, a total of 877 students from four Korean medical schools took the Korean version of the Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation - Behaviour (FIRO-B) scale. The FIRO-B results were analyzed by descriptive statistics, frequency, independent t-test, and one-way ANOVA. The medical students' scores for interpersonal needs were moderate overall, with the highest scores for control (M = 8.63, SD = 3.08), followed by affection (M = 8.14, SD = 4.34), and inclusion (M = 7.81, SD = 4.30). Gender differences showed in three areas: expressed control (male > female, t = 4.137, p < 0.001), wanted affection (male < female, t = -3.148, p = 0.002), and control needs (male > female, t = 2.761, p = 0.006). By school type, differences were shown in expressed control (t = 3.581, p < 0.001), wanted inclusion (t = 2.625, p = 0.009), Inclusion (t = 1.966, p = 0.050), and expressed (t = 2.077, p = 0.038); undergraduate medical college (MC) students' needs were greater than the needs of graduate medical school (MS) students, but for wanted control, the MS students showed greater needs (t = -2.122, p = 0.034). There were differences in all categories except for expressed inclusion, wanted control, and control. The FIRO-B is a useful tool for giving insight into students regarding their interpersonal orientations, which will help them to adjust to medical school life. In addition, the FIRO-B can be useful when mentoring and coaching students.

  5. Demographic attributes and knowledge acquisition among graduate-entry medical students.

    PubMed

    Finucane, Paul; Flannery, Denise; McGrath, Deirdre; Saunders, Jean

    2013-01-01

    Recent changes to undergraduate (basic) medical education in Ireland have linked an expansion of student numbers with wide-ranging reforms. Medical schools have broadened access by admitting more mature students from diverse backgrounds and have increased their international student numbers. This has resulted in major changes to the demographic profile of students at Irish medical schools. To determine whether the demographic characteristics of students impact on their academic performance and specifically on their rate of knowledge acquisition. As a formative assessment exercise, we administered a progress test to all students twice each year during a 4 year graduate-entry medical programme. We compared scores over time between students from different age cohorts, of different gender, of different nationalities and from different academic backgrounds. In the 1143 tests taken by 285 students to date, there were no significant differences in the rate of knowledge acquisition between the various groups. Early in the course, students from a non-biological science background performed less well than others but outperformed their peers by the time of graduation. Neither age, gender, nationality nor academic background impacts on the rate of knowledge acquisition among graduate-entry medical students.

  6. Exam anxiety in the undergraduate medical students of Taibah University.

    PubMed

    Khoshhal, Khalid I; Khairy, Gamal A; Guraya, Salman Y; Guraya, Shaista S

    2017-04-01

    Assessment is perceived to create highly stressful environment among medical students. Several studies have reported exam-related anxiety symptoms but the contributing factors seem to differ across institutions. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of exam anxiety, gender differences and the variables that moderate exam anxiety among students of a Saudi medical school. A cross-section study was done on 5th year medical students by administering a 12-statement self-administered questionnaire. The degree of exam anxiety was gauged by a visual analog scale. Of 125 students, 111 responded (response rate 89%). About 65% students experienced exam anxiety due to various reasons. Studying all night before exam (28 students; 25.2%) and extensive course load (26 students; 23.4%) were the major confounding factors. Female students experienced more stress due to extensive course load as compared with male students (p = .00). The data about the identified risk factors for exam anxiety can help medical educators to deeply understand the reasons for exam anxiety. There is a need to reassess the amount of study material in undergraduate medical curricula and students need to organize their time management skills to cope with exam anxiety.

  7. Knowledge of and attitudes toward electroconvulsive therapy among medical students, psychology students, and the general public.

    PubMed

    Aki, Ozlem Erden; Ak, Sertac; Sonmez, Yunus Emre; Demir, Basaran

    2013-03-01

    Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is safe and effective for the treatment of various psychiatric disorders. Despite being a well-known treatment method among health care professionals, lay people generally have a negative opinion of ECT. The present study aimed to examine knowledge of and attitudes toward ECT among medical students, psychology students, and the general public. Psychology students were included because they are among the important groups in mental health care in Turkey. A Likert-type questionnaire was administered to fifth-year medical students (n = 28), master of science and doctor of philosophy clinical psychology students (n = 35), and a sample of the general public (n = 26). The questionnaire included questions about the general principles of and indications for ECT, and sources of knowledge of and attitudes toward ECT. The medical students were the most knowledgeable about ECT, as expected. The medical students also had a more positive attitude toward ECT than the other 2 groups. More psychology students had negative attitudes on some aspects than general public sample, despite being more knowledgeable. Medical school theoretical and practical training in ECT played an important role in increasing the level of knowledge of and decreasing the prevalence of negative attitudes toward ECT among the medical students; similar training for psychology students is required to achieve similar results.

  8. Cognitive emotions: depression and anxiety in medical students and staff.

    PubMed

    Ahmed, Isra; Banu, Haseena; Al-Fageer, Reem; Al-Suwaidi, Reem

    2009-09-01

    Medical students represent a highly educated population under significant pressures. They encounter multiple emotions during the transformation from insecure student to young knowledgeable physician. During the transition to clinical settings in the third year, the student may experience a loss of external control and may counter this with an increase in depression and/or anxiety symptoms. Studies suggest that mental health worsens after students begin medical school and remains poor throughout training. It is not just the undergraduate study period, which brings about these changes; it may continue later in internship, postgraduate study, and in physicians' practical life, and it may reach burnout level. The greater the psychosocial health, the greater is the well-being and the capacity for adaptation and overcoming problems and common life frustrations in family, relationships, and work. Medical students and practicing physicians, in comparison with the general population and that of other professions, are exposed to academic and professional stress and therefore are vulnerable to psychosocial health problems and certain specific dysfunctions that may compromise their physical, mental, and social health. Our study examines the phenomenology of depression and anxiety in medical doctors in 3 government hospitals, 3 primary health care centers and the students (all years) and staff of Dubai Medical College for Girls (DMCG). This cross-sectional study was conducted in November 2008. One hundred sixty-five medical students of DMCG and 93 doctors (including medical staff of DMCG) completed a set of 2 questionnaires regarding Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) & Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Results were analyzed using SPSS 11, and adequate statistical significant tests were done. A P value of <.05 was considered statistically significant. Of medical students, 28.6% showed depression and 28.7% showed anxiety. Of medical staff, 7.8% showed depression and 2.2% of them showed

  9. Survey of congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) knowledge among medical students.

    PubMed

    Baer, H R; McBride, H E; Caviness, A C; Demmler-Harrison, G J

    2014-07-01

    Congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) is a leading cause of congenital infection worldwide and the most common congenital infection in the United States, affecting 30,000-40,000 US newborns each year and causing permanent disabilities in 8000-10,000. In contrast to how commonly it occurs, physicians and medical students have little knowledge of cCMV. To test the hypothesis medical students have little awareness about cCMV infection, and to collect data on medical students' knowledge about cCMV. The long-term goal of this project is to establish medical student awareness of cCMV infection and educate students about available treatments and strategies for prevention in at-risk populations. Medical students at one institution were surveyed by questionnaire to assess their knowledge of cCMV. Responses were described, quantified, and compared between groups. 751 surveys were sent and 422 completed responses were received. Respondents were well distributed over all 4 medical school (MS) class years. Only 34% MS1 had heard of cCMV compared to 100% MS2-4 (P<0.0001). All MS2-4 who reported being "very familiar" with CMV learned about it in medical school, 80% in one lecture. MS1 respondents were significantly less knowledgeable about cCMV than MS2-MS4 respondents. A baseline lack of knowledge about cCMV was documented in first year medical students. A sharp increase in knowledge of cCMV occurred between MS1 and MS2 years, likely due to preclinical medical student curriculum. However, significant knowledge gaps regarding transmission and treatment were observed in all MS years, representing opportunities for medical education. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Self-Medication in University Students from the City of Mansoura, Egypt.

    PubMed

    Helal, R M; Abou-ElWafa, H S

    2017-01-01

    Background . Self-medication is a common practice in developed and developing countries. Objectives . To explore the prevalence of self-medication practices among university students, probable reasons, symptoms requiring self-medication, and sources of advice. Methods . A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in Mansoura University, Egypt, and included 1st and last year students of both medical and nonmedical faculties. Results . Prevalence of self-medication was 62.9%. Younger age, female, medical, and ever-married students and those having home pharmacy tended to self-medicate more than their peers with significant difference between them. Being medical student, being from urban area, having good current health condition, being careless about health, and having drugs stored at home pharmacy were independently associated with the likelihood of self-medicating. Conclusion . Prevalence of self-medication among university students is high which constitutes a health problem that needs intervention.

  11. Self-Medication in University Students from the City of Mansoura, Egypt

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    Background. Self-medication is a common practice in developed and developing countries. Objectives. To explore the prevalence of self-medication practices among university students, probable reasons, symptoms requiring self-medication, and sources of advice. Methods. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in Mansoura University, Egypt, and included 1st and last year students of both medical and nonmedical faculties. Results. Prevalence of self-medication was 62.9%. Younger age, female, medical, and ever-married students and those having home pharmacy tended to self-medicate more than their peers with significant difference between them. Being medical student, being from urban area, having good current health condition, being careless about health, and having drugs stored at home pharmacy were independently associated with the likelihood of self-medicating. Conclusion. Prevalence of self-medication among university students is high which constitutes a health problem that needs intervention. PMID:28479921

  12. Older medical students' performances at McGill University.

    PubMed

    Feil, D; Kristian, M; Mitchell, N

    1998-01-01

    To compare admission data and academic performances of medical students younger and older than 25, and to qualify older students' experiences and perceptions in medical school. The authors reviewed 1988-1991 data for applications to the McGill University Faculty of Medicine. Data included GPAs and MCAT scores, as well as ratings for reference letters, autobiographical statements, and interviews. For those same years, the authors measured students' academic performances in the preclinical and clinical years. The authors compared the data by students' age: "younger" students, aged 17 to 24; and "older" students, aged 25 and above. All enrolled students took the Derogatis Stress Profile, and the older students participated in focus groups. The older applicants had lower GPAs and MCAT scores, but higher interview and reference letter ratings. For older accepted students, basic science course scores were lower than those of younger students, but clinical scores did not differ significantly between the groups. The two groups had similar stress levels, although older students tested lower in driven behavior, relaxation potential, attitude posture, and hostility. In focus groups, the older students spoke of learning style differences, loss of social support, and loss of professional identity. Different scores in admission criteria suggest that McGill uses different standards to select older medical students. Older students admitted under different criteria, however, do just as well as do younger students by their clinical years. A broad-based study of admission criteria and outcomes for the older student population is warranted.

  13. Medical student socio-demographic characteristics and attitudes toward patient centered care: do race, socioeconomic status and gender matter? A report from the Medical Student CHANGES study.

    PubMed

    Hardeman, Rachel R; Burgess, Diana; Phelan, Sean; Yeazel, Mark; Nelson, David; van Ryn, Michelle

    2015-03-01

    To determine whether attitudes toward patient-centered care differed by socio-demographic characteristics (race, gender, socioeconomic status) among a cohort of 3191 first year Black and White medical students attending a stratified random sample of US medical schools. This study used baseline data from Medical Student CHANGES, a large national longitudinal cohort study of medical students. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the association of race, gender and SES with attitudes toward patient-centered care. Female gender and low SES were significant predictors of positive attitudes toward patient-centered care. Age was also a significant predictor of positive attitudes toward patient-centered care such that students older than the average age of US medical students had more positive attitudes. Black versus white race was not associated with attitudes toward patient-centered care. New medical students' attitudes toward patient-centered care may shape their response to curricula and the quality and style of care that they provide as physicians. Some students may be predisposed to attitudes that lead to both greater receptivity to curricula and the provision of higher-quality, more patient-centered care. Medical school curricula with targeted messages about the benefits and value of patient-centered care, framed in ways that are consistent with the beliefs and world-view of medical students and the recruitment of a socioeconomically diverse sample of students into medical schools are vital for improved care. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

  14. Indonesian medical students' preferences associated with the intention toward rural practice.

    PubMed

    Syahmar, Ikrar; Putera, Ikhwanuliman; Istatik, Yun; Furqon, Muhammad A; Findyartini, Ardi

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this study was to identify the preference of Indonesian medical students to work in rural areas, to enroll in the (PTT; which means 'temporary employment') program, and to identify factors that influence their choice of a preferred future practice area. Under the PTT program, doctors are obliged to work as temporary staff on a contract basis for a certain period in a rural area of Indonesia. The study design was cross-sectional and a total sampling method was used. The subjects were year 4 and 5 medical students from the Faculty of Medicine at Universitas Indonesia and had already been exposed to clinical practice rotations within their education program. Students rated the importance of 21 factors influencing their future workplace preference using a questionnaire with a five-point Likert scale. A total of 310 students (83.3%) responded to the questionnaire. The authors found that 27 out of 310 (8.71%) subjects wanted to work in rural areas, while 128 out of 264 (48.5%) students who chose other than rural areas wanted to enroll in the PTT program. A previous experience of living in rural areas seemed to be the only factor favouring students' choice to have future practice in rural areas (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 3.20, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.27-8.08, =0.01). Factors that influenced respondents to say they didn't intend to practice rurally were the influence of spouse (adjusted OR 0.38, 95%CI 0.16-0.89, =0.03), and the opportunities for career advancement (adjusted OR 0.28, 95%CI 0.11-0.73, =0.009). The choice of enrollment in the PTT program was positively associated with opportunity for an academic career (adjusted OR 2.39, 95%CI 1.27-4.50, =0.007) and negatively associated with proximity to family/friends (adjusted OR 0.38, 95%CI 0.22-0.65, 0.001). Only 8.7% of the students were interested in rural areas for their future practice location. Multiple factors were associated with students' interest to choose a career in rural areas later, after

  15. Leadership Identity Development Through Reflection and Feedback in Team-Based Learning Medical Student Teams.

    PubMed

    Alizadeh, Maryam; Mirzazadeh, Azim; Parmelee, Dean X; Peyton, Elizabeth; Mehrdad, Neda; Janani, Leila; Shahsavari, Hooman

    2018-01-01

    Studies on leadership identity development through reflection with Team-Based Learning (TBL) in medical student education are rare. We assumed that reflection and feedback on the team leadership process would advance the progression through leadership identity development stages in medical students within the context of classes using TBL. This study is a quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest control group. The pretest and posttest were reflection papers of medical students about their experience of leadership during their TBL sessions. In the intervention group, TBL and a team-based, guided reflection and feedback on the team leadership process were performed at the end of all TBL sessions. In the other group, only TBL was used. The Stata 12 software was used. Leadership Identity was treated both as a categorical and quantitative variable to control for differences in baseline and gender variables. Chi-square, t tests, and linear regression analysis were performed. The population was a cohort of 2015-2016 medical students in a TBL setting at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, School of Medicine. Teams of four to seven students were formed by random sorting at the beginning of the academic year (intervention group n = 20 teams, control group n = 19 teams). At baseline, most students in both groups were categorized in the Awareness and Exploration stage of leadership identity: 51 (52%) in the intervention group and 59 (55%) in the control group: uncorrected χ 2 (3) = 15.6, design-based F(2.83, 108) = 4.87, p = .003. In the posttest intervention group, 36 (36%) were in exploration, 33 (33%) were in L-identified, 20 (20%) were in Leadership Differentiated, and 10 (10%) were in the Generativity. None were in the Awareness or Integration stages. In the control group, 3 (20%) were in Awareness, 56 (53%) were in Exploration, 35 (33%) were in Leader Identified, 13 (12%) were in Leadership Differentiated. None were in the Generativity and Integration stages

  16. Reading habits and attitude toward medical humanities of basic science students in a medical college in Western Nepal.

    PubMed

    Shankar, P Ravi; Dubey, Arun K; Mishra, P; Upadhyay, Dinesh K

    2008-01-01

    The Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara, Nepal, admits students from Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, and other countries to the undergraduate medical course. The present study sought to describe and explore reading habits of medical students during the first three semesters and obtain their views regarding inclusion of medical humanities in the course. The authors introduced a voluntary module in medical humanities to the fifth- and sixth-semester students. Gender, semester, and nationality of respondents were noted. Commonly read noncourse books (fiction and nonfiction) were noted. Student attitudes toward medical humanities were studied using a set of nine statements. A total of 165 of the 220 students (75%) participated. Indians followed by Nepalese were the most common nationalities. Romantic fiction and biography were most commonly read. The Alchemist and The Da Vinci Code were commonly read books. Students were in favor of inclusion of medical humanities in the curriculum. The median total score was 30 (maximum possible score = 45). Students read widely beyond their course. The possibility of introducing medical humanities in the curriculum should be explored.

  17. Mindfulness based stress reduction for medical students: optimising student satisfaction and engagement.

    PubMed

    Aherne, Declan; Farrant, Katie; Hickey, Louise; Hickey, Emma; McGrath, Lisa; McGrath, Deirdre

    2016-08-18

    Medical practitioners and students are at increased risk of a number of personal and psychological problems. Stress and anxiety due to work-load and study requirements are common and self-care methods are important in maintaining well-being. The current study examines perceptions of and satisfaction ratings with a mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) programme for 1(st) year (compulsory) and 2(nd) year (optional) Graduate Entry Medical School students. A mixed method pre and post study of Year 1 (n = 140) and Year 2 (n = 88) medical students completing a 7 week MBSR course compared student satisfaction ratings. Thematic analysis of feedback from the students on their perception of the course was also carried out. Year 1 students (compulsory course) were less satisfied with content and learning outcomes than Year 2 students (optional course) (p < .0005). Thematic analysis of year 1 student feedback identified themes including great concept, poorly executed; and less discussion, more practice. Year 2 themes included session environment and satisfaction with tutors. The MBSR course was associated with high levels of satisfaction and positive feedback when delivered on an optional basis. Catering for the individual needs of the participant and promoting a safe environment are core elements of a successful self-care programme.

  18. Assessment of Medication Use among University Students in Ethiopia

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    Background. The extent, nature, and determinants of medication use of individuals can be known from drug utilization studies. Objectives. This study intended to determine medication consumption, sharing, storage, and disposal practices of university students in Northwest Ethiopia. Methods. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 404 university students selected through stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaire and analyzed with SPSS version 20 statistical software. Pearson's Chi-square test of independence was conducted with P < 0.05 taken as statistically significant. Results. At 95.3% response rate, the prevalences of medication consumption and sharing were 35.3% (N = 136) and 38.2% (N = 147), respectively. One hundred (26%) respondents admitted that they often keep leftover medications for future use while the rest (N = 285, 74%) discard them primarily into toilets (N = 126, 44.2%). Evidence of association existed between medication taking and year of study (P = 0.048), medication sharing and sex (P = 0.003), and medication sharing and year of study (P = 0.015). Conclusion. There is a high prevalence of medication consumption, medication sharing, and inappropriate disposal practices which are influenced by sex and educational status of the university students. Thus medication use related educational interventions need to be given to students in general. PMID:28393101

  19. Assessment of Medication Use among University Students in Ethiopia.

    PubMed

    Asmelashe Gelayee, Dessalegn; Binega, Gashaw

    2017-01-01

    Background. The extent, nature, and determinants of medication use of individuals can be known from drug utilization studies. Objectives. This study intended to determine medication consumption, sharing, storage, and disposal practices of university students in Northwest Ethiopia. Methods. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 404 university students selected through stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaire and analyzed with SPSS version 20 statistical software. Pearson's Chi-square test of independence was conducted with P < 0.05 taken as statistically significant. Results. At 95.3% response rate, the prevalences of medication consumption and sharing were 35.3% ( N = 136) and 38.2% ( N = 147), respectively. One hundred (26%) respondents admitted that they often keep leftover medications for future use while the rest ( N = 285, 74%) discard them primarily into toilets ( N = 126, 44.2%). Evidence of association existed between medication taking and year of study ( P = 0.048), medication sharing and sex ( P = 0.003), and medication sharing and year of study ( P = 0.015). Conclusion. There is a high prevalence of medication consumption, medication sharing, and inappropriate disposal practices which are influenced by sex and educational status of the university students. Thus medication use related educational interventions need to be given to students in general.

  20. Attitudes toward euthanasia among Swedish medical students.

    PubMed

    Karlsson, Marit; Strang, Peter; Milberg, Anna

    2007-10-01

    Attitudes toward euthanasia differ between individuals and populations, and in many studies the medical profession is more reluctant than the general public. Our goal was to explore medical students' attitude toward euthanasia. A questionnaire containing open-ended questions was answered anonymously by 165 first- and fifth-year medical students. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis with no predetermined categories. The students' arguments opposing euthanasia were based on opinions of 1. euthanasia being morally wrong, 2. fear of possible negative effects on society, 3. euthanasia causing strain on physicians and 4. doubts about the true meaning of requests of euthanasia from patients. Arguments supporting euthanasia were based on 1. patients' autonomy and 2. the relief of suffering, which could be caused by severe illnesses, reduced integrity, hopelessness, social factors and old age. There are several contradictions in the students' arguments and the results indicate a possible need for education focusing on the possibility of symptom control in palliative care and patients' perceived quality of life.

  1. Educational and Relational Stressors Associated with Burnout in Korean Medical Students

    PubMed Central

    Seo, Ji-Hyun; Kim, Hye Jung; Kim, Bong-Jo; Lee, So-Jin

    2015-01-01

    Objective This study aimed to examine whether educational stressors and relational stressors are associated with burnout in medical students and to test social support as a moderator between stressors and burnout. Methods A total of 263 medical students attending Gyeongsang National University composed the study sample. A standardized questionnaire was used to investigate educational and relational stressors, three dimensions of burnout, and social support of medical students. Results The findings showed that overall burnout is very high among Korean medical students, with 9.9% totally burned out. Educational and relational stressors were significantly associated with the risk of burnout in medical students after controlling for socio-demographics and health behaviors. Social support moderated educational and relational stressors on personal accomplishment, but did not moderate stressors on emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Conclusion Burnout level is substantially high among Korean medical students. Educational and relational stressors are significantly associated with burnout risk in Korean medical students. Social support had moderated educational and relational stressors on personal accomplishment. The results suggest that more social support for medical students is needed to buffer stressors on and burnout. PMID:26508955

  2. Public attitudes toward practice by medical students: a nationwide survey in Japan.

    PubMed

    Murata, Kyoko; Sakuma, Mio; Seki, Susumu; Morimoto, Takeshi

    2014-01-01

    It is essential for medical students to interact directly with patients. However, patients may be reluctant to be seen by medical students in settings in which they may also be seen by senior staff. To understand patients' attitudes toward practice by medical students and consider the factors involved in obtaining patients' cooperation, we conducted a nationwide cross-sectional survey. We randomly selected 2,400 adult participants from all over Japan. Trained research assistants inquired about participants' experiences and attitudes toward practice by medical students using a questionnaire. We compared differences in attitudes between participants who were accepting of practice by medical students and those who were not, as well as differences between participants who had experienced practice by a medical student versus those who had not. A total of 1,109 (46%) participants were included in the study. Eleven percent (117/1109) of the participants had experienced practice by a medical student. One fourth of participants were accepting of practice by medical students, and experienced participants were significantly more likely to be accepting of practice by medical students than inexperienced participants (45% vs. 24%, p<.001). Impressions of practice by medical students among accepting participants with previous experiences included "polite," "kind," and "hard-working." Fifty-nine percent (637/1088) of participants indicated that they would request a senior staff member's supervision when being seen by a medical student. The present nationwide survey suggests that education emphasizing bedside manner may be effective in promoting patients' cooperation of medical students. In addition, providing information to patients about medical students and efforts to increase supervision during clinical clerkship should be emphasized to foster the public's cooperation.

  3. Stress among medical students of Gorgan (South East of Caspian Sea), Iran.

    PubMed

    Marjani, A; Gharavi, A M; Jahanshahi, M; Vahidirad, A; Alizadeh, F

    2008-01-01

    This study aims to estimate the prevalence of psychological stress and association between the levels of stress and study variables among Gorgan medical students. All three year medical students (129 basic sciences students) in Gorgan Faculty of Medicine, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, were asked to complete the Kessler 10 questionnaire. The findings showed mild, moderate and severe stress among 26.22%, 20.50% and 14.75% study subjects. 39.35% of medical students had no stress. There was statistically significant association between year of study and stress levels (p= 0.040). The results indicate that there is a decrease in the psychological health of first year medical students. Provided that stress management courses are organised by medical schools, when the students arrive, they will cope up with the stress in coming years. These courses may reduce the negative effects of stress on medical students. By providing such courses and reducing stress level, medical students may improve their medical education.

  4. Stress among medical students: A cross-sectional study from a North Indian Medical University.

    PubMed

    Garg, Kabir; Agarwal, Manu; Dalal, Pronob Kumar

    2017-01-01

    The aim is to study stress among medical students and the relationship of stress to the year of study and gender. A single-point, cross-sectional, observational study of students of a medical university in North India divided on the basis of the semester of their course. The study was done using the higher education stress inventory. A total of 251 students were included in the study. Worry about future endurance and capacity was rated the highest by the final year students while faculty shortcomings and insufficient feedback were rated highest by the 2 nd -year students and financial concerns the highest by the 1 st -year students. Males rated financial concerns higher than females. The study would provide insight to the university authorities to make remedies based on the expectations and feedback of the students. the current study shows that stress amongst medical students is a dynamic process as the reasons of stress vary depending on the stage of curriculum. The college/university administration can mitigate this by taking appropriate steps as needed.

  5. Are Asian international medical students just rote learners?

    PubMed

    Tavakol, Mohsen; Dennick, Reg

    2010-08-01

    A wide variety of countries are seeking to attract international medical students. This could be due to the fact that their universities not only receive the economic benefit from these students, but also because they recognise the issues of cultural diversity and pedagogical practice. This review paper draws on literature to understand more fully the learning process of Asian international students. Whereas views on learning are different across cultures, medical school teachers must understand how Asian international students learn based on their culture. Two general themes emerged from the literature review: firstly culture's influence on learning and secondly memorisation versus understanding, both of which relate to the learning process of Asian international students. This study shows that Asian international students have a different approach to learning, which is not just about rote learning. Changes in attitudes towards Asian international students may stimulate the internationalisation of a more culturally sensitive form of medical education. The paper suggests further work on the area of appreciative thinking in order to identify the epistemological and ontological dimensions for a flexible approach to learning.

  6. [Medical students' smoking habits and attitudes about cessation].

    PubMed

    Rinfel, József; Oberling, János; Tóth, Ildikó; Prugberger, László; Nagy, Lajos

    2011-03-20

    Medical years are very important in shaping the attitudes of future doctors. It is proven that doctors who smoke do not advise their patient to stop smoking. We have to know the students' smoking habits and attitudes about smoking cessation to make them interested in the fight against tobacco. To investigate medical students' smoking habits and attitudes about cessation. We applied the Hungarian translation of the Global Health Professionals Student Survey. Medical students from the first and fifth year filled in the survey anonymously during the seminars. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS. In both years 245 students filled in the questionnaire. In the first year 30.8%, in the fifth year 38.9% of the students were defined as smokers. During the academic study the number of daily smokers and the number of smoked cigarettes increases. Students require training about smoking cessation, however they would entrust it to a specialist. Based on our data we need a teaching block in the curricula about smoking and smoking cessation.

  7. Motivation in medical students: a PhD thesis report.

    PubMed

    Kusurkar, Rashmi

    2012-08-01

    The aims of this thesis were to gather insights and investigate the factors influencing, outcomes and applications of medical students' motivation. This thesis consists of three literature reviews, four research papers and two application papers. Two research studies investigated the relationships of student motivation with study strategy, effort and academic performance through structural equation modelling and cluster analysis. The relationships of age, maturity, gender and educational background with motivation were investigated through multiple regression analysis. The results of this thesis were 1. Developments in medical education appear to have undervalued student motivation. 2. Motivation is an independent variable in medical education; intrinsic motivation is significantly associated with deep study strategy, high study effort and good academic performance. 3. Motivation is a dependent variable in medical education and is significantly affected by age, maturity, gender, educational background; intrinsic motivation is enhanced by providing students with autonomy, feedback and emotional support. 4. Strength of motivation for medical school can be reliably measured by Strength of Motivation for Medical School questionnaire. The conclusion of this thesis was that it is important to give consideration to motivation in medical education because intrinsic motivation leads to better learning and performance and it can be enhanced through giving students autonomy in learning, feedback about competence and emotional support.

  8. Prevalence and Sources of Stress among Universiti Sains Malaysia Medical Students.

    PubMed

    Yusoff, Muhamad Saiful Bahri; Abdul Rahim, Ahmad Fuad; Yaacob, Mohd Jamil

    2010-01-01

    Being in medical school has always been regarded as highly stressful. Excessive stress causes physical and mental health problems. Persistent stress can impair students' academic achievement and personal or professional development. The aim of this study is to explore the nature of stress among medical students by determining the prevalence, sources and pattern of stress and the factors affecting it. We chose a cross-sectional study design utilizing validated questionnaires, the 12 items General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and Medical Student Stressor Questionnaire (MSSQ), to evaluate stress levels and stressors. School and ethical committee clearance were obtained prior to the study. Data were analysed using SPSS version 12. Of the medical students who were administered the questionnaire, 761 (72%) respondents participated in this study. The prevalence of stress among the medical students was 29.6%. The top 10 stressors were academic-related. Prevalence of stress for the first, second, third, fourth and fifth year students was 26.3%, 36.5 %, 31.4%, 35.3% and 21.9%, respectively. Year of study was the only significant factor affecting stress among medical students (P-value < 0.05). The prevalence of stress among medical students in USM is high. Academic-related problems were the major stressor among medical students. Year of study was the factor most significantly associated with medical students' stress. There was a bimodal pattern of the stress level throughout the year of study.

  9. Medical Students and Staff Physicians: The Question of Social Media.

    PubMed

    Noller, Michael; Mai, Johnny P; Zapanta, Philip E; Camacho, Macario

    2017-07-01

    Social media's prevalence among the professional world is rapidly increasing. Its use among medical personnel-specifically, medical students, resident physicians, and staff physicians-could compromise personal-professional boundaries. Could the acceptance or lack of acceptance of a friend request bias the medical student application process? If friend requests are accepted, then medical students, resident physicians, and staff physicians are provided access to very personal aspects of one another's lives, which may not have been the intent. The question remains whether the separation of one's personal life from work is necessary. Should medical students restrict social media relationships with residents and staff physicians to professional social media networks? The suitability and opportunities of social media among medical professionals is an ongoing issue for research that needs continued evaluation.

  10. Human trafficking: an evaluation of Canadian medical students' awareness and attitudes.

    PubMed

    Wong, Janice C; Hong, Jonathan; Leung, Pearl; Yin, Penny; Stewart, Donna E

    2011-04-01

    Human trafficking is a human rights violation prevalent globally. Current guidelines highlight healthcare professionals' key role in responding to human trafficking, emphasizing the importance of medical education in raising awareness of trafficking. To assess pre-clerkship medical students' awareness of human trafficking and attitudes towards learning about trafficking in the medical curriculum at Canada's largest medical school. An anonymous, classroom-based questionnaire was designed, piloted and administered to first- and second-year medical students at one large Canadian medical school with a diverse student population. The questionnaire sought demographic data and information on students' self-perceived awareness of human trafficking and interest in learning about trafficking and other community health issues. 262 medical students completed the questionnaire (70.0% response). Most participants reported that they were not knowledgeable (48.5%) or only somewhat knowledgeable (45.4%) about human trafficking. 88.9% of participants were not familiar with signs and symptoms of trafficked persons. While students' responses indicated that they prioritized other social issues, a majority of participants (76.0%) thought that trafficking was important to learn about in medical school, especially identifying trafficked persons and their health needs. These medical students of one Canadian medical school demonstrated limited familiarity with the issue of human trafficking but largely felt that they should be taught more about this issue during their medical education. This assessment of early medical students' awareness of human trafficking is relevant to medical educators and the organizations that could develop the required educational curricula and resources.

  11. Cultural minority students' experiences with intercultural competency in medical education.

    PubMed

    Leyerzapf, Hannah; Abma, Tineke

    2017-05-01

    Medical schools increasingly value and focus on teaching students intercultural competency within present-day multicultural society. Little is known about the experiences of cultural minority students in intercultural competence activities. This article discusses the intercultural competence activities of medical education in a Dutch university from the perspective of cultural minority students. We will formulate recommendations for how to stimulate intercultural competency in, as well as inclusiveness of, medical education. A qualitative evaluation was performed within a medical school in the Netherlands. Data were collected through interviews (n = 23), a focus group (six participants) and participant observations (20 hours). Thematic analysis was performed. Cultural minority students experienced a lack of respect and understanding by cultural majority students and teachers. Education activities intended to transfer intercultural knowledge, address personal prejudice and stimulate intercultural sensitivity were perceived as stigmatising and as creating an unsafe climate for cultural minority students. Cultural minority and majority students on campus seemed segregated and the intercultural awareness of minority students was not integrated in intercultural competence activities. As cultural minority students were confronted with microaggressions, the medical school did not succeed in creating a safe education environment for all students. Contrary to their aims and intentions, intercultural competence activities had limited effect and seemed to support the polarisation of cultural minority and majority students and teachers. This can be seen as pointing towards a hidden curriculum privileging majority over minority students. For structural integration of intercultural competency in medical education, the focus must penetrate beyond curricular activities towards the critical addressing of the culture and structure of medical school. Collective commitment to

  12. Community-oriented medical education and clinical training: comparison by medical students in hospitals.

    PubMed

    Ali, Azizi

    2012-10-01

    To determine the students' comparison of their one month educational trainings in Community-Oriented Medical Education with hospitals clinical education. Observational study. Kermanshah Community-Oriented Medical Education Field, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran, from April 2000 to February 2009. As of 2000, medical interns of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences spend one month in the field of community-oriented medical education. At the end of the one-month period, the interns filled a questionnaire of 11 questions (based on the Likert scale) to assess the level of education in the field compared to hospital clinics. Data of questionnaires collected and completed from 2000 through 2009 (948 questionnaires) were analyzed on SPSS 18 using descriptive statistics (percentage) and analytic statistics (Chi-square test). The 948 students consisted of 66.4% males (n = 666) and 33.6% females (n = 282). All 11 variables of comparison were rated improved in the field education compared to the hospital training. The greatest difference pertained referring patients to the relevant health units (82% vs. 23.3%); patience in education (84.6% vs. 37.1%); consideration given to the three levels of prevention (77.2% vs. 33.6%) and the attention paid to the presence of students (91.7% vs. 51.8%), all of which were statistically significant (p < 0.0001). According to the interns, the educational status of specialized clinics of the field was superior to the specific clinics of hospitals (p < 0.0001). From the standpoint of medical students, training in community-oriented medical education in the field was better than training in the hospitals' clinics.

  13. Attitudes toward Suicide in Japanese and American Medical Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Domino, George; Takahashi, Yoshitomo

    1991-01-01

    Administered Suicide Opinion Questionnaire to 100 medical students from Japan and 100 medical students from the United States (80 percent males, 20 percent females). Found significant differences on Right to Die, Normality, and Aggression scales between Japanese and U.S. students, and significant gender differences on Religion and Impulsivity…

  14. Commentary: criminal background checks for entering medical students: history, current issues, and future considerations.

    PubMed

    Kleshinski, James; Case, Steven T; Davis, Dwight; Heinrich, George F; Witzburg, Robert A

    2011-07-01

    In this commentary, the authors aim to contextualize the history and rationale for what has become the Association of American Medical Colleges-facilitated criminal background check process for entering medical students. As the process was being considered, many issues with a standardized process were identified. There were concerns that demographic or socioeconomic factors might unfairly burden certain applicants or discourage them from applying to medical school. On the other hand, a unified, national program would minimize cost and enhance quality assurance. The authors discuss these issues. Lessons learned in the first three years of the program are also addressed, including some unexpected and favorable consequences such as the identification of accepted applicants with at-risk behaviors (e.g., substance abuse), who would have otherwise gone undetected. Several challenges remain, including the fact that the criminal background check process creates an enhanced role for prehealth advisors and encourages undergraduate institutions to establish standards and processes relating to professionalism. While this is, no doubt, an evolving program which needs continued oversight and ongoing reevaluation, the authors support the continued advancement of the criminal background check process for entering medical students.

  15. [Attitude of medical students towards a surgical career - a global phenomenon?].

    PubMed

    Ganschow, P

    2012-04-01

    Within the last few years several reports have observed an increasing decline of interest for medical students to become a general surgeon. A recent study among medical students from five medical schools in South-West Germany revealed that only 8.9 % of the students were considering a surgical career. In addition, the authors showed that there was a severe decrease of interest in a surgical career throughout medical school. The aim of the presented study is to analyse career preferences of medical students in several countries. A Medline search for "surgical career", "medical students + general surgery" and "surgical career + influences" was performed. There are similar situations to that in Germany in the USA, Great Britain, New Zeeland and Switzerland with small proportions of medical students inclined towards a surgical career. In Kenya, Jordan, Pakistan and Iraq at least a higher percentage of male medical students favoured a surgical career. Independent of the country, more male medical students are pursuing a surgical career. Studies from different countries reported an increasing loss of interest in a surgical career throughout medical school. Positive influencing factors for specialisation in a field of surgery were identified: These are independent of the country, positive experiences in practical courses and positive role models. Further studies to analyse factors influencing students throughout medical school are required in the future. Internships, special tutorials, and final year rotations should be used to develop individual mentoring programmes to increase the student's interest in pursuing a general surgical career. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  16. Stress, Burnout and Coping Strategies in Preclinical Medical Students.

    PubMed

    Fares, Jawad; Al Tabosh, Hayat; Saadeddin, Zein; El Mouhayyar, Christopher; Aridi, Hussam

    2016-02-01

    It is acknowledged that physicians do not seek the same expert aid for themselves as they would offer their patients. In their preclinical years, medical students appear to espouse comparable behavior. To many, medicine is described as a never-ending path that places the student under heavy stress and burnout from the beginning, leaving him/her vulnerable and with insufficient coping methods. Hence, the objective of this study is to 1) explore the prevalence of stress and burnout among preclinical medical students, and 2) propose solutions to decrease stress and burnout and improve medical education in the preclinical years. A detailed scholarly research strategy using Google Scholar, Scopus, Embase, MEDLINE and PubMed was implemented to highlight key themes that are relevant to preclinical medical students' stress and burnout. Stress varied among different samples of medical students and ranged between 20.9% and 90%. Conversely, burnout ranged between 27% and 75%. Methods that help in reducing the incidence of stress and burnout by promoting strategies that focus on personal engagement, extracurricular activities, positive reinterpretation and expression of emotion, student-led mentorship programs, evaluation systems, career counseling and life coaching should be adopted.

  17. Preparing medical students for clinical practice: easing the transition.

    PubMed

    Teagle, Alexandra R; George, Maria; Gainsborough, Nicola; Haq, Inam; Okorie, Michael

    2017-08-01

    The transition from medical student to junior doctor is a challenge; the UK General Medical Council has issued guidance emphasizing the importance of adequate preparation of medical students for clinical practice. This study aimed to determine whether a junior doctor-led simulation-based course is an effective way of preparing final year medical students for practice as a junior doctor.We piloted a new 'preparation for practice' course for final year medical students prior to beginning as Foundation Year 1 (first year of practice) doctors. The course ran over three days and consisted of four simulated stations: ward round, prescribing, handover, and lessons learnt. Quantitative and qualitative feedback was obtained.A total of 120 students attended (40 on each day) and feedback was collected from 95 of them. Using a scale of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest), feedback was positive, with 99% and 96% rating 4 or 5 for the overall quality of the program and the relevance of the program content, respectively. A score of 5 was awarded by 67% of students for the ward round station; 58% for the handover station; 71% for the prescribing station, and 35% for the lessons learnt station. Following the prescribing station, students reported increased confidence in their prescribing.Preparation for practice courses and simulation are an effective and enjoyable way of easing the transition from medical student to junior doctor. Together with 'on-the-job' shadowing time, such programs can be used to improve students' confidence, competence, and ultimately patient safety and quality of care.

  18. Study of Depression, Anxiety and Stress among the Medical Students in two Medical Colleges of Nepal.

    PubMed

    Kunwar, D; Risal, A; Koirala, S

    2016-01-01

    Background Medical education is intended to prepare graduates for a promoting health and caring for the sick. Medical students are confronted with significant academic, psychological and existential stressors. There is insufficient information regarding psychological morbidity among Nepalese medical students. Objective To determine the prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress, among the medical students in Nepal, and its association with sociodemographic characteristics. Method A cross-sectional questionnaire based study was conducted including all students from first to fifth year of student using convenience method of sampling from Kathmandu University Medical School (KUSMS), Dhulikhel and Manipal College of Medical Sciences (MCOMS), Pokhara, Nepal. Depression, Anxiety and stress were assessed using Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS). Additional questions regarding demographic variables were also included in the survey. Data analysis was done on Statistical Package for the Social Sciences SPSS version 16. Result A total of 538 students participated in the study giving a response rate of 89.6%. Aamong them 56.5% were from age group 21-25 years, 42.2% were below 20 years and only 1.3% were above 25 years of age. Among them 52% were female and 48% were male. Our study found that the overall prevalence of depression was 29.9%, anxiety was 41.1% and stress was 27% among all participated medical students. Depression was significantly associated (OR 2.23, 95% CI 1.43-3.47, p<0.001) with living condition (living in hostel or rented house). Conclusion The higher level of psychiatric morbidity depression 29.9%, anxiety 41.1% and stress 27% among undergraduate medical students warrants needs for strategic plans to alleviate depression anxiety and the stressors right from the time they join medical school and has to be continued till they finish the course.

  19. Pakistani medical students' specialty preference and the influencing factors.

    PubMed

    Rehman, Anis; Rehman, Tariq; Shaikh, Muhammad Ateeb; Yasmin, Haleema; Asif, Ammara; Kafil, Hina

    2011-07-01

    To elucidate the specialty preferences of Pakistani medical students and the factors which influence medical students to make the decision regarding which specialty to pursue. Both basic sciences and clinical students from four medical colleges of Pakistan, i.e., Dow Medical College, Sindh Medical College, Liaquat National Medical College and Muhammad Medical College, were included in the cross-sectional survey during the period of July 2008 to Jan' 2009. After ethical acceptance, data was collected using convenient sampling technique. The questionnaire covered the following demographic details: 13 common specialties and 15 influencing factors. Questionnaires included in the analysis were 771. Most students gave preference to surgery and its associated sub-specialties (50.3%) followed by internal medicine (26.8%), paediatrics (23.2%), dermatology (16.7%), gynaecology and obstetrics (16.7%), psychiatry (13.1%), radiology (10.8%), ENT (8.8%), anaesthesiology (8.7%), administrative medicine (8.6%), orthopaedics (8.2%), ophthalmology (7.5%), and laboratory medicine (6.1%). The highly considered factors (regarding specialties) chosen by 70% of the medical students were: applicable to respective personalities of the individuals, prestige and respect, international opportunities, and time commitment. Surgical-skills, job availability, financial rating, academic performance, and a role model were moderately influencing factors. Hospital environment, parents, general practice, peer-pressure and personal health were the least influential. This trend suggests competition in surgery and its sub-specialties along with internal medicine, paediatrics, dermatology, gynaecology and obstetrics. Specialty suited to personality, time commitment, prestige/respect and international opportunity, influenced more than 70% of the students.

  20. Attitudes of medical students to induced abortion.

    PubMed

    Buga, G A B

    2002-05-01

    Unsafe abortion causes 13% of maternal deaths worldwide. Safe abortion can only be offered under conditions where legislation has been passed for legal termination of unwanted pregnancy. Where such legislation exists, accessibility of safe abortion depends on the attitudes of doctors and other healthcare workers to induced abortion. Medical students as future doctors may have attitudes to abortion that will affect the provision of safe abortion. Little is known about the attitudes of South African medical students to abortion. To assess sexual practices and attitudes of medical students to induced abortion and to determine some of the factors that may influence these attitudes. A cross-sectional analytic study involving the self-administration of an anonymous questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered to medical students at a small, but growing, medical school situated in rural South Africa. Demographic data, sexual practices and attitudes to induced abortion. Two hundred and forty seven out of 300 (82.3%) medical students responded. Their mean age was 21.81 +/- 3.36 (SD) years, and 78.8% were Christians, 17.1% Hindus and 2.6% Muslims. Although 95% of the respondents were single, 68.6% were already sexually experienced, and their mean age at coitarche was 17.24+/-3.14 (SD) years. Although overall 61.2% of the respondents felt abortion is murder either at conception or later, the majority (87.2%) would perform or refer a woman for abortion under certain circumstances. These circumstances, in descending order of frequency, include: threat to mother's life (74.1%), in case of rape (62.3%), the baby is severely malformed (59.5%), threat to mother's mental health (53.8%) and parental incompetence (21.0%). Only 12.5% of respondents would perform or refer for abortion on demand, 12.8% would neither perform nor refer for abortion under any circumstances. Religious affiliation and service attendance significantly influenced some of these attitudes and beliefs

  1. Knowledge, attitude and practice of medical students towards self medication at Ain Shams University, Egypt.

    PubMed

    El Ezz, N F A; Ez-Elarab, H S

    2011-12-01

    Self medication is usually defined as intake of any type of drugs for treating oneself without professional supervision to relieve an illness or a condition. Self medication is an issue with serious global implications. In this study it was aimed to determine the knowledge, attitudes and behavior of self medication by the near coming physicians. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of randomly selected medical students from Ain Shams University. Data was collected using self administered questionnaire. Verbal consent was ensured before applying the questionnaire. The Chi square was performed using SPSS 16 to identify associations and differences. The sample consisted of 300 students 67% females and 33% male students. Prevalence of self medication was 55%. Out of which 58.8%, 54.4%, 87.2%, 12%, 28% took antibiotic, vitamins, analgesics, sedatives, herbal products respectively without physician prescription. As regards the personal behavior towards following any prescription 14.4% always followed properly the prescription compared to 63.3% always discontinued the drug on feeling improvement, and 13.6% always repeated the prescription without seeking medical advice. Also 60% said that they increased the dose without medical advice. As regards the reported side effects 4.8%, 1.6%, 12% as a result of interaction between drugs, increase dose without medical advice and early stopping of treatment respectively. Self medication by medical students is an important issue to be avoided and need to be added to the curriculum of undergraduate students and raise the community awareness about these hazards and drawbacks.

  2. Ethical issues confronted by medical students during clinical rotations.

    PubMed

    Fard, Nazila Nikravan; Asghari, Fariba; Mirzazadeh, Azim

    2010-07-01

    This study aimed to examine the most common and important ethical issues confronting medical students during clinical rotations so that ethics-related topics can be prioritised according to students' needs and this information used to develop a curriculum for the ethics course. In a cross-sectional approach, we reviewed the medical ethics-related cases recorded in the logbooks of all medical students (n=241) at Tehran University of Medical Sciences who attended the medical ethics course during October 2006 to July 2007. As part of a graded assignment, each student was required to record three encounters with ethics-related issues in his or her logbook. A total of 713 cases were assessed. Information related to the ethical issues and the conditions in which ethical issues arose was extracted and recorded by two experts, whose analysis showed agreement of kappa 0.77. In cases of discrepancy, both experts reviewed and discussed the record until they achieved agreement. A total of 713 cases were analysed. The most common issues reported by students related to ethics in medical education (20.1%, n=143), professionalism (18.8%, n=134), confidentiality (7.6%, n=54), the doctor-patient relationship (7.3%, n=52), informed consent (7.0%, n=50) and the doctor-peer relationship (7.0%, n=50). After adjusting for length of rotation, the highest numbers of ethics-related incidents were reported from urology, general surgery, orthopaedics, internal medicine, neurology, and obstetrics and gynaecology wards. The results of this study indicate that professionalism and related elements represent one of the most important areas of concern that need to be addressed when planning courses for medical students. The other significant area of concern is that of ethics in medical education, which, although the subject is not considered essential for medical practitioners, should be taught and respected so that student sensitivity to medical ethics is maintained and even increased.

  3. Medical student use of digital learning resources.

    PubMed

    Scott, Karen; Morris, Anne; Marais, Ben

    2018-02-01

    University students expect to use technology as part of their studies, yet health professional teachers can struggle with the change in student learning habits fuelled by technology. Our research aimed to document the learning habits of contemporary medical students during a clinical rotation by exploring the use of locally and externally developed digital and print self-directed learning resources, and study groups. We investigated the learning habits of final-stage medical students during their clinical paediatric rotation using mixed methods, involving learning analytics and a student questionnaire. Learning analytics tracked aggregate student usage statistics of locally produced e-learning resources on two learning management systems and mobile learning resources. The questionnaire recorded student-reported use of digital and print learning resources and study groups. The students made extensive use of digital self-directed learning resources, especially in the 2 weeks before the examination, which peaked the day before the written examination. All students used locally produced digital formative assessment, and most (74/98; 76%) also used digital resources developed by other institutions. Most reported finding locally produced e-learning resources beneficial for learning. In terms of traditional forms of self-directed learning, one-third (28/94; 30%) indicated that they never read the course textbook, and few students used face-to-face 39/98 (40%) or online 6/98 (6%) study groups. Learning analytics and student questionnaire data confirmed the extensive use of digital resources for self-directed learning. Through clarification of learning habits and experiences, we think teachers can help students to optimise effective learning strategies; however, the impact of contemporary learning habits on learning efficacy requires further evaluation. Health professional teachers can struggle with the change in student learning habits fuelled by technology. © 2017 John

  4. Practice Plans of Today's Medical Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosen, Raye Hudson; And Others

    1981-01-01

    Students' future practice plans were surveyed by questionnaire at three Michigan medical schools to study future physician productivity and its implications for health manpower planning. Results suggested that the students planned to work less than they thought their role models did. (LB)

  5. Student Perceptions of an Online Medical Dosimetry Program

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lenards, Nishele, E-mail: lenards.nish@uwlax.ed

    2011-07-01

    The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse offers the first online medical dosimetry program in the nation. There is no data to research a program of this type. This research consisted of the evaluation of other distance education programs including health profession programs in addition to face-to-face medical dosimetry programs. There was a need to collect and analyze student perceptions of online learning in medical dosimetry. This research provided a guide for future implementation by other programs as well as validated the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse program. Methodology used consisted of an electronic survey sent to all previous and currently enrolled studentsmore » in the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse medical dosimetry program. The survey was both quantitative and qualitative in demonstrating attitudinal perceptions of students in the program. Quantitative data was collected and analyzed using a 5-point Likert scale. Qualitative data was gathered based on the open-ended responses and the identifying themes from the responses. The results demonstrated an overall satisfaction with this program, the instructor, and the online courses. Students felt a sense of belonging to the courses and the program. Considering that a majority of the students had never taken an online course previously, the students felt there were no technology issues. Future research should include an evaluation of board exam statistics for students enrolled in the online and face-to-face medical dosimetry programs.« less

  6. Identity transformation in medical students.

    PubMed

    Cohen, Mitchell J M; Kay, Abigail; Youakim, James M; Balaicuis, John M; Balacius, John M

    2009-03-01

    This paper reviews the literature on the impact of medical school on personal development and consolidation of core identity. The limited literature relies on reports from medical students' journaling exercises, discussion groups, post-graduation surveys, and repeated personality testing. We review forces acting on medical students, with potential transforming effects. These forces include high external expectations and internal fear of superficial knowledge and skills, entry into the culture of medicine with its insider jargon and hierarchy, high academic workload, and the emotional burdens of confronting cadavers and death as well as bearing witness to patients' suffering. Potential developmental delay, emergence of substance abuse and hedonic acting out, cynicism, and loss of individual core values are possible consequences. Protections against these adverse outcomes include identification of strong mentors and role models, developing post-conventional morality and relativistic thinking, finding healthy coping strategies such as peer support, and remaining intellectually creative and personally reflective.

  7. Medical Student Response to a Class Lipid-Screening Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lum, Gifford; And Others

    1982-01-01

    Medical students at the State University of New York's Downstate Medical Center initiated and carried out a voluntary project to screen lipids (cholesterol) to identify known coronary risk factors. The incidence of coronary disease factors among these students and the response of students with high cholesterol levels are reported. (Authors/PP)

  8. Attitudes of medical students toward psychiatry in a Chilean medical school.

    PubMed

    Valdivieso, Sergio; Sirhan, Marisol; Aguirre, Constanza; Ivelic, Jose Antonio; Aillach, Emilio; Villarroel, Luis

    2014-06-01

    The authors assess the attitudes of seventh-year medical students with regard to psychiatry and patients with psychiatric illness during the psychiatry clerkship. A 32-item questionnaire regarding attitudes toward psychiatry and patients with psychiatric illness was administered at the beginning of the psychiatry clerkship. One hundred and ten seventh-year students participated in the study, providing responses anonymously. Average negative attitude item score was 2.45 ± 0.3 (range 1.7-3.3). Eighty-three students (75 %) responded to all the questions with an average negative attitude item score of 2.43 ± 0.3 (range 1.7-3.3) and a total negative attitude item score of 77.9 ± 10.3 (range 55-104). Undergraduate students of a Chilean medical school showed fairly positive attitudes toward psychiatry and toward patients with psychiatric illness.

  9. American medical students in Israel: stress and coping.

    PubMed

    Schreier, A R; Abramovitch, H

    1996-11-01

    Medical students studying abroad have to adapt to a new cultural environment in addition to the usual stresses of medical school. This study explored the perceived stress and coping ability of students of the New York State/American Programme, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, who study medicine in Israel but are expected to return to America to practice. Students were surveyed using the Ways of Coping Checklist (WCCL), Appraisal Dimension Scale (ADS) and two instruments specifically designed for the study. The results supported the view that students having difficulty adapting to their new cultural environment also have difficulty at medical school. This pattern is a negative spiral in which anxiety and depression impair cognitive performance, which leads to academic difficulties and emotional distress. Improvements in student social support and primary prevention were implemented as a result of the study. Limitations of the study are discussed.

  10. Using Ultrasound to Teach Medical Students Cardiac Physiology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bell, Floyd E., III; Wilson, L. Britt; Hoppmann, Richard A.

    2015-01-01

    Ultrasound is being incorporated more into undergraduate medical education. Studies have shown that medical students have positive perceptions about the value of ultrasound in teaching courses like anatomy and physiology. The purpose of the present study was to provide objective evidence of whether ultrasound helps students learn cardiac…

  11. Perceptions of Mentoring from Fourth Year Medical Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Charles, Stephen C.

    2014-01-01

    This mixed-methods research study investigated medical students' perspectives of professional mentoring through a web-based survey/needs assessment. The participants are fourth year medical students from three large urban research institutions and two regional branch campuses. The web-based survey/needs assessment was created, peer reviewed, and…

  12. Perception of educational value in clinical rotations by medical students.

    PubMed

    Kandiah, David A

    2017-01-01

    Clinical teaching in Australian medical schools has changed to meet the needs of substantially increased medical student cohorts. As such, formal feedback from these student cohorts is needed about the value they place on the educational input from each clinical rotation. This study aims to determine which aspects of clinical placements are most educationally useful to medical students. In this study, final year medical students from the University of Western Australia (UWA) were surveyed via an anonymous online questionnaire, identifying which clinical placements were found to be the most and the least useful to their learning and the positive aspects of these placements. Two focus groups were conducted prior to the design of the questionnaire to determine the key areas of focus important to medical students. Ethics approval for this study was obtained from the UWA Human Research Ethics Committee. Our focus groups were consistent in finding that students enjoyed placements where they were included as a part of the medical team and played a role in patient care. This was consistent with the concept that inclusiveness and participation in the clinical setting are important in developing competence in tasks and skills. The ratio of students to doctors was crucial, with a low ratio given a higher rating as seen in the rural clinical school. The results of this project could benefit both the local and national medical curricula in identifying the most effective clinical attachments for learning and preparation for prevocational training. This is relevant especially due to the limited number of clinical placements and growing cohort of medical students. The results of this study can also be extrapolated to international medical education.

  13. Characteristics of mentoring relationships formed by medical students and faculty

    PubMed Central

    Dimitriadis, Konstantinos; von der Borch, Philip; Störmann, Sylvère; Meinel, Felix G.; Moder, Stefan; Reincke, Martin; Fischer, Martin R.

    2012-01-01

    Background Little is known about the characteristics of mentoring relationships formed between faculty and medical students. Individual mentoring relationships of clinical medical students at Munich Medical School were characterized quantitatively and qualitatively. Methods All students signing up for the mentoring program responded to a questionnaire on their expectations (n = 534). Mentees were asked to give feedback after each of their one-on-one meetings (n = 203). A detailed analysis of the overall mentoring process and its characteristics was performed. For qualitative text analysis, free-text items were analyzed and categorized by two investigators. Quantitative analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon-test to assess differences in grades between students with and without mentors. Results High-performing students were significantly more likely to participate in the mentoring program (p<0.001). Topics primarily discussed include the mentee's personal goals (65.5%), career planning (59.6%), and experiences abroad (57.6%). Mentees mostly perceived their mentors as counselors (88.9%), providers of ideas (85.0%), and role models (73.3%). Mentees emphasized the positive impact of the mentoring relationship on career planning (77.2%) and research (75.0%). Conclusions Medical students with strong academic performance as defined by their grades are more likely to participate in formal mentoring programs. Mentoring relationships between faculty and medical students are perceived as a mutually satisfying and effective instrument for key issues in medical students’ professional development. Practical implications Mentoring relationships are a highly effective means of enhancing the bidirectional flow of information between faculty and medical students. A mentoring program can thus establish a feedback loop enabling the educational institution to swiftly identify and address issues of medical students. PMID:22989620

  14. Creative art and medical student development: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Jones, Elizabeth K; Kittendorf, Anne L; Kumagai, Arno K

    2017-02-01

    Although many medical schools include arts-based activities in their curricula, empirical evidence is lacking regarding how the creation of art might impact medical students and their professional development. We used a qualitative research design in order to understand this process. We conducted and analysed interviews with 16 medical students who had created and presented original artwork in the context of a required narrative-based undergraduate medical education programme. Teams of students collaborated to create interpretive projects based on common themes arising from conversations with individuals with chronic illness and their families. Open-ended questions were utilised to explore the conceptualisation and presentation of the projects, the dynamics of teamwork and the meaning(s) they might have for the students' professional development. We identified themes using repeated contextual reading of the transcripts, which also enhanced accuracy of the interpretations and ensured saturation of themes. Several major themes and sub-themes were identified. The creation of art led to a sense of personal growth and development, including reflection on past life experiences, self-discovery and an awareness of art as a creative outlet. Students also reported an enhanced sense of community and the development of skills in collaboration. Lastly, students reflected on the human dimensions of illness and medical care and identified an enhanced awareness of the experience of those with illness. A programme involving the creation of art based on stories of illness encouraged students' explorations of conceptions of the self, family and society, as well as illness and medical care, while enhancing the development of a collaborative and patient-centred worldview. Creative art can be a novel educational tool to promote a reflective, humanistic medical practice. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

  15. Uneasy subjects: medical students' conflicts over the pharmaceutical industry.

    PubMed

    Holloway, Kelly

    2014-08-01

    In this article I report on an investigation of the pharmaceutical industry's influence in medical education. Findings are based on fifty semi-structured interviews with medical students in the United States and Canada conducted between 2010 and 2013. Participant responses support the survey-based literature demonstrating that there is clear and pervasive influence of the pharmaceutical industry in medical education. They also challenge the theory that medical students feel entitled to industry gifts and uncritically accept industry presence. I investigate how medical students who are critical of the pharmaceutical industry negotiate its presence in the course of their medical education. Findings suggest that these participants do not simply absorb industry presence, but interpret it and respond in complex ways. Participants were uncomfortable with industry influence throughout their medical training and found multifaceted ways to resist. They struggled with power relations in medical training and the prevailing notion that industry presence is a normal part of medical education. I argue that this pervasive norm of industry presence is located in neoliberal structural transformations within and outside both education and medicine. The idea that industry presence is normal and inevitable represents a challenge for students who are critical of industry. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Commentary: discovering a different model of medical student education.

    PubMed

    Watson, Robert T

    2012-12-01

    Traditional medical schools in modern academic health centers make discoveries, create new knowledge and technology, provide innovative care to the sickest patients, and educate future academic and practicing physicians. Unfortunately, the growth of the research and clinical care missions has sometimes resulted in a loss of emphasis on the general professional education of medical students. The author concludes that it may not be practical for many established medical schools to functionally return to the reason they were created: for the education of medical students.He had the opportunity to discover a different model of medical student education at the first new MD-granting medical school created in the United States in 25 years (in 2000), the Florida State University College of Medicine. He was initially skeptical about how its distributed regional campuses model, using practicing primary care physicians to help medical students learn in mainly ambulatory settings, could be effective. But his experience as a faculty member at the school convinced him that the model works very well.He proposes a better alignment of form and function for many established medical schools and an extension of the regional community-based model to the formation of community-based primary care graduate medical education programs determined by physician workforce needs and available resources.

  17. [Evaluation of medical students knowledge on brain death].

    PubMed

    Bitencourt, Almir Galvão Vieira; Neves, Flávia Branco Cerqueira Serra; Durães, Larissa; Nascimento, Diego Teixeira; Neves, Nedy Maria Branco Cerqueira; Torreão, Lara de Araújo; Agareno, Sydney

    2007-06-01

    Because brain death (BD) is a new concept and little divulged, it’s not well accepted in general population, including doctors and Medical students. This study aims to evaluate the knowledge of a sample of Medical students on the Brazilian BD diagnosis protocol. Descriptive cross-sectional survey that evaluated students from two medical schools in Salvador-BA. We used a questionnaire composed by questions about technical and ethical knowledge contained in the Federal Council of Medicine’s Resolution nº 1480/97 that establishes the criteria for BD diagnosis. We evaluated 115 Medical students. In 14 questions about the knowledge of BD criteria, the mean of right answers were 6.7 ± 1.8, which were higher among the students that had attended some presentation on BD. Most of the students (87.4%) knew how to identify the candidates to the BD diagnosis protocol. However, only 5.2% and 16.1% of the students answered right, respectively, the clinical and complementary tests that should be accomplished during the diagnosis protocol. Facing a no-donor patient with confirmed diagnosis of BD, 66.4% referred that artificial life support should be suspended. Only 15% of the interviewed students had already evaluated a patient with BD, being this percentage higher among those who had already frequented ICU (38.2% versus 5.1%; p < 0.001). The results of this study showed a limited knowledge of the evaluated students on BD diagnosis criteria, mainly in relation to the practical approach of this condition.

  18. Prevalence of stress among medical students: a comparative study between public and private medical schools in Bangladesh.

    PubMed

    Eva, Eliza Omar; Islam, Md Zakirul; Mosaddek, Abu Syed Md; Rahman, Md Faizur; Rozario, Rini Juliet; Iftekhar, A F Md Hassan; Ahmed, Tarafder Shahniam; Jahan, Iffat; Abubakar, Abdullahi Rabiu; Dali, Wan Putri Elena Wan; Razzaque, Mohammed S; Habib, Rahat Bin; Haque, Mainul

    2015-07-30

    Throughout the world all health professionals face stress because of time-pressures, workload, multiple roles and emotional issues. Stress does not only exist among the health professionals but also in medical students. Bangladesh has currently 77 medical colleges 54 of which are private. This study was designed to collect baseline data of stress-level among Bangladeshi students, which we believe will form the basis for further in depth studies. A cross-sectional study was conducted on medical students from 2 public and 6 private medical-schools in Bangladesh. All medical schools have common curriculum formulated by the Government of Bangladesh. The study population was 1,363 medical students of Year-III and IV of academic session 2013/2014. Universal sampling technique was used. The period of study was February to June 2014. Data was collected using a validated instrument, compiled and analysed using SPSS version-20. A total of 990 (73%) out 1,363 medical students participated in the study, of which 36% were male and 64% were female. The overall prevalence of stress of the study population was 54%. 53% of male and 55% of female were reported suffering from stress. 54% of Year-III students and 55% of Year-IV were noted suffering from stress. There was statistically significant (p = 0.005) differences in the level of stress between public (2.84 ± 0.59) and private (2.73 ± 0.57) medical schools student. More than half of Bangladeshi medical students are suffering from measureable academic stress. It would be pertinent if the relevant authorities could address the issue so as to provide a conducive medical learning environment.

  19. The Stability of Factors Influencing the Choice of Medical Specialty Among Medical Students and Postgraduate Radiology Trainees.

    PubMed

    Yen, Adam J; Webb, Emily M; Jordan, Eric J; Kallianos, Kimberly; Naeger, David M

    2018-06-01

    To investigate whether general psychological motivating factors that guide career selection of a medical specialty differ over the course of medical school and to compare differences in motivating factors among students choosing "controllable" lifestyle specialties, students choosing "uncontrollable" lifestyle specialties, and a cohort of radiology residents. An anonymous survey was distributed to first- through fourth-year medical students and radiology residents at a single institution. Participants were asked to select their top three of seven factors that most influenced their choice of medical specialty. Fourth-year students were asked to designate the specialty to which they had applied. The survey was distributed to 259 students and 47 radiology residents with a response rate of 93.8% (243 of 259) and 95.7% (45 of 47), respectively. The top three factors indicated by medical students were finding the daily work fulfilling, work-life balance, and interest in the subject. These top three factors were common to all medical student classes and did not differ between students choosing "controllable" versus "uncontrollable" fields. The factors uncommonly selected were similar personality to others in the field, attending income, competitiveness or prestige, and job market conditions. For radiology residents, the top three motivating factors were the same as for medical students. Three out of seven motivating factors were universally important to trainees, regardless of their stage of medical training or their selection of a controllable versus uncontrollable lifestyle specialty. These data suggest the variety of career choices made by students may not derive from differing underlying values. Copyright © 2018 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. A Quantitative Study of Empathy in Pakistani Medical Students: A Multicentered Approach.

    PubMed

    Tariq, Nabia; Rasheed, Tariq; Tavakol, Mohsen

    2017-10-01

    To examine the empathy level of undergraduate medical students in Pakistan. Three hypotheses are developed based on the literature review. (1) Female medical students have a higher level of empathy than do male students. (2) Empathy scores vary during the medical school years in Pakistani students. (3) Medical students interested in people-oriented specialties would score higher than the students interested in technology-oriented specialties. This is a quantitative inquiry approach using a cross-sectional design of 1453 students from 8 Pakistani medical schools, both private and state. The sample consists of 41.1% (n = 597) male students and 58.9% (n = 856) female students. Empirical data are collected using the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE), a well-validated self-administered questionnaire. The mean empathy score among students is 4.77 with a standard deviation of 0.72. The results show that there is no statistically significant association between the empathy scores and gender, t(1342.36) = -0.053, P = .95). There is a statistically significant difference between the empathy scores and the years of medical school, F(14, 1448) = 4.95, P = .01. Concerning the specialty interests, there is no statistically significant difference between the empathy score and specialty interests. The findings of this study showed that in Western countries, medical students performed better than Pakistani medical students on the empathy scale. This finding has important implications for Pakistani medical educators to improve the interpersonal skills of medical students in the context of patient care. Inconsistent with our expectations and experiences, our findings do not support that female medical students scored better than their male counterparts on the empathy scale. Because of the nature of a cross-sectional study, it is impossible to argue the decline of empathy during medical school training.