Participation in medicine by graduates of medical schools in the United Kingdom up to 25 years post graduation: national cohort surveys.

PubMed

Goldacre, Michael J; Lambert, Trevor W

2013-05-01

To determine--as a guide to assess outcomes of medical education, and for medical workforce planning--whether the great majority of graduates from UK medical schools eventually practice medicine. The authors estimated the level of participation in medicine, in selected years after graduation, of nine cohorts (graduating between 1974 and 2002, inclusive) of graduates from medical schools in the United Kingdom. Their estimation is based on survey-garnered data combined with national employment data, and it uses the statistical method of capture-recapture analysis. This method provides both a lower likely limit and an upper likely limit of the percentage of doctors practicing in medicine. The lower and upper limits depend, essentially, on a range of assumptions about nonresponders. The authors estimate that at least 90% of graduates from UK medical schools work in medicine for many years after graduation. Women are only slightly less likely than men to follow a medical career. To illustrate, of the doctors who lived in the United Kingdom before medical school, at 10 years after graduation, between 95.6% and 98.8% of men were in medicine, as were between 91.9% and 93.3% of women. UK medical graduates from homes outside the United Kingdom were less likely to work in the National Health Service and more likely to pursue a career outside the United Kingdom, but were not appreciably less likely than graduates from UK homes to work in medicine. UK-trained doctors rarely give up a medical career within 25 years of graduation.

Student career choice in psychiatry: findings from 18 UK medical schools.

PubMed

Halder, Neel; Hadjidemetriou, Christiana; Pearson, Rachel; Farooq, Kitty; Lydall, Gregory J; Malik, Amit; Bhugra, Dinesh

2013-08-01

Psychiatry recruitment continues to be a problem in the UK and large-scale studies are required to understand the factors surrounding this. A quantitative, cross-sectional online survey, incorporating demographics, career choices, teaching exposure, attitudes to psychiatry and personality factors, was administered to final-year UK medical students. A total of 484 students from 18 medical schools responded (66% women). Sixteen (16%) had chosen psychiatry at medical school entry. By final year, 15 respondents (3%) had decided to pursue a career in psychiatry, while another 78 (17%) were seriously considering it. There was little difference in the quality ratings of lectures and small group teaching between those interested in psychiatry and those not. Experience of 'enrichment activities' (psychiatry special study modules or components, psychiatric research, university psychiatry clubs, and psychiatry electives) were significantly more likely to take up psychiatry. Causality cannot, however, be determined in this study. The study identified several distinct groups of UK students: those deciding on psychiatry before medical school and maintaining that career choice, those deciding on psychiatry during medical school, and those interested in other fields. Addressing psychiatry teaching and exposure may improve recruitment into the speciality.

Fair access to medicine? Retrospective analysis of UK medical schools application data 2009-2012 using three measures of socioeconomic status.

PubMed

Steven, Kathryn; Dowell, Jon; Jackson, Cathy; Guthrie, Bruce

2016-01-13

Medical students have historically largely come from more affluent parts of society, leading many countries to seek to broaden access to medical careers on the grounds of social justice and the perceived benefits of greater workforce diversity. The aim of this study was to examine variation in socioeconomic status (SES) of applicants to study medicine and applicants with an accepted offer from a medical school, comparing the four UK countries and individual medical schools. Retrospective analysis of application data for 22 UK medical schools 2009/10-2011/12. Data were analysed for all 32,964 UK-domiciled applicants aged <20 years to 22 non-graduate medical schools requiring applicants to sit the United Kingdom Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT). Rates of applicants and accepted offers were compared using three measures of SES: (1) Postcode-assigned Index of Multiple Deprivation score (IMD); (2) School type; (3) Parental occupation measured by the National Statistics Socio Economic Classification (NS-SEC). There is a marked social gradient of applicants and applicants with accepted offers with, depending on UK country of residence, 19.7-34.5% of applicants living in the most affluent tenth of postcodes vs 1.8-5.7% in the least affluent tenth. However, the majority of applicants in all postcodes had parents in the highest SES occupational group (NS-SEC1). Applicants resident in the most deprived postcodes, with parents from lower SES occupational groups (NS-SEC4/5) and attending non-selective state schools were less likely to obtain an accepted offer of a place at medical school further steepening the observed social gradient. Medical schools varied significantly in the percentage of individuals from NS-SEC 4/5 applying (2.3%-8.4%) and gaining an accepted offer (1.2%-7.7%). Regardless of the measure, those from less affluent backgrounds are less likely to apply and less likely to gain an accepted offer to study medicine. Postcode-based measures such as IMD may be misleading, but individual measures like NS-SEC can be gamed by applicants. The previously unreported variation between UK countries and between medical schools warrants further investigation as it implies solutions are available but inconsistently applied.

UK medical selection: lottery or meritocracy?

PubMed

Harris, Benjamin H L; Walsh, Jason L; Lammy, Simon

2015-02-01

From senior school through to consultancy, a plethora of assessments shape medical careers. Multiple methods of assessment are used to discriminate between applicants. Medical selection in the UK appears to be moving increasingly towards non-knowledge-based testing at all career stages. We review the evidence for non-knowledge-based tests and discuss their perceived benefits. We raise the question: is the current use of non-knowledge-based tests within the UK at risk of undermining more robust measures of medical school and postgraduate performance? © 2015 Royal College of Physicians.

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.

How do United Kingdom (UK) medical schools identify and support undergraduate medical students who ‘fail’ communication assessments? A national survey

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The doctor’s ability to communicate effectively (with patients, relatives, advocates and healthcare colleagues) relates directly to health outcomes, and so is core to clinical practice. The remediation of medical students’ clinical communication ability is rarely addressed in medical education literature. There is nothing in the current literature reporting a contemporary national picture of how communication difficulties are managed, and the level of consequence (progression implications) for students of performing poorly. This survey aimed to consolidate practices for identifying and processes for managing students who ‘fail’ communication assessments across all UK medical schools. Methods Data were collected via an email survey to all leads for clinical communication in all UK Medical Schools for the UK Council for Clinical Communication in Undergraduate Medical Education. Results All but two participating Schools reported some means of support and/or remediation in communication. There was diversity of approach, and variance in the level of systemisation adopted. Variables such as individuality of curricula, resourcing issues, student cohort size and methodological preferences were implicated as explaining diversity. Support is relatively ad hoc, and often in the hands of a particular dedicated individual or team with an interest in communication delivery with few Schools reporting robust, centralised, school level processes. Conclusions This survey has demonstrated that few Medical Schools have no identifiable system of managing their students’ clinical communication difficulties. However, some Schools reported ad hoc approaches and only a small number had a centralised programme. There is scope for discussion and benchmarking of best practice across all Schools with allocation of appropriate resources to support this. PMID:23834990

The UKCAT-12 study: educational attainment, aptitude test performance, demographic and socio-economic contextual factors as predictors of first year outcome in a cross-sectional collaborative study of 12 UK medical schools.

PubMed

McManus, I C; Dewberry, Chris; Nicholson, Sandra; Dowell, Jonathan S

2013-11-14

Most UK medical schools use aptitude tests during student selection, but large-scale studies of predictive validity are rare. This study assesses the United Kingdom Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT), and its four sub-scales, along with measures of educational attainment, individual and contextual socio-economic background factors, as predictors of performance in the first year of medical school training. A prospective study of 4,811 students in 12 UK medical schools taking the UKCAT from 2006 to 2008 as a part of the medical school application, for whom first year medical school examination results were available in 2008 to 2010. UKCAT scores and educational attainment measures (General Certificate of Education (GCE): A-levels, and so on; or Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA): Scottish Highers, and so on) were significant predictors of outcome. UKCAT predicted outcome better in female students than male students, and better in mature than non-mature students. Incremental validity of UKCAT taking educational attainment into account was significant, but small. Medical school performance was also affected by sex (male students performing less well), ethnicity (non-White students performing less well), and a contextual measure of secondary schooling, students from secondary schools with greater average attainment at A-level (irrespective of public or private sector) performing less well. Multilevel modeling showed no differences between medical schools in predictive ability of the various measures. UKCAT sub-scales predicted similarly, except that Verbal Reasoning correlated positively with performance on Theory examinations, but negatively with Skills assessments. This collaborative study in 12 medical schools shows the power of large-scale studies of medical education for answering previously unanswerable but important questions about medical student selection, education and training. UKCAT has predictive validity as a predictor of medical school outcome, particularly in mature applicants to medical school. UKCAT offers small but significant incremental validity which is operationally valuable where medical schools are making selection decisions based on incomplete measures of educational attainment. The study confirms the validity of using all the existing measures of educational attainment in full at the time of selection decision-making. Contextual measures provide little additional predictive value, except that students from high attaining secondary schools perform less well, an effect previously shown for UK universities in general.

The UKCAT-12 study: educational attainment, aptitude test performance, demographic and socio-economic contextual factors as predictors of first year outcome in a cross-sectional collaborative study of 12 UK medical schools

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Most UK medical schools use aptitude tests during student selection, but large-scale studies of predictive validity are rare. This study assesses the United Kingdom Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT), and its four sub-scales, along with measures of educational attainment, individual and contextual socio-economic background factors, as predictors of performance in the first year of medical school training. Methods A prospective study of 4,811 students in 12 UK medical schools taking the UKCAT from 2006 to 2008 as a part of the medical school application, for whom first year medical school examination results were available in 2008 to 2010. Results UKCAT scores and educational attainment measures (General Certificate of Education (GCE): A-levels, and so on; or Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA): Scottish Highers, and so on) were significant predictors of outcome. UKCAT predicted outcome better in female students than male students, and better in mature than non-mature students. Incremental validity of UKCAT taking educational attainment into account was significant, but small. Medical school performance was also affected by sex (male students performing less well), ethnicity (non-White students performing less well), and a contextual measure of secondary schooling, students from secondary schools with greater average attainment at A-level (irrespective of public or private sector) performing less well. Multilevel modeling showed no differences between medical schools in predictive ability of the various measures. UKCAT sub-scales predicted similarly, except that Verbal Reasoning correlated positively with performance on Theory examinations, but negatively with Skills assessments. Conclusions This collaborative study in 12 medical schools shows the power of large-scale studies of medical education for answering previously unanswerable but important questions about medical student selection, education and training. UKCAT has predictive validity as a predictor of medical school outcome, particularly in mature applicants to medical school. UKCAT offers small but significant incremental validity which is operationally valuable where medical schools are making selection decisions based on incomplete measures of educational attainment. The study confirms the validity of using all the existing measures of educational attainment in full at the time of selection decision-making. Contextual measures provide little additional predictive value, except that students from high attaining secondary schools perform less well, an effect previously shown for UK universities in general. PMID:24229380

The Academic Backbone: longitudinal continuities in educational achievement from secondary school and medical school to MRCP(UK) and the specialist register in UK medical students and doctors

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Selection of medical students in the UK is still largely based on prior academic achievement, although doubts have been expressed as to whether performance in earlier life is predictive of outcomes later in medical school or post-graduate education. This study analyses data from five longitudinal studies of UK medical students and doctors from the early 1970s until the early 2000s. Two of the studies used the AH5, a group test of general intelligence (that is, intellectual aptitude). Sex and ethnic differences were also analyzed in light of the changing demographics of medical students over the past decades. Methods Data from five cohort studies were available: the Westminster Study (began clinical studies from 1975 to 1982), the 1980, 1985, and 1990 cohort studies (entered medical school in 1981, 1986, and 1991), and the University College London Medical School (UCLMS) Cohort Study (entered clinical studies in 2005 and 2006). Different studies had different outcome measures, but most had performance on basic medical sciences and clinical examinations at medical school, performance in Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians (MRCP(UK)) examinations, and being on the General Medical Council Specialist Register. Results Correlation matrices and path analyses are presented. There were robust correlations across different years at medical school, and medical school performance also predicted MRCP(UK) performance and being on the GMC Specialist Register. A-levels correlated somewhat less with undergraduate and post-graduate performance, but there was restriction of range in entrants. General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE)/O-level results also predicted undergraduate and post-graduate outcomes, but less so than did A-level results, but there may be incremental validity for clinical and post-graduate performance. The AH5 had some significant correlations with outcome, but they were inconsistent. Sex and ethnicity also had predictive effects on measures of educational attainment, undergraduate, and post-graduate performance. Women performed better in assessments but were less likely to be on the Specialist Register. Non-white participants generally underperformed in undergraduate and post-graduate assessments, but were equally likely to be on the Specialist Register. There was a suggestion of smaller ethnicity effects in earlier studies. Conclusions The existence of the Academic Backbone concept is strongly supported, with attainment at secondary school predicting performance in undergraduate and post-graduate medical assessments, and the effects spanning many years. The Academic Backbone is conceptualized in terms of the development of more sophisticated underlying structures of knowledge ('cognitive capital’ and 'medical capital’). The Academic Backbone provides strong support for using measures of educational attainment, particularly A-levels, in student selection. PMID:24229333

'Why not you?' Discourses of widening access on UK medical school websites.

PubMed

Alexander, Kirsty; Fahey Palma, Tania; Nicholson, Sandra; Cleland, Jennifer

2017-06-01

In the UK, applications to medicine from those in lower socio-economic groups remain low despite significant investments of time, interest and resources in widening access (WA) to medicine. This suggests that medical schools' core messages about WA may be working to embed or further reinforce marginalisation, rather than to combat this. Our objective was to investigate how the value of WA is communicated by UK medical schools through their websites, and how this may create expectations regarding who is 'suitable' for medicine. We conducted a critical discourse analysis of the webpages of UK medical schools in relation to WA. Our conceptual framework was underpinned by a Foucauldian understanding of discourse. Analysis followed an adapted version of Hyatt's analytical framework. This involved contextualising the data by identifying drivers, levers and warrants for WA, before undertaking a systematic investigation of linguistic features to reveal the discourses in use, and their assumptions. Discourses of 'social mobility for the individual' justified WA as an initiative to support individuals with academic ability and commitment to medicine, but who were disadvantaged by their background in the application process. This meritocratic discourse communicated the benefits of WA as flowing one way, with medical schools providing opportunities to applicants. Conversely, discourses justifying WA as an initiative to benefit patient care were marginalised and largely excluded. Alternative strengths typically attributed to students from lower socio-economic groups were not mentioned, which implies that these were not valued. Current discourses of WA on UK medical school websites do not present non-traditional applicants as bringing gains to medicine through their diversity. This may work as a barrier to attracting larger numbers of diverse applicants. Medical schools should reflect upon their website discourses, critically evaluate current approaches to encouraging applications from those in lower socio-economic groups, and consider avenues for positive change. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

National survey of clinical communication assessment in medical education in the United Kingdom (UK)

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background All medical schools in the UK are required to be able to provide evidence of competence in clinical communication in their graduates. This is usually provided by summative assessment of clinical communication, but there is considerable variation in how this is carried out. This study aimed to gain insight into the current assessment of clinical communication in UK medical schools. Methods The survey was sent via e-mail to communication leads who then were asked to consult with all staff within their medical school involved in the assessment of communication. Results Results were obtained from 27 out of 33 schools (response rate 82%) and a total of 34 courses. The average number of assessments per year was 2.4 (minimum 0, maximum 10). The Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) was the most commonly used method of assessment (53%). Other assessments included MCQ and workplace based assessments. Only nine courses used a single method of assessment. Issues raised included, logistics and costs of assessing mainly by OSCE, the robustness and reliability of such exams and integration with other clinical skills. Conclusions It is encouraging that a variety of assessment methods are being used within UK medical schools and that these methods target different components of clinical communication skills acquisition. PMID:24417939

Undergraduate teaching on biological weapons and bioterrorism at medical schools in the UK and the Republic of Ireland: results of a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Green, Stephen T; Cladi, Lorenzo; Morris, Paul; Forde, Donall

2013-06-20

To determine if individual undergraduate schools of medicine in the UK and the Republic of Ireland provide any teaching to medical students about biological weapons, bioterrorism, chemical weapons and weaponised radiation, if they perceive them to be relevant issues and if they figure them in their future plans. A cross-sectional study utilising an internet-based questionnaire sent to key figures responsible for leading on the planning and delivery of undergraduate medical teaching at all schools of medicine in the UK and Ireland. All identified undergraduate schools of medicine in the UK and Ireland between August 2012 and December 2012. Numerical data and free text feedback about relevant aspects of undergraduate teaching. Of the 38 medical schools approached, 34 (28 in UK, 6 in Ireland) completed the questionnaire (89.47%). 4 (all in UK) chose not to complete it. 6/34 (17.65%) included some specific teaching on biological weapons and bioterrorism. 7/34 (20.59%) had staff with bioterrorism expertise (mainly in microbiological and syndromic aspects). 4/34 (11.76%) had plans to introduce some specific teaching on bioterrorism. Free text responses revealed that some felt that because key bodies (eg, UK's General Medical Council) did not request teaching on bioterrorism, then it should not be included, while others regarded this field of study as a postgraduate subject and not appropriate for undergraduates, or argued that the curriculum was too congested already. 4/34 (11.76%) included some specific teaching on chemical weapons, and 3/34 (8.82%) on weaponised radiation. This study provides evidence that at the present time there is little teaching at the undergraduate level in the UK and Ireland on the subjects of biological weapons and bioterrorism, chemical weapons and weaponised radiation and signals that this situation is unlikely to change unless there were to be high-level policy guidance.

Undergraduate teaching on biological weapons and bioterrorism at medical schools in the UK and the Republic of Ireland: results of a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Green, Stephen T; Cladi, Lorenzo; Morris, Paul; Forde, Donall

2013-01-01

Objective To determine if individual undergraduate schools of medicine in the UK and the Republic of Ireland provide any teaching to medical students about biological weapons, bioterrorism, chemical weapons and weaponised radiation, if they perceive them to be relevant issues and if they figure them in their future plans. Design A cross-sectional study utilising an internet-based questionnaire sent to key figures responsible for leading on the planning and delivery of undergraduate medical teaching at all schools of medicine in the UK and Ireland. Setting All identified undergraduate schools of medicine in the UK and Ireland between August 2012 and December 2012. Outcome measures Numerical data and free text feedback about relevant aspects of undergraduate teaching. Results Of the 38 medical schools approached, 34 (28 in UK, 6 in Ireland) completed the questionnaire (89.47%). 4 (all in UK) chose not to complete it. 6/34 (17.65%) included some specific teaching on biological weapons and bioterrorism. 7/34 (20.59%) had staff with bioterrorism expertise (mainly in microbiological and syndromic aspects). 4/34 (11.76%) had plans to introduce some specific teaching on bioterrorism. Free text responses revealed that some felt that because key bodies (eg, UK's General Medical Council) did not request teaching on bioterrorism, then it should not be included, while others regarded this field of study as a postgraduate subject and not appropriate for undergraduates, or argued that the curriculum was too congested already. 4/34 (11.76%) included some specific teaching on chemical weapons, and 3/34 (8.82%) on weaponised radiation. Conclusions This study provides evidence that at the present time there is little teaching at the undergraduate level in the UK and Ireland on the subjects of biological weapons and bioterrorism, chemical weapons and weaponised radiation and signals that this situation is unlikely to change unless there were to be high-level policy guidance. PMID:23794539

Provision of undergraduate otorhinolaryngology teaching within General Medical Council approved UK medical schools: what is current practice?

PubMed

Khan, M M; Saeed, S R

2012-04-01

Despite longstanding concern, provision of undergraduate ENT teaching has not improved in response to the aims of the UK General Medical Council's initiative Tomorrow's Doctors. Previous studies have demonstrated poor representation of ENT within the undergraduate curriculum. We aimed to identify current practice in order to establish undergraduate ENT experience across UK medical schools, a timely endeavour in light of the General Medical Council's new 2011-2013 education strategy. Questionnaires were sent to ENT consultants, medical school deans and students. All schools with a clinical curriculum were anonymously represented. Our outcome measures were the provision of mandatory or optional ENT placements, and their duration and content. A compulsory ENT placement was available to over half (53 per cent) of the students. Ten of the 26 participating schools did not offer an ENT attachment. The mean mandatory placement was 8 days. Overall, 38 per cent of students reported a satisfactory compulsory ENT placement. Most ENT consultants questioned considered that newly qualified doctors were not proficient in managing common ENT problems that did not require specialist referral. Little improvement in the provision of undergraduate ENT teaching was demonstrated. An increase in the proportion of students undertaking ENT training is necessary. Time and curriculum constraints on medical schools mean that optimisation of available resources is required.

Domestic violence teaching in UK medical schools: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Potter, Lucy C; Feder, Gene

2017-10-06

Domestic violence and abuse (DVA) is a leading contributor to the physical and mental ill health of women. Recent international guidance recommends that undergraduate medical curricula should include DVA. We do not know what is currently taught about DVA to medical students in the UK. Recent international guidance recommends that undergraduate medical curricula should include DVA METHOD: Teaching leads from all UK medical schools (n = 34) were invited to participate in an 18-item online survey about what DVA education is provided, their views of this provision and any feedback provided by students. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. A total of 25 out of 34 medical schools participated in the survey (74%). All respondents felt that there should be formal teaching on DVA in the medical curriculum. Eighty-four per cent of respondents reported that there was some formal teaching in their medical school, and 90% of these reported that it was mandatory. Of those who delivered some teaching, 52% reported that the provision was 0-2 hours in total. Most commonly content was delivered in year 4. DVA teaching was delivered in different modules, by different methods and delivered by a range of different providers. Seventy-five per cent of respondents reported that they felt the provision at their medical school was inadequate or not enough. Barriers to providing DVA education identified included time constraints, failure to perceive it as a medical problem and the assumption that it will be covered elsewhere. Most medical students in the UK receive a small amount of teaching on DVA towards the end of the curriculum. This is perceived as inadequate. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

Do personality traits assessed on medical school admission predict exit performance? A UK-wide longitudinal cohort study.

PubMed

MacKenzie, R K; Dowell, J; Ayansina, D; Cleland, J A

2017-05-01

Traditional methods of assessing personality traits in medical school selection have been heavily criticised. To address this at the point of selection, "non-cognitive" tests were included in the UK Clinical Aptitude Test, the most widely-used aptitude test in UK medical education (UKCAT: http://www.ukcat.ac.uk/ ). We examined the predictive validity of these non-cognitive traits with performance during and on exit from medical school. We sampled all students graduating in 2013 from the 30 UKCAT consortium medical schools. Analysis included: candidate demographics, UKCAT non-cognitive scores, medical school performance data-the Educational Performance Measure (EPM) and national exit situational judgement test (SJT) outcomes. We examined the relationships between these variables and SJT and EPM scores. Multilevel modelling was used to assess the relationships adjusting for confounders. The 3343 students who had taken the UKCAT non-cognitive tests and had both EPM and SJT data were entered into the analysis. There were four types of non-cognitive test: (1) libertariancommunitarian, (2) NACE-narcissism, aloofness, confidence and empathy, (3) MEARS-self-esteem, optimism, control, self-discipline, emotional-nondefensiveness (END) and faking, (4) an abridged version of 1 and 2 combined. Multilevel regression showed that, after correcting for demographic factors, END predicted SJT and EPM decile. Aloofness and empathy in NACE were predictive of SJT score. This is the first large-scale study examining the relationship between performance on non-cognitive selection tests and medical school exit assessments. The predictive validity of these tests was limited, and the relationships revealed do not fit neatly with theoretical expectations. This study does not support their use in selection.

A survey of factors influencing career preference in new-entrant and exiting medical students from four UK medical schools.

PubMed

Cleland, Jennifer A; Johnston, Peter W; Anthony, Micheal; Khan, Nadir; Scott, Neil W

2014-07-23

Workforce planning is a central issue for service provision and has consequences for medical education. Much work has been examined the career intentions, career preferences and career destinations of UK medical graduates but there is little published about medical students career intentions. How soon do medical students formulate careers intentions? How much do these intentions and preferences change during medical school? If they do change, what are the determining factors? Our aim was to compare medical students' career preferences upon entry into and exit from undergraduate medical degree programmes. This was a cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Two cohorts [2009-10, 2010-11] of first and final year medical students at the four Scottish graduating medical schools took part in career preference questionnaire surveys. Questions were asked about demographic factors, career preferences and influencing factors. The response rate was 80.9% [2682/3285]. Significant differences were found across the four schools, most obviously in terms of student origin [Scotland, rest of UK or overseas], age group, and specialty preferences in Year 1 and Year 5. Year 1 and Year 5 students' specialty preferences also differed within each school and, while there were some common patterns, each medical school had a different profile of students' career preferences on exit. When the analysis was adjusted for demographic and job-related preferences, specialty preferences differed by gender, and wish for work-life balance and intellectual satisfaction. This is the first multi-centre study exploring students' career preferences and preference influences upon entry into and exit from undergraduate medical degree programmes. We found various factors influenced career preference, confirming prior findings. What this study adds is that, while acknowledging student intake differs by medical school, medical school itself seems to influence career preference. Comparisons across medical school populations must therefore control for differences in input [the students] as well as context and process [the medical school] when looking at output [e.g., performance]. A robust, longitudinal study is required to explore how medical students' career preferences change as they progress through medical school and training to understand the influence of the learning environment on training choice and outcomes.

The relationship between school type and academic performance at medical school: a national, multi-cohort study

PubMed Central

Cleland, Jennifer A; Walker, Kim; Lee, Amanda J; Greatrix, Rachel

2017-01-01

Objectives Differential attainment in school examinations is one of the barriers to increasing student diversity in medicine. However, studies on the predictive validity of prior academic achievement and educational performance at medical school are contradictory, possibly due to single-site studies or studies which focus only on early years’ performance. To address these gaps, we examined the relationship between sociodemographic factors, including school type and average educational performance throughout medical school across a large number of diverse medical programmes. Methods This retrospective study analysed data from students who graduated from 33 UK medical schools between 2012 and 2013. We included candidates’ demographics, pre-entry grades (adjusted Universities and Colleges Admissions Service tariff scores) preadmission test scores (UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) and Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT)) and used the UK Foundation Programme’s educational performance measure (EPM) decile as an outcome measure. Logistic regression was used to assess the independent relationship between students’ background characteristics and EPM ranking. Results Students from independent schools had significantly higher mean UKCAT scores (2535.1, SD=209.6) than students from state-funded schools (2506.1, SD=224.0, p<0.001). Similarly, students from independent schools came into medical school with significantly higher mean GAMSAT scores (63.9, SD=6.9) than students from state-funded schools (60.8, SD=7.1, p<0.001). However, students from state-funded schools were almost twice as likely (OR=2.01, 95% CI 1.49 to 2.73) to finish in the highest rank of the EPM ranking than those who attended independent schools. Conclusions This is the first large-scale study to examine directly the relationship between school type and overall performance at medical school. Our findings provide modest supportive evidence that, when students from independent and state schools enter with similar pre-entry grades, once in medical school, students from state-funded schools are likely to outperform students from independent schools. This evidence contributes to discussions around contextualising medical admission. PMID:28860227

The relationship between school type and academic performance at medical school: a national, multi-cohort study.

PubMed

Kumwenda, Ben; Cleland, Jennifer A; Walker, Kim; Lee, Amanda J; Greatrix, Rachel

2017-08-31

Differential attainment in school examinations is one of the barriers to increasing student diversity in medicine. However, studies on the predictive validity of prior academic achievement and educational performance at medical school are contradictory, possibly due to single-site studies or studies which focus only on early years' performance. To address these gaps, we examined the relationship between sociodemographic factors, including school type and average educational performance throughout medical school across a large number of diverse medical programmes. This retrospective study analysed data from students who graduated from 33 UK medical schools between 2012 and 2013. We included candidates' demographics, pre-entry grades (adjusted Universities and Colleges Admissions Service tariff scores) preadmission test scores (UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) and Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT)) and used the UK Foundation Programme's educational performance measure (EPM) decile as an outcome measure. Logistic regression was used to assess the independent relationship between students' background characteristics and EPM ranking. Students from independent schools had significantly higher mean UKCAT scores (2535.1, SD=209.6) than students from state-funded schools (2506.1, SD=224.0, p<0.001). Similarly, students from independent schools came into medical school with significantly higher mean GAMSAT scores (63.9, SD=6.9) than students from state-funded schools (60.8, SD=7.1, p<0.001). However, students from state-funded schools were almost twice as likely (OR=2.01, 95% CI 1.49 to 2.73) to finish in the highest rank of the EPM ranking than those who attended independent schools. This is the first large-scale study to examine directly the relationship between school type and overall performance at medical school. Our findings provide modest supportive evidence that, when students from independent and state schools enter with similar pre-entry grades, once in medical school, students from state-funded schools are likely to outperform students from independent schools. This evidence contributes to discussions around contextualising medical admission. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

What is the effect of secondary (high) schooling on subsequent medical school performance? A national, UK-based, cohort study

PubMed Central

Tiffin, Paul A; Paton, Lewis W; Kasim, Adetayo S; Böhnke, Jan R

2018-01-01

Objectives University academic achievement may be inversely related to the performance of the secondary (high) school an entrant attended. Indeed, some medical schools already offer ‘grade discounts’ to applicants from less well-performing schools. However, evidence to guide such policies is lacking. In this study, we analyse a national dataset in order to understand the relationship between the two main predictors of medical school admission in the UK (prior educational attainment (PEA) and performance on the United Kingdom Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT)) and subsequent undergraduate knowledge and skills-related outcomes analysed separately. Methods The study was based on national selection data and linked medical school outcomes for knowledge and skills-based tests during the first five years of medical school. UKCAT scores and PEA grades were available for 2107 students enrolled at 18 medical schools. Models were developed to investigate the potential mediating role played by a student’s previous secondary school’s performance. Multilevel models were created to explore the influence of students’ secondary schools on undergraduate achievement in medical school. Results The ability of the UKCAT scores to predict undergraduate academic performance was significantly mediated by PEA in all five years of medical school. Undergraduate achievement was inversely related to secondary school-level performance. This effect waned over time and was less marked for skills, compared with undergraduate knowledge-based outcomes. Thus, the predictive value of secondary school grades was generally dependent on the secondary school in which they were obtained. Conclusions The UKCAT scores added some value, above and beyond secondary school achievement, in predicting undergraduate performance, especially in the later years of study. Importantly, the findings suggest that the academic entry criteria should be relaxed for candidates applying from the least well performing secondary schools. In the UK, this would translate into a decrease of approximately one to two A-level grades. PMID:29792300

Self-reported extracurricular activity, academic success, and quality of life in UK medical students

PubMed Central

Lumley, Sophie; Ward, Peter; Roberts, Lesley

2015-01-01

Objectives To explore the relationship between academic performance, extracurricular activity, and quality of life at medical school in the UK to aid our understanding of students’ work-life balance. Methods A cross-sectional study, using an electronic questionnaire distributed to UK final year medical students across 20 medical schools (4478 students). Participants reported the hours of self-regulated learning and extracurricular activities undertaken each year at medical school; along with their academic decile (1 = highest, 10 = lowest). Self-reported quality of life (QoL) was assessed using an established screening tool (7 = highest, 1 = lowest). Results Seven hundred responses were obtained, across 20 participating medical schools, response rate 16% (700/4478). Factors associated with higher academic achievement were: graduate entry course students (2 deciles higher, p< 0.0001), more hours academic study during term and revision periods (rho=-0.1, p< 0.01), and involvement in teaching or research. Increased hours of study was associated with lower QoL (rho = -0.13, p<0.01). Conclusions Study skills may be more important than duration spent studying, for academic achievement and QoL. Graduate-entry students attain higher decile scores despite similar self-reported duration of study. PMID:26385285

Self-reported extracurricular activity, academic success, and quality of life in UK medical students.

PubMed

Lumley, Sophie; Ward, Peter; Roberts, Lesley; Mann, Jake P

2015-09-19

To explore the relationship between academic performance, extracurricular activity, and quality of life at medical school in the UK to aid our understanding of students' work-life balance. A cross-sectional study, using an electronic questionnaire distributed to UK final year medical students across 20 medical schools (4478 students). Participants reported the hours of self-regulated learning and extracurricular activities undertaken each year at medical school; along with their academic decile (1 = highest, 10 = lowest). Self-reported quality of life (QoL) was assessed using an established screening tool (7 = highest, 1 = lowest). Seven hundred responses were obtained, across 20 participating medical schools, response rate 16% (700/4478). Factors associated with higher academic achievement were: graduate entry course students (2 deciles higher, p < 0.0001), more hours academic study during term and revision periods (rho=-0.1, p < 0.01), and involvement in teaching or research. Increased hours of study was associated with lower QoL (rho = -0.13, p < 0.01). Study skills may be more important than duration spent studying, for academic achievement and QoL. Graduate-entry students attain higher decile scores despite similar self-reported duration of study.

Career choices for paediatrics: national surveys of graduates of 1974-2002 from UK medical schools.

PubMed

Turner, G; Lambert, T W; Goldacre, M J; Turner, Steve

2007-05-01

Knowledge of UK doctors' career intentions and pathways is essential for understanding future workforce requirements. The aim of this study was to report career choices for and career progression in paediatrics in the UK. Postal questionnaire surveys of qualifiers from all UK medical schools in nine qualification years since 1974. In total, 74% (24 621/33 412) and 73% (20 720/28 459) of doctors responded at 1 and 3 years after graduation. Choices for paediatrics 1 year after qualifying fell from 7.8% of 1974 graduates to 5.0% of 1983 graduates, increased to 7.2% of 1993 graduates, and since the level has remained fairly constant. Approximately twice the percentage of women graduates than men graduates indicated a long-term career choice for paediatrics. A total of 44% of those who chose paediatrics 1 year after graduation were working in it 10 years after qualifying. Experience of the subject as a student, and enthusiasm/commitment: what I really want to do, affected long-term career choices more for paediatrics than for other medical careers. The proportion of junior doctors wishing to become paediatricians has not changed much during the last 30 years. The planned increase in the number of medical school graduates is necessary to increase the number of UK-trained consultant paediatricians. Medical students who experience enthusiastic and stimulating training in paediatrics may be more likely to become paediatricians.

A survey of factors influencing career preference in new-entrant and exiting medical students from four UK medical schools

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Workforce planning is a central issue for service provision and has consequences for medical education. Much work has been examined the career intentions, career preferences and career destinations of UK medical graduates but there is little published about medical students career intentions. How soon do medical students formulate careers intentions? How much do these intentions and preferences change during medical school? If they do change, what are the determining factors? Our aim was to compare medical students’ career preferences upon entry into and exit from undergraduate medical degree programmes. Methods This was a cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Two cohorts [2009–10, 2010–11] of first and final year medical students at the four Scottish graduating medical schools took part in career preference questionnaire surveys. Questions were asked about demographic factors, career preferences and influencing factors. Results The response rate was 80.9% [2682/3285]. Significant differences were found across the four schools, most obviously in terms of student origin [Scotland, rest of UK or overseas], age group, and specialty preferences in Year 1 and Year 5. Year 1 and Year 5 students’ specialty preferences also differed within each school and, while there were some common patterns, each medical school had a different profile of students’ career preferences on exit. When the analysis was adjusted for demographic and job-related preferences, specialty preferences differed by gender, and wish for work-life balance and intellectual satisfaction. Conclusions This is the first multi-centre study exploring students’ career preferences and preference influences upon entry into and exit from undergraduate medical degree programmes. We found various factors influenced career preference, confirming prior findings. What this study adds is that, while acknowledging student intake differs by medical school, medical school itself seems to influence career preference. Comparisons across medical school populations must therefore control for differences in input [the students] as well as context and process [the medical school] when looking at output [e.g., performance]. A robust, longitudinal study is required to explore how medical students’ career preferences change as they progress through medical school and training to understand the influence of the learning environment on training choice and outcomes. PMID:25056270

An Analysis of Gender Diversity in Urology in the UK and Ireland.

PubMed

O'Connor, E M; Nason, G J; Manecksha, R P

2017-12-18

Traditionally, surgery and certain surgical sub-specialities in particular have been predominantly male orientated. In recent years, there has been an increased proportion of female medical graduates which will ultimately have an effect on speciality choices. The aim of this study was to assess the gender diversity among urologists in the UK and Ireland. The total number and gender breakdown of consultant urologists and trainees in the UK and Ireland was obtained from the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) and the Irish Society of Urology (ISU) membership offices. The total number and gender breakdown of medical school entrants and graduates in 2015 was obtained from the six medical schools in the Republic of Ireland. There are a total of 1,012 consultant urologists in the UK and Ireland. In the UK, 141 (14.6%) are female compared to four (8.2%) in Ireland, p= 0.531. There was a significant increase in the number of females between consultant urologists and trainees in both the UK (p=0.0001) and Ireland (p=0.015). In recent years, there has been a significant change in the percentage of female trainees in the UK and Ireland (22.8% (n=75) in 2011 vs 31.7% (n=93) in 2014, p=0.019. Between the six medical schools in Ireland, there were significantly more female entrants (n=726, 56.5%) than female graduates (n=521, 51.2%) in 2015, p=0.013.There has been a significant shift in gender diversity in urology in the UK and Ireland. Efforts to increase diversity should be pursued to attract further trainees to urology.

Medical School Personal Statements: A Measure of Motivation or Proxy for Cultural Privilege?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Sarah

2015-01-01

Students from state schools are underrepresented in UK medical schools. Discussions often focus on deficient academic and motivational traits of state school students, rather than considering the effects of student support during the admissions process. This qualitative study explored student experiences of support from schools and families during…

Consensus statement on an updated core communication curriculum for UK undergraduate medical education.

PubMed

Noble, Lorraine M; Scott-Smith, Wesley; O'Neill, Bernadette; Salisbury, Helen

2018-04-22

Clinical communication is a core component of undergraduate medical training. A consensus statement on the essential elements of the communication curriculum was co-produced in 2008 by the communication leads of UK medical schools. This paper discusses the relational, contextual and technological changes which have affected clinical communication since then and presents an updated curriculum for communication in undergraduate medicine. The consensus was developed through an iterative consultation process with the communication leads who represent their medical schools on the UK Council of Clinical Communication in Undergraduate Medical Education. The updated curriculum defines the underpinning values, core components and skills required within the context of contemporary medical care. It incorporates the evolving relational issues associated with the more prominent role of the patient in the consultation, reflected through legal precedent and changing societal expectations. The impact on clinical communication of the increased focus on patient safety, the professional duty of candour and digital medicine are discussed. Changes in the way medicine is practised should lead rapidly to adjustments to the content of curricula. The updated curriculum provides a model of best practice to help medical schools develop their teaching and argue for resources. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An evaluation of the performance in the UK Royal College of Anaesthetists primary examination by UK medical school and gender

PubMed Central

Bowhay, Andrew R; Watmough, Simon D

2009-01-01

Background There has been comparatively little consideration of the impact that the changes to undergraduate curricula might have on postgraduate academic performance. This study compares the performance of graduates by UK medical school and gender in the Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) section of the first part of the Fellowship of the Royal College of Anaesthetists (FRCA) examination. Methods Data from each sitting of the MCQ section of the primary FRCA examination from June 1999 to May 2008 were analysed for performance by medical school and gender. Results There were 4983 attempts at the MCQ part of the examination by 3303 graduates from the 19 United Kingdom medical schools. Using the standardised overall mark minus the pass mark graduates from five medical schools performed significantly better than the mean for the group and five schools performed significantly worse than the mean for the group. Males performed significantly better than females in all aspects of the MCQ – physiology, mean difference = 3.0% (95% CI 2.3, 3.7), p < 0.001; pharmacology, mean difference = 1.7% (95% CI 1.0, 2.3), p < 0.001; physics with clinical measurement, mean difference = 3.5% (95% CI 2.8, 4.1), p < 0.001; overall mark, mean difference = 2.7% (95% CI 2.1, 3.3), p < 0.001; and standardised overall mark minus the pass mark, mean difference = 2.5% (95% CI 1.9, 3.1), p < 0.001. Graduates from three medical schools that have undergone the change from Traditional to Problem Based Learning curricula did not show any change in performance in any aspects of the MCQ pre and post curriculum change. Conclusion Graduates from each of the medical schools in the UK do show differences in performance in the MCQ section of the primary FRCA, but significant curriculum change does not lead to deterioration in post graduate examination performance. Whilst females now outnumber males taking the MCQ, they are not performing as well as the males. PMID:19563655

Influence of training changes on the stability of specialty choices of UK medical graduates: surveys of the graduates of 2002 and 2008.

PubMed

Svirko, Elena; Lambert, Trevor W; Goldacre, Michael J

2015-01-01

To explore the impact of Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) training on the stability of medical career choices in the UK. Graduates of 2002 and 2008 from all UK medical schools, 1 and 3 years postgraduation. Questionnaire surveys were conducted of 2002 and 2008 graduates from all UK medical schools 1 and 3 years post graduation. Doctors gave their specialty choice(s) and rated the influence of each of 11 factors on their career choice. 2008 graduates were a little more likely than graduates of 2002 to retain their year 1 choice in year 3 (77.3% vs. 73.3%; p = 0.002). Among 2008 graduates, the percentage retaining their year 1 choice varied between 42% (clinical oncology) and 79% (general practice). Enthusiasm for a specialty, student experience and inclinations before medical school were associated with choice retention; consideration of domestic circumstances and hours/working conditions were associated with changes of choice. 2008 graduates were more likely than 2002s to be influenced by enthusiasm for a specialty, self-appraisal of their skills, working hours and their domestic circumstances; and less likely to be influenced by their experience of jobs, a particular teacher/department or eventual financial prospects. Post-MMC, graduates were less likely to change their career choice and more likely to be motivated by personal factors and self-assessment of their suitability to a particular area of work. © The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Demographic and socio-economic associations with academic attainment (UCAS tariff scores) in applicants to medical school.

PubMed

Powis, David; James, David; Ferguson, Eamonn

2007-03-01

In the United Kingdom medical students are selected predominantly on their academic merit. Their academic achievement marks are equated via the tariff point score structure administered by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). We studied the applicant databases for 1998-2003 for one English medical school to determine the factors that predict high tariff point scores. Complete demographic data and relative socio-economic status, educational institution attended and tariff point score was available for 8997 UK applicants aged 21 years or younger to the 5-year Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery (BM BS) course at Nottingham University medical school (and partially complete data for a further 1891 applicants). The data were subjected to standard univariate and multivariate analyses and to path analysis. In these samples, the independent predictors of a high tariff point score were being younger and male. The effect sizes were small, although significant. Higher tariff point scores were achieved by those from households less materially disadvantaged. Ethnicity was also a predictor with white, Chinese and those of mixed ethnic origin achieving higher tariff point scores than those from other groups. Finally, the type of school attended predicted academic achievement with applicants from further education colleges, independent schools and grant-maintained schools achieving higher tariff point scores. Notwithstanding the relatively homogeneous (predominantly young, white, high academic achievers) applicant pool to a single UK medical school we identified consistent significant predictors of high tariff point scores. As high tariff point scores are still the major entry criterion to UK medical schools, our findings will be of value in informing policy decisions concerning 'widening access' schemes being established at government request.

Factors affecting the probability of first year medical student dropout in the UK: a logistic analysis for the intake cohorts of 1980-92.

PubMed

Arulampalam, Wiji; Naylor, Robin; Smith, Jeremy

2004-05-01

In the context of the 1997 Report of the Medical Workforce Standing Advisory Committee, it is important that we develop an understanding of the factors influencing medical school retention rates. To analyse the determinants of the probability that an individual medical student will drop out of medical school during their first year of study. Binomial and multinomial logistic regression analysis of individual-level administrative data on 51 810 students in 21 medical schools in the UK for the intake cohorts of 1980-92 was performed. The overall average first year dropout rate over the period 1980-92 was calculated to be 3.8%. We found that the probability that a student would drop out of medical school during their first year of study was influenced significantly by both the subjects studied at A-level and by the scores achieved. For example, achieving 1 grade higher in biology, chemistry or physics reduced the dropout probability by 0.38% points, equivalent to a fall of 10%. We also found that males were about 8% more likely to drop out than females. The medical school attended also had a significant effect on the estimated dropout probability. Indicators of both the social class and the previous school background of the student were largely insignificant. Policies aimed at increasing the size of the medical student intake in the UK and of widening access to students from non-traditional backgrounds should be informed by evidence that student dropout probabilities are sensitive to measures of A-level attainment, such as subject studied and scores achieved. If traditional entry requirements or standards are relaxed, then this is likely to have detrimental effects on medical schools' retention rates unless accompanied by appropriate measures such as focussed student support.

The educational background and qualifications of UK medical students from ethnic minorities.

PubMed

McManus, I C; Woolf, Katherine; Dacre, Jane

2008-04-16

UK medical students and doctors from ethnic minorities underperform in undergraduate and postgraduate examinations. Although it is assumed that white (W) and non-white (NW) students enter medical school with similar qualifications, neither the qualifications of NW students, nor their educational background have been looked at in detail. This study uses two large-scale databases to examine the educational attainment of W and NW students. Attainment at GCSE and A level, and selection for medical school in relation to ethnicity, were analysed in two separate databases. The 10th cohort of the Youth Cohort Study provided data on 13,698 students taking GCSEs in 1999 in England and Wales, and their subsequent progression to A level. UCAS provided data for 1,484,650 applicants applying for admission to UK universities and colleges in 2003, 2004 and 2005, of whom 52,557 applied to medical school, and 23,443 were accepted. NW students achieve lower grades at GCSE overall, although achievement at the highest grades was similar to that of W students. NW students have higher educational aspirations, being more likely to go on to take A levels, especially in science and particularly chemistry, despite relatively lower achievement at GCSE. As a result, NW students perform less well at A level than W students, and hence NW students applying to university also have lower A-level grades than W students, both generally, and for medical school applicants. NW medical school entrants have lower A level grades than W entrants, with an effect size of about -0.10. The effect size for the difference between white and non-white medical school entrants is about B0.10, which would mean that for a typical medical school examination there might be about 5 NW failures for each 4 W failures. However, this effect can only explain a portion of the overall effect size found in undergraduate and postgraduate examinations of about -0.32.

The educational background and qualifications of UK medical students from ethnic minorities

PubMed Central

McManus, IC; Woolf, Katherine; Dacre, Jane

2008-01-01

Background UK medical students and doctors from ethnic minorities underperform in undergraduate and postgraduate examinations. Although it is assumed that white (W) and non-white (NW) students enter medical school with similar qualifications, neither the qualifications of NW students, nor their educational background have been looked at in detail. This study uses two large-scale databases to examine the educational attainment of W and NW students. Methods Attainment at GCSE and A level, and selection for medical school in relation to ethnicity, were analysed in two separate databases. The 10th cohort of the Youth Cohort Study provided data on 13,698 students taking GCSEs in 1999 in England and Wales, and their subsequent progression to A level. UCAS provided data for 1,484,650 applicants applying for admission to UK universities and colleges in 2003, 2004 and 2005, of whom 52,557 applied to medical school, and 23,443 were accepted. Results NW students achieve lower grades at GCSE overall, although achievement at the highest grades was similar to that of W students. NW students have higher educational aspirations, being more likely to go on to take A levels, especially in science and particularly chemistry, despite relatively lower achievement at GCSE. As a result, NW students perform less well at A level than W students, and hence NW students applying to university also have lower A-level grades than W students, both generally, and for medical school applicants. NW medical school entrants have lower A level grades than W entrants, with an effect size of about -0.10. Conclusion The effect size for the difference between white and non-white medical school entrants is about B0.10, which would mean that for a typical medical school examination there might be about 5 NW failures for each 4 W failures. However, this effect can only explain a portion of the overall effect size found in undergraduate and postgraduate examinations of about -0.32. PMID:18416818

Teaching, learning and assessment of medical ethics at the UK medical schools.

PubMed

Brooks, Lucy; Bell, Dominic

2017-09-01

To evaluate the UK undergraduate medical ethics curricula against the Institute of Medical Ethics (IME) recommendations; to identify barriers to teaching and assessment of medical ethics and to evaluate perceptions of ethics faculties on the preparation of tomorrow's doctors for clinical practice. Questionnaire survey of the UK medical schools enquiring about content, structure and location of ethics teaching and learning; teaching and learning processes; assessment; influences over institutional approach to ethics education; barriers to teaching and assessment; perception of student engagement and perception of student preparation for clinical practice. The lead for medical ethics at each medical school was invited to participate (n=33). Completed responses were received from 11/33 schools (33%). 73% (n=8) teach all IME recommended topics within their programme. 64% (n=7) do not include ethics in clinical placement learning objectives. The most frequently cited barrier to teaching was lack of time (64%, n=7), and to assessment was lack of time and suitability of assessments (27%, n=3). All faculty felt students were prepared for clinical practice. IME recommendations are not followed in all cases, and ethics teaching is not universally well integrated into clinical placement. Barriers to assessment lead to inadequacies in this area, and there are few consequences for failing ethics assessments. As such, tomorrow's patients will be treated by doctors who are inadequately prepared for ethical decision making in clinical practice; this needs to be addressed by ethics leads with support from medical school authorities. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

DrivAbility: teaching medical aspects of driving.

PubMed

Gibson, Jeremy; Whiteman, Liz

2012-06-01

Teaching medical aspects of fitness to drive (FTD) is currently inconsistent across UK medical schools, with almost one-third of UK medical schools offering no tuition on medical aspects of FTD. It is, therefore, not surprising to find that medical students and doctors tend to lack confidence regarding the medical aspects of FTD and Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) medical standards. In response to this inconsistency we developed an innovative new learning module to teach our medical students the importance of giving appropriate advice to patients about driving, the role of the DVLA regarding medical aspects of FTD, how to recognise when patients should be referred to a driving assessment centre and what adaptations are available to allow patients with physical disabilities to drive safely. As far as we are aware Derby is the first centre in the world to incorporate the practical experience of driving adapted vehicles (at a driving assessment centre) into the undergraduate medical curriculum as an aid to teaching medical aspects of FTD. This practical learning module has proven popular with the students. Driving these adapted vehicles has allowed our students to appreciate some of the practical difficulties disabled drivers experience when learning new driving techniques. However, as only 18 driving assessment centres exist within the UK, an exact replication of this learning module will be limited elsewhere. Nevertheless, we would encourage other medical schools to evaluate the local resources that could enhance the delivery of their undergraduate curricula. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2012.

Perceptions of UK medical graduates’ preparedness for practice: A multi-centre qualitative study reflecting the importance of learning on the job

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background There is evidence that graduates of different medical schools vary in their preparedness for their first post. In 2003 Goldacre et al. reported that over 40% of UK medical graduates did not feel prepared and found large differences between graduates of different schools. A follow-up survey showed that levels of preparedness had increased yet there was still wide variation. This study aimed to examine whether medical graduates from three diverse UK medical schools were prepared for practice. Methods This was a qualitative study using a constructivist grounded theory approach. Prospective and cross-sectional data were collected from the three medical schools. A sample of 60 medical graduates (20 from each school) was targeted. They were interviewed three times: at the end of medical school (n = 65) and after four (n = 55) and 12 months (n = 46) as a Year 1 Foundation Programme doctor. Triangulated data were collected from clinicians via interviews across the three sites (n = 92). In addition three focus groups were conducted with senior clinicians who assess learning portfolios. The focus was on identifying areas of preparedness for practice and any areas of lack of preparedness. Results Although selected for being diverse, we did not find substantial differences between the schools. The same themes were identified at each site. Junior doctors felt prepared in terms of communication skills, clinical and practical skills and team working. They felt less prepared for areas of practice that are based on experiential learning in clinical practice: ward work, being on call, management of acute clinical situations, prescribing, clinical prioritisation and time management and dealing with paperwork. Conclusions Our data highlighted the importance of students learning on the job, having a role in the team in supervised practice to enable them to learn about the duties and responsibilities of a new doctor in advance of starting work. PMID:23446055

Perceptions of UK medical graduates' preparedness for practice: a multi-centre qualitative study reflecting the importance of learning on the job.

PubMed

Illing, Jan C; Morrow, Gill M; Rothwell nee Kergon, Charlotte R; Burford, Bryan C; Baldauf, Beate K; Davies, Carol L; Peile, Ed B; Spencer, John A; Johnson, Neil; Allen, Maggie; Morrison, Jill

2013-02-28

There is evidence that graduates of different medical schools vary in their preparedness for their first post. In 2003 Goldacre et al. reported that over 40% of UK medical graduates did not feel prepared and found large differences between graduates of different schools. A follow-up survey showed that levels of preparedness had increased yet there was still wide variation. This study aimed to examine whether medical graduates from three diverse UK medical schools were prepared for practice. This was a qualitative study using a constructivist grounded theory approach. Prospective and cross-sectional data were collected from the three medical schools.A sample of 60 medical graduates (20 from each school) was targeted. They were interviewed three times: at the end of medical school (n = 65) and after four (n = 55) and 12 months (n = 46) as a Year 1 Foundation Programme doctor. Triangulated data were collected from clinicians via interviews across the three sites (n = 92). In addition three focus groups were conducted with senior clinicians who assess learning portfolios. The focus was on identifying areas of preparedness for practice and any areas of lack of preparedness. Although selected for being diverse, we did not find substantial differences between the schools. The same themes were identified at each site. Junior doctors felt prepared in terms of communication skills, clinical and practical skills and team working. They felt less prepared for areas of practice that are based on experiential learning in clinical practice: ward work, being on call, management of acute clinical situations, prescribing, clinical prioritisation and time management and dealing with paperwork. Our data highlighted the importance of students learning on the job, having a role in the team in supervised practice to enable them to learn about the duties and responsibilities of a new doctor in advance of starting work.

Medical Student Attitudes to the Autopsy and Its Utility in Medical Education: A Brief Qualitative Study at One UK Medical School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bamber, Andrew R.; Quince, Thelma A.; Barclay, Stephen I. G.; Clark, John D. A.; Siklos, Paul W. L.; Wood, Diana F.

2014-01-01

Attending postmortems enables students to learn anatomy and pathology within a clinical context, provides insights into effects of treatment and introduces the reality that patients die. Rates of clinical autopsies have declined and medical schools have cut obligatory autopsy sessions from their curricula making it difficult to assess medical…

Enrichment activities in the medical school psychiatry programme - could this be a key to engaging medical students in psychiatry? A study from a high secure forensic psychiatric UK hospital.

PubMed

Mortlock, Anna-Marie; Puzzo, Ignazio; Taylor, Sophie; Kumari, Veena; Young, Susan; Sengupta, Samrat; Das, Mrigendra

2017-03-16

The majority of research studies on medical student attitudes toward psychiatry focus on influencing factors and the medical school experience. This study evaluates the effectiveness of a one-day visit to a high secure forensic psychiatric unit on medical students' attitudes towards psychiatry and also assesses career intentions and the factors influencing these. Change in attitudes and career intention were measured by administering a questionnaire, which included the 30-item Attitudes Toward Psychiatry (ATP-30) survey, at the start (time 1) and end (time 2) of the one-day visit. Qualitative data on factors influencing career choice was also gathered. Evaluation of 284 responses revealed a significant increase in positive attitude towards psychiatry from time 1 to time 2 in the sample as a whole. The most influential factor on consideration of psychiatry as a career across all groups was the medical school clinical placement. For those that tended away from choosing psychiatry as a career, patient prognosis was important. Poor recruitment in psychiatry in the UK is already established which will doubtless be compounded by controversies surrounding the proposed new junior doctors' contract. Now more than ever, the need to inspire and motivate those at medical school encountering psychiatry is crucial. Our findings add to the body of evidence that the medical school clinical attachment is fundamental in shaping attitudes. However, these results also show that a well-planned visit to a specialised psychiatric unit outside of traditional placements can have a significant impact on students' attitudes toward psychiatry and mental illness in general. There is limited literature in the UK on enrichment activities within the psychiatry medical school curriculum. We propose that developing opportunities for enrichment activities within psychiatry could increase the scope of how we engage students in this fascinating field of medicine.

The influence of academic discourses on medical students' identification with the discipline of family medicine.

PubMed

Rodríguez, Charo; López-Roig, Sofía; Pawlikowska, Teresa; Schweyer, François-Xavier; Bélanger, Emmanuelle; Pastor-Mira, Maria Angeles; Hugé, Sandrine; Spencer, Sarah; Lévasseur, Gwenola; Whitehead, Ian; Tellier, Pierre-Paul

2015-05-01

To understand the influence of academic discourses about family medicine on medical students' professional identity construction during undergraduate training. The authors used a multiple case study research design involving international medical schools, one each from Canada, France, Spain, and the United Kingdom (UK). The authors completed the fieldwork between 2007 and 2009 by conducting 18 focus groups (with 132 students) and 67 semistructured interviews with educators and by gathering pertinent institutional documents. They carried out discursive thematic analyses of the verbatim transcripts and then performed within- and cross-case analyses. The most striking finding was the diverging responses between those at the UK school and those at the other schools. In the UK case, family medicine was recognized as a prestigious academic discipline; students and faculty praised the knowledge and skills of family physicians, and students more often indicated their intent to pursue family medicine. In the other cases, family medicine was not well regarded by students or faculty. This was expressed overtly or through a paradoxical academic discourse that stressed the importance of family medicine to the health care system while decrying its lack of innovative technology and the large workload-to-income ratio. Students at these schools were less likely to consider family medicine. These results stress the influence of academic discourses on medical students' ability to identify with the practice of family medicine. Educators must consider processes of professional identity formation during undergraduate medical training as they develop and reform medical education.

Variation in passing standards for graduation-level knowledge items at UK medical schools.

PubMed

Taylor, Celia A; Gurnell, Mark; Melville, Colin R; Kluth, David C; Johnson, Neil; Wass, Val

2017-06-01

Given the absence of a common passing standard for students at UK medical schools, this paper compares independently set standards for common 'one from five' single-best-answer (multiple-choice) items used in graduation-level applied knowledge examinations and explores potential reasons for any differences. A repeated cross-sectional study was conducted. Participating schools were sent a common set of graduation-level items (55 in 2013-2014; 60 in 2014-2015). Items were selected against a blueprint and subjected to a quality review process. Each school employed its own standard-setting process for the common items. The primary outcome was the passing standard for the common items by each medical school set using the Angoff or Ebel methods. Of 31 invited medical schools, 22 participated in 2013-2014 (71%) and 30 (97%) in 2014-2015. Schools used a mean of 49 and 53 common items in 2013-2014 and 2014-2015, respectively, representing around one-third of the items in the examinations in which they were embedded. Data from 19 (61%) and 26 (84%) schools, respectively, met the inclusion criteria for comparison of standards. There were statistically significant differences in the passing standards set by schools in both years (effect sizes (f 2 ): 0.041 in 2013-2014 and 0.218 in 2014-2015; both p < 0.001). The interquartile range of standards was 5.7 percentage points in 2013-2014 and 6.5 percentage points in 2014-2015. There was a positive correlation between the relative standards set by schools in the 2 years (Pearson's r = 0.57, n = 18, p = 0.014). Time allowed per item, method of standard setting and timing of examination in the curriculum did not have a statistically significant impact on standards. Independently set standards for common single-best-answer items used in graduation-level examinations vary across UK medical schools. Further work to examine standard-setting processes in more detail is needed to help explain this variability and develop methods to reduce it. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

Longitudinal assessment of the impact of the use of the UK clinical aptitude test for medical student selection.

PubMed

Mathers, Jonathan; Sitch, Alice; Parry, Jayne

2016-10-01

Medical schools are increasingly using novel tools to select applicants. The UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) is one such tool and measures mental abilities, attitudes and professional behaviour conducive to being a doctor using constructs likely to be less affected by socio-demographic factors than traditional measures of potential. Universities are free to use UKCAT as they see fit but three broad modalities have been observed: 'borderline', 'factor' and 'threshold'. This paper aims to provide the first longitudinal analyses assessing the impact of the different uses of UKCAT on making offers to applicants with different socio-demographic characteristics. Multilevel regression was used to model the outcome of applications to UK medical schools during the period 2004-2011 (data obtained from UCAS), adjusted for sex, ethnicity, schooling, parental occupation, educational attainment, year of application and UKCAT use (borderline, factor and threshold). The three ways of using the UKCAT did not differ in their impact on making the selection process more equitable, other than a marked reversal for female advantage when applied in a 'threshold' manner. Our attempt to model the longitudinal impact of the use of the UKCAT in its threshold format found again the reversal of female advantage, but did not demonstrate similar statistically significant reductions of the advantages associated with White ethnicity, higher social class and selective schooling. Our findings demonstrate attenuation of the advantage of being female but no changes in admission rates based on White ethnicity, higher social class and selective schooling. In view of this, the utility of the UKCAT as a means to widen access to medical schools among non-White and less advantaged applicants remains unproven. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

Medical students' perceptions of their ethics teaching

PubMed Central

Johnston, Carolyn; Haughton, Peter

2007-01-01

The teaching of ethics in UK medical schools has recently been reviewed, from the perspective of the teachers themselves. A questionnaire survey of medical undergraduates at King's College London School of Medicine provides useful insight into the students' perception of ethics education, what they consider to be the value of learning ethics and law, and how engaged they feel with the subject. PMID:17601871

Global sharing, local innovation: Four schools, four countries, one curriculum.

PubMed

Castelo-Branco, Luís; Finucane, Paul; Marvão, Pedro; McCrorie, Peter; Ponte, José; Worley, Paul

2016-12-01

Many internal and external obstacles, must be overcome when establishing a new medical school, or when radically revising an existing medical curriculum. Twenty-five years after the Flinders University curriculum was introduced as the first graduate-entry medical programme (GEMP) in Australia, we aim at describing how it has been adopted and adapted by several other schools, in Australia and in Europe (UK, Ireland, and Portugal). This paper reports on the experience of four schools establishing a new medical school or new curriculum at different times and in different settings. We believe that these experiences might be of interest to others contemplating a similar development.

Widening access to UK medical education for under-represented socioeconomic groups: modelling the impact of the UKCAT in the 2009 cohort

PubMed Central

Dowell, Jonathan S; McLachlan, John C

2012-01-01

Objective To determine whether the use of the UK clinical aptitude test (UKCAT) in the medical schools admissions process reduces the relative disadvantage encountered by certain sociodemographic groups. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Applicants to 22 UK medical schools in 2009 that were members of the consortium of institutions utilising the UKCAT as a component of their admissions process. Participants 8459 applicants (24 844 applications) to UKCAT consortium member medical schools where data were available on advanced qualifications and socioeconomic background. Main outcome measures The probability of an application resulting in an offer of a place on a medicine course according to seven educational and sociodemographic variables depending on how the UKCAT was used by the medical school (in borderline cases, as a factor in admissions, or as a threshold). Results On univariate analysis all educational and sociodemographic variables were significantly associated with the relative odds of an application being successful. The multilevel multiple logistic regression models, however, varied between medical schools according to the way that the UKCAT was used. For example, a candidate from a non-professional background was much less likely to receive a conditional offer of a place compared with an applicant from a higher social class when applying to an institution using the test only in borderline cases (odds ratio 0.51, 95% confidence interval 0.45 to 0.60). No such effect was observed for such candidates applying to medical schools using the threshold approach (1.27, 0.84 to 1.91). These differences were generally reflected in the interactions observed when the analysis was repeated, pooling the data. Notably, candidates from several under-represented groups applying to medical schools that used a threshold approach to the UKCAT were less disadvantaged than those applying to the other institutions in the consortium. These effects were partially reflected in significant differences in the absolute proportion of such candidates finally taking up places in the different types of medical schools; stronger use of the test score (as a factor or threshold) was associated with a significantly increased odds of entrants being male (1.74, 1.25 to 2.41) and from a low socioeconomic background (3.57, 1.03 to 12.39). There was a non-significant trend towards entrants being from a state (non-grammar) school (1.60, 0.97 to 2.62) where a stronger use of the test was employed. Use of the test only in borderline cases was associated with increased odds of entrants having relatively low academic attainment (5.19, 2.02 to 13.33) and English as a second language (2.15, 1.03 to 4.48). Conclusions The use of the UKCAT may lead to more equitable provision of offers to those applying to medical school from under-represented sociodemographic groups. This may translate into higher numbers of some, but not all, relatively disadvantaged students entering the UK medical profession. PMID:22511300

"Aspirations of people who come from state education are different": how language reflects social exclusion in medical education.

PubMed

Cleland, Jennifer; Fahey Palma, Tania

2018-01-24

Despite repeated calls for change, the problem of widening access (WA) to medicine persists globally. One factor which may be operating to maintain social exclusion is the language used in representing WA applicants and students by the gatekeepers and representatives of medical schools, Admissions Deans. We therefore examined the institutional discourse of UK Medical Admissions Deans in order to determine how values regarding WA are communicated and presented in this context. We conducted a linguistic analysis of qualitative interviews with Admissions Deans and/or Staff from 24 of 32 UK medical schools. Corpus Linguistics data analysis determined broad patterns of frequency and word lists. This informed a critical discourse analysis of the data using an "othering" lens to explore and understand the judgements made of WA students by Admissions Deans, and the practices to which these judgments give rise. Representations of WA students highlighted existing divides and preconceptions in relation to WA programmes and students. Through using discourse that can be considered othering and divisive, issues of social divide and lack of integration in medicine were highlighted. Language served to reinforce pre-existing stereotypes and a significant 'us' and 'them' rhetoric exists in medical education. Even with drivers to achieve diversity and equality in medical education, existing social structures and preconceptions still influence the representations of applicants and students from outside the 'traditional' medical education model in the UK. Acknowledging this is a crucial step for medical schools wishing to address barriers to the perceived challenges to diversity.

Has the UK Clinical Aptitude Test improved medical student selection?

PubMed

Wright, Sarah R; Bradley, Philip M

2010-11-01

In 2006, the United Kingdom Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) was introduced as a new medical school admissions tool. The aim of this cohort study was to determine whether the UKCAT has made any improvements to the way medical students are selected. Regression analysis was performed in order to study the ability of previous school type and gender to predict UKCAT, personal statement or interview scores in two cohorts of accepted students. The ability of admissions scores and demographic data to predict performance on knowledge and skills examinations was also studied. Previous school type was not a significant predictor of either interview or UKCAT scores amongst students who had been accepted onto the programme (n = 307). However, it was a significant predictor of personal statement score, with students from independent and grammar schools performing better than students from state-maintained schools. Previous school type, personal statements and interviews were not significant predictors of knowledge examination performance. UKCAT scores were significant predictors of knowledge examination performance for all but one examination administered in the first 2 years of medical school. Admissions data explained very little about performance on skills (objective structured clinical examinations [OSCEs]) assessments. The use of personal statements as a basis for selection results in a bias towards students from independent and grammar schools. However, no evidence was found to suggest that students accepted from these schools perform any better than students from maintained schools on Year 1 and 2 medical school examinations. Previous school type did not predict interview or UKCAT scores of accepted students. UKCAT scores are predictive of Year 1 and 2 examination performance at this medical school, whereas interview scores are not. The results of this study challenge claims made by other authors that aptitude tests do not have a place in medical school selection in the UK. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2010.

Choice and rejection of psychiatry as a career: surveys of UK medical graduates from 1974 to 2009.

PubMed

Goldacre, Michael J; Fazel, Seena; Smith, Fay; Lambert, Trevor

2013-03-01

Recruitment of adequate numbers of doctors to psychiatry is difficult. To report on career choice for psychiatry, comparing intending psychiatrists with doctors who chose other clinical careers. Questionnaire studies of all newly qualified doctors from all UK medical schools in 12 qualification years between 1974 and 2009 (33 974 respondent doctors). One, three and five years after graduation, 4-5% of doctors specified psychiatry as their first choice of future career. This was largely unchanged across the 35 years. Comparing intending psychiatrists with doctors who chose other careers, factors with a greater influence on psychiatrists' choice included their experience of the subject at medical school, self-appraisal of their own skills, and inclinations before medical school. In a substudy of doctors who initially considered but then did not pursue specialty choices, 72% of those who did not pursue psychiatry gave 'job content' as their reason compared with 33% of doctors who considered but did not pursue other specialties. Historically, more women than men have chosen psychiatry, but the gap has closed over the past decade. Junior doctors' views about psychiatry as a possible career range from high levels of enthusiasm to antipathy, and are more polarised than views about other specialties. Shortening of working hours and improvements to working practices in other hospital-based specialties in the UK may have reduced the relative attractiveness of psychiatry to women doctors. The extent to which views of newly qualified doctors about psychiatry can be modified by medical school education, and by greater exposure to psychiatry during student and early postgraduate years, needs investigation.

Widening access to medical education for under-represented socioeconomic groups: population based cross sectional analysis of UK data, 2002-6.

PubMed

Mathers, Jonathan; Sitch, Alice; Marsh, Jennifer L; Parry, Jayne

2011-02-22

To determine whether new programmes developed to widen access to medicine in the United Kingdom have produced more diverse student populations. Population based cross sectional analysis. 31 UK universities that offer medical degrees. 34,407 UK medical students admitted to university in 2002-6. Age, sex, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity of students admitted to traditional courses and newer courses (graduate entry courses (GEC) and foundation) designed to widen access and increase diversity. The demographics of students admitted to foundation courses were markedly different from traditional, graduate entry, and pre-medical courses. They were less likely to be white and to define their background as higher managerial and professional. Students on the graduate entry programme were older than students on traditional courses (25.5 v 19.2 years) and more likely to be white (odds ratio 3.74, 95% confidence interval 3.27 to 4.28; P<0.001) than those on traditional courses, but there was no difference in the ratio of men. Students on traditional courses at newer schools were significantly older by an average of 2.53 (2.41 to 2.65; P<0.001) years, more likely to be white (1.55, 1.41 to 1.71; P<0.001), and significantly less likely to have higher managerial and professional backgrounds than those at established schools (0.67, 0.61 to 0.73; P<0.001). There were marked differences in demographics across individual established schools offering both graduate entry and traditional courses. The graduate entry programmes do not seem to have led to significant changes to the socioeconomic profile of the UK medical student population. Foundation programmes have increased the proportion of students from under-represented groups but numbers entering these courses are small.

Student assistantships: bridging the gap between student and doctor

PubMed Central

Crossley, James GM; Vivekananda-Schmidt, Pirashanthie

2015-01-01

In 2009, the General Medical Council UK (GMC) published its updated guidance on medical education for the UK medical schools – Tomorrow’s Doctors 2009. The Council recommended that the UK medical schools introduce, for the first time, a clinical placement in which a senior medical student, “assisting a junior doctor and under supervision, undertakes most of the duties of an F1 doctor”. In the UK, an F1 doctor is a postgraduation year 1 (PGY1) doctor. This new kind of placement was called a student assistantship. The recommendation was considered necessary because conventional UK clinical placements rarely provided medical students with opportunities to take responsibility for patients – even under supervision. This is in spite of good evidence that higher levels of learning, and the acquisition of essential clinical and nontechnical skills, depend on students participating in health care delivery and gradually assuming responsibility under supervision. This review discusses the gap between student and doctor, and the impact of the student assistantship policy. Early evaluation indicates substantial variation in the clarity of purpose, setting, length, and scope of existing assistantships. In particular, few models are explicit on the most critical issue: exactly how the student participates in care and how supervision is deployed to optimize learning and patient safety. Surveys indicate that these issues are central to students’ perceptions of the assistantship. They know when they have experienced real responsibility and when they have not. This lack of clarity and variation has limited the impact of student assistantships. We also consider other important approaches to bridging the gap between student and doctor. These include supporting the development of the student as a whole person, commissioning and developing the right supervision, student-aligned curricula, and challenging the risk assumptions of health care providers. PMID:26109879

Considered Evaluation of Clinical Placements in a New Medical School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Booth, Jerry; Collins, Sarah; Hammond, Anna

2009-01-01

This article suggests that quality assessment in the UK has been largely set apart from learning and teaching and reports on a pilot project at the Hull York Medical School which attempted to integrate students' evaluation of their clinical placements into the curriculum. It outlines the operational demands of this integrated method and compares…

Career choices for obstetrics and gynaecology: national surveys of graduates of 1974-2002 from UK medical schools.

PubMed

Turner, G; Lambert, T W; Goldacre, M J; Barlow, D

2006-03-01

To report the trends in career choices for obstetrics and gynaecology among UK medical graduates. Postal questionnaire surveys of qualifiers from all UK medical schools in nine qualification years since 1974. United Kingdom. All graduates from UK medical schools in 1974, 1977, 1980, 1983, 1993, 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2002. Postal questionnaire surveys. Career choices for obstetrics and gynaecology and factors influencing career choices for obstetrics and gynaecology. Seventy-four percent (24,623/33,417) and 73% (20,709/28,468) of doctors responded at 1 and 3 years after qualification. Choices for obstetrics and gynaecology fell sharply during the 1990s from 4.2% of 1996 qualifiers to 2.2% of 1999 qualifiers, and rose slightly to 2.8% of 2002 qualifiers. Only 0.8% of male graduates of 2002 chose obstetrics and gynaecology compared with 4.1% of women. Forty-six percent of those who chose obstetrics and gynaecology 1 year after qualification were working in it 10 years after qualifying. Experience of the subject as a student, and the influence of a particular teacher or department, affected long-term career choices more for obstetrics and gynaecology than for other careers. The unwillingness of young doctors to enter obstetrics and gynaecology may be attributable to concerns about workforce planning and career progression problems, rather than any lack of enthusiasm for the specialty. The number of men choosing obstetrics and gynaecology is now very small; the reasons and the future role of men in the specialty need to be debated.

Prepared for practice? Law teaching and assessment in UK medical schools.

PubMed

Preston-Shoot, Michael; McKimm, Judy

2010-11-01

A revised core curriculum for medical ethics and law in UK medical schools has been published. The General Medical Council requires medical graduates to understand law and ethics and behave in accordance with ethical and legal principles. A parallel policy agenda emphasises accountability, the development of professionalism and patient safety. Given the renewed focus on teaching and learning law alongside medical ethics and the development of professional identity, this survey aimed to identify how medical schools are responding to the preparation of medical students for practice in the future. Questions were asked about the location, content and methods of teaching and assessment of law in undergraduate medical education. Examples of course documentation were requested to illustrate the approaches being taken. A 76% response rate was achieved. Most responding schools integrate law teaching with medical ethics, emphasising both the acquisition of knowledge and its application in a clinical context. Teaching, learning and assessment of law in clinical attachments is much less formalised than that in non-clinical education. Coverage of recommended topic areas varies, raising questions about the degree to which students can embed their knowledge and skills in actual practice. More positively, teaching does not rely on single individuals and clear descriptions were offered for problem-based and small group case-based learning. Further research is required to explore whether there are optimum ways of ensuring that legal knowledge, and skills in its use, form part of the development of professionalism among doctors in training.

An evaluation of demographic factors affecting performance in a paediatric membership multiple-choice examination.

PubMed

Menzies, Lara; Minson, Susan; Brightwell, Alexandra; Davies-Muir, Anna; Long, Andrew; Fertleman, Caroline

2015-02-01

To determine if demographic factors are associated with outcome in a multiple-choice, electronically marked paediatric postgraduate examination. Retrospective analysis of pass rates of UK trainees sitting Membership of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (MRCPCH) part 1B from 2007 to 2011. Data collected by the RCPCH from examination candidates were analysed to assess the effects of gender, age, and country and university of medical qualification on examination outcome. At first attempt at MRCPCH part 1B, the overall pass rate from 2007 to 2011 was 843/2056 (41.0%). In univariate analysis, passing the examination was associated with being a UK graduate (649/1376 (47.2%)) compared with being an international medical graduate (130/520 (25.0%)) (OR 2.68 (95% CI 2.14 to 3.36), p<0.001). There was strong evidence that the proportion of candidates passing the examination differed for graduates of the 19 different UK medical schools (Fisher's exact test p<0.001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, after adjustment for age, sex and whether the part 1A examination was taken concurrently, being a UK graduate was still strongly associated with passing the examination (OR 3.17 (95% CI 2.41 to 4.17), p<0.001). UK graduates performed best at 26-27 years of age (52.4% pass rate), whereas overseas graduates performed best at ≥38 years of age (50.8% pass rate). MRCPCH part 1B outcome was related to place of primary medical qualification, with a significantly lower pass rate for international medical graduates compared with UK graduates, as well as significant variation in examination outcome between graduates from different UK medical schools. These data may be used to guide new initiatives to improve support and education for these trainees and to inform development of undergraduate curricula and help trainees prepare more successfully for postgraduate examinations. 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.

Even one star at A level could be "too little, too late" for medical student selection

PubMed Central

McManus, Chris; Woolf, Katherine; Dacre, Jane E

2008-01-01

Background More and more medical school applicants in England and Wales are gaining the maximum grade at A level of AAA, and the UK Government has now agreed to pilot the introduction of a new A* grade. This study assessed the likely utility of additional grades of A* or of A**. Methods Statistical analysis of university selection data collected by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), consisting of data from 1,484,650 applicants to UCAS for the years 2003, 2004 and 2005, of whom 23,628 were medical school applicants, and of these 14,510 were medical school entrants from the UK, aged under 21, and with three or four A level results. The main outcome measure was the number of points scored by applicants in their best three A level subjects. Results Censored normal distributions showed a good fit to the data using maximum likelihood modelling. If it were the case that A* grades had already been introduced, then at present about 11% of medical school applicants and 18% of entrants would achieve the maximum score of 3 A*s. Projections for the years 2010, 2015 and 2020 suggest that about 26%, 35% and 46% of medical school entrants would have 3 A* grades. Conclusion Although A* grades at A level will help in medical student selection, within a decade, a third of medical students will gain maximum grades. While revising the A level system there is a strong argument, as proposed in the Tomlinson Report, for introducing an A** grade. PMID:18394196

Choice and rejection of psychiatry as a career: surveys of UK medical graduates from 1974 to 2009†

PubMed Central

Goldacre, Michael J.; Fazel, Seena; Smith, Fay; Lambert, Trevor

2013-01-01

Background Recruitment of adequate numbers of doctors to psychiatry is difficult. Aims To report on career choice for psychiatry, comparing intending psychiatrists with doctors who chose other clinical careers. Method Questionnaire studies of all newly qualified doctors from all UK medical schools in 12 qualification years between 1974 and 2009 (33 974 respondent doctors). Results One, three and five years after graduation, 4–5% of doctors specified psychiatry as their first choice of future career. This was largely unchanged across the 35 years. Comparing intending psychiatrists with doctors who chose other careers, factors with a greater influence on psychiatrists’ choice included their experience of the subject at medical school, self-appraisal of their own skills, and inclinations before medical school. In a substudy of doctors who initially considered but then did not pursue specialty choices, 72% of those who did not pursue psychiatry gave ‘job content’ as their reason compared with 33% of doctors who considered but did not pursue other specialties. Historically, more women than men have chosen psychiatry, but the gap has closed over the past decade. Conclusions Junior doctors’ views about psychiatry as a possible career range from high levels of enthusiasm to antipathy, and are more polarised than views about other specialties. Shortening of working hours and improvements to working practices in other hospital-based specialties in the UK may have reduced the relative attractiveness of psychiatry to women doctors. The extent to which views of newly qualified doctors about psychiatry can be modified by medical school education, and by greater exposure to psychiatry during student and early postgraduate years, needs investigation. PMID:23099446

Intercalated degrees, learning styles, and career preferences: prospective longitudinal study of UK medical students

PubMed Central

McManus, I C; Richards, P; Winder, B C

1999-01-01

Objectives To assess the effects of taking an intercalated degree (BSc) on the study habits and learning styles of medical students and on their interest in a career in medical research. Design Longitudinal questionnaire study of medical students at application to medical school and in their final year. Setting All UK medical schools. Participants 6901 medical school applicants for admission in 1991 were studied in the autumn of 1990. 3333 entered medical school in 1991 or 1992, and 2695 who were due to qualify in 1996 or 1997 were studied 3 months before the end of their clinical course. Response rates were 92% for applicants and 56% for final year students. Main outcome measures Study habits (surface, deep, and strategic learning style) and interest in different medical careers, including medical research. Identical questions were used at time of application and in final year. Results Students who had taken an intercalated degree had higher deep and strategic learning scores than at application to medical school. Those with highest degree classes had higher strategic and deep learning scores and lower surface learning scores. Students taking intercalated degrees showed greater interest in careers in medical research and laboratory medicine and less interest in general practice than their peers. The effects of the course on interest in medical research and learning styles were independent. The effect of the intercalated degree was greatest in schools where relatively few students took intercalated degrees. Conclusions Intercalated degrees result in a greater interest in research careers and higher deep and strategic learning scores. However, the effects are much reduced in schools where most students intercalate a degree. Introduction of intercalated degrees for all medical students without sufficient resources may not therefore achieve its expected effects. Key messagesAlthough intercalated degrees are well established, little is known about their effect on medical studentsIn this longitudinal study final year students who had taken intercalated degree were more interested in medical research, and had higher deep and strategic learning style scores than other studentsThe effects of the intercalated degree were dose dependent, being greatest in those gaining a first class degreeThe effects of the intercalated degree were greatest in medical schools where a relatively small proportion of medical students took the degree.Differences between medical schools are most easily explained by resource dilution PMID:10463892

The UK medical education database (UKMED) what is it? Why and how might you use it?

PubMed

Dowell, Jon; Cleland, Jennifer; Fitzpatrick, Siobhan; McManus, Chris; Nicholson, Sandra; Oppé, Thomas; Petty-Saphon, Katie; King, Olga Sierocinska; Smith, Daniel; Thornton, Steve; White, Kirsty

2018-01-05

Educating doctors is expensive and poor performance by future graduates can literally cost lives. Whilst the practice of medicine is highly evidence based, medical education is much less so. Research on medical school selection, undergraduate progression, Fitness to Practise (FtP) and postgraduate careers has been hampered across the globe by the challenges of uniting the data required. This paper describes the creation, structure and access arrangements for the first UK-wide attempt to do so. A collaborative approach has created a research database commencing with all entrants to UK medical schools in 2007 and 2008 (UKMED Phase 1). Here the content is outlined, governance arrangements considered, system access explained, and the potential implications of this new resource discussed. The data currently include achievements prior to medical school entry, admissions tests, graduation point information and also all subsequent data collected by the General Medical Council, including FtP, career progression, annual National Training Survey (NTS) responses, career choice and postgraduate exam performance data. UKMED has grown since the pilot phase with additional datasets; all subsequent years of students/trainees and stronger governance processes. The inclusion of future cohorts and additional information such as admissions scores or bespoke surveys or assessments is now being piloted. Thus, for instance, new scrutiny can be applied to selection techniques and the effectiveness of educational interventions. Data are available free of charge for approved studies from suitable research groups worldwide. It is anticipated that UKMED will continue on a rolling basis. This has the potential to radically change the volume and types of research that can be envisaged and, therefore, to improve standards, facilitate workforce planning and support the regulation of medical education and training. This paper aspires to encourage proposals to utilise this exciting resource.

What do UK medical students value most in their careers? A discrete choice experiment.

PubMed

Cleland, Jennifer A; Johnston, Peter; Watson, Verity; Krucien, Nicolas; Skåtun, Diane

2017-08-01

Many individual- and job-related factors are known to influence medical careers decision making. Previous research has extensively studied medical trainees' (residents') and students' views of the factors that are important. However, how trainees and students trade off these factors at times of important careers-related decision making is under-researched. Information about trade-offs is crucial to the development of effective policies to enhance the recruitment and retention of junior doctors. Our aim was to investigate the strength of UK medical students' preferences for the characteristics of training posts in terms of monetary value. We distributed a paper questionnaire that included a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to final-year medical students in six diverse medical schools across the UK. The main outcome measure was the monetary value of training post characteristics, based on willingness to forgo and willingness to accept extra income for a change in each job characteristic calculated from regression coefficients. A total of 810 medical students answered the questionnaire. The presence of good working conditions was by far the most influential characteristic of a training position. Medical students consider that, as newly graduated doctors, they will require compensation of an additional 43.68% above average earnings to move from a post with excellent working conditions to one with poor working conditions. Female students value excellent working conditions more highly than male students, whereas older medical students value them less highly than younger students. Students on the point of completing medical school and starting postgraduate training value good working conditions significantly more than they value desirable geographical location, unit reputation, familiarity with the unit or opportunities for partners or spouses. This intelligence can be used to address the crisis in workforce staffing that has developed in the UK and opens up fruitful areas for future research across contexts and in terms of examining stated preferences versus actual career-related behaviour. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

Predictive validity of the UKCAT for medical school undergraduate performance: a national prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Tiffin, Paul A; Mwandigha, Lazaro M; Paton, Lewis W; Hesselgreaves, H; McLachlan, John C; Finn, Gabrielle M; Kasim, Adetayo S

2016-09-26

The UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) has been shown to have a modest but statistically significant ability to predict aspects of academic performance throughout medical school. Previously, this ability has been shown to be incremental to conventional measures of educational performance for the first year of medical school. This study evaluates whether this predictive ability extends throughout the whole of undergraduate medical study and explores the potential impact of using the test as a selection screening tool. This was an observational prospective study, linking UKCAT scores, prior educational attainment and sociodemographic variables with subsequent academic outcomes during the 5 years of UK medical undergraduate training. The participants were 6812 entrants to UK medical schools in 2007-8 using the UKCAT. The main outcome was academic performance at each year of medical school. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was also conducted, treating the UKCAT as a screening test for a negative academic outcome (failing at least 1 year at first attempt). All four of the UKCAT scale scores significantly predicted performance in theory- and skills-based exams. After adjustment for prior educational achievement, the UKCAT scale scores remained significantly predictive for most years. Findings from the ROC analysis suggested that, if used as a sole screening test, with the mean applicant UKCAT score as the cut-off, the test could be used to reject candidates at high risk of failing at least 1 year at first attempt. However, the 'number needed to reject' value would be high (at 1.18), with roughly one candidate who would have been likely to pass all years at first sitting being rejected for every higher risk candidate potentially declined entry on this basis. The UKCAT scores demonstrate a statistically significant but modest degree of incremental predictive validity throughout undergraduate training. Whilst the UKCAT could be considered a fairly crude screening tool for future academic performance, it may offer added value when used in conjunction with other selection measures. Future work should focus on the optimum role of such tests within the selection process and the prediction of post-graduate performance.

Assessing medical student knowledge and attitudes about shared decision making across the curriculum: protocol for an international online survey and stakeholder analysis.

PubMed

Durand, Marie-Anne; Yen, Renata; Barr, Paul J; Cochran, Nan; Aarts, Johanna; Légaré, France; Reed, Malcolm; James O'Malley, A; Scalia, Peter; Painchaud Guérard, Geneviève; Elwyn, Glyn

2017-06-23

Shared decision making (SDM) is a goal of modern medicine; however, it is not currently embedded in routine care. Barriers include clinicians’ attitudes, lack of knowledge and training and time constraints. Our goal is to support the development and delivery of a robust SDM curriculum in medical education. Our objective is to assess undergraduate medical students’ knowledge of and attitudes towards SDM in four countries. The first phase of the study involves a web-based cross-sectional survey of undergraduate medical students from all years in selected schools across the United States (US), Canada and undergraduate and graduate students in the Netherlands. In the United Kingdom (UK), the survey will be circulated to all medical schools through the UK Medical School Council. We will sample students equally in all years of training and assess attitudes towards SDM, knowledge of SDM and participation in related training. Medical students of ages 18 years and older in the four countries will be eligible. The second phase of the study will involve semistructured interviews with a subset of students from phase 1 and a convenience sample of medical school curriculum experts or stakeholders. Data will be analysed using multivariable analysis in phase 1 and thematic content analysis in phase 2. Method, data source and investigator triangulation will be performed. Online survey data will be reported according to the Checklist for Reporting the Results of Internet E-Surveys. We will use the COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative research for all qualitative data. The study has been approved for dissemination in the US, the Netherlands, Canada and the UK. The study is voluntary with an informed consent process. The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and will help inform the inclusion of SDM-specific curriculum in medical education worldwide. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Teaching and assessing medical ethics: where are we now?

PubMed Central

Mattick, K; Bligh, J

2006-01-01

Objectives To characterise UK undergraduate medical ethics curricula and to identify opportunities and threats to teaching and learning. Design Postal questionnaire survey of UK medical schools enquiring about teaching and assessment, including future perspectives. Participants The lead for teaching and learning at each medical school was invited to complete a questionnaire. Results Completed responses were received from 22/28 schools (79%). Seventeen respondents deemed their aims for ethics teaching to be successful. Twenty felt ethics should be learnt throughout the course and 13 said ethics teaching and learning should be fully integrated horizontally. Twenty felt variety in assessment was important and three tools was the preferred number. A shortfall in ethics core competencies did not preclude graduation in 15 schools. The most successful aspects of courses were perceived to be their integrated nature and the small group teaching; weaknesses were described as a need for still greater integration and the heavily theoretical aspects of ethics. The major concerns about how ethics would be taught in the future related to staffing and staff development. Conclusions This study describes how ethics was taught and assessed in 2004. The findings show that, although ethics now has an accepted place in the curriculum, more can be done to ensure that the recommended content is taught and assessed optimally. PMID:16507668

School-linked sexual health services for young people (SSHYP): a survey and systematic review concerning current models, effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and research opportunities.

PubMed

Owen, J; Carroll, C; Cooke, J; Formby, E; Hayter, M; Hirst, J; Lloyd Jones, M; Stapleton, H; Stevenson, M; Sutton, A

2010-06-01

Report based on a service-mapping study and a systematic review concerning sexual health services for young people, either based in or closely linked to schools. To identify current forms of school-based sexual health services (SBSHS) and school-linked sexual health services (SLSHS) in the UK, review and synthesise existing evidence from qualitative and quantitative studies concerning the effectiveness, acceptability and cost-effectiveness of these types of service and to identify potential areas for further research. Electronic databases were searched from 1985 onwards. For published material: the Cochrane Library (1991-), MEDLINE, PREMEDLINE (2007-), CINAHL, EMBASE, AMED, ASSIA (1987-), IBSS, ERIC, PsycINFO, Science Citation Index (SCI) and Social Sciences Citation Index. For unpublished material and grey literature: the Social Care Institute of Excellence Research Register; the National Research Register (1997-), ReFeR; Index to Theses, and HMIC. A service-mapping questionnaire was circulated to school nurses in all parts of the UK, and semistructured telephone interviews with service coordinators in NHS and local authority (LA) roles were conducted. An evidence synthesis was performed based on a systematic review of the quantitative evidence about service effectiveness, qualitative evidence about user and professional views and a mixed-methods synthesis. A proof-of-concept model for assessing cost-effectiveness was drawn up. Three broad types of UK sexual health service provision were identified. Firstly, SBSHS staffed by school nurses, offering 'minimal' or 'basic' levels of service. Secondly, SBSHS and SLSHS staffed by a multiprofessional team, but not medical practitioners, offering 'basic' or 'intermediate' levels of service. Thirdly, SBSHS and SLSHS staffed by a multiprofessional team, including medical practitioners offering 'intermediate' or 'comprehensive' levels of service. The systematic review showed that SBSHS are not associated with higher rates of sexual activity among young people, nor with an earlier age of first intercourse. There was evidence to show positive effects in terms of reductions in births to teenage mothers, and in chlamydial infection rates among young men, although this evidence coming primarily from the USA. Therefore, the findings need to be tested in relation to UK-based services. Also evidence to suggest that broad-based, holistic service models, not restricted to sexual health, offer the strongest basis for protecting young people's privacy and confidentiality, countering perceived stigmatisation, offering the most comprehensive range of products and services, and maximising service uptake. Findings from the mapping study also indicate that broad-based services, which include medical practitioner input within a multiprofessional team, meet the stated preferences of staff and of young people most clearly. Partnership-based developments of this kind also conform to the broad policy principles embodied in the Every Child Matters framework in the UK and allied policy initiatives. However, neither these service models nor narrower ones have been rigorously evaluated in terms of their impact on the key outcomes of conception rates and sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates, in the UK or in other countries. Therefore, appropriate data were not found to support cost-effectiveness modelling. Low response rate to the questionnaire. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were under-represented. Also, the distinction made in the questionnaire between 'general health' and 'sexual health' services did not prove robust. There is no single, dominant service model in the UK. The systematic review demonstrated that the evidence base for these services remains limited and uneven, and draws largely on US studies. Qualitative research is needed to develop robust process and outcome indicators for the evaluation of SLSHS/SBSHS in the UK. These indicators could then be used both in local evaluations, and in large, longitudinal studies of service effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. Future research should examine the impact of the differing types of services currently evolving in the UK, encompassing school-based and school-linked models, as well as models with and without medical practitioner involvement.

Influences on students’ career decisions concerning general practice: a focus group study

PubMed Central

Nicholson, Sandra; Hastings, Adrian Michael; McKinley, Robert Kee

2016-01-01

Background Despite concerns about recruitment to UK general practice, there has been no concerted educational intervention to address them. Aim To better understand how medical students’ perceptions of their experiences of their undergraduate curriculum may affect choosing general practice as a career. Design and setting Qualitative study comprising focus groups of a total of 58 students from a range of medical schools across the UK. Method A range of UK medical schools students were invited by email to participate in focus groups and return a questionnaire detailing their current career choice to facilitate sampling students with varied career preferences. Students late in their studies were sampled as they were likely to be considering future careers. Focus group discussions were audiotaped, transcribed, and anonymised for both school and participant, then thematically analysed. Perceived differences in medical school culture, curriculum philosophy, design, and intent were explored. Results Six focus groups (58 students) were convened. Some student participants’ career aspirations were strongly shaped by family and home, but clinical placements remained important in confirming or refuting these choices. High-quality general practice attachments are a powerful attractor to general practice and, when they reflect authentic clinical practice, promote general practice careers. GP tutors can be powerful, positive role models. Students’ comments revealed conflicting understandings about general practice. Conclusion Attracting rather than coercing students to general practice is likely to be more effective at changing their career choices. Early, high-quality, ongoing and, authentic clinical exposure promotes general practice and combats negative stereotyping. It is recommended that increasing opportunities to help students understand what it means to be a ‘good GP’ and how this can be achieved are created. PMID:27578812

Launching biosimilar rituximab: an industry opinion on biosimilar uptake in Europe.

PubMed

Trollope, Richard; Johnson, Sue; Ireland, Henry

2017-06-01

Richard Trollope and Sue Johnson talk with Henry Ireland, Senior Editor about the recent approval of biosimilar rituximab (Truxima ® ) & the current state of biosimilar uptake across Europe Richard Trollope, Head of Biosimilars, Mundipharma International Limited, qualified as a biochemist before joining Wyeth's commercial operations, prior to its acquisition by Pfizer. Richard later joined Yamanouchi Pharmaceuticals (now Astellas Pharma). His fascination with oncology led him to join Mundipharma in Europe and after joining the company's UK arm (Napp Pharmaceuticals Limited), Richard began his journey in biosimilars. He now heads up the biosimilar franchise at Mundipharma International as it launches biosimilar rituximab (Truxima ® ) - the first biosimilar monoclonal antibody for the treatment of cancer, which will be distributed by Napp Pharmaceuticals in the UK. Sue Johnson, PhD, Medical Insights at Mundipharma International Limited, is a scientist by background and completed her postdoc fellowship at Harvard Medical School. On returning to the UK, she began her career in the pharmaceutical industry, working in UK Medical Affairs before transitioning to a European role with Mundipharma 2 years ago, where she leads on Medical Insights for the biosimilars franchise.

Teaching public health in UK medical schools: 'things have improved: teaching no longer feels like an expensive hobby'.

PubMed

Lyon, Anna K; Hothersall, Eleanor J; Gillam, Steve

2016-09-01

Recent policy initiatives in the UK have underlined the importance of public health education for healthcare professionals. We aimed to describe teaching inputs to medical undergraduate curricula, to identify perceived challenges in the delivery of public health teaching and make recommendations that may overcome them. We undertook a cross-sectional survey; questionnaires were sent electronically to 32 teaching leads in academic departments of public health in UK medical schools and followed up by telephone interviews. We obtained a 75% response rate; 13 public health teaching leads were interviewed. We found much variability between schools in teaching methods, curricular content and resources used. Concerns regarding the long-term sustainability of teaching focus on: staffing levels and availability, funding and the prioritization of research over teaching. We give examples of integration of public health with clinical teaching, innovative projects in public health and ways of enabling students to witness public health in action. There is a need to increase the supply of well-trained and motivated teachers and combine the best traditional teaching methods with more innovative approaches. Suggestions are made as to how undergraduate public health teaching can be strengthened. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Support for medical students with mental health problems: a conceptual model.

PubMed

Grant, Andrew; Rix, Andrew; Winter, Peter; Mattick, Karen; Jones, Debbie

2015-02-01

Medical students experience higher prevalence of mental illness than age-matched controls and are less likely to access appropriate help when this happens. The aim of this study was to determine the range of strategies deployed by medical schools to support medical students with mental health concerns and to use this to identify distinct categories. Websites and documents relating to all 32 UK medical schools were looked at, as were reports for quality assurance visits carried out by the General Medical Council (UK). A structured telephone interview was carried out with medical schools. Support services were examined by tracing the path that might be taken by a hypothetical student with mental health concerns of varying severity, seeing what was required and what was available at each stage. A range of support strategies is available to most medical students both from their medical school and from generic services in the university. Medical students will usually first contact a personal tutor or a senior member of faculty or be contacted by them as a result of concerns raised either via performance issues or by another student. While individual support interventions are mostly based on evidence of effectiveness, there is no unifying theory in terms of what constitutes effective support. To enable analysis of support interventions and comparison across providers, a six-stage conceptual model of prevention was developed. The six stages are the following: prevention, identification, referral, escalation, treatment, and reintegration. The staged model, derived from analysis of existing interventions, provides a framework for evaluation of current provision and comparison of different methods of delivery. Moreover, it provides a framework for future research.

Teaching fellowships for UK foundation doctors.

PubMed

Qureshi, Shaun

2015-01-01

Teaching Fellowships for junior doctors in their second post-graduate (FY2) year should be considered by medical students and junior doctors in UK. FY2 Teaching Fellowships are available in many foundation schools as part of the UK Academic Foundation Programme. Although programme structures differ between schools, they are designed to allow junior trainees to take time out from clinical practice to develop their teaching skills and gain insights into medication education careers. The advantages of an FY2 teaching fellowship include valuable experience of teaching and formal feedback not available to other trainees; the opportunity to further develop your portfolio; further development of the trainee's own knowledge and skills; the stimulation of working with students. Potential drawbacks to be considered are reduced direct clinical contact; reduced salary; difficulty carrying out education research in the allocated time frame; occasional difficulties establishing the teacher-student relationship while the trainee is at a relatively junior level. Experience of medical education as an FY2 trainee provides a helpful stepping stone whether or not the trainee further pursues education as a career, because the teaching skills are transferable to any specialty, and the unique experience enhances the trainee's confidence as a role model for junior colleagues.

Creating better doctors: exploring the value of learning medicine in primary care.

PubMed

Newbronner, Elizabeth; Borthwick, Rachel; Finn, Gabrielle; Scales, Michael; Pearson, David

2017-07-01

Across the UK, 13% of undergraduate medical education is undertaken in primary care (PC). Students value their experiences in this setting but uncertainty remains about the extent to which these placements influence their future practice. To explore the impact of PC based undergraduate medical education on the development of medical students and new doctors as clinicians, and on students' preparedness for practice. Mixed method study across two UK medical schools. Focus groups and individual interviews with Year 5 medical students, Foundation Year 2 doctors and GP Specialty Trainees; online surveys of Year 5 medical students and Foundation Year 2 doctors. PC placements play an important part in the development of all 'apprentice' doctors, not just those wanting to become GPs. They provide a high quality learning environment, where students can: gradually take on responsibility; build confidence; develop empathy in their approach to patient care; and gain understanding of the social context of health and illness. The study suggests that for these results to be achieved, PC placements have to be high quality, with strong links between practice-based learning and teaching/assessment in medical school. GP tutors need to be enthusiastic and students actively involved in consultations.

CPR and the RCP (2). Training of students and doctors in UK medical schools.

PubMed

Gillard, J H; Dent, T H; Jolly, B C; Wallis, D A; Hicks, B H

1993-10-01

We asked British medical schools and teaching hospitals about the training they offer to medical students and hospital doctors in cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The response rate was 96%. Training that is practical and consistent with guidelines is offered to nearly all students and house officers, often by consultants. Training for other junior doctors and consultants is much less common. The organisation of training is haphazard, and many hospitals have no resuscitation training officers. As a result, few doctors receive the frequent retraining needed to maintain competence in managing cardiopulmonary arrest.

Are efforts to attract graduate applicants to UK medical schools effective in increasing the participation of under-represented socioeconomic groups? A national cohort study.

PubMed

Kumwenda, Ben; Cleland, Jennifer; Greatrix, Rachel; MacKenzie, Rhoda Katharine; Prescott, Gordon

2018-02-14

Attracting graduates was recommended as a means of diversifying the UK medical student population. Graduates now make up nearly a quarter of the total medical student population. Research to date has focused on comparing the sociodemographic characteristics of applicants to and/or students on traditional and graduate entry programmes (GEMs), yet GEMs account for only 40% of the graduate medical student population. Thus, we aimed to compare the sociodemographic characteristic and outcomes of graduates and non-graduate applicants across a range of programmes. This was an observational study of 117 214 applicants to medicine who took the UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) from 2006 to 2014 and who applied to medical school through Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). We included applicant demographics, UKCAT total score and offers in our analysis. Applicants were assigned as graduates or non-graduates on the basis of their highest qualification. Multiple logistic regression was used to predict the odds of receiving an offer, after adjusting for confounders. Irrespective of graduate or non-graduate status, most applicants were from the highest socioeconomic groups and were from a white ethnic background. Receiving an offer was related to gender and ethnicity in both graduates and non-graduates. After adjusting for UKCAT score, the OR of an offer for graduates versus non-graduates was approximately 0.5 (OR=0.48, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.49). Our findings indicate that the aim of diversifying the medical student population on socioeconomic grounds by attracting graduates has been only marginally successful. Graduate applicants from widening access backgrounds are less likely than others to be offered a place at medical school. Different approaches must be considered if medicine is to attract and select more socially diverse applicants. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Are efforts to attract graduate applicants to UK medical schools effective in increasing the participation of under-represented socioeconomic groups? A national cohort study

PubMed Central

Cleland, Jennifer; Greatrix, Rachel; Prescott, Gordon

2018-01-01

Introduction Attracting graduates was recommended as a means of diversifying the UK medical student population. Graduates now make up nearly a quarter of the total medical student population. Research to date has focused on comparing the sociodemographic characteristics of applicants to and/or students on traditional and graduate entry programmes (GEMs), yet GEMs account for only 40% of the graduate medical student population. Thus, we aimed to compare the sociodemographic characteristic and outcomes of graduates and non-graduate applicants across a range of programmes. Methods This was an observational study of 117 214 applicants to medicine who took the UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) from 2006 to 2014 and who applied to medical school through Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). We included applicant demographics, UKCAT total score and offers in our analysis. Applicants were assigned as graduates or non-graduates on the basis of their highest qualification. Multiple logistic regression was used to predict the odds of receiving an offer, after adjusting for confounders. Results Irrespective of graduate or non-graduate status, most applicants were from the highest socioeconomic groups and were from a white ethnic background. Receiving an offer was related to gender and ethnicity in both graduates and non-graduates. After adjusting for UKCAT score, the OR of an offer for graduates versus non-graduates was approximately 0.5 (OR=0.48, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.49). Discussion Our findings indicate that the aim of diversifying the medical student population on socioeconomic grounds by attracting graduates has been only marginally successful. Graduate applicants from widening access backgrounds are less likely than others to be offered a place at medical school. Different approaches must be considered if medicine is to attract and select more socially diverse applicants. PMID:29444782

Education and Health Knowledge: Evidence from UK Compulsory Schooling Reform. CEP Discussion Paper No. 1297

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, David W.; Lordon, Grace; Shields, Michael A.; Suziedelyte, Agne

2014-01-01

We investigate if there is a causal link between education and health knowledge using data from the 1984/85 and 1991/92 waves of the UK Health and Lifestyle Survey (HALS). Uniquely, the survey asks respondents what they think are the main causes of ten common health conditions, and we compare these answers to those given by medical professionals…

Factors affecting UK medical students' decision to train in urology: a national survey.

PubMed

Jayakumar, Nithish; Ahmed, Kamran; Challacombe, Ben

2016-10-01

Our aim was to understand the specific factors which influence medical students' choice to train in urology, in order to attract the best and the brightest into the specialty during a challenging time for surgical training in the United Kingdom A cross-sectional web-based survey was generated to evaluate: 1) perceptions of urology; 2) attitudes about urology as a career; 3) exposure to urology at medical school; and 4) proficiency in common urological procedures. The survey was sent to all 33 medical schools in the UK and advertised to all medical students. The survey received 488 responses were received from 14 medical schools; 59.8% of respondents did not consider a career in urology. Factors affecting a career choice in urology included: 1) year of study; 2) male gender; 3) favorable perceptions of urology; 4) favorable attitudes about urology as a career; 5) more hours of urology teaching in preclinical years; 6) attendance at urology theatre sessions; 7) confidence in performing urological procedures; and 8) more attempts at male catheterization. The commonest reason for not considering urology was inadequate exposure to urology. Students in Year 3 were more likely to consider urology than final-year students, due to multifactorial reasons. Year of study is a novel factor affecting students' consideration of urology as a career. This paper clearly shows that early and sustained exposure to urology positively correlated with considering a career in urology. Urologists must be more active in promoting the specialty to medical students.

Burns teaching in UK medical schools: Is it enough?

PubMed

Zinchenko, Ruslan; Perry, Fiona M; Dheansa, Baljit S

2016-02-01

Burns are frequently seen and managed in non-specialist settings. The crowding of the UK medical undergraduate curriculum may have resulted in the reduction of teaching on burns. To determine the burns education experience and the level of competence among UK final year medical students in assessing and acutely managing patients with burns. An online questionnaire was circulated among UK final year medical students. There was a total of 348 respondents. The majority of the respondents (70%) have not received any specific teaching on how to manage patients with burns. Nearly two-thirds of the students (66%) have never seen a patient being managed for burns throughout their training. Over 90% of respondents stated that they would not feel confident in initially managing a burn in the emergency department. The majority of the respondents (57%) have not heard of the criteria for referring a burns patient for further specialist management. There was almost universal agreement about the importance of knowing how to manage a burn initially. There seems to be a lack of consistent undergraduate training in burns management and final year students lack the experience and knowledge to initially manage burns. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Medical students' perceptions of general practice as a career; a phenomenological study using socialisation theory.

PubMed

Reid, Katherine; Alberti, Hugh

2018-04-23

The ageing population and push to community care has significantly increased the workload of General Practitioners (GPs) in the UK and internationally. In an attempt to tackle this, NHS England has promised 5000 more GPs by 2020/21; however, recruitment is in crisis with GP training posts remaining unfilled. Little research has been carried out to assess the fundamental questions of what medical students' perceptions of General Practice are and what shapes their perceptions at medical school. We aimed to explore medical students' conceptualisations of being a GP and specifically the role of the medical school in shaping their perceptions. Two focus groups of year one and year four medical students were undertaken using an interpretive phenomenological approach. Our study has revealed that medical students perceive General Practice to lack prestige and challenge. These perceptions come, at least in part, from a process of socialisation within medical school, whereby medical students internalise and adopt their role models' perceptions and values, and the values portrayed by the hidden curriculum in their medical school culture. Perceived external pressures to pursue a career in General Practice can have a negative influence and medical schools should be made aware of this.

'Hello, my name is Gabriel, I am the house officer, may I examine you?' or the Objective Santa Christmas Examination (OSCE).

PubMed

Wood, D; Roberts, T; Bradley, P; Lloyd, D; O'Neill, P

1999-12-01

To design a clinical examination of high content validity suitable for use as a formative assessment tool with pre-registration house officers (PRHO'S) towards the end of their first house officer post. A multicentre collaboration between four UK medical schools who offer undergraduate curricula which are problem-based, systems-based, patient-orientated, student-centred, jargon-laden and utterly staff-bewildering. An objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) which is suitable for use with graduates of UK medical schools. It assesses the knowledge, skills and attitudes essential for future careers in a hierarchical system where protecting the senior staff from all forms of irritation is paramount. PRHO'S who excel in this examination get better references. The OSCE format can be used to provide 'real-life' scenarios appropriate to the season.

Student Attitudes toward Cadaveric Dissection at a UK Medical School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quince, Thelma A.; Barclay, Stephen I. G.; Spear, Michelle; Parker, Richard A.; Wood, Diana F.

2011-01-01

A more humanistic approach toward dissection has emerged. However, student attitudes toward this approach are unknown and the influences on such attitudes are little understood. One hundred and fifty-six first-year medical students participated in a study examining firstly, attitudes toward the process of dissection and the personhood of the…

The Mediators of Minority Ethnic Underperformance in Final Medical School Examinations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woolf, Katherine; McManus, I. Chris; Potts, Henry W. W.; Dacre, Jane

2013-01-01

Background: UK-trained medical students and doctors from minority ethnic groups underperform academically. It is unclear why this problem exists, which makes it dif?cult to know how to address it. Aim: To investigate whether demographic and psychological factors mediate the relationship between ethnicity and ?nal examination scores. Sample: Two…

Interview: Investigating immunomodulators among the Actinomycetales. Interview by Hannah Wilson.

PubMed

Stanford, John L

2013-05-01

John L Stanford speaks to Hannah Wilson, Assistant Commissioning Editor John L Stanford is Chief Scientific Officer at BioEos Ltd (Kent, UK). Dr Stanford began his career as a senior lecturer and then reader in microbiology at Middlesex Hospital Medical School (London, UK), then University College London Medical School, where he became Professor in Medical Microbiology and Head of Department in 1997. He retired and became Professor Emeritus in 2004. Dr Stanford's career has been devoted to research into mycobacteria, the diseases that they cause and the practical uses of this research. His special interest in recent years has been the development of bacterial immunotherapeutics for a range of diseases including tuberculosis and cancer. Dr Stanford was one of the founding directors of Stanford Rook Ltd (London) and of BioEos Ltd, where he remains a director. He also played a part in the founding of Immodulon Therapeutics Ltd (London) and of a new company, ActinoPharma Ltd (London), and has published more than 200 peer-reviewed scientific papers.

Surgical Safety Training of World Health Organization Initiatives.

PubMed

Davis, Christopher R; Bates, Anthony S; Toll, Edward C; Cole, Matthew; Smith, Frank C T; Stark, Michael

2014-01-01

Undergraduate training in surgical safety is essential to maximize patient safety. This national review quantified undergraduate surgical safety training. Training of 2 international safety initiatives was quantified: (1) World Health Organization (WHO) "Guidelines for Safe Surgery" and (2) Department of Health (DoH) "Principles of the Productive Operating Theatre." Also, 13 additional safety skills were quantified. Data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U tests. In all, 23 universities entered the study (71.9% response). Safety skills from WHO and DoH documents were formally taught in 4 UK medical schools (17.4%). Individual components of the documents were taught more frequently (47.6%). Half (50.9%) of the additional safety skills identified were taught. Surgical societies supplemented safety training, although the total amount of training provided was less than that in university curricula (P < .0001). Surgical safety training is inadequate in UK medical schools. To protect patients and maximize safety, a national undergraduate safety curriculum is recommended. © 2013 by the American College of Medical Quality.

Early career choices and successful career progression in surgery in the UK: prospective cohort studies

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Changes to the structure of medical training worldwide require doctors to decide on their career specialty at an increasingly early stage after graduation. We studied trends in career choices for surgery, and the eventual career destinations, of UK graduates who declared an early preference for surgery. Methods Postal questionnaires were sent, at regular time intervals after qualification, to all medical qualifiers from all UK medical schools in selected qualification years between 1974 and 2005. They were sent in the first year after qualification, at year three and five years after qualification, and at longer time intervals thereafter. Results Responses were received from 27 749 of 38 280 doctors (73%) at year one, 23 468 of 33151 (71%) at year three, and 17 689 of 24 870 (71%) at year five. Early career preferences showed that surgery has become more popular over the past two decades. Looking forward from early career choice, 60% of respondents (64% of men, 48% of women) with a first preference for a surgical specialty at year one eventually worked in surgery (p < 0.001 for the male-female comparison). Looking backward from eventual career destinations, 90% of responders working in surgery had originally specified a first choice for a surgical specialty at year one. 'Match' rates between eventual destinations and early choices were much higher for surgery than for other specialties. Considering factors that influenced early specialty choice 'a great deal', comparing aspiring surgeons and aspiring general practitioners (GPs), a significantly higher percentage who chose surgery than general practice specified enthusiasm for the specialty (73% vs. 53%), a particular teacher or department (34% vs. 12%), inclinations before medical school (20% vs. 11%), and future financial prospects (24% vs. 13%); and a lower percentage specified that hours and working conditions had influenced their choice (21% vs. 71%). Women choosing surgery were influenced less than men by their inclinations before medical school or by their future financial prospects. Conclusions Surgery is a popular specialty choice in the UK. The great majority of doctors who progressed in a surgical career made an early and definitive decision to do so. PMID:21044317

Early career choices and successful career progression in surgery in the UK: prospective cohort studies.

PubMed

Goldacre, Michael J; Laxton, Louise; Harrison, Ewen M; Richards, Jennifer M J; Lambert, Trevor W; Parks, Rowan W

2010-11-02

Changes to the structure of medical training worldwide require doctors to decide on their career specialty at an increasingly early stage after graduation. We studied trends in career choices for surgery, and the eventual career destinations, of UK graduates who declared an early preference for surgery. Postal questionnaires were sent, at regular time intervals after qualification, to all medical qualifiers from all UK medical schools in selected qualification years between 1974 and 2005. They were sent in the first year after qualification, at year three and five years after qualification, and at longer time intervals thereafter. Responses were received from 27,749 of 38,280 doctors (73%) at year one, 23,468 of 33,151 (71%) at year three, and 17,689 of 24,870 (71%) at year five. Early career preferences showed that surgery has become more popular over the past two decades. Looking forward from early career choice, 60% of respondents (64% of men, 48% of women) with a first preference for a surgical specialty at year one eventually worked in surgery (p < 0.001 for the male-female comparison). Looking backward from eventual career destinations, 90% of responders working in surgery had originally specified a first choice for a surgical specialty at year one. 'Match' rates between eventual destinations and early choices were much higher for surgery than for other specialties. Considering factors that influenced early specialty choice 'a great deal', comparing aspiring surgeons and aspiring general practitioners (GPs), a significantly higher percentage who chose surgery than general practice specified enthusiasm for the specialty (73% vs. 53%), a particular teacher or department (34% vs. 12%), inclinations before medical school (20% vs. 11%), and future financial prospects (24% vs. 13%); and a lower percentage specified that hours and working conditions had influenced their choice (21% vs. 71%). Women choosing surgery were influenced less than men by their inclinations before medical school or by their future financial prospects. Surgery is a popular specialty choice in the UK. The great majority of doctors who progressed in a surgical career made an early and definitive decision to do so.

Undergraduate allergy teaching in a UK medical school: comparison of the described and delivered curriculum.

PubMed

Shehata, Yasser; Ross, Michael; Sheikh, Aziz

2007-02-01

Concerns have been raised about the adequacy of allergy teaching in UK undergraduate medical curricula. Our previous work, which involved undertaking a systematic analysis of the documented curricular learning objectives relating to allergy teaching in a UK medical school, found references to allergy teaching in each of the five years of study but also identified some apparent omissions in allergy teaching. These may represent actual gaps in relation to allergy training, or alternatively may reflect dissonance between the described and delivered curricula. To compare the described and delivered undergraduate curricula on allergy and allergy-related topics in a UK medical school. We identified and e-mailed the individuals responsible for each of the 43 modules in the five-year undergraduate medical programme at the University of Edinburgh, enquiring about the delivery of allergy-related teaching within their modules. We then compared these responses with the results of the previous study mapping allergy-related teaching across the undergraduate curriculum. Fifty-one individuals were identified as being responsible for leading the 43 modules in the curriculum. Forty-nine (96%) of these module organisers responded to our enquiry; these individuals represented 41 of the 43 modules (95%). Module organisers reported that allergy-related teaching and learning was delivered in 14 modules (33%), was absent in 13 (30%) modules, and may occur to varying degrees within a further 10 (23%) modules. Module organisers' responses about the delivered curriculum on allergy were consistent with the findings from documented learning objectives in 21 (49%) modules. They also reported allergy teaching and learning in modules which had not been identified by examination of the learning objectives; however, there were still important gaps in the allergy-related curriculum. Information gathered from teaching staff confirms that specific teaching and learning on allergic disorders is currently being delivered in all five years of the undergraduate curriculum. However, comparison between the described and delivered curricula on allergy revealed discrepancies highlighting the complex nature of the undergraduate curriculum and the difficulties involved in mapping specific teaching themes within them. This assessment has revealed gaps in allergy training which need to be addressed.

Medical education, global health and travel medicine: a modern student's experience.

PubMed

Tissingh, Elizabeth Khadija

2009-01-01

Today's medical student will practice medicine in a globalised world, where an understanding of travel medicine and global health will be vital. Students at UK medical schools are keen to learn more about these areas and yet receive little specific training. Tomorrow's doctors should be taught about global health and travel medicine if they are to be prepared to work in tomorrow's world.

Predictors of fitness to practise declarations in UK medical undergraduates.

PubMed

Paton, Lewis W; Tiffin, Paul A; Smith, Daniel; Dowell, Jon S; Mwandigha, Lazaro M

2018-04-05

Misconduct during medical school predicts subsequent fitness to practise (FtP) events in doctors, but relatively little is known about which factors are associated with such issues during undergraduate education. This study exploits the newly created UK medical education database (UKMED), with the aim of identifying predictors of conduct or health-related issues that could potentially impair FtP. The findings would have implications for policies related to both the selection and support of medical students. Data were available for 14,379 students obtaining provisional registration with the General Medical Council who started medical school in 2007 and 2008. FtP declarations made by students were available, as were various educational and demographic predictor variables, including self-report 'personality measures' for students who participated in UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) pilot studies. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were developed to evaluate the predictors of FtP declarations. Significant univariable predictors (p < 0.05) for conduct-related declarations included male gender, white ethnicity and a non-professional parental background. Male gender (OR 3.07) and higher 'self-esteem' (OR 1.45) were independently associated with an increased risk of a conduct issue. Female gender, a non-professional background, and lower self-reported 'confidence' were, among others, associated with increased odds of a health-related declaration. Only 'confidence' was a significant independent predictor of a health declaration (OR 0.69). Female gender, higher UKCAT score, a non-professional background and lower 'confidence' scores were significant predictors of reported depression, and the latter two variables were independent predictors of declared depression. White ethnicity and UK nationality were associated with increased odds of both conduct and health-related declarations, as were certain personality traits. Students from non-professional backgrounds may be at increased risk of depression and therefore could benefit from targeted support. The small effect sizes observed for the 'personality measures' suggest they would offer little potential benefit for selection, over and above those measures already in use.

Ethnicity and academic performance in UK trained doctors and medical students: systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Potts, Henry W W; McManus, I C

2011-01-01

Objective To determine whether the ethnicity of UK trained doctors and medical students is related to their academic performance. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data sources Online databases PubMed, Scopus, and ERIC; Google and Google Scholar; personal knowledge; backwards and forwards citations; specific searches of medical education journals and medical education conference abstracts. Study selection The included quantitative reports measured the performance of medical students or UK trained doctors from different ethnic groups in undergraduate or postgraduate assessments. Exclusions were non-UK assessments, only non-UK trained candidates, only self reported assessment data, only dropouts or another non-academic variable, obvious sampling bias, or insufficient details of ethnicity or outcomes. Results 23 reports comparing the academic performance of medical students and doctors from different ethnic groups were included. Meta-analyses of effects from 22 reports (n=23 742) indicated candidates of “non-white” ethnicity underperformed compared with white candidates (Cohen’s d=−0.42, 95% confidence interval −0.50 to −0.34; P<0.001). Effects in the same direction and of similar magnitude were found in meta-analyses of undergraduate assessments only, postgraduate assessments only, machine marked written assessments only, practical clinical assessments only, assessments with pass/fail outcomes only, assessments with continuous outcomes only, and in a meta-analysis of white v Asian candidates only. Heterogeneity was present in all meta-analyses. Conclusion Ethnic differences in academic performance are widespread across different medical schools, different types of exam, and in undergraduates and postgraduates. They have persisted for many years and cannot be dismissed as atypical or local problems. We need to recognise this as an issue that probably affects all of UK medical and higher education. More detailed information to track the problem as well as further research into its causes is required. Such actions are necessary to ensure a fair and just method of training and of assessing current and future doctors. PMID:21385802

Ethnicity and academic performance in UK trained doctors and medical students: systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Woolf, Katherine; Potts, Henry W W; McManus, I C

2011-03-08

To determine whether the ethnicity of UK trained doctors and medical students is related to their academic performance. Systematic review and meta-analysis. Online databases PubMed, Scopus, and ERIC; Google and Google Scholar; personal knowledge; backwards and forwards citations; specific searches of medical education journals and medical education conference abstracts. The included quantitative reports measured the performance of medical students or UK trained doctors from different ethnic groups in undergraduate or postgraduate assessments. Exclusions were non-UK assessments, only non-UK trained candidates, only self reported assessment data, only dropouts or another non-academic variable, obvious sampling bias, or insufficient details of ethnicity or outcomes. Results 23 reports comparing the academic performance of medical students and doctors from different ethnic groups were included. Meta-analyses of effects from 22 reports (n = 23,742) indicated candidates of "non-white" ethnicity underperformed compared with white candidates (Cohen's d = -0.42, 95% confidence interval -0.50 to -0.34; P<0.001). Effects in the same direction and of similar magnitude were found in meta-analyses of undergraduate assessments only, postgraduate assessments only, machine marked written assessments only, practical clinical assessments only, assessments with pass/fail outcomes only, assessments with continuous outcomes only, and in a meta-analysis of white v Asian candidates only. Heterogeneity was present in all meta-analyses. Ethnic differences in academic performance are widespread across different medical schools, different types of exam, and in undergraduates and postgraduates. They have persisted for many years and cannot be dismissed as atypical or local problems. We need to recognise this as an issue that probably affects all of UK medical and higher education. More detailed information to track the problem as well as further research into its causes is required. Such actions are necessary to ensure a fair and just method of training and of assessing current and future doctors.

Medical students' attitudes towards peer physical examination: findings from an international cross-sectional and longitudinal study.

PubMed

Rees, Charlotte E; Wearn, Andy M; Vnuk, Anna K; Sato, Toshio J

2009-03-01

Although studies have begun to shed light on medical students' attitudes towards peer physical examination (PPE), they have been conducted at single sites, and have generally not examined changes in medical students' attitudes over time. Employing both cross-sectional and longitudinal designs, the current study examines medical students' attitudes towards PPE at schools from different geographical and cultural regions and assess changes in their attitudes over their first year of medical study. Students at six schools (Peninsula, UK; Durham, UK; Auckland, New Zealand; Flinders, Australia; Sapporo, Japan and Li Ka Shing, Hong Kong) completed the Examining Fellow Students (EFS) questionnaire near the start of their academic year (T1), and students at four schools (Peninsula, Durham, Auckland and Flinders) completed the EFS for a second time, around the end of their academic year (T2). Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed a high level of acceptance for PPE of non-intimate body regions amongst medical students from all schools (greater than 83%, hips, at T1 and 94.5%, hips and upper body, at T2). At T1 and T2, students' willingness to engage in PPE was associated with their gender, ethnicity, religiosity and school. Typically, students least comfortable with PPE at T1 and T2 were female, non-white, religious and studying at Auckland. Although students' attitudes towards PPE were reasonably stable over their first year of study, and after exposure to PPE, we did find some statistically significant differences in attitudes between T1 and T2. Interestingly, attitude changes were consistently predicted by gender, even when controlling for school. While male students' attitudes towards PPE were relatively stable over time, females' attitudes were changeable. In this paper, we discuss our findings in light of existing research and theory, and discuss their implications for educational practice and further research.

Predictive validity of the UK clinical aptitude test in the final years of medical school: a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Husbands, Adrian; Mathieson, Alistair; Dowell, Jonathan; Cleland, Jennifer; MacKenzie, Rhoda

2014-04-23

The UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) was designed to address issues identified with traditional methods of selection. This study aims to examine the predictive validity of the UKCAT and compare this to traditional selection methods in the senior years of medical school. This was a follow-up study of two cohorts of students from two medical schools who had previously taken part in a study examining the predictive validity of the UKCAT in first year. The sample consisted of 4th and 5th Year students who commenced their studies at the University of Aberdeen or University of Dundee medical schools in 2007. Data collected were: demographics (gender and age group), UKCAT scores; Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) form scores; admission interview scores; Year 4 and 5 degree examination scores. Pearson's correlations were used to examine the relationships between admissions variables, examination scores, gender and age group, and to select variables for multiple linear regression analysis to predict examination scores. Ninety-nine and 89 students at Aberdeen medical school from Years 4 and 5 respectively, and 51 Year 4 students in Dundee, were included in the analysis. Neither UCAS form nor interview scores were statistically significant predictors of examination performance. Conversely, the UKCAT yielded statistically significant validity coefficients between .24 and .36 in four of five assessments investigated. Multiple regression analysis showed the UKCAT made a statistically significant unique contribution to variance in examination performance in the senior years. Results suggest the UKCAT appears to predict performance better in the later years of medical school compared to earlier years and provides modest supportive evidence for the UKCAT's role in student selection within these institutions. Further research is needed to assess the predictive validity of the UKCAT against professional and behavioural outcomes as the cohort commences working life.

Predictive validity of the UK clinical aptitude test in the final years of medical school: a prospective cohort study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) was designed to address issues identified with traditional methods of selection. This study aims to examine the predictive validity of the UKCAT and compare this to traditional selection methods in the senior years of medical school. This was a follow-up study of two cohorts of students from two medical schools who had previously taken part in a study examining the predictive validity of the UKCAT in first year. Methods The sample consisted of 4th and 5th Year students who commenced their studies at the University of Aberdeen or University of Dundee medical schools in 2007. Data collected were: demographics (gender and age group), UKCAT scores; Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) form scores; admission interview scores; Year 4 and 5 degree examination scores. Pearson’s correlations were used to examine the relationships between admissions variables, examination scores, gender and age group, and to select variables for multiple linear regression analysis to predict examination scores. Results Ninety-nine and 89 students at Aberdeen medical school from Years 4 and 5 respectively, and 51 Year 4 students in Dundee, were included in the analysis. Neither UCAS form nor interview scores were statistically significant predictors of examination performance. Conversely, the UKCAT yielded statistically significant validity coefficients between .24 and .36 in four of five assessments investigated. Multiple regression analysis showed the UKCAT made a statistically significant unique contribution to variance in examination performance in the senior years. Conclusions Results suggest the UKCAT appears to predict performance better in the later years of medical school compared to earlier years and provides modest supportive evidence for the UKCAT’s role in student selection within these institutions. Further research is needed to assess the predictive validity of the UKCAT against professional and behavioural outcomes as the cohort commences working life. PMID:24762134

Provision of medical student teaching in UK general practices: a cross-sectional questionnaire study

PubMed Central

Harding, Alex; Rosenthal, Joe; Al-Seaidy, Marwa; Gray, Denis Pereira; McKinley, Robert K

2015-01-01

Background Health care is increasingly provided in general practice. To meet this demand, the English Department of Health recommends that 50% of all medical students should train for general practice after qualification. Currently 19% of medical students express general practice as their first career choice. Undergraduate exposure to general practice positively influences future career choice. Appropriate undergraduate exposure to general practice is therefore highly relevant to workforce planning Aim This study seeks to quantify current exposure of medical students to general practice and compare it with past provision and also with postgraduate provision. Design and setting A cross-sectional questionnaire in the UK. Method A questionnaire regarding provision of undergraduate teaching was sent to the general practice teaching leads in all UK medical schools. Information was gathered on the amount of undergraduate teaching, how this was supported financially, and whether there was an integrated department of general practice. The data were then compared with results from previous studies of teaching provision. The provision of postgraduate teaching in general practice was also examined. Results General practice teaching for medical students increased from <1.0% of clinical teaching in 1968 to 13.0% by 2008; since then, the percentage has plateaued. The total amount of general practice teaching per student has fallen by 2 weeks since 2002. Medical schools providing financial data delivered 14.6% of the clinical curriculum and received 7.1% of clinical teaching funding. The number of departments of general practice has halved since 2002. Provision of postgraduate teaching has tripled since 2000. Conclusion Current levels of undergraduate teaching in general practice are too low to fulfil future workforce requirements and may be falling. Financial support for current teaching is disproportionately low and the mechanism counterproductive. Central intervention may be required to solve this. PMID:26009536

Doctors qualifying from United Kingdom medical schools during the calendar years 1977 and 1983.

PubMed

Parkhouse, J; Parkhouse, H F

1989-01-01

At the conclusion of undergraduate medical education in the United Kingdom most students pass a university qualifying examination and obtain a degree in medicine and surgery. Some students pass an external non-university qualifying examination in medicine as an alternative to obtaining a degree, and some do both. The degree may be obtained in the same year as the non-university qualifying examination, or in a different year. Some students from a medical school intake qualify in a later year than expected, for various reasons. Data from university, Health Department and other sources may relate to the academic year, the calendar year, or a fixed date such as 30 September. It is not a simple exercise, therefore, to define the exact number of people who qualify to practise medicine, for the first time, in any given 'year'. In counting qualifiers from individual medical schools, the problems are further compounded by the movement of students between the preclinical and clinical stages of the course, particularly from Oxford and Cambridge to London teaching hospitals. This paper analyses the situation for the calendar years 1977 and 1983, showing a decline in the number of students obtaining double (i.e. both university and non-university) qualifications. The number of UK graduates not registering with the General Medical Council to practise, at least for a time, in the UK was small, and the population base compiled for Medical Career Research Group studies was reasonably accurate in each of the 2 years examined.

PLAB and UK graduates' performance on MRCP(UK) and MRCGP examinations: data linkage study.

PubMed

McManus, I C; Wakeford, Richard

2014-04-17

To assess whether international medical graduates passing the two examinations set by the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB1 and PLAB2) of the General Medical Council (GMC) are equivalent to UK graduates at the end of the first foundation year of medical training (F1), as the GMC requires, and if not, to assess what changes in the PLAB pass marks might produce equivalence. Data linkage of GMC PLAB performance data with data from the Royal Colleges of Physicians and the Royal College of General Practitioners on performance of PLAB graduates and UK graduates at the MRCP(UK) and MRCGP examinations. Doctors in training for internal medicine or general practice in the United Kingdom. 7829, 5135, and 4387 PLAB graduates on their first attempt at MRCP(UK) Part 1, Part 2, and PACES assessments from 2001 to 2012 compared with 18,532, 14,094, and 14,376 UK graduates taking the same assessments; 3160 PLAB1 graduates making their first attempt at the MRCGP AKT during 2007-12 compared with 14,235 UK graduates; and 1411 PLAB2 graduates making their first attempt at the MRCGP CSA during 2010-12 compared with 6935 UK graduates. Performance at MRCP(UK) Part 1, Part 2, and PACES assessments, and MRCGP AKT and CSA assessments in relation to performance on PLAB1 and PLAB2 assessments, as well as to International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores. MRCP(UK), MRCGP, and PLAB results were analysed as marks relative to the pass mark at the first attempt. PLAB1 marks were a valid predictor of MRCP(UK) Part 1, MRCP(UK) Part 2, and MRCGP AKT (r=0.521, 0.390, and 0.490; all P<0.001). PLAB2 marks correlated with MRCP(UK) PACES and MRCGP CSA (r=0.274, 0.321; both P<0.001). PLAB graduates had significantly lower MRCP(UK) and MRCGP assessments (Glass's Δ=0.94, 0.91, 1.40, 1.01, and 1.82 for MRCP(UK) Part 1, Part 2, and PACES and MRCGP AKT and CSA), and were more likely to fail assessments and to progress more slowly than UK medical graduates. IELTS scores correlated significantly with later performance, multiple regression showing that the effect of PLAB1 (β=0.496) was much stronger than the effect of IELTS (β=0.086). Changes to PLAB pass marks that would result in international medical graduate and UK medical graduate equivalence were assessed in two ways. Method 1 adjusted PLAB pass marks to equate median performance of PLAB and UK graduates. Method 2 divided PLAB graduates into 12 equally spaced groups according to PLAB performance, and compared these with mean performance of graduates from individual UK medical schools, assessing which PLAB groups were equivalent in MRCP(UK) and MRCGP performance to UK graduates. The two methods produced similar results. To produce equivalent performance on the MRCP and MRGP examinations, the pass mark for PLAB1 would require raising by about 27 marks (13%) and for PLAB2 by about 15-16 marks (20%) above the present standard. PLAB is a valid assessment of medical knowledge and clinical skills, correlating well with performance at MRCP(UK) and MRCGP. PLAB graduates' knowledge and skills at MRCP(UK) and MRCGP are over one standard deviation below those of UK graduates, although differences in training quality cannot be taken into account. Equivalent performance in MRCGP(UK) and MRCGP would occur if the pass marks of PLAB1 and PLAB2 were raised considerably, but that would also reduce the pass rate, with implications for medical workforce planning. Increasing IELTS requirements would have less impact on equivalence than raising PLAB pass marks.

PLAB and UK graduates’ performance on MRCP(UK) and MRCGP examinations: data linkage study

PubMed Central

Wakeford, Richard

2014-01-01

Objectives To assess whether international medical graduates passing the two examinations set by the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB1 and PLAB2) of the General Medical Council (GMC) are equivalent to UK graduates at the end of the first foundation year of medical training (F1), as the GMC requires, and if not, to assess what changes in the PLAB pass marks might produce equivalence. Design Data linkage of GMC PLAB performance data with data from the Royal Colleges of Physicians and the Royal College of General Practitioners on performance of PLAB graduates and UK graduates at the MRCP(UK) and MRCGP examinations. Setting Doctors in training for internal medicine or general practice in the United Kingdom. Participants 7829, 5135, and 4387 PLAB graduates on their first attempt at MRCP(UK) Part 1, Part 2, and PACES assessments from 2001 to 2012 compared with 18 532, 14 094, and 14 376 UK graduates taking the same assessments; 3160 PLAB1 graduates making their first attempt at the MRCGP AKT during 2007-12 compared with 14 235 UK graduates; and 1411 PLAB2 graduates making their first attempt at the MRCGP CSA during 2010-12 compared with 6935 UK graduates. Main outcome measures Performance at MRCP(UK) Part 1, Part 2, and PACES assessments, and MRCGP AKT and CSA assessments in relation to performance on PLAB1 and PLAB2 assessments, as well as to International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores. MRCP(UK), MRCGP, and PLAB results were analysed as marks relative to the pass mark at the first attempt. Results PLAB1 marks were a valid predictor of MRCP(UK) Part 1, MRCP(UK) Part 2, and MRCGP AKT (r=0.521, 0.390, and 0.490; all P<0.001). PLAB2 marks correlated with MRCP(UK) PACES and MRCGP CSA (r=0.274, 0.321; both P<0.001). PLAB graduates had significantly lower MRCP(UK) and MRCGP assessments (Glass’s Δ=0.94, 0.91, 1.40, 1.01, and 1.82 for MRCP(UK) Part 1, Part 2, and PACES and MRCGP AKT and CSA), and were more likely to fail assessments and to progress more slowly than UK medical graduates. IELTS scores correlated significantly with later performance, multiple regression showing that the effect of PLAB1 (β=0.496) was much stronger than the effect of IELTS (β=0.086). Changes to PLAB pass marks that would result in international medical graduate and UK medical graduate equivalence were assessed in two ways. Method 1 adjusted PLAB pass marks to equate median performance of PLAB and UK graduates. Method 2 divided PLAB graduates into 12 equally spaced groups according to PLAB performance, and compared these with mean performance of graduates from individual UK medical schools, assessing which PLAB groups were equivalent in MRCP(UK) and MRCGP performance to UK graduates. The two methods produced similar results. To produce equivalent performance on the MRCP and MRGP examinations, the pass mark for PLAB1 would require raising by about 27 marks (13%) and for PLAB2 by about 15-16 marks (20%) above the present standard. Conclusions PLAB is a valid assessment of medical knowledge and clinical skills, correlating well with performance at MRCP(UK) and MRCGP. PLAB graduates’ knowledge and skills at MRCP(UK) and MRCGP are over one standard deviation below those of UK graduates, although differences in training quality cannot be taken into account. Equivalent performance in MRCGP(UK) and MRCGP would occur if the pass marks of PLAB1 and PLAB2 were raised considerably, but that would also reduce the pass rate, with implications for medical workforce planning. Increasing IELTS requirements would have less impact on equivalence than raising PLAB pass marks. PMID:24742473

Can the Tools of Activity Theory Help Us in Advancing Understanding and Organisational Change in Undergraduate Medical Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reid, Anne-Marie; Ledger, Alison; Kilminster, Sue; Fuller, Richard

2015-01-01

Continued changes to healthcare delivery in the UK, and an increasing focus on patient safety and quality improvement, require a radical rethink on how we enable graduates to begin work in challenging, complex environments. Professional regulatory bodies now require undergraduate medical schools to implement an "assistantship" period in…

The value of the UK Clinical Aptitude Test in predicting pre-clinical performance: a prospective cohort study at Nottingham Medical School.

PubMed

Yates, Janet; James, David

2010-07-28

The UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) was introduced in 2006 as an additional tool for the selection of medical students. It tests mental ability in four distinct domains (Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, Abstract Reasoning, and Decision Analysis), and the results are available to students and admissions panels in advance of the selection process. As yet the predictive validity of the test against course performance is largely unknown.The study objective was to determine whether UKCAT scores predict performance during the first two years of the 5-year undergraduate medical course at Nottingham. We studied a single cohort of students, who entered Nottingham Medical School in October 2007 and had taken the UKCAT. We used linear regression analysis to identify independent predictors of marks for different parts of the 2-year preclinical course. Data were available for 204/260 (78%) of the entry cohort. The UKCAT total score had little predictive value. Quantitative Reasoning was a significant independent predictor of course marks in Theme A ('The Cell'), (p = 0.005), and Verbal Reasoning predicted Theme C ('The Community') (p < 0.001), but otherwise the effects were slight or non-existent. This limited study from a single entry cohort at one medical school suggests that the predictive value of the UKCAT, particularly the total score, is low. Section scores may predict success in specific types of course assessment.The ultimate test of validity will not be available for some years, when current cohorts of students graduate. However, if this test of mental ability does not predict preclinical performance, it is arguably less likely to predict the outcome in the clinical years. Further research from medical schools with different types of curriculum and assessment is needed, with longitudinal studies throughout the course.

Medical school personal statements: a measure of motivation or proxy for cultural privilege?

PubMed

Wright, Sarah

2015-08-01

Students from state schools are underrepresented in UK medical schools. Discussions often focus on deficient academic and motivational traits of state school students, rather than considering the effects of student support during the admissions process. This qualitative study explored student experiences of support from schools and families during the medical school admissions process with particular focus on the personal statement. Interviews were conducted with thirteen medical students at a British medical school who had each attended a different secondary school (classified as private or state funded). A thematic analysis was performed. Bourdieu's concepts of capital and field were used as a theoretical lens through which to view the results. Interviews revealed substantial differences in support provided by private and state funded schools. Private schools had much more experience in the field of medical school admissions and had a vested interest in providing students with support. State schools were lacking by comparison, offering limited support that was often reactive rather than proactive. Students from private schools were also more likely to have social contacts who were knowledgeable about medical school admissions and who could help them gain access to work experience opportunities that would be recognised as legitimate by selectors. While medical schools endeavour to make fair admissions policies, there is an unintended link between a student's access to capital and ability to demonstrate commitment and motivation on personal statements. This helps explain why academically capable but financially or socially challenged students are less likely to be recognised as having potential during the admissions process. Medical schools need to be challenged to review their admissions policies to ensure that the do not inadvertently favour cultural privilege rather than student potential.

Aspects of medical migration with particular reference to the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.

PubMed

Herfs, Paul G P

2014-10-14

In most countries of the European Economic Area (EEA), there is no large-scale migration of medical graduates with diplomas obtained outside the EEA, which are international medical graduates (IMGs). In the United Kingdom however, health care is in part dependent on the influx of IMGs. In 2005, of all the doctors practising in the UK, 31% were educated outside the country. In most EEA-countries, health care is not dependent on the influx of IMGs.The aim of this study is to present data relating to the changes in IMG migration in the UK since the extension of the European Union in May 2004. In addition, data are presented on IMG migration in the Netherlands. These migration flows show that migration patterns differ strongly within these two EU-countries. This study makes use of registration data on migrating doctors from the General Medical Council (GMC) in the UK and from the Dutch Department of Health. Moreover, data on the ratio of medical doctors in relation to a country's population were extracted from the World Health Organization (WHO). The influx of IMGs in the UK has changed in recent years due to the extension of the European Union in 2004, the expansion of UK medical schools and changes in the policy towards non-EEA doctors.The influx of IMGs in the Netherlands is described in detail. In the Netherlands, many IMGs come from Afghanistan, Iraq and Surinam. There are clear differences between IMG immigration in the UK and in the Netherlands. In the UK, the National Health Service continues to be very reliant on immigration to fill shortage posts, whereas the number of immigrant doctors working in the Netherlands is much smaller. Both the UK and the Netherlands' regulatory bodies have shared great concerns about the linguistic and communication skills of both EEA and non-EEA doctors seeking to work in these countries. IMG migration is a global and intricate problem. The source countries, not only those where English is the first or second language, experience massive IMG migration flows.

Education and health knowledge: evidence from UK compulsory schooling reform.

PubMed

Johnston, David W; Lordan, Grace; Shields, Michael A; Suziedelyte, Agne

2015-02-01

We investigate if there is a causal link between education and health knowledge using data from the 1984/85 and 1991/92 waves of the UK Health and Lifestyle Survey (HALS). Uniquely, the survey asks respondents what they think are the main causes of ten common health conditions, and we compare these answers to those given by medical professionals to form an index of health knowledge. For causal identification we use increases in the UK minimum school leaving age in 1947 (from 14 to 15) and 1972 (from 15 to 16) to provide exogenous variation in education. These reforms predominantly induced adolescents who would have left school to stay for one additionally mandated year. OLS estimates suggest that education significantly increases health knowledge, with a one-year increase in schooling increasing the health knowledge index by 15% of a standard deviation. In contrast, estimates from instrumental-variable models show that increased schooling due to the education reforms did not significantly affect health knowledge. This main result is robust to numerous specification tests and alternative formulations of the health knowledge index. Further research is required to determine whether there is also no causal link between higher levels of education - such as post-school qualifications - and health knowledge. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Easing the transition from student to doctor: how can medical schools help prepare their graduates for starting work?

PubMed

Cave, Judith; Woolf, Katharine; Jones, Alison; Dacre, Jane

2009-05-01

In 2000/1, a survey found that 42% of newly qualified UK doctors felt their medical training had not prepared them well for starting work. To determine factors associated with preparedness. A questionnaire to all 5143 newly qualified doctors in May 2005. The response rate was 2062/4784 = 43.1%. 15% of respondents felt poorly prepared by medical school for starting work. There were no associations between gender or graduate entry status and preparedness. The personality traits of conscientiousness (r=0.14; p < 0.001) and extraversion (r=0.15; p < 0.001) were associated with high preparedness. Neuroticism was associated with low preparedness (r= -0.16; p < 0.001).Respondents who had done shadowing attachments were more likely to feel prepared (58.6% vs 48.5% felt prepared; 2=4.0; p=0.05), as were graduates of problem based learning courses (61.3% vs 56.1%; 2=5.0; p=0.03). Preparedness correlated with agreement with the statements 'My teaching was relevant to real life as a doctor' (rho=0.36; p < 0.001), and 'As a house officer I found it easy to get help when I needed it' (rho=0.29; p < 0.001). Improvements in the preparedness of UK medical school graduates may be due to increased relevance of undergraduate teaching to life as a junior doctor and increased support in the workplace.

Using Action Learning Sets to Support Students Managing Transition into the Clinical Learning Environment in a UK Medical School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKee, Anne; Markless, Sharon

2017-01-01

This paper reports on a Curriculum Innovation Project to empower third-year Undergraduate Medical students to recognise learning opportunities in their clinical placements and to proactively use them to develop their understanding and practice. The project created action learning sets (ALS) in response to the challenges students face when trying…

A BEME systematic review of UK undergraduate medical education in the general practice setting: BEME Guide No. 32.

PubMed

Park, Sophie; Khan, Nada F; Hampshire, Mandy; Knox, Richard; Malpass, Alice; Thomas, James; Anagnostelis, Betsy; Newman, Mark; Bower, Peter; Rosenthal, Joe; Murray, Elizabeth; Iliffe, Steve; Heneghan, Carl; Band, Amanda; Georgieva, Zoya

2015-05-06

General practice is increasingly used as a learning environment in undergraduate medical education in the UK. The aim of this project was to identify, summarise and synthesise research about undergraduate medical education in general practice in the UK. We systematically identified studies of undergraduate medical education within a general practice setting in the UK from 1990 onwards. All papers were summarised in a descriptive report and categorised into two in-depth syntheses: a quantitative and a qualitative in-depth review. 169 papers were identified, representing research from 26 UK medical schools. The in-depth review of quantitative papers (n = 7) showed that medical students learned clinical skills as well or better in general practice settings. Students receive more teaching, and clerk and examine more patients in the general practice setting than in hospital. Patient satisfaction and enablement are similar whether a student is present or not in a consultation, however, patients experience lower relational empathy. Two main thematic groups emerged from the qualitative in-depth review (n = 10): the interpersonal interactions within the teaching consultation and the socio-cultural spaces of learning which shape these interactions. The GP has a role as a broker of the interactions between patients and students. General practice is a socio-cultural and developmental learning space for students, who need to negotiate the competing cultures between hospital and general practice. Lastly, patients are transient members of the learning community, and their role requires careful facilitation. General practice is as good, if not better, than hospital delivery of teaching of clinical skills. Our meta-ethnography has produced rich understandings of the complex relationships shaping possibilities for student and patient active participation in learning.

Stress, burnout and doctors' attitudes to work are determined by personality and learning style: a twelve year longitudinal study of UK medical graduates.

PubMed

McManus, I C; Keeling, A; Paice, E

2004-08-18

The study investigated the extent to which approaches to work, workplace climate, stress, burnout and satisfaction with medicine as a career in doctors aged about thirty are predicted by measures of learning style and personality measured five to twelve years earlier when the doctors were applicants to medical school or were medical students. Prospective study of a large cohort of doctors. The participants were first studied when they applied to any of five UK medical schools in 1990. Postal questionnaires were sent to all doctors with a traceable address on the current or a previous Medical Register. The current questionnaire included measures of Approaches to Work, Workplace Climate, stress (General Health Questionnaire), burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory), and satisfaction with medicine as a career and personality (Big Five). Previous questionnaires had included measures of learning style (Study Process Questionnaire) and personality. Doctors' approaches to work were predicted by study habits and learning styles, both at application to medical school and in the final year. How doctors perceive their workplace climate and workload is predicted both by approaches to work and by measures of stress, burnout and satisfaction with medicine. These characteristics are partially predicted by trait measures of personality taken five years earlier. Stress, burnout and satisfaction also correlate with trait measures of personality taken five years earlier. Differences in approach to work and perceived workplace climate seem mainly to reflect stable, long-term individual differences in doctors themselves, reflected in measures of personality and learning style.

Stress, burnout and doctors' attitudes to work are determined by personality and learning style: A twelve year longitudinal study of UK medical graduates

PubMed Central

McManus, IC; Keeling, A; Paice, E

2004-01-01

Background The study investigated the extent to which approaches to work, workplace climate, stress, burnout and satisfaction with medicine as a career in doctors aged about thirty are predicted by measures of learning style and personality measured five to twelve years earlier when the doctors were applicants to medical school or were medical students. Methods Prospective study of a large cohort of doctors. The participants were first studied when they applied to any of five UK medical schools in 1990. Postal questionnaires were sent to all doctors with a traceable address on the current or a previous Medical Register. The current questionnaire included measures of Approaches to Work, Workplace Climate, stress (General Health Questionnaire), burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory), and satisfaction with medicine as a career and personality (Big Five). Previous questionnaires had included measures of learning style (Study Process Questionnaire) and personality. Results Doctors' approaches to work were predicted by study habits and learning styles, both at application to medical school and in the final year. How doctors perceive their workplace climate and workload is predicted both by approaches to work and by measures of stress, burnout and satisfaction with medicine. These characteristics are partially predicted by trait measures of personality taken five years earlier. Stress, burnout and satisfaction also correlate with trait measures of personality taken five years earlier. Conclusions Differences in approach to work and perceived workplace climate seem mainly to reflect stable, long-term individual differences in doctors themselves, reflected in measures of personality and learning style. PMID:15317650

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 showed the lowest regard for patients with unexplained abdominal pain, and these attitudes were worse in the most experienced medical students. Students' gender, culture and direct or indirect experience of mental illness influenced stigmatizing attitudes.

Organisational perspectives on addressing differential attainment in postgraduate medical education: a qualitative study in the UK

PubMed Central

Viney, Rowena; Jayaweera, Hirosha; Griffin, Ann

2018-01-01

Objectives To explore how representatives from organisations with responsibility for doctors in training perceive risks to the educational progression of UK medical graduates from black and minority ethnic groups (BME UKGs), and graduates of non-UK medical schools (international medical graduates (IMGs)). To identify the barriers to and facilitators of change. Design Qualitative semistructured individual and group interview study. Setting Postgraduate medical education in the UK. Participants Individuals with roles in examinations and/or curriculum design from UK medical Royal Colleges. Employees of NHS Employers. Results Representatives from 11 medical Royal Colleges (n=29) and NHS Employers (n=2) took part (55% medically qualified, 61% male, 71% white British/Irish, 23% Asian/Asian British, 6% missing ethnicity). Risks were perceived as significant, although more so for IMGs than for BME UKGs. Participants based significance ratings on evidence obtained largely through personal experience. A lack of evidence led to downgrading of significance. Participants were pessimistic about effecting change, two main barriers being sensitivities around race and the isolation of interventions. Participants felt that organisations should acknowledge problems, but felt concerned about being transparent without a solution; and talking about race with trainees was felt to be difficult. Participants mentioned 63 schemes aiming to address differential attainment, but these were typically local or specialty-specific, were not aimed at BME UKGs and were largely unevaluated. Participants felt that national change was needed, but only felt empowered to effect change locally or within their specialty. Conclusions Representatives from organisations responsible for training doctors perceived the risks faced by BME UKGs and IMGs as significant but difficult to change. Strategies to help organisations address these risks include: increased openness to discussing race (including ethnic differences in attainment among UKGs); better sharing of information and resources nationally to empower organisations to effect change locally and within specialties; and evaluation of evidence-based interventions. PMID:29525774

Teaching law in medical schools: first, reflect.

PubMed

Campbell, Amy T

2012-01-01

Law is now routinely included in the medical school curriculum, often incorporated into bioethics and/or practice of medicine coursework. There seems to lack, however, a systematic understanding of what works in terms of getting across an effective depth and breadth of legal knowledge for medical students - or what such would even look like. Moreover, and more critically, while some literature addresses these what, when, how, and who questions, a more fundamental question is left unanswered: why teach law in medical school? This article suggests a process to reveal a more consensual understanding of this latter question. The author highlights findings and recommendations of some of the leading literature to date related to teaching law in medical schools, and also recent U.K. projects addressing legal teaching in medical schools. Reflecting on these materials and activities, the author suggests that we take a "pause" before we argue for more or different legal topics within the medical curriculum. Before we alter the curricula for more and/or different "law," first, it is critical to have a meaningful, stakeholder-driven, consensus-seeking discussion of the goals of legal education: why do we think it matters that medical students learn about "the law"? © 2012 American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, Inc.

Factors influencing junior doctors' choices of future specialty: trends over time and demographics based on results from UK national surveys.

PubMed

Smith, Fay; Lambert, Trevor W; Goldacre, Michael J

2015-10-01

To study trends in factors influencing junior doctors' choice of future specialty. Respondents were asked whether each of 15 factors had a great deal of influence on their career choice, a little influence or no influence on it. Percentages are reported of those who specified that a factor had a great deal of influence on their career choice. UK. A total of 15,765 UK-trained doctors who graduated between 1999 and 2012. Questions about career choices and factors which may have influenced those choices, in particular comparing doctors who qualified in 2008-2012 with those who qualified in 1999-2002. Enthusiasm for and commitment to the specialty was a greater influence on career choice in the 2008-2012 qualifiers (81%) than those of 1999-2002 (64%), as was consideration of their domestic circumstances (43% compared with 20%). Prospects for promotion were less important to recent cohorts (16%) than older cohorts (21%), as were financial prospects (respectively, 10% and 14%). Domestic circumstances and working hours were considered more important, and financial prospects less important, by women than men. Inclination before medical school was rated as important by 41% of doctors who were over 30 years old, compared with 13% of doctors who were under 21, at the time of starting medical school. The increasing importance of both domestic circumstances and enthusiasm for their specialty choice in recent cohorts suggest that today's young doctors prize both work-life balance and personal fulfilment at work more highly than did their predecessors. The differences in motivations of older and younger generations of doctors, men and women, and doctors who start medical school relatively late are worthy of note. © The Royal Society of Medicine.

New undergraduate curricula in the UK and Australia.

PubMed

Lumsden, M A; Symonds, I M

2010-12-01

There are many challenges facing undergraduate education in the smaller specialities such as obstetrics and gynaecology (O&G). These are similar throughout the world, although the emphasis may vary according to geography and the approach of those involved in medical education in general. The number of medical students has increased because of the greater number of doctors required, the gender balance and also because it provides revenue for the universities. This means that strategies must be developed to include more teaching units in both primary and secondary care as well as those at a distance from the main teaching provider. Australia and the UK both have this problem but, obviously, the distances involved in Australia are much greater. One of the drivers for the change in undergraduate medical education in the UK was factual overload and the need to teach basic competencies to the students. National curricula that take this into account are being developed and that in the UK has been taken up by a majority of the medical schools. The opportunities offered by O&G to provide basic skills and competencies difficult to find elsewhere in the curriculum are unparalleled. These include issues such as communication in situations where great sensitivity is required and also the impact of cultural beliefs and ethnicity on clinical practice. However, factual knowledge of medical science is also essential and ways of achieving a balance are discussed. Crown Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spirituality and Health Education: A National Survey of Academic Leaders UK.

PubMed

Culatto, A; Summerton, C B

2015-12-01

Whole person care is deemed important within UK medical practice and is therefore fundamental in education. However, spirituality is an aspect of this often neglected. Confusion and discomfort exists regarding how care relating to issues of spirituality and health (S&H) should be delivered. Different interpretations have even led to disciplinary action with professionals seeking to address these needs [ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/4409168/Nurse-suspended-for-offering-to-prayfor-patients-recovery.html ]. Previous research shows 45% of patients want spiritual needs to be addressed within their care (Jackson and Summerton 2008). Two-thirds of healthcare professionals want to do this. However, lack of knowledge is a significant barrier (Moynihan 2008). Little is known regarding how Medical schools address S&H, only one limited study exists in the literature (Koenig et al. in Int J Psychiat Med 40: 391-8, 2010). Thirty-two UK educational institutions were surveyed. The chosen survey was compiled by Koenig and Meador (Spirituality and Health in Education and Researc. Duke University, Durham, 2008). Fifty-nine academics were contacted across UK medical schools, and the response rate was 57.6%. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 16.0. 5.6% institutions provide required and dedicated S&H teaching, 63.4% provided it as an integrated component. Nearly 40% felt staff were not adequately trained to teach S&H but welcomed opportunities for training. S&H is given value in undergraduate education but with little evidence of formal teaching. Institutions feel that this area is addressed within other topic delivery, although previous studies have shown integrating S&H with PBL leads to poor clinical performance (Musick et al. in Acad Psychiatry 27(2):67-73, 2003). Seminars or lectures are students' preferred methods of learning (Guck and Kavan in Med Teach 28(8):702-707, 2006). Further consideration should be given towards S&H delivery and training for practice.

UK doctors' views on the implementation of the European Working Time Directive as applied to medical practice: a qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Clarke, Rachel T; Pitcher, Alex; Lambert, Trevor W; Goldacre, Michael J

2014-02-06

To report on what doctors at very different levels of seniority wrote, in their own words, about their concerns about the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) and its implementation in the National Health Service (NHS). All medical school graduates from 1993, 2005 and 2009 were surveyed by post and email in 2010. The UK. Using qualitative methods, we analysed free-text responses made in 2010, towards the end of the first year of full EWTD implementation, of three cohorts of the UK medical graduates (graduates of 1993, 2005 and 2009), surveyed as part of the UK Medical Careers Research Group's schedule of multipurpose longitudinal surveys of doctors. Of 2459 respondents who gave free-text comments, 279 (11%) made unprompted reference to the EWTD; 270 of the 279 comments were broadly critical. Key themes to emerge included frequent dissociation between rotas and actual hours worked, adverse effects on training opportunities and quality, concerns about patient safety, lowering of morale and job satisfaction, and attempts reportedly made in some hospitals to persuade junior doctors to collude in the inaccurate reporting of compliance. Further work is needed to determine whether problems perceived with the EWTD, when they occur, are attributable to the EWTD itself, and shortened working hours, or to the way that it has been implemented in some hospitals.

UK doctors’ views on the implementation of the European Working Time Directive as applied to medical practice: a qualitative analysis

PubMed Central

Clarke, Rachel T; Pitcher, Alex; Lambert, Trevor W; Goldacre, Michael J

2014-01-01

Objectives To report on what doctors at very different levels of seniority wrote, in their own words, about their concerns about the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) and its implementation in the National Health Service (NHS). Design All medical school graduates from 1993, 2005 and 2009 were surveyed by post and email in 2010. Setting The UK. Methods Using qualitative methods, we analysed free-text responses made in 2010, towards the end of the first year of full EWTD implementation, of three cohorts of the UK medical graduates (graduates of 1993, 2005 and 2009), surveyed as part of the UK Medical Careers Research Group's schedule of multipurpose longitudinal surveys of doctors. Results Of 2459 respondents who gave free-text comments, 279 (11%) made unprompted reference to the EWTD; 270 of the 279 comments were broadly critical. Key themes to emerge included frequent dissociation between rotas and actual hours worked, adverse effects on training opportunities and quality, concerns about patient safety, lowering of morale and job satisfaction, and attempts reportedly made in some hospitals to persuade junior doctors to collude in the inaccurate reporting of compliance. Conclusions Further work is needed to determine whether problems perceived with the EWTD, when they occur, are attributable to the EWTD itself, and shortened working hours, or to the way that it has been implemented in some hospitals. PMID:24503304

An integrated 2-year clinical skills peer tutoring scheme in a UK-based medical school: perceptions of tutees and peer tutors

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Background Several benefits of peer tutoring in medical school teaching have been described. However, there is a lack of research on the perceptions of peer tutoring, particularly from tutees who partake in a long-term clinical skills scheme integrated into the medical school curriculum. This study evaluates the opinions of preclinical tutees at the end of a 2-year peer-tutored clinical skills program and peer tutors themselves. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in a UK-based medical school that primarily utilizes peer tutoring for clinical skills teaching. A questionnaire was designed to assess the views of preclinical tutees and peer tutors. Likert scales were used to grade responses and comment boxes to collect qualitative data. Results Sixty-five questionnaires were collected (52 tutees, 13 peer tutors). Seventy-nine percent of students felt satisfied with their teaching, and 70% felt adequately prepared for clinical placements. Furthermore, 79% believed that peer tutoring is the most effective method for clinical skills teaching. When compared to faculty teaching, tutees preferred being taught by peer tutors (63%), felt more confident (73%), and were more willing to engage (77%). All peer tutors felt that teaching made them more confident in their Objective Structured Clinical Examination performance, and 91% agreed that being a tutor made them consider pursuing teaching in the future. Thematic analysis of qualitative data identified 3 themes regarding peer tutoring: a more comfortable environment (69%), a more personalized teaching approach (34%), and variation in content taught (14%). Conclusion Preclinical tutees prefer being taught clinical skills by peer tutors compared to faculty, with the peer tutors also benefitting. Studies such as this, looking at long-term schemes, further validate peer tutoring and may encourage more medical schools to adopt this method as an effective way of clinical skills teaching. PMID:29922105

Clinical embryology: is there still a place in medical schools today?

PubMed

Hamilton, J; Carachi, R

2014-11-01

Embryology remains an important tool in medicine and surgery for the management of many clinical conditions. As a subject, it is neither straightforward nor easy to learn and teach in a busy modern medical school curriculum and can be easily overlooked. The aim of this study was to assess medical students' confidence in, and attitudes towards, the learning and teaching of clinical embryology. Medical students from all years of the course were asked to complete an online questionnaire in 2014. The questionnaire focused on confidence levels in learning embryology, methods of teaching, clinical embryology and it also allowed comments. In total, 146 students completed the questionnaire. The majority of students were not confident in learning and applying embryology and were unhappy with current teaching. Despite this, they felt that embryology should be included in the medical school curriculum, in particular clinical embryology with relevant clinical scenarios. Students remain confident that embryology should remain in the medical school curriculum. Embryology should be taught at the right level, depth and through various methods, including basic concepts in the lower years of medical school and moving into clinical embryology later on. As a result, junior doctors and trainees will have a good foundation of knowledge. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Mandating doctors to attend counter-terrorism workshops is medically unethical.

PubMed

Summerfield, Derek

2016-04-01

This is a brief exploration of the ethical issues raised for psychiatrists, and for universities, schools and wider society, by the demand that they attend mandatory training as part of the UK government's Prevent counter-terrorism strategy. The silence on this matter to date on the part of the General Medical Council, medical Royal Colleges, and the British Medical Association is a failure of ethical leadership. There is also a civil liberties issue, reminiscent of the McCarthyism of 1950s USA. We should refuse to attend.

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.

Becoming professional: when and how does it start? A comparative study of first-year medical and law students in the UK.

PubMed

Cavenagh, P; Dewberry, C; Jones, P

2000-11-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether differences identified between first-year law and medical students in North America in the 1950s apply in the UK in the 1990s. First-year law and medical students are compared in terms of commitment to career, alternative career choices and length of time the student has wished to study for his/her chosen profession. Questionnaires were administered to first-year law students at the University of East Anglia and Essex University and to first-year medical students at Liverpool University Medical School and St George's Hospital Medical School. A total of 162 questionnaires were completed by law students and 195 questionnaires from medical students. The questionnaire responses provided by law and medical students were analysed using a series of two-sample comparisons. Differences between the two groups were examined using t and chi-squared tests. In each of the seven questions answered by students, the differences between the law and medical students were found to be significant. This suggests a difference in career aspirations and perceptions between the two groups. The study shows a greater commitment of medical students than law students to their chosen career. This is demonstrated by medical students' greater desire to pursue their career, their greater satisfaction with their choice of career and finding that more medical students would persist with reapplying for medicine than law students would in reapplying for law. It is also shown that medical students are twice as likely as law students to have a family member within the profession.

Teaching disability and rehabilitation to medical students. Steering Group on Medical Education and Disability.

PubMed

Kahtan, S; Inman, C; Haines, A; Holland, P

1994-09-01

A survey of UK medical schools was undertaken to determine the teaching that was being offered on disability and rehabilitation. In general, teaching on this topic appeared fragmented and inadequate but a number of interesting innovations were identified. These included: a drama workshop run by a group whose members mainly have learning disabilities at St George's Medical School, student-directed learning at the University of Dundee and structured teaching programmes at the Universities of Leeds and Edinburgh. The General Medical Council Education Committee's 1991 discussion document on the undergraduate curriculum specifically mentions disability as an important topic. A number of schools mentioned that they were in the process of revising their curriculum as a consequence. Recommendations arising from the findings of the survey include integration of disability and rehabilitation into clinical teaching, focus of teaching on those types of disability which are common in the community, greater emphasis on functional assessment in teaching the physical examination, and the wider use of standard assessment instruments, for example for activities of daily living, cognitive impairment and locomotor disability. There is a need for improved communication between medical schools to facilitate the spread of educational activities on this topic.

Faculty Development for Educators: A Realist Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sorinola, Olanrewaju O.; Thistlethwaite, Jill; Davies, David; Peile, Ed

2015-01-01

The effectiveness of faculty development (FD) activities for educators in UK medical schools remains underexplored. This study used a realist approach to evaluate FD and to test the hypothesis that motivation, engagement and perception are key mechanisms of effective FD activities. The authors observed and interviewed 33 course participants at one…

Incidence and 12-month outcome of non-transient childhood conversion disorder in the U.K. and Ireland.

PubMed

Ani, Cornelius; Reading, Richard; Lynn, Richard; Forlee, Simone; Garralda, Elena

2013-06-01

Little is known about conversion disorder in childhood. To document clinical incidence, features, management and 12-month outcome of non-transient conversion disorder in under 16-year-olds in the U.K. and Ireland. Surveillance through the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Surveillance System. In total, 204 cases (age range 7-15 years) were reported, giving a 12-month incidence of 1.30/100 000 (95% CI 1.11-1.52). The most common symptoms were motor weakness and abnormal movements. Presentation with multiple symptoms was the norm. Antecedent stressors were reported for 80.8%, most commonly bullying in school. Most children required in-patient admission with frequent medical investigations. Follow-up at 12 months was available for 147 children, when all conversion disorder symptoms were reported as improved. Most families (91%) accepted a non-medical explanation of the symptoms either fully or partially. Childhood conversion disorder represents an infrequent but significant clinical burden in the UK and Ireland.

Initial experience in setting up a medical student first responder scheme in South Central England.

PubMed

Seligman, William H; Ganatra, Sameer; England, David; Black, John J M

2016-02-01

Prehospital emergency medicine (PHEM) is a recently recognised subspecialty of emergency medicine, and anaesthetics, intensive care and acute medicine, in the UK, and yet it receives little to no mention in many undergraduate medical curricula. However, there is growing interest in PHEM among medical students and junior doctors. Several programmes are in existence across the UK that serve to provide teaching and exposure of prehospital care to medical students and junior doctors. However, relatively few students are able to gain significant first-hand experience of treating patients in the prehospital phase. In this short report, we discuss our experience of launching the student first responder (SFR) scheme across three counties in the Thames Valley. Medical students are trained by the regional ambulance service and respond to life-threatening medical emergencies in an ambulance response vehicle. The scheme is likely to benefit the ambulance service by providing a wider pool of trained volunteer first responders able to attend to emergency calls, to benefit patients by providing a quick response at their time of need, and to benefit medical students by providing first-hand experience of medical emergencies in the community. In its first 15 months of operation, SFRs were dispatched to 343 incidents. This scheme can serve as a training model for other ambulance services and medical schools across the UK. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Organisational perspectives on addressing differential attainment in postgraduate medical education: a qualitative study in the UK.

PubMed

Woolf, Katherine; Viney, Rowena; Rich, Antonia; Jayaweera, Hirosha; Griffin, Ann

2018-03-09

To explore how representatives from organisations with responsibility for doctors in training perceive risks to the educational progression of UK medical graduates from black and minority ethnic groups (BME UKGs), and graduates of non-UK medical schools (international medical graduates (IMGs)). To identify the barriers to and facilitators of change. Qualitative semistructured individual and group interview study. Postgraduate medical education in the UK. Individuals with roles in examinations and/or curriculum design from UK medical Royal Colleges. Employees of NHS Employers. Representatives from 11 medical Royal Colleges (n=29) and NHS Employers (n=2) took part (55% medically qualified, 61% male, 71% white British/Irish, 23% Asian/Asian British, 6% missing ethnicity). Risks were perceived as significant, although more so for IMGs than for BME UKGs. Participants based significance ratings on evidence obtained largely through personal experience. A lack of evidence led to downgrading of significance. Participants were pessimistic about effecting change, two main barriers being sensitivities around race and the isolation of interventions. Participants felt that organisations should acknowledge problems, but felt concerned about being transparent without a solution; and talking about race with trainees was felt to be difficult. Participants mentioned 63 schemes aiming to address differential attainment, but these were typically local or specialty-specific, were not aimed at BME UKGs and were largely unevaluated. Participants felt that national change was needed, but only felt empowered to effect change locally or within their specialty. Representatives from organisations responsible for training doctors perceived the risks faced by BME UKGs and IMGs as significant but difficult to change. Strategies to help organisations address these risks include: increased openness to discussing race (including ethnic differences in attainment among UKGs); better sharing of information and resources nationally to empower organisations to effect change locally and within specialties; and evaluation of evidence-based interventions. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

A levels and intelligence as predictors of medical careers in UK doctors: 20 year prospective study

PubMed Central

McManus, I C; Smithers, Eleni; Partridge, Philippa; Keeling, A; Fleming, Peter R

2003-01-01

Objective To assess whether A level grades (achievement) and intelligence (ability) predict doctors' careers. Design Prospective cohort study with follow up after 20 years by postal questionnaire. Setting A UK medical school in London. Participants 511 doctors who had entered Westminster Medical School as clinical students between 1975 and 1982 were followed up in January 2002. Main outcome measures Time taken to reach different career grades in hospital or general practice, postgraduate qualifications obtained (membership/fellowships, diplomas, higher academic degrees), number of research publications, and measures of stress and burnout related to A level grades and intelligence (result of AH5 intelligence test) at entry to clinical school. General health questionnaire, Maslach burnout inventory, and questionnaire on satisfaction with career at follow up. Results 47 (9%) doctors were no longer on the Medical Register. They had lower A level grades than those who were still on the register (P < 0.001). A levels also predicted performance in undergraduate training, performance in postregistration house officer posts, and time to achieve membership qualifications (Cox regression, P < 0.001; b=0.376, SE=0.098, exp(b)=1.457). Intelligence did not independently predict dropping off the register, career outcome, or other measures. A levels did not predict diploma or higher academic qualifications, research publications, or stress or burnout. Diplomas, higher academic degrees, and research publications did, however, significantly correlate with personality measures. Conclusions Results of achievement tests, in this case A level grades, which are particularly used for selection of students in the United Kingdom, have long term predictive validity for undergraduate and postgraduate careers. In contrast, a test of ability or aptitude (AH5) was of little predictive validity for subsequent medical careers. PMID:12869457

Is embellishing UCAS personal statements accepted practice in applications to medicine and dentistry?

PubMed

Kumwenda, Ben; Dowell, Jon; Husbands, Adrian

2013-07-01

The assessment of non-academic achievements through the personal statement remains part of the selection process at most UK medical and dental schools. Such statement offers applicants an opportunity to highlight their non-academic achievements, but the highly competitive nature of the process may tempt them to exaggerate their accomplishments. The challenge is that selectors cannot discern applicants' exaggerated claims from genuine accounts and the system risks preferentially selecting dishonest applicants. To explore the level and perception of deception on UCAS personal statements among applicants to medical and dental schools. To investigate the association between attitudes towards deception and various other demographic variables and cognitive ability via the UKCAT. An online survey was completed with first year students from six UK medical schools and one dental school. Questionnaire items were classified into three categories involving individual acts, how they suspect their peers behave, and overall perceptions of personal statements to influence the selection process. Descriptive statistics were used to investigate responses to questionnaire items. t-Tests were used to investigate the relationship between items, demographic variables and cognitive ability. Candidates recognized that putting fraudulent information or exaggerating one's experience on UCAS personal statement was dishonest; however there is a widespread belief that their peers do it. Female respondents and those with a higher UKCAT score were more likely to condemn deceptive practices. The existing selection process is open to abuse and may benefit dishonest applicants. Admission systems should consider investing in systems that can pursue traceable information that applicants provide, and nullify the application should it contain fraudulent information.

A comparison of stress levels, coping styles and psychological morbidity between graduate-entry and traditional undergraduate medical students during the first 2 years at a UK medical school.

PubMed

Zvauya, R; Oyebode, F; Day, E J; Thomas, C P; Jones, L A

2017-02-13

Stress levels and psychological morbidity are high among undergraduate medical students (UGs), but there is a lack of research into the psychological health of UK graduate-entry medical students (GEs). GEs are likely to experience different (perhaps more severe) stressors and to cope with stress differently. We compared stress levels, psychological morbidity and coping styles in GE versus UG medical students studying at the same UK medical school in the same academic year. A cross-sectional self-rated questionnaire study of all first- and second-year GE and UG medical students was conducted. Perceived stress, psychological morbidity, recent adverse life events, stress-related personality traits and coping styles were assessed using standard questionnaires. 75% GEs and 46% UGs responded to the questionnaire. Both groups reported equally high levels, and similar profiles of, perceived stress and psychological morbidity. Levels of recent adverse life events and stress-related personality traits were similar in both groups. Compared to UGs, GEs were more likely to use active coping (p = 0.02) and positive reframing (p = 0.03), but were also more likely to use substances (alcohol and other drugs; p < 0.001) to help them cope. Unlike UGs, second-year GEs showed less perceived stress (p = 0.007) and psychological morbidity (p = 0.006) than first-year GEs although levels of both were still high. Our results show that both GE students and their younger UG counterparts on a traditional medical course have similar profiles of stress symptoms. They do, however, cope with stress differently. GEs are more likely to use active problem-focused coping strategies, and they are also more likely to cope by using substances (alcohol or other drugs). GE students need interventions to prevent maladaptive coping styles and encourage adaptive coping that are tailored to their needs. Such interventions should be targeted at first-year students. It is vital that these students develop positive coping skills to benefit them during training and in a future career that is inherently stressful.

Widening Participation To The Medical Course At Queens University Belfast.

PubMed

McKinley, A; Stevenson, M; Steele, K

2017-05-01

The United Kingdom Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) was introduced to assist in identification of applicants from all levels of society with the appropriate characteristics to become good doctors. Evidence that the UKCAT has achieved such widened participation (WP) in applicants to medical school remains elusive. One of the limitations to WP investigation has been that data on socioeconomic status of applicants to medical schools has been obtained through voluntary submission on application to UKCAT and up to 30% of applications offered either none or only limited information. In this study of local applicants (451 from Northern Ireland) to Queens University Belfast (QUB) for 2012, socioeconomic data was ascertained through post code analysis. These data were utilized to investigate the relationship between affluence, application to the medical school and UKCAT score. Our study has shown that for NI applicants to QUB medical school, postcode /socioeconomic back ground accounts for only 3 percent of UK CAT score variation. We have also shown that our admissions process is largely independent of socioeconomic background. However we have demonstrated that the socioeconomic profile of applicants from Northern Ireland to QUB medical school is such that even if every applicant to QUB in 2012 were offered a place in the medical school the number of applicants from least affluent areas would increase by only 9. In conclusion efforts to achieve meaningful WP must be directed at raising aspirations for a career in Medicine within the community.

Evaluation of a collaborative project to develop sustainable healthcare education in eight UK medical schools.

PubMed

Walpole, S C; Mortimer, F

2017-09-01

Environmental change poses pressing challenges to public health and calls for profound and far-reaching changes to policy and practice across communities and health systems. Medical schools can act as a seedbed where knowledge, skills and innovation to address environmental challenges can be developed through innovative and collaborative approaches. The objectives of this study were to (1) explore drivers and challenges of collaboration for educational development between and within medical schools; (2) evaluate the effectiveness of a range of pedagogies for sustainable healthcare education; and (3) identify effective strategies to facilitate the renewal of medical curricula to address evolving health challenges. Participatory action research. Medical school teams participated in a nine-month collaborative project, including a one-day seminar to learn about sustainable healthcare education and develop a project plan. After the seminar, teams were supported to develop, deliver and evaluate new teaching at their medical school. New teaching was introduced at seven medical schools. A variety of pedagogies were represented. Collaboration between schools motivated and informed participants. The main challenges faced related to time pressures. Educators and students commented that new teaching was enjoyable and effective at improving knowledge and skills. Collaborative working supported educators to develop and implement new teaching sessions rapidly and effectively. Collaboration can help to build educators' confidence and capacity in a new area of education development. Different forms of collaboration may be appropriate for different circumstances and at different stages of education development. Copyright © 2017 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics in undergraduate medical education in the UK: current status.

PubMed Central

Walley, T; Bligh, J; Orme, M; Breckenridge, A

1994-01-01

1. Medical undergraduate education is currently undergoing major changes in the UK in response to calls for the development of a core curriculum. Teaching in clinical pharmacology and therapeutics will also change to meet these demands. A postal survey was conducted to assess the current status of teaching in these subjects. 2. A questionnaire based on previous similar surveys conducted elsewhere was sent to departments or individuals in 27 medical schools in the UK; 22 (81%) replied. 3. Departmental priorities were defined as (in order): clinical research, undergraduate teaching, basic scientific research and clinical service provision. No change in these priorities in the future was foreseen by respondents. 4. Teaching methods were for the most part traditional, with the lecture as the most widely used and important technique. Specific clinical teaching was conducted by some and was considered very important by them. Teaching by problem solving was much less common. 5. Respondents were asked for free text comments; many of the remarks suggested dissatisfaction with the resources and time currently available for teaching in clinical pharmacology and therapeutics. Some expressed significant concerns that their teaching commitment would be reduced further by the development of the core curriculum. PMID:8186059

An Investigation into the Optimal Number of Distractors in Single-Best Answer Exams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilgour, James M.; Tayyaba, Saadia

2016-01-01

In UK medical schools, five-option single-best answer (SBA) questions are the most widely accepted format of summative knowledge assessment. However, writing SBA questions with four effective incorrect options is difficult and time consuming, and consequently, many SBAs contain a high frequency of implausible distractors. Previous research has…

Healthy Eating in Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Sally

2006-01-01

Across the UK there is a great deal of concern about the quality of children's diets and the growing problem of children's obesity. There is also anxiety about the rise of dieting and eating disorders at younger ages. Both obesity and eating disorders can be treated through educational, medical and therapeutic means with varying degrees of…

Medical Student Beliefs about Disclosure of Mental Health Issues: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Winter, Peter; Rix, Andrew; Grant, Andrew

In 2012 the United Kingdom's General Medical Council (GMC) commissioned research to develop guidance for medical schools on how best to support students with mental illness. One of the key findings from medical student focus groups in the study was students' strong belief that medical schools excluded students on mental health grounds. Students believed mental illness was a fitness to practice matter that led to eventual dismissal, although neither personal experience nor empirical evidence supported this belief. The objective of the present study was a deeper exploration of this belief and its underlying social mechanisms. This included any other beliefs that influenced medical students' reluctance to disclose a mental health problem, the factors that reinforced these beliefs, and the feared consequences of revealing a mental illness. The study involved a secondary analysis of qualitative data from seven focus groups involving 40 student participants across five UK medical schools in England, Scotland, and Wales. Student beliefs clustered around (1) the unacceptability of mental illness in medicine, (2) punitive medical school support systems, and (3) the view that becoming a doctor is the only successful career outcome. Reinforcing mechanisms included pressure from senior clinicians, a culture of "presenteeism," distrust of medical school staff, and expectations about conduct. Feared consequences centered on regulatory "fitness to practice" proceedings that would lead to expulsion, reputational damage, and failure to meet parents' expectations. The study's findings provide useful information for veterinary medical educators interested in creating a culture that encourages the disclosure of mental illness and contributes to the debate about mental illness within the veterinary profession.

Implications of aligning full registration of doctors with medical school graduation: a qualitative study of stakeholder perspectives.

PubMed

Mattick, K L; Kaufhold, K; Kelly, N; Cole, J A; Scheffler, G; Rees, C E; Bullock, A; Gormley, G J; Monrouxe, L V

2016-02-23

The Shape of Training report recommended that full registration is aligned with medical school graduation. As part of a General Medical Council-funded study about the preparedness for practice of UK medical graduates, we explored UK stakeholders' views about this proposal using qualitative interviews (30 group and 87 individual interviews) and Framework Analysis. Four UK study sites, one in each country. 185 individuals from eight stakeholder groups: (1) foundation year 1 (F1) doctors (n=34); (2) fully registered trainee doctors (n=33); (3) clinical educators (n=32); (4) undergraduate/postgraduate Deans, and Foundation Programme Directors (n=30); (5) other healthcare professionals (n=13); (6) employers (n=7); (7) policy and government (n=11); (8) patient and public representatives (n=25). We identified four main themes: (1) The F1 year as a safety net: patients were protected by close trainee supervision and 'sign off' to prevent errors; trainees were provided with a safe environment for learning on the job; (2) Implications for undergraduate medical education: if the proposal was accepted, a 'radical review' of undergraduate curricula would be needed; undergraduate education might need to be longer; (3) Implications for F1 work practice: steps to protect healthcare team integration and ensure that F1 doctors stay within competency limits would be required; (4) Financial, structural and political implications: there would be cost implications for trainees; clarification of responsibilities between undergraduate and postgraduate medical education would be needed. Typically, each theme comprised arguments for and against the proposal. A policy change to align the timing of full registration with graduation would require considerable planning and preliminary work. These findings will inform policymakers' decision-making. Regardless of the decision, medical students should take on greater responsibility for patient care as undergraduates, assessment methods in clinical practice and professionalism domains need development, and good practice in postgraduate supervision and support must be shared. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Don't want to show fellow students my naughty bits: medical students' anxieties about peer examination of intimate body regions at six schools across UK, Australasia and Far-East Asia.

PubMed

Rees, Charlotte E; Wearn, Andy M; Vnuk, Anna K; Bradley, Paul A

2009-10-01

Although recent quantitative research suggests that medical students are reluctant to engage in peer physical examination (PPE) of intimate body regions, we do not know why. This article explores first-year medical students' anxieties about PPE of intimate body regions at six schools. Using the Examining Fellow Students (EFS) questionnaire, we collected qualitative data from students in five countries (UK; Australia; New Zealand; Japan; Hong Kong) between 2005 and 2007. Our framework analysis of 617 (78.7%) students' qualitative comments yielded three themes: present and future benefits of PPE; possible barriers to PPE; and student stipulations for successful PPE. This article focuses on several sub-themes relating to students' anxieties about PPE of intimate body regions and their associated sexual, gender, cultural and religious concerns. By exploring students' euphemisms about intimate areas, our findings reveal further insights into the relationship between students' anxieties, gender and culture. First-year students are anxious about examining intimate body regions, so a staged approach starting with manikins is recommended. Further qualitative research is needed employing interviews to explore in depth students' anxieties about examinations of intimate body regions and how their views are shaped by interactions with peers, patients and doctors.

Nutrition in medical education: reflections from an initiative at the University of Cambridge

PubMed Central

Ball, Lauren; Crowley, Jennifer; Laur, Celia; Rajput-Ray, Minha; Gillam, Stephen; Ray, Sumantra

2014-01-01

Landmark reports have confirmed that it is within the core responsibilities of doctors to address nutrition in patient care. There are ongoing concerns that doctors receive insufficient nutrition education during medical training. This paper provides an overview of a medical nutrition education initiative at the University of Cambridge, School of Clinical Medicine, including 1) the approach to medical nutrition education, 2) evaluation of the medical nutrition education initiative, and 3) areas identified for future improvement. The initiative utilizes a vertical, spiral approach during the clinically focused years of the Cambridge undergraduate and graduate medical degrees. It is facilitated by the Nutrition Education Review Group, a group associated with the UK Need for Nutrition Education/Innovation Programme, and informed by the experiences of their previous nutrition education interventions. Three factors were identified as contributing to the success of the nutrition education initiative including the leadership and advocacy skills of the nutrition academic team, the variety of teaching modes, and the multidisciplinary approach to teaching. Opportunities for continuing improvement to the medical nutrition education initiative included a review of evaluation tools, inclusion of nutrition in assessment items, and further alignment of the Cambridge curriculum with the recommended UK medical nutrition education curriculum. This paper is intended to inform other institutions in ongoing efforts in medical nutrition education. PMID:24899813

Herbal medications and plastic surgery: a hidden danger.

PubMed

Mohan, Arvind; Lahiri, Anindya

2014-04-01

Herbal medicine is a multibillion-pound industry, and surveys suggest that ~10% of the UK population uses herbal supplements concurrently with prescription medications. Patients and health care practitioners are often unaware of the adverse side effects of herbal medicines. In addition, because many of these herbal supplements are available over the counter, many patients do not disclose these when listing medications to health care providers. A 39-year-old nurse underwent an abdominoplasty with rectus sheath plication after weight loss surgery. Postoperatively, she experienced persistent drain output, and after discharge, a seroma developed requiring repeated drainage in the clinic. After scar revision 10 months later, the woman bled postoperatively, requiring suturing. Again, a seroma developed, requiring repeated drainage. It was discovered that the patient had been taking a herbal menopause supplement containing ingredients known to have anticoagulant effects. Complementary medicine is rarely taught in UK medical schools and generally not practiced in UK hospitals. Many supplements are known to have anticoagulant, cardiovascular, and sedative effects. Worryingly, questions about herbal medicines are not routinely asked in clinics, and patients do not often volunteer such information. With the number and awareness of complementary medications increasing, their usage among the population is likely to increase. The authors recommend specific questioning about the use of complementary medications and consideration of ceasing such medications before surgery. Level of Evidence V This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

The hidden medical school: a longitudinal study of how social networks form, and how they relate to academic performance.

PubMed

Woolf, Katherine; Potts, Henry W W; Patel, Shalini; McManus, I Chris

2012-01-01

UK medical schools typically have over 300 students per year, making it impossible for students to know all the others well. This longitudinal cohort study measured the formation of medical student social networks and their relationship to grades. In November 2009, 215/317 (68%) Year 2 UCL medical students reported their friendships with others in their year, by questionnaire. Multiple regression assessed the relationship between friendships, exam results and background variables (obtained from student records), with permutation testing to assess statistical significance. Students of the same sex, the same ethnic group, and in the same tutor and small groups (to which they were randomly assigned at the start of medical school) were socially closer. Taking into account absolute difference in Year 1 grades, Year 2 pairs who were socially closer in November 2009 had more similar May 2010 grades. Individual student variables did not predict similarity in 2010 grades after taking friendships into account. The results suggest that medical students chose friends of the same sex and ethnic group as themselves; but random allocation of students to tutor groups also influenced friendships. Most importantly, friendships related to subsequent exam performance, suggesting friendship may influence learning.

The Impact of Teamwork in Peer Assessment: A Qualitative Analysis of a Group Exercise at a UK Medical School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pocock, Tristan M.; Sanders, Tom; Bundy, Christine

2010-01-01

Aims: An important characteristic of group work is the ability of members to evaluate each other's performance. We sought to examine the strategies deployed by students to assess the individual performance and contributions of colleagues. The exercise sought to promote collaboration between members, whilst rewarding individual contributions.…

The perception of the hidden curriculum on medical education: an exploratory study

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background Major curriculum reform of undergraduate medical education occurred during the past decades in the United Kingdom (UK); however, the effects of the hidden curriculum, which influence the choice of primary care as a career, have not been sufficiently recognized. While Japan, where traditionally few institutions systematically foster primary care physicians and very few have truly embraced family medicine as their guiding discipline, has also experienced meaningful curriculum reform, the effect of the hidden curriculum is not well known. The aim of this study is to identify themes pertaining to the students' perceptions of the hidden curriculum affecting undergraduate medical education in bedside learning in Japan. Methods Semi-structured interviews with thematic content analysis were implemented. Undergraduate year-5 students from a Japanese medical school at a Japanese teaching hospital were recruited. Interview were planned to last between 30 to 60 minutes each, over an 8-month period in 2007. The interviewees' perceptions concerning the quality of teaching in their bedside learning and related experiences were collected and analysed thematically. Results Twenty five medical students (18 males and 7 females, mean age 25 years old) consented to participate in the interviews, and seven main themes emerged: "the perception of education as having a low priority," "the prevalence of positive/negative role models," "the persistence of hierarchy and exclusivity," "the existence of gender issues," "an overburdened medical knowledge," "human relationships with colleagues and medical team members," and "first experience from the practical wards and their patients." Conclusions Both similarities and differences were found when comparing the results to those of previous studies in the UK. Some effects of the hidden curriculum in medical education likely exist in common between the UK and Japan, despite the differences in their demographic backgrounds, cultures and philosophies. PMID:20003462

The experiences of medical students with dyslexia: An interpretive phenomenological study.

PubMed

Shaw, Sebastian C K; Anderson, John L

2018-05-10

This article explores the experiences of U.K. medical students with dyslexia, using an interpretive phenomenological approach. This project began with a review of the literature, highlighting a void of qualitative research. We then conducted a collaborative autoethnography. This paper forms the next stage in this series of research. We aimed to elicit meaning and understanding from the lived experiences of our participants. Eight U.K. junior doctors with dyslexia were interviewed over the telephone in an in-depth, unstructured manner. Audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed with the aid of a template analysis. Experiences of helplessness and hopelessness were common. These may be a result of a fear of stigmatization and personal feelings of inadequacy. They may also be fuelled by the incidents of bullying and belittling from other medical students that were reported. An important meta-theme was of fear and lack of understanding. A lack of pastoral support was also reported. Their experiences of medical school assessments are also reported. More may need to be done to educate teachers and clinical supervisors on dyslexia. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Medical student depression, anxiety and distress outside North America: a systematic review.

PubMed

Hope, Valerie; Henderson, Max

2014-10-01

North American medical students are more depressed and anxious than their peers. In the UK, the regulator now has responsibility for medical students, which may potentially increase scrutiny of their health. This may either help or hinder medical students in accessing appropriate care. The prevalences of anxiety, depression and psychological distress in medical students outside North America are not clear. A better understanding of the prevalence of, risk factors for and results of psychological distress will guide the configuration of support services, increasingly available for doctors, for medical students too. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalences of depression, anxiety and psychological distress in students in medical schools in the UK, Europe and elsewhere in the English-speaking world outside North America. A systematic review was conducted using search terms encompassing psychological distress amongst medical students. OvidSP was used to search the following databases: Ovid MEDLINE (R) from 1948 to October 2013; PsycINFO from 1806 to October 2013, and EMBASE from 1980 to October 2013. Results were restricted to medical schools in Europe and the English-speaking world outside North America, and were evaluated against a set of inclusion criteria including the use of validated assessment tools. The searches identified 29 eligible studies. Prevalences of 7.7-65.5% for anxiety, 6.0-66.5% for depression and 12.2-96.7% for psychological distress were recorded. The wide range of results reflects the variable quality of the studies. Almost all were cross-sectional and many did not mention ethical approval. Better-quality studies found lower prevalences. There was little information on the causes or consequences of depression or anxiety. Prevalences of psychological distress amongst medical students outside North America are substantial. Future research should move on from simple cross-sectional studies to better-quality longitudinal work which can identify both predictors for and outcomes of poor mental health in medical students. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Erratum: Erratum to: The Quadrennial Ozone Symposium 2016

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Godin-Beekmann, Sophie; Petropavlovskikh, Irina; Reis, Stefan; Newman, Paul; Steinbrecht, Wolfgang; Rex, Markus; Santee, Michelle L.; Eckman, Richard S.; Zheng, Xiangdong; Tully, Matthew B.; Stevenson, David S.; Young, Paul; Pyle, John; Weber, Mark; Tamminen, Johanna; Mills, Gina; Bais, Alkiviadis F.; Heaviside, Clare; Zerefos, Christos

2018-03-01

The Quadrennial Ozone Symposium 2016 Sophie GODIN-BEEKMANN*1, Irina PETROPAVLOVSKIKH2, Stefan REIS3,20, Paul NEWMAN4, Wolfgang STEINBRECHT5, Markus REX6, Michelle L. SANTEE7, Richard S. ECKMAN8, Xiangdong ZHENG9, Matthew B. TULLY10, David S. STEVENSON11, Paul YOUNG12, John PYLE13, Mark WEBER14, Johanna TAMMINEN15, Gina MILLS16, Alkiviadis F. BAIS17, Clare HEAVISIDE18, and Christos ZEREFOS19 1 Observatoire de Versailles Saint-Quentin en Yvelines, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, CNRS, 78280 Guyancourt, France 2 CIRES, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA 3 NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Edinburgh EH26 0QB, UK 4 Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA 5 Hohenpeissenberg Meteorological Observatory, Deutscher Wetterdienst, 82383 Hohenpeissenberg, Germany 6 Alfred Wegener Institute, 14401 Potsdam, Germany 7 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, CA 91109, USA 8 NASA Headquarters, Earth Science Division, Washington, DC, USA 9 Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China 10 Bureau of Meteorology, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia 11 University of Edinburgh, School of GeoSciences, Edinburgh EH9 3FE, UK 12 Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YQ, UK 13 University of Cambridge, Department of Chemistry, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK 14 University of Bremen, Institute of Environmental Physics, 28359 Bremen, Germany 15 Finnish Meteorological Institute, Earth Observation, FI-00101 Helsinki, Finland 16 NERC Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, Wales, UK 17 Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece 18 Public Health England, Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, London, UK 19 Research Center for Atmospheric Physics & Climatology, Academy of Athens, Athens 10680, Greece 20 University of Exeter Medical School, Truro TR1 3HD, UK

Feasibility of a focused ultrasound training programme for medical undergraduate students.

PubMed

Wong, Ivan; Jayatilleke, Thilina; Kendall, Richard; Atkinson, Paul

2011-03-01

Although ultrasound is a core skill for many clinical specialties, UK medical schools are not currently required to teach this skill. The College of Emergency Medicine (CEM) has championed the use of ultrasound to answer focused clinical questions in emergency settings. We have designed and piloted an ultrasound training course for undergraduate medical students addressing one important indication: ultrasound assessment of the abdominal aorta. Fourteen clinical students, who had no prior experience of using ultrasound, received focused ultrasound training in the form of didactic instruction, a short bedside practical workshop and self-directed learning over a 20-day period. At the end of this period, the students were assessed by a structured viva and an observed structured clinical examination (OSCE) used for accreditation by the CEM. The primary endpoint was the number of students who passed the assessment. The secondary endpoint was the accuracy of the students' anatomical measurements. Thirteen of the 14 (93%) students completed the training and assessment. Eight of the 13 (62%) students passed both the viva and OSCE, and were deemed to have achieved the CEM standard. The measurements by the competent students were not statistically different from those of experienced practitioners. We have shown for the first time that it is feasible to train inexperienced undergraduate students to scan the abdominal aorta to a professional standard using a focused training course. It is time for the medical education community to address whether focused ultrasound training should accompany traditional clinical skills, such as using a stethoscope, in UK medical school curricula. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011.

A survey of UK optometry trainees' smoking cessation training.

PubMed

Lorencatto, Fabiana; Harper, Alice M; Francis, Jill J; Lawrenson, John G

2016-07-01

Smoking is a risk factor for a number of eye conditions, including age-related macular degeneration, cataracts and thyroid eye disease. Smoking cessation interventions have been shown to be highly cost-effective when delivered by a range of healthcare professionals. Optometrists are well placed to deliver smoking cessation advice to a wide population of otherwise healthy smokers. Yet optometrists remain a relatively neglected healthcare professional group in smoking cessation research and policy. Surveys of UK medical/nursing schools and of optometrists' training internationally demonstrate significant deficits in current curricular coverage regarding smoking cessation. This study aimed to identify the extent of smoking cessation training in UK optometry trainees' undergraduate and pre-registration training. All undergraduate optometry schools in the UK (n = 9) were invited to participate in a web-based survey of their curricular coverage and assessment related to smoking cessation, and of perceived barriers to delivering smoking cessation training. A content analysis of the College of Optometrists Scheme for Registration Trainee Handbook 2014 was conducted to identify competence indicators related to smoking cessation. Nine undergraduate optometry schools (100%) responded to the survey. The majority reported dedicating limited hours (0-3) to teaching smoking cessation, and predominantly focused on teaching the harmful effects of smoking (89%). Only one school provides practical skills training for delivering evidence-based smoking cessation interventions, including very brief advice. The majority of schools (78%) reported that they did not formally examine students on their knowledge or skills for supporting smoking cessation, and rated confidence in their graduates' abilities to deliver smoking cessation interventions as 'poor' (78%). Lack of knowledge amongst staff was identified as the key barrier to teaching about smoking cessation support. The pre-registration competency framework does not include any competence indicators related to providing support for quitting smoking. There are substantial gaps in the current curricula of UK optometry training, particularly regarding practical skills for supporting smoking cessation. Increased curricular coverage of these issues is essential to ensure trainee optometrists are adequately trained and competent in supporting patients to quit smoking. © 2016 The Authors. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of College of Optometrists.

UK Schools, CCTV and the Data Protection Act 1998

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Emmeline

2011-01-01

The use of CCTV in schools is now commonplace in the UK. It is estimated that 85% of all UK secondary schools currently have CCTV systems in operation. The introduction of the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) (enacted in March 2000) meant that for the first time CCTV had direct legislation governing its use in the UK. This paper attempts to apply…

Can I be a student again? How medical graduates make the decision to return to dental school prior to a career in oral and maxillofacial surgery.

PubMed

Tahim, A S; Payne, K F B; Goodson, A M C; Cabot, L B; Fan, K

2014-05-01

Oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) trainees in the UK have traditionally completed their dental undergraduate studies prior to returning to medical school. Recently, there have been increasing numbers of medical graduates who return to dental school before embarking on OMFS specialist training. There is limited research into the career motivation within this group and little guidance on how they may integrate the dental undergraduate course into their postgraduate training path. This study aims to evaluate these factors in more detail. Questionnaires and focus groups were used to evaluate prior surgical experience of qualified medics who return to dental school with the intention of pursuing a career in OMFS, along with the factors that affect the timing of their return to dental school. The average age of medical graduates entering dental school decreased during the study period. The average number of months each cohort of students spent as a practicing doctor prior to starting dentistry also reduced. Postgraduate experience in OMFS was highly variable, but the numbers of students who received alternative exposure to OMFS, such as undergraduate special study modules, medical school elective or taster weeks, increased. The key barriers that were carefully considered by these trainees before returning to university included the perceived increase in the length of training, trainees' prior surgical experience, financial implications and the impact on quality of life. A trainee's decision to return to study dentistry is a multifactorial process. Understanding when trainees decide to return to sit their dental degree is vital not only to provide guidance for future trainees but also to assist future workforce planning, thus aiding training, education and development within OMFS. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Teaching cultural diversity: current status in U.K., U.S., and Canadian medical schools.

PubMed

Dogra, Nisha; Reitmanova, Sylvia; Carter-Pokras, Olivia

2010-05-01

In this paper we present the current state of cultural diversity education for undergraduate medical students in three English-speaking countries: the United Kingdom (U.K.), United States (U.S.) and Canada. We review key documents that have shaped cultural diversity education in each country and compare and contrast current issues. It is beyond the scope of this paper to discuss the varied terminology that is immediately evident. Suffice it to say that there are many terms (e.g. cultural awareness, competence, sensitivity, sensibility, diversity and critical cultural diversity) used in different contexts with different meanings. The major issues that all three countries face include a lack of conceptual clarity, and fragmented and variable programs to teach cultural diversity. Faculty and staff support and development, and ambivalence from both staff and students continue to be a challenge. We suggest that greater international collaboration may help provide some solutions.

From anatomical 'competence' to complex capability. The views and experiences of UK tutors on how we should teach anatomy to medical students.

PubMed

Regan de Bere, Sam; Mattick, Karen

2010-10-01

Developments in clinical education have recently challenged the identity of anatomy teaching and learning, leading to high profile debate over the potential implications for the competence levels of new doctors. However, the emphasis remains on methods of teaching, rather than a review of what well-rounded anatomical learning actually entails, and how teaching can address contemporary learning needs. This paper identifies and addresses some of these issues, drawing on expert views captured in qualitative research with anatomy tutors at twenty different medical schools in the UK. Three main themes emerging from our analysis are described: anatomy as a subject matter, the challenges of teaching or learning anatomy, and the use of teaching methods. We also detail how inductive analysis generated new hypotheses worthy of further consideration. These fall into two key categories: (1) improving anatomy curriculum design and (2) advancing anatomy education research.

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.

Learning the law: practical proposals for UK medical education.

PubMed

Margetts, J K

2016-02-01

Ongoing serious breaches in medical professionalism might be avoided if UK doctors rethink their approach to law. UK medical education has a role in creating a climate of change by re-examining how law is taught to medical students. Adopting a more insightful approach in the UK to the impact of The Human Rights Act and learning to manipulate legal concepts, such as conflict of interest, need to be taught to medical students now if UK doctors are to manage complex decision-making in the NHS of the future. The literature is reviewed from a unique personal perspective of a doctor and lawyer, and practical proposals for developing medical education in law in the UK are suggested. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP) performance of doctors who passed Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) tests compared with UK medical graduates: national data linkage study

PubMed Central

Illing, Jan; Kasim, Adetayo S; McLachlan, John C

2014-01-01

Objective To determine whether use of the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) examination system used to grant registration for international medical graduates results in equivalent postgraduate medical performance, as evaluated at Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP), between UK based doctors who qualified overseas and those who obtained their primary medical qualification from UK universities. Design Observational study linking ARCP outcome data from the UK deaneries with PLAB test performance and demographic data held by the UK General Medical Council (GMC). Setting Doctors in postgraduate training for a medical specialty or general practice in the UK and doctors obtaining GMC registration via the PLAB system. Participants 53 436 UK based trainee doctors with at least one competency related ARCP outcome reported during the study period, of whom 42 017 were UK medical graduates and 11 419 were international medical graduates who were registered following a pass from the PLAB route. Main outcome measure Probability of obtaining a poorer versus a more satisfactory category of outcome at ARCP following successful registration as a doctor in the UK. Results International medical graduates were more likely to obtain a less satisfactory outcome at ARCP compared with UK graduates. This finding persisted even after adjustment for the potential influence of sex, age, years of UK based practice, and ethnicity and exclusion of outcomes associated with postgraduate examination failure (odds ratio 1.63, 95% confidence interval 1.30 to 2.06). However, international medical graduates who scored in the highest twelfth at part 1 of the PLAB (at least 32 points above the pass mark) had ARCP outcomes that did not differ significantly from those of UK graduates. Conclusions These findings suggest that the PLAB test used for registration of international medical graduates is not generally equivalent to the requirements for UK graduates. The differences in postgraduate performance, as captured at ARCP, following the two routes to registration might be levelled out by raising the standards of English language competency required as well as the pass marks for the two parts of the PLAB test. An alternative might be to introduce a different testing system. PMID:24742539

Training tomorrow's doctors to explain 'medically unexplained' physical symptoms: An examination of UK medical educators' views of barriers and solutions.

PubMed

Joyce, Emmeline; Cowing, Jennifer; Lazarus, Candice; Smith, Charlotte; Zenzuck, Victoria; Peters, Sarah

2018-05-01

Co-occuring physical symptoms, unexplained by organic pathology (known as Functional Syndromes, FS), are common and disabling presentations. However, FS is absent or inconsistently taught within undergraduate medical training. This study investigates the reasons for this and identifies potential solutions to improved implementation. Twenty-eight medical educators from thirteen different UK medical schools participated in semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis proceeded iteratively, and in parallel with data production. Barriers to implementing FS training are beliefs about the complexity of FS, tutors' negative attitudes towards FS, and FS being perceived as a low priority for the curriculum. In parallel participants recognised FS as ubiquitous within medical practice and erroneously assumed it must be taught by someone. They recommended that students should learn about FS through managed exposure, but only if tutors' negative attitudes and behaviour are also addressed. Negative attitudes towards FS by educators prevents designing and delivering effective education on this common medical presentation. Whilst there is recognition of the need to implement FS training, recommendations are multifaceted. Increased liaison between students, patients and educators is necessary to develop more informed and effective teaching methods for trainee doctors about FS and in order to minimise the impact of the hidden curriculum. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Are we failing to provide adequate rescue medication to children at risk of prolonged convulsive seizures in schools?

PubMed Central

Cross, J Helen; Wait, Suzanne; Arzimanoglou, Alexis; Beghi, Ettore; Bennett, Christine; Lagae, Lieven; Mifsud, Janet; Schmidt, Dieter; Harvey, Gordon

2013-01-01

Objective This paper explores the issues that arise from the discussion of administering rescue medication to children who experience prolonged convulsive seizures in mainstream schools in the UK. Situation analysis Current guidelines recommend immediate treatment of children with such seizures (defined as seizures lasting more than 5 min) to prevent progression to status epilepticus and neurological morbidity. As children are unconscious during prolonged convulsive seizures, whether or not they receive their treatment in time depends on the presence of a teacher or other member of staff trained and able to administer rescue medication. However, it is thought that the situation varies between schools and depends mainly on the goodwill and resources available locally. Recommendations A more systematic response is needed to ensure that children receive rescue medication regardless of where their seizure occurs. Possible ways forward include: greater use of training resources for schools available from epilepsy voluntary sector organisations; consistent, practical information to schools; transparent guidance outlining a clear care pathway from the hospital to the school; and implementation and adherence to each child's individual healthcare plan. Implications Children requiring emergency treatment for prolonged convulsive seizures during school hours test the goals of integrated, person-centred care as well as joined-up working to which the National Health Service (NHS) aspires. As changes to the NHS come into play and local services become reconfigured, every effort should be made to take account of the particular needs of this vulnerable group of children within broader efforts to improve the quality of paediatric epilepsy services overall. PMID:23899921

Are we failing to provide adequate rescue medication to children at risk of prolonged convulsive seizures in schools?

PubMed

Cross, J Helen; Wait, Suzanne; Arzimanoglou, Alexis; Beghi, Ettore; Bennett, Christine; Lagae, Lieven; Mifsud, Janet; Schmidt, Dieter; Harvey, Gordon

2013-10-01

This paper explores the issues that arise from the discussion of administering rescue medication to children who experience prolonged convulsive seizures in mainstream schools in the UK. Current guidelines recommend immediate treatment of children with such seizures (defined as seizures lasting more than 5 min) to prevent progression to status epilepticus and neurological morbidity. As children are unconscious during prolonged convulsive seizures, whether or not they receive their treatment in time depends on the presence of a teacher or other member of staff trained and able to administer rescue medication. However, it is thought that the situation varies between schools and depends mainly on the goodwill and resources available locally. A more systematic response is needed to ensure that children receive rescue medication regardless of where their seizure occurs. Possible ways forward include: greater use of training resources for schools available from epilepsy voluntary sector organisations; consistent, practical information to schools; transparent guidance outlining a clear care pathway from the hospital to the school; and implementation and adherence to each child's individual healthcare plan. Children requiring emergency treatment for prolonged convulsive seizures during school hours test the goals of integrated, person-centred care as well as joined-up working to which the National Health Service (NHS) aspires. As changes to the NHS come into play and local services become reconfigured, every effort should be made to take account of the particular needs of this vulnerable group of children within broader efforts to improve the quality of paediatric epilepsy services overall.

Is the Lack of Specific Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) Health Care Education in Medical School a Cause for Concern? Evidence From a Survey of Knowledge and Practice Among UK Medical Students.

PubMed

Parameshwaran, Vishnu; Cockbain, Beatrice C; Hillyard, Miriam; Price, Jonathan R

2017-01-01

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) people frequently report negative health care encounters. Medical professionals may inadequately manage LGBTQ persons' health if they have not received training in this area. An anonymous survey measuring efficacy in health situations among LGBTQ persons was answered by 166 medical students across all years of a UK university. Results show that 84.9% of participants reported a lack of LGBTQ health care education, with deficits in confidence clarifying unfamiliar sexual and gender terms, deciding the ward in which to nurse transgender patients, finding support resources, and discussing domestic abuse with LGBTQ patients. Most participants reported that they would not clarify gender pronouns or ask about gender or sexual identity in mental health or reproductive health settings. Participants reported infrequently observing doctors making similar inquiries. Participants held positive attitudes toward LGBTQ patients, with attitude scores positively correlating with LGBTQ terminology knowledge scores (r s  = 0.5052, p < .01). Addressing gender identity and sexuality issues within medical curricula may remove barriers to accessing health care and improve encounters for LGBTQ patients.

Educators' experiences of managing students with ADHD: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Moore, D A; Russell, A E; Arnell, S; Ford, T J

2017-07-01

The symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are associated with difficulty coping with the social, behavioural and academic components of school. Compared with medication and other non-pharmacological treatment, there is less evidence relating to school-based interventions to support children with ADHD. There is additionally an absence of any research focused on the experiences and practices of educators in the UK around how they work with children who are inattentive, impulsive and hyperactive. Forty-two educational practitioners from primary, secondary and alternate provision schools in the UK participated in focus groups or individual interviews that explored (1) their experiences of managing students with ADHD in the classroom and (2) factors that helped and hindered them in this endeavour. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Analysis identified six themes: broad strategies, student-centred, inclusive strategies, labelling, medication and relationships. Participants' experiences of managing students with ADHD drew upon a wide range of strategies that typically involved responding to individual needs in an inclusive manner, so individuals with ADHD could access the classroom with their peers. Participants spoke about three factors that helped and hindered managing students with ADHD. Labelling of students with ADHD was reported, with the negative aspects of labelling, such as stigmatization, affecting the classroom. Educators reported mixed experiences regarding the helpfulness of medication; where helpful, it allowed the use of strategies in the classroom. Although students with ADHD were described as having rollercoaster relationships, positive relationships were considered key to the support of children with these difficulties. This study suggests that factors such as attitudes towards ADHD, relationships experienced by students with ADHD and other treatments being delivered need to be carefully considered before strategies are put in place in the classroom. This study supports the need for further work on the implementation of evidence-based school interventions for ADHD. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A comparison of the perceptions and aspirations of third-year physiotherapy students trained in three educational settings in Poland.

PubMed

Gotlib, Joanna; Białoszewski, Dariusz; Sierdziński, Janusz; Jarosz, Mirosław J; Majcher, Piotr; Barczyk, Katarzyna; Bauer, Aleksandra; Cabak, Anna; Grzegorczyk, Joanna; Płaszewski, Maciej; Kułak, Wojciech; Nowotny-Czupryna, Olga; Prokopowicz, Katarzyna

2010-03-01

In Poland, physiotherapy is offered at three types of school: medical universities, universities of physical education, and schools that do not specialise in either the medical sciences or physical education. This study explored the knowledge of students who were completing their physiotherapy studies about working in Poland and other countries of the European Union (EU), and about their vocational plans. Students were asked, through self-assessment, about aspects of the professional skills they had gained. Quantitative questionnaire-based study of students in three university settings. Eleven university-level schools in Poland offering studies in physiotherapy and representing three orientations: medical sciences (MS), physical education (PE) and other universities (OU). The study sample comprised of 954 third-year Bachelor programme students. The differences in university profiles did not influence the vocational plans of the students, with more than 70% (668/954) declaring that they would look for work outside Poland: 76% (725/954) in the UK and 69% (658/954) in Germany. Most students stated that finding work as a physiotherapist is difficult in Poland (686/954,72%) and easy in other EU countries (763/954, 80%). Differences in university profiles had an effect on the students' assessments of their professional skills, as students from universities without a long-standing tradition of training in physiotherapy declared that they were less well prepared to work as physiotherapists; the difference was statistically significant for 12 of the 16 domains examined (P<0.05). In the light of these results, an increased influx of Polish physiotherapists, trained according to European standards, into EU countries, especially the UK and Germany, is to be expected in the near future. The physiotherapists will predominantly be graduates of medical and sports-oriented state universities. It appears advisable to launch, under the auspices of an EU programme, an integrated employment information system for physiotherapists that would offer updated information on current demand in individual EU countries.

Medical tourism: a cost or benefit to the NHS?

PubMed

Hanefeld, Johanna; Horsfall, Daniel; Lunt, Neil; Smith, Richard

2013-01-01

'Medical Tourism' - the phenomenon of people travelling abroad to access medical treatment - has received increasing attention in academic and popular media. This paper reports findings from a study examining effect of inbound and outbound medical tourism on the UK NHS, by estimating volume of medical tourism and associated costs and benefits. A mixed methods study it includes analysis of the UK International Passenger Survey (IPS); interviews with 77 returning UK medical tourists, 63 policymakers, NHS managers and medical tourism industry actors policymakers, and a review of published literature. These informed costing of three types of treatments for which patients commonly travel abroad: fertility treatment, cosmetic and bariatric surgery. Costing of inbound tourism relied on data obtained through 28 Freedom-of-Information requests to NHS Foundation Trusts. Findings demonstrate that contrary to some popular media reports, far from being a net importer of patients, the UK is now a clear net exporter of medical travellers. In 2010, an estimated 63,000 UK residents travelled for treatment, while around 52,000 patients sought treatment in the UK. Inbound medical tourists treated as private patients within NHS facilities may be especially profitable when compared to UK private patients, yielding close to a quarter of revenue from only 7% of volume in the data examined. Costs arise where patients travel abroad and return with complications. Analysis also indicates possible savings especially in future health care and social costs averted. These are likely to be specific to procedures and conditions treated. UK medical tourism is a growing phenomenon that presents risks and opportunities to the NHS. To fully understand its implications and guide policy on issues such as NHS global activities and patient safety will require investment in further research and monitoring. Results point to likely impact of medical tourism in other universal public health systems.

UK medical tourists in Thailand: they are not who you think they are.

PubMed

Noree, Thinakorn; Hanefeld, Johanna; Smith, Richard

2014-05-06

Travel for medical treatment is an aspect of globalization and health that is comparatively less understood. Little is known about volume, characteristic and motivation of medical tourists, limiting understanding of effects on health systems and patients. Thailand is amongst a handful of countries that have positioned themselves as medical tourism destination. This paper examines in unprecedented detail volume and characteristics of medical tourists who travel from the UK to Thailand for treatment. As part of a wider medical tourism study, authors gained access to over 4000 patient records from the five largest private hospitals in Thailand. These included information on country of origin, gender, age, arrival month, hospitalization, diagnosis, procedures, length of stay, medical expenditure and type of payment. Patient records were analysed to understand who travels and findings were triangulated with data from the UK International Passenger Survey (IPS). 104,830 medical tourists visited these hospitals in Thailand in 2010. While patients originate all over the world, UK medical tourists represent the largest group amongst Europeans. The majority UK medical tourists (60%) have comparatively small, elective procedures, costing less than USD 500. A significant minority of patients travel for more serious orthopedic and cardiothoracic procedures. Data of individual patient records from Thailand shows a higher number of UK patients traveled to Thailand than indicated by the IPS. Thailand is attracting a large number of medical tourists including larger numbers of UK patients than previously estimated. However, as many patients travel for comparatively minor procedures treatment may not be their primary motivation for travel. The small but significant proportion of older UK residents traveling for complex procedures may point to challenges within the NHS.

UK medical tourists in Thailand: they are not who you think they are

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Travel for medical treatment is an aspect of globalization and health that is comparatively less understood. Little is known about volume, characteristic and motivation of medical tourists, limiting understanding of effects on health systems and patients. Thailand is amongst a handful of countries that have positioned themselves as medical tourism destination. This paper examines in unprecedented detail volume and characteristics of medical tourists who travel from the UK to Thailand for treatment. Methods As part of a wider medical tourism study, authors gained access to over 4000 patient records from the five largest private hospitals in Thailand. These included information on country of origin, gender, age, arrival month, hospitalization, diagnosis, procedures, length of stay, medical expenditure and type of payment. Patient records were analysed to understand who travels and findings were triangulated with data from the UK International Passenger Survey (IPS). Results 104,830 medical tourists visited these hospitals in Thailand in 2010. While patients originate all over the world, UK medical tourists represent the largest group amongst Europeans. The majority UK medical tourists (60%) have comparatively small, elective procedures, costing less than USD 500. A significant minority of patients travel for more serious orthopedic and cardiothoracic procedures. Data of individual patient records from Thailand shows a higher number of UK patients traveled to Thailand than indicated by the IPS. Conclusions Thailand is attracting a large number of medical tourists including larger numbers of UK patients than previously estimated. However, as many patients travel for comparatively minor procedures treatment may not be their primary motivation for travel. The small but significant proportion of older UK residents traveling for complex procedures may point to challenges within the NHS. PMID:24885204

UK School Students' Attitudes towards Science and Potential Science-Based Careers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Emelia L.; Harrison, Timothy G.

2012-01-01

This is a review of literature pertaining to UK secondary school students, their uptake of science at higher levels and their consideration of careers as scientists. As with all countries, the continued uptake of sufficient numbers of science at all levels is in the UK's interest. Unfortunately too many UK secondary students see science as…

Teaching musculoskeletal examination skills to UK medical students: a comparative survey of Rheumatology and Orthopaedic education practice.

PubMed

Blake, Tim

2014-03-28

Specialists in Rheumatology and Orthopaedics are frequently involved in undergraduate teaching of musculoskeletal (MSK) examination skills. Students often report that specialty-led teaching is inconsistent, confusing and bears little resemblance to the curricula. The Gait, Arms, Legs and Spine (GALS) is a MSK screening tool that provides a standardised approach to examination despite it being fraught with disapproval and low uptake. Recent studies would appear to support innovative instructional methods of engaging learners such as patient educators and interactive small group teaching. This comparative cross-sectional survey evaluates the current state of undergraduate teaching in Rheumatology and Orthopaedics, including preferred teaching methods, attitudes towards GALS, and barriers to effective teaching. An electronic questionnaire was sent to specialist trainees and Consultants in the East and West Midlands region, representing 5 UK medical schools. Descriptive statistical data analysis was performed. There were 76 respondents representing 5 medical schools. There was a request for newer teaching methodologies to be used: multi-media computer-assisted learning (35.5%), audio-visual aids (31.6%), role-playing (19.7%), and social media (3.9%). It is evident that GALS is under-utilised with 50% of clinicians not using GALS in their teaching. There is a genuine desire for clinical educators to improve their teaching ability, collaborate more with curriculum planners, and feel valued by institutions. There remains a call for implementing a standardised approach to MSK clinical teaching to supersede GALS.

Teaching musculoskeletal examination skills to UK medical students: A comparative survey of Rheumatology and Orthopaedic education practice

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Specialists in Rheumatology and Orthopaedics are frequently involved in undergraduate teaching of musculoskeletal (MSK) examination skills. Students often report that specialty-led teaching is inconsistent, confusing and bears little resemblance to the curricula. The Gait, Arms, Legs and Spine (GALS) is a MSK screening tool that provides a standardised approach to examination despite it being fraught with disapproval and low uptake. Recent studies would appear to support innovative instructional methods of engaging learners such as patient educators and interactive small group teaching. Methods This comparative cross-sectional survey evaluates the current state of undergraduate teaching in Rheumatology and Orthopaedics, including preferred teaching methods, attitudes towards GALS, and barriers to effective teaching. An electronic questionnaire was sent to specialist trainees and Consultants in the East and West Midlands region, representing 5 UK medical schools. Descriptive statistical data analysis was performed. Results There were 76 respondents representing 5 medical schools. There was a request for newer teaching methodologies to be used: multi-media computer-assisted learning (35.5%), audio-visual aids (31.6%), role-playing (19.7%), and social media (3.9%). It is evident that GALS is under-utilised with 50% of clinicians not using GALS in their teaching. Conclusions There is a genuine desire for clinical educators to improve their teaching ability, collaborate more with curriculum planners, and feel valued by institutions. There remains a call for implementing a standardised approach to MSK clinical teaching to supersede GALS. PMID:24678598

Widening access to medicine may improve general practitioner recruitment in deprived and rural communities: survey of GP origins and current place of work.

PubMed

Dowell, J; Norbury, M; Steven, K; Guthrie, B

2015-10-01

Widening access to medicine in the UK is a recalcitrant problem of increasing political importance, with associated strong social justice arguments but without clear evidence of impact on service delivery. Evidence from the United States suggests that widening access may enhance care to underserved communities. Additionally, rural origin has been demonstrated to be the factor most strongly associated with rural practice. However the evidence regarding socio-economic and rural background and subsequent practice locations in the UK has not been explored. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between general practitioners' (GPs) socio-economic and rural background at application to medical school and demographic characteristics of their current practice. The study design was a cross-sectional email survey of general practitioners practising in Scotland. Socio-economic status of GPs at application to medical school was assessed using the self-coded National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification. UK postcode at application was used to define urban-rural location. Current practice deprivation and remoteness was measured using NHS Scotland defined measures based on registered patients' postcodes. A survey was sent to 2050 Scottish GPs with a valid accessible email address, with 801 (41.5 %) responding. GPs whose parents had semi-routine or routine occupations had 4.3 times the odds of working in a deprived practice compared to those with parents from managerial and professional occupations (95 % CI 1.8-10.2, p = 0.001). GPs from remote and rural Scottish backgrounds were more likely to work in remote Scottish practices, as were GPs originating from other UK countries. This study showed that childhood background is associated with the population GPs subsequently serve, implying that widening access may positively affect service delivery in addition to any social justice rationale. Longitudinal research is needed to explore this association and the impact of widening access on service delivery more broadly.

The teaching of drug development to medical students: collaboration between the pharmaceutical industry and medical school

PubMed Central

Stanley, A G; Jackson, D; Barnett, D B

2005-01-01

Collaboration between the medical school at Leicester and a local pharmaceutical company, AstraZeneca, led to the design and implementation of an optional third year special science skills module teaching medical students about drug discovery and development. The module includes didactic teaching about the complexities of the drug discovery process leading to development of candidate drugs for clinical investigation as well as practical experience of the processes involved in drug evaluation preclinically and clinically. It highlights the major ethical and regulatory issues concerned with the production and testing of novel therapies in industry and the NHS. In addition it helps to reinforce other areas of the medical school curriculum, particularly the understanding of clinical study design and critical appraisal. The module is assessed on the basis of a written dissertation and the critical appraisal of a drug advertisement. This paper describes the objectives of the module and its content. In addition we outline the results of an initial student evaluation of the module and an assessment of its impact on student knowledge and the opinion of the pharmaceutical industry partner. This module has proven to be popular with medical students, who acquire a greater understanding of the work required for drug development and therefore reflect more favourably on the role of pharmaceutical companies in the UK. PMID:15801942

Passing MRCP (UK) PACES: a cross-sectional study examining the performance of doctors by sex and country.

PubMed

Unwin, Emily; Potts, Henry W W; Dacre, Jane; Elder, Andrew; Woolf, Katherine

2018-04-06

There is much discussion about the sex differences that exist in medical education. Research from the United Kingdom (UK) and United States has found female doctors earn less, and are less likely to be senior authors on academic papers, but female doctors are also less likely to be sanctioned, and have been found to perform better academically and clinically. It is also known that international medical graduates tend to perform more poorly academically compared to home-trained graduates in the UK, US, and Canada. It is uncertain whether the magnitude and direction of sex differences in doctors' performance is variable by country. We explored the association between doctors' sex and their performance at a large international high-stakes clinical examination: the Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians (UK) Practical Assessment of Clinical Examination Skills (PACES). We examined how sex differences varied by the country in which the doctor received their primary medical qualification, the country in which they took the PACES examination, and by the country in which they are registered to practise. Seven thousand six hundred seventy-one doctors attempted PACES between October 2010 and May 2013. We analysed sex differences in first time pass rates, controlling for ethnicity, in three groups: (i) UK medical graduates (N = 3574); (ii) non-UK medical graduates registered with the UK medical regulator, the General Medical Council (GMC), and thus likely to be working in the UK (N = 1067); and (iii) non-UK medical graduates without GMC registration and so legally unable to work or train in the UK (N = 2179). Female doctors were statistically significantly more likely to pass at their first attempt in all three groups, with the greatest sex effect seen in non-UK medical graduates without GMC registration (OR = 1.99; 95% CI = 1.65-2.39; P < 0.0001) and the smallest in the UK graduates (OR = 1.18; 95% CI = 1.03-1.35; P = 0.02). As found in a previous format of this examination and in other clinical examinations, female doctors outperformed male doctors. Further work is required to explore why sex differences were greater in non-UK graduates, especially those without GMC registration, and to consider how examination performance may relate to performance in practice.

UK-trained junior doctors' intentions to work in UK medicine: questionnaire surveys, three years after graduation

PubMed Central

Surman, Geraldine; Goldacre, Michael J

2017-01-01

Objective To report on the career intentions, three years after qualification, of 12 national cohorts of UK-trained doctors who qualified between 1974 and 2012, and, specifically, to compare recent UK medical graduates’ intentions to work in medicine in the UK with earlier graduates. Design Questionnaire surveys of cohorts of UK medical graduates defined by year of graduation. Setting UK. Participants 30,272 UK medical graduates. Main outcome measures Stated level of intention to pursue a long-term career in medicine in the UK. Results The response rate was 62% (30,272/48,927). We examined responses to the question ‘Apart from temporary visits abroad, do you intend to practise medicine in the United Kingdom for the foreseeable future?' Of doctors from UK homes, 90% had specified that they would ‘definitely or probably’ practise medicine in the UK in the surveys of 1977–1986, 81% in 1996–2011 and 64% in 2015. Those who said that they would probably or definitely not practise medicine in the UK comprised 5% in 1977–1986, 8% in 1996–2011 and 15% in 2015. Most who were not definite about a future career in UK medicine indicated that they would wish to practise medicine outside the UK rather than to leave medicine. Conclusions The wish to remain in UK medical practice in the 2015 survey was unprecedentedly low in this unique series of 40 years of surveys. PMID:29116902

UK-trained junior doctors' intentions to work in UK medicine: questionnaire surveys, three years after graduation.

PubMed

Surman, Geraldine; Goldacre, Michael J; Lambert, Trevor W

2017-12-01

Objective To report on the career intentions, three years after qualification, of 12 national cohorts of UK-trained doctors who qualified between 1974 and 2012, and, specifically, to compare recent UK medical graduates' intentions to work in medicine in the UK with earlier graduates. Design Questionnaire surveys of cohorts of UK medical graduates defined by year of graduation. Setting UK. Participants 30,272 UK medical graduates. Main outcome measures Stated level of intention to pursue a long-term career in medicine in the UK. Results The response rate was 62% (30,272/48,927). We examined responses to the question ' Apart from temporary visits abroad, do you intend to practise medicine in the United Kingdom for the foreseeable future?' Of doctors from UK homes, 90% had specified that they would 'definitely or probably' practise medicine in the UK in the surveys of 1977-1986, 81% in 1996-2011 and 64% in 2015. Those who said that they would probably or definitely not practise medicine in the UK comprised 5% in 1977-1986, 8% in 1996-2011 and 15% in 2015. Most who were not definite about a future career in UK medicine indicated that they would wish to practise medicine outside the UK rather than to leave medicine. Conclusions The wish to remain in UK medical practice in the 2015 survey was unprecedentedly low in this unique series of 40 years of surveys.

Designing a Curriculum Model for the Teaching of the Bible in UK Jewish Secondary Schools: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kohn, Eli

2012-01-01

This paper describes the process of designing a curriculum model for Bible teaching in UK Jewish secondary schools. This model was designed over the period 2008-2010 by a team of curriculum specialists from the Jewish Curriculum Partnership UK in collaboration with a group of teachers from Jewish secondary schools. The paper first outlines the…

Twelve tips on setting up and running a peer-led medical education society.

PubMed

Fleming-Nouri, Alex; Crocombe, Dominic; Sammaraiee, Yezen

2016-12-01

Peer-led teaching is an established paradigm with benefits for student teachers, learners and the wider medical community. Students are increasingly taking ownership of such teaching, which has fuelled the creation of new peer-led medical education societies at universities around the UK. Students wishing to undertake such an endeavor must contend with concerns over the quality of peer-led teaching, logistical challenges, lack of senior support and difficulties accessing relevant resources to design and appraise their initiatives. Peer-led medical education societies represent a relatively novel concept, and students may struggle to find practical information on how to approach these challenges. We propose that these obstacles can be overcome by thorough event planning, understanding the role and features of high quality peer-led education in supplementing medical school curricula, maintaining a strong working relationship with local medical faculty, and learning from the wider medical education community.

Winning Hearts and Minds: Inspiring Medical Students into Cardiothoracic Surgery Through Highly Interactive Workshops.

PubMed

George, Joseph; Combellack, Tom; Lopez-Marco, Ana; Aslam, Umair; Ahmed, Yasir; Nanjaiah, Prakash; Youhana, Aprim; Kumar, Pankaj

The cardiothoracic surgical (CTS) specialty has witnessed a decline in the applicant pool. Early exposure, positive experiences, inspiring role models, and career insight are key in the decision-making process for specialty choice. Our objective was to assess the effect of high tutor:student ratio interactive CTS workshops in influencing the career choice of UK undergraduate medical students. Medical students attended a workshop comprising (1) guided dissection of fresh animal hearts, (2) surgical skills practice on models and fresh hearts, (3) operative videos (adult, congenital, transplant, and aortic) with interactive commentary, and (4) careers seminar. The tutor:student ratio was very high (between 3-1 and 5-1). A questionnaire was completed at the end of each workshop to assess its effect, including a 10-point Likert scale on the perceived attraction to CTS before and after the workshop. A total of 96 delegates attended 5 workshops in 3 UK medical schools. Response rate was 83% from 80 undergraduate students. In all, 58% were male (46/80). There was an equal proportion of sexes in the early years of medical school, but was significantly skewed toward male in the later years. There was a statistically significant increase of 2.1 (standard deviation [SD] = 1.5) in the Likert scores before (μ = 5.0, SD = 2.1) and after (μ = 7.1, SD = 1.9) (p = 0.001). This represents a 42% increase in the perceived attraction to the CTS specialty because of the workshops. Our workshops have a significant effect in stimulating undergraduate medical students toward a career in cardiothoracic surgery. We encourage national take-up of these easily organized daylong workshops to foster interest in the next generation of cardiothoracic surgeons. Copyright © 2017 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Giuseppe Moscati (1880-1927): a holistic approach to medicine.

PubMed

Ponti, Giovanni; Tomasi, Aldo

2014-05-01

Giuseppe Moscati was a physician, medical school professor and a pioneer in the field of biochemistry and Italian studies on diabetes. He was declared a Catholic saint in 1987. In order to respond better to both the physical and spiritual needs of his patients, he developed his own holistic approach to healthcare involving meticulous drug regimens, meditation and discipline. © The Author(s) 2013 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Medical Tourism: A Cost or Benefit to the NHS?

PubMed Central

Hanefeld, Johanna; Horsfall, Daniel; Lunt, Neil; Smith, Richard

2013-01-01

‘Medical Tourism’ – the phenomenon of people travelling abroad to access medical treatment - has received increasing attention in academic and popular media. This paper reports findings from a study examining effect of inbound and outbound medical tourism on the UK NHS, by estimating volume of medical tourism and associated costs and benefits. A mixed methods study it includes analysis of the UK International Passenger Survey (IPS); interviews with 77 returning UK medical tourists, 63 policymakers, NHS managers and medical tourism industry actors policymakers, and a review of published literature. These informed costing of three types of treatments for which patients commonly travel abroad: fertility treatment, cosmetic and bariatric surgery. Costing of inbound tourism relied on data obtained through 28 Freedom-of-Information requests to NHS Foundation Trusts. Findings demonstrate that contrary to some popular media reports, far from being a net importer of patients, the UK is now a clear net exporter of medical travellers. In 2010, an estimated 63,000 UK residents travelled for treatment, while around 52,000 patients sought treatment in the UK. Inbound medical tourists treated as private patients within NHS facilities may be especially profitable when compared to UK private patients, yielding close to a quarter of revenue from only 7% of volume in the data examined. Costs arise where patients travel abroad and return with complications. Analysis also indicates possible savings especially in future health care and social costs averted. These are likely to be specific to procedures and conditions treated. UK medical tourism is a growing phenomenon that presents risks and opportunities to the NHS. To fully understand its implications and guide policy on issues such as NHS global activities and patient safety will require investment in further research and monitoring. Results point to likely impact of medical tourism in other universal public health systems. PMID:24204556

Are medical educators following General Medical Council guidelines on obesity education: if not why not?

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Although the United Kingdom’s (UK’s) General Medical Council (GMC) recommends that graduating medical students are competent to discuss obesity and behaviour change with patients, it is difficult to integrate this education into existing curricula, and clinicians report being unprepared to support patients needing obesity management in practice. We therefore aimed to identify factors influencing the integration of obesity management education within medical schools. Methods Twenty-seven UK and Irish medical school educators participated in semi-structured interviews. Grounded theory principles informed data collection and analysis. Themes emerging directly from the dataset illustrated key challenges for educators and informed several suggested solutions. Results Factors influencing obesity management education included: 1) Diverse and opportunistic learning and teaching, 2) Variable support for including obesity education within undergraduate medical programmes, and 3) Student engagement in obesity management education. Findings suggest several practical solutions to identified challenges including clarifying recommended educational agendas; improving access to content-specific guidelines; and implementing student engagement strategies. Conclusions Students’ educational experiences differ due to diverse interpretations of GMC guidelines, educators’ perceptions of available support for, and student interest in obesity management education. Findings inform the development of potential solutions to these challenges which may be tested further empirically. PMID:23578257

Comparing Anesthesiology Residency Training Structure and Requirements in Seven Different Countries on Three Continents.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Satoshi; Tanaka, Pedro; Madsen, Matias V; Macario, Alex

2017-02-26

Little has been published comparing the graduate medical education training structure and requirements across multiple countries. The goal of this study was to summarize and compare the characteristics of anesthesiology training programs in the USA, UK, Canada, Japan, Brazil, Denmark, and Switzerland as a way to better understand efforts to train anesthesiologists in different countries. Two physicians trained in each of the seven countries (convenience sample) were interviewed using a semi-structured approach. The interview was facilitated by use of a predetermined questionnaire that included, for example, the duration of post-medical school training and national requirements for certain rotations, a number of cases, faculty supervision, national in-training written exams, and duty hour limits. These data were augmented by review of each country's publicly available residency training documents as available on the internet. Post-medical school anesthesia residency duration varied: three years (Brazil), four years (USA), five years (Canada and Switzerland), six years (Japan and Denmark) to nine years (UK), as did the number of explicitly required clinical rotations of a defined duration: zero (Denmark), one (Switzerland and UK), four (Brazil), six (Canada), and 12 (USA). Minimum case requirements exist in the USA, Japan, and Brazil, but not in the other countries. National written exams taken during training exist for all countries studied except Japan and Denmark. The countries studied increasingly aim to have competency-based education with milestone assessments. Training duty hour limits also varied including for example 37 hours/week averaged over a one month with limitations on night duties (Denmark), a weekly average of 48 hours taken over a 17 week period (UK), 50 hours/week maximum (Switzerland), 60 hours/week maximum (Brazil), and 80 hours/week averaged over four weeks (USA). Some countries have highly structured training programs with multiple national requirements with training principally carried out at a home institution. Other countries have a more decentralized and unregulated approach with fewer (if any) specific case or rotation requirements, where the trainee creates his/her own customized training to meet broad objectives and goals. The countries studied have different national training requirements, unique duty hour rules and are at varying stages in transitioning to an outcome based model of residency.

Authoring the identity of learner before doctor in the figured world of medical school.

PubMed

Stubbing, Evangeline; Helmich, Esther; Cleland, Jennifer

2018-02-01

Students enter the 'figured world' of medical school with preconceptions of what it means to be a doctor. The meeting of these early preconceptions and their newly developing identities can create emotional tensions. The aim of this study was to advance our understanding of how such tensions were experienced and managed. Using figured worlds as a theoretical framework we explored students' interactions of preconceptions with their newly developing professional identities in their first year at medical school. Advancing our understanding of this phenomena provided new insights into the complex process of identity formation. This was a qualitative study underpinned by a constructivist epistemology. We ran biannual focus groups with 23 first year students in one UK medical school. Data were recorded, transcribed and then template analysis used to undertake an inductive, iterative process of analysis until it was considered the template provided a detailed representation of the data. Significant preconceptions associated with the identity of a doctor were 'to help' and 'to be a leader'. These early preconceptions were in conflict with realities of the figured world of medical school creating the emotional tensions of 'being unable to help' and 'lacking power', with implications for interactions with patients. By the end of year one students' negotiated tensions and 'self-authored' their identity as a learner as opposed to an imagined 'as if' identity of a doctor. We revealed how preconceptions associated with becoming a doctor can conflict with a newly developing professional identity highlighting the importance of supporting students to embrace the formation of a 'learner' identity, a necessary part of the process of becoming a doctor.

Management of School Attendance in the UK: A Strategic Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reid, Ken

2010-01-01

Prior to 1997, managing school attendance was the sole responsibility of the Department for Education and Skills (DfES). Since devolution, responsibility for school attendance has resided with each of the four UK-wide administrations. These are the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) in England; the Scottish Executive Education…

Functions of Turkish Complementary Schools in the UK: Official vs. Insider Discourses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çavusoglu, Çise

2014-01-01

Complementary schools in the United Kingdom (UK) are community organised schools with the general aim of teaching younger generations their "native" languages and cultures. However, the aims and practices of these schools are predominantly dependent on changes in the social and political contexts both in the host country (in this case…

Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics in undergraduate medical education in the UK: the future.

PubMed Central

Walley, T; Bligh, J; Orme, M; Breckenridge, A

1994-01-01

1. Changes in undergraduate medical education will involve the development of a core curriculum of material of essential knowledge and of the skills for self directed learning both as a student and a postgraduate. A survey of departments or individuals teaching clinical pharmacology and therapeutics was conducted to consider what a core curriculum in these subjects might contain and how changes in the school curriculum would affect teaching in the future. 2. A questionnaire was developed based on an American consensus statement on the core curriculum in clinical pharmacology and therapeutics. Freetext answers were encouraged. Twenty-seven medical schools were surveyed; 21 (78%) replied. 3. Items of core knowledge (as defined by the American statement) were generally rated important or very important. The most important were considered to be (in order): prescribing for the elderly, management of overdose and adverse drug reactions. All of these were widely taught (85-100%). The least important items were the efficacy and toxicity of nonprescription drugs (taught by 35%) and the process of drug development and approval (taught nevertheless by 95%). 4. Core skills were generally rated less important, and less often taught. It was felt by many respondents that these skills, as defined, were excessively detailed for British undergraduates and more appropriate for postgraduate education. 5. Core attitudes were rated as being of intermediate importance, but not widely taught as it was felt that these could best be inculcated by example rather than formal teaching. Again, many felt that these attitudes were inappropriate for a UK core curriculum.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) PMID:8186060

How clinical communication has become a core part of medical education in the UK.

PubMed

Brown, Jo

2008-03-01

This paper sets out to analyse and interpret the complex events of the last 20 years in order to understand how the teaching and learning of clinical communication has emerged as a core part of the modern undergraduate medical curriculum in most medical schools in the UK. The paper analyses the effects of key political, sociological, historical and policy influences on clinical communication development. Political influences include: the effects of neo-liberalism on society and on the professions in general; the challenging of traditional notions of professionalism in medicine; the creation of an internal market within the National Health Service, and the disempowerment of the medical lobby. Sociological influences include: the effects of a 'marketised' society on medicine and subtle shifts in the doctor-patient relationship because of this; the emergence of globalised information through the Internet, and the influence of increased litigation against doctors. Historical influences include: the effects of a change in emphasis for medical education away from an inflated factual curriculum towards a curriculum that recognises the importance of student attitudes and the teaching and learning of clinical communication skills. Policy influences include the important effects of Tomorrow's Doctors and the Dearing Report on the modern medical curriculum. The paper concludes with a developmental map that charts the complex influences on clinical communication teaching and learning and a brief commentary on the growing body of teachers who deliver and develop the subject today.

Knowledge of School Nurses in the U.K. regarding Sexual Health Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westwood, Jo; Mullan, Barbara

2006-01-01

In the U.K., a current government health strategy indicates that school nurses should be key contributors to sexual health education because they have access to the school-age population. However, there appears to be little research that investigates whether school nurses are the most appropriate health care professionals or indeed have sufficient…

Advice and guidance on the admissions process to UK dental schools.

PubMed

McAndrew, Robert; Salem-Rahemi, Morva

2013-03-01

Students looking to read dentistry can be overwhelmed by the information and requirements presented to them by dental schools, career advisors and the printed literature. In the UK, there are currently 16 dental schools which provide a dentistry degree. While there are variations in the specific aspects of the dental courses at each school, there are common principles and generic application requirements that apply. This paper provides a guide to facilitate applications and inform potential students, career advisors and dentists. The information presented has been gathered from UK dental school websites and university prospectuses and corroborated through contact with university admissions offices. This paper is relevant to dental practitioners who are often asked to provide advice on applications to dental schools by potential students.

Restart: The Resurgence of Computer Science in UK Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Neil C. C.; Sentance, Sue; Crick, Tom; Humphreys, Simon

2014-01-01

Computer science in UK schools is undergoing a remarkable transformation. While the changes are not consistent across each of the four devolved nations of the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), there are developments in each that are moving the subject to become mandatory for all pupils from age 5 onwards. In this article, we…

Safer Schools in the UK--A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayden, Carol; Holt, Amanda; Martin, Denise; Nee, Claire

2011-01-01

This article reports a research that is based on a European Safer Schools Partnership that included ten countries and specifically the UK case study which was located in London. The initiators of this partnership had been involved in early SSPs in the UK and the educationalists were very much focussed on work that would address problematic…

Prevalence of pain medication prescriptions in France, Germany, and the UK - a cross-sectional study including 4,270,142 patients.

PubMed

Jacob, Louis; Kostev, Karel

2018-01-01

The goal of the present study was to analyze the prevalence of pain medication prescriptions in general practices in France, Germany, and the UK. This study included all patients aged ≥18 years followed in 2016 in general practitioner practices in France, Germany and the UK. The primary outcome was the prevalence of patients receiving prescriptions for pain medications in France, Germany, and the UK in 2016. The following drugs were included in the analysis: anti-inflammatory and antirheumatic products, non-steroids and analgesics including opioids, antimigraine preparations, and other analgesics and antipyretics. Demographic variables included age and gender. This study included 4,270,142 patients. The prevalences of pain medication prescriptions were 57.3% in France, 29.6% in Germany, and 21.7% in the UK. Although this prevalence generally remained consistent between age groups in France (54.3%-60.3%), it increased with age in Germany (18-30 years: 23.8%; >70 years: 35.8%) and in the UK (18-30 years: 9.3%; >70 years: 43.8%). Finally, the prevalence of pain medication prescriptions was higher in women than in men in all three countries. Paracetamol was prescribed to 82.3% and 60.1% of patients receiving pain medication in France and the UK, respectively, whereas ibuprofen was prescribed to 46.5% of individuals in Germany. The prevalence of pain medication prescriptions was higher in France than in Germany and the UK. Further research is needed to gain a better understanding of the differences in the prescription patterns between these three European countries.

Medical students' views of power in doctor-patient interactions: the value of teacher-learner relationships.

PubMed

Donetto, Sara

2010-02-01

This paper aims to contribute to the important, and relatively underexplored, area of medical education research that seeks to illuminate the value and meaning of relationships in the undergraduate education of doctors. Here I present new empirical material in which I ground my reflections on some ways in which teacher-learner relationships can help address medical students' often uncritical views of professional practice. The views I illustrate are of particular significance as they contrast sharply with the participative models of practice promoted by current policy, professional and educational discourses. My reflections stem from the analysis of data I generated for a larger, broadly ethnographic study exploring students' approaches to their future role as practitioners in one UK medical school. I draw upon this larger body of data and focus here on two examples in particular of the more general uncritical readings of medical professionalism I encountered at Sundown Medical School (an invented name), namely: students' often reductive views of medical power, and their simplistic formulations of patient education. I argue for the need to foster richer and more critical understandings of professional power and knowledge among students and educators, and suggest here that teacher-learner interactions could have an important role in fostering such richer understandings. I argue that teacher-learner relationships can model some of the dynamics of the practitioner-patient interaction and thus provide useful opportunities for closer and more critical analysis of power, education and knowledge in the medical school classroom as well as in the consultation room. I suggest that effective integration of participative and critical pedagogical strategies in medical curricula and more structured involvement of patients in the role of teachers may represent valuable strategies for the development of learning relationships that better promote reflexive and collaborative forms of professionalism.

The cost of health professionals' brain drain in Kenya.

PubMed

Kirigia, Joses Muthuri; Gbary, Akpa Raphael; Muthuri, Lenity Kainyu; Nyoni, Jennifer; Seddoh, Anthony

2006-07-17

Past attempts to estimate the cost of migration were limited to education costs only and did not include the lost returns from investment. The objectives of this study were: (i) to estimate the financial cost of emigration of Kenyan doctors to the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA); (ii) to estimate the financial cost of emigration of nurses to seven OECD countries (Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Portugal, UK, USA); and (iii) to describe other losses from brain drain. The costs of primary, secondary, medical and nursing schools were estimated in 2005. The cost information used in this study was obtained from one non-profit primary and secondary school and one public university in Kenya. The cost estimates represent unsubsidized cost. The loss incurred by Kenya through emigration was obtained by compounding the cost of educating a medical doctor and a nurse over the period between the average age of emigration (30 years) and the age of retirement (62 years) in recipient countries. The total cost of educating a single medical doctor from primary school to university is 65,997 US dollars; and for every doctor who emigrates, a country loses about 517,931 US dollars worth of returns from investment. The total cost of educating one nurse from primary school to college of health sciences is 43,180 US dollars; and for every nurse that emigrates, a country loses about 338,868 US dollars worth of returns from investment. Developed countries continue to deprive Kenya of millions of dollars worth of investments embodied in her human resources for health. If the current trend of poaching of scarce human resources for health (and other professionals) from Kenya is not curtailed, the chances of achieving the Millennium Development Goals would remain bleak. Such continued plunder of investments embodied in human resources contributes to further underdevelopment of Kenya and to keeping a majority of her people in the vicious circle of ill-health and poverty. Therefore, both developed and developing countries need to urgently develop and implement strategies for addressing the health human resource crisis.

The cost of health professionals' brain drain in Kenya

PubMed Central

Kirigia, Joses Muthuri; Gbary, Akpa Raphael; Muthuri, Lenity Kainyu; Nyoni, Jennifer; Seddoh, Anthony

2006-01-01

Background Past attempts to estimate the cost of migration were limited to education costs only and did not include the lost returns from investment. The objectives of this study were: (i) to estimate the financial cost of emigration of Kenyan doctors to the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States of America (USA); (ii) to estimate the financial cost of emigration of nurses to seven OECD countries (Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Portugal, UK, USA); and (iii) to describe other losses from brain drain. Methods The costs of primary, secondary, medical and nursing schools were estimated in 2005. The cost information used in this study was obtained from one non-profit primary and secondary school and one public university in Kenya. The cost estimates represent unsubsidized cost. The loss incurred by Kenya through emigration was obtained by compounding the cost of educating a medical doctor and a nurse over the period between the average age of emigration (30 years) and the age of retirement (62 years) in recipient countries. Results The total cost of educating a single medical doctor from primary school to university is US$ 65,997; and for every doctor who emigrates, a country loses about US$ 517,931 worth of returns from investment. The total cost of educating one nurse from primary school to college of health sciences is US$ 43,180; and for every nurse that emigrates, a country loses about US$ 338,868 worth of returns from investment. Conclusion Developed countries continue to deprive Kenya of millions of dollars worth of investments embodied in her human resources for health. If the current trend of poaching of scarce human resources for health (and other professionals) from Kenya is not curtailed, the chances of achieving the Millennium Development Goals would remain bleak. Such continued plunder of investments embodied in human resources contributes to further underdevelopment of Kenya and to keeping a majority of her people in the vicious circle of ill-health and poverty. Therefore, both developed and developing countries need to urgently develop and implement strategies for addressing the health human resource crisis. PMID:16846492

Teaching Astronomy in UK Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roche, Paul; Roberts, Sarah; Newsam, Andy; Barclay, Charles

2012-01-01

This article attempts to summarise the good, bad and (occasionally) ugly aspects of teaching astronomy in UK schools. It covers the most common problems reported by teachers when asked about covering the astronomy/space topics in school. Particular focus is given to the GCSE Astronomy qualification offered by Edexcel (which is currently the…

Internationalization of U.K. University Business Schools: A Survey of Current Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Roger; Kane, Suzanne

2011-01-01

A questionnaire was sent to the heads of internationalization in the business schools of all U.K. universities. Sixty-five replies were received. The document covered, inter alia, the internationalization activities undertaken by the respondents' schools, the intensities with which internationalization had been implemented, motives for…

E-Learning Funding for Schools: A Policy Paradox?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mee, Adrian

2007-01-01

The rise in UK government funding for information and communications technologies (ICTs) since 1997 has created a large capital infrastructure, which schools are required to support with their own funds. Simultaneously, both nationally and internationally, the model of self-managing schools gathers momentum. In the UK, the government supports the…

News UK public libraries offer walk-in access to research Atoms for Peace? The Atomic Weapons Establishment and UK universities Students present their research to academics: CERN@school Science in a suitcase: Marvin and Milo visit Ethiopia Inspiring telescopes A day for everyone teaching physics 2014 Forthcoming Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2014-05-01

UK public libraries offer walk-in access to research Atoms for Peace? The Atomic Weapons Establishment and UK universities Students present their research to academics: CERN@school Science in a suitcase: Marvin and Milo visit Ethiopia Inspiring telescopes A day for everyone teaching physics 2014 Forthcoming Events

An Examination of Barriers to Physical Education for Christian and Muslim Girls Attending Comprehensive Secondary Schools in the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elliott, Dave; Hoyle, Kathryn

2014-01-01

This study examined barriers to Physical Education (PE) in a sample of Christian and Muslim schoolgirls attending UK comprehensive secondary schools. Also assessed was whether religion and school year (age) had any impact upon barrier strength and if school year × religion interactions existed. A questionnaire was developed and exploratory factor…

Bullying, "Cussing" and "Mucking About": Complexities in Tackling Homophobia in Three Secondary Schools in South London, UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warwick, Ian; Aggleton, Peter

2014-01-01

In countries such as the UK, schools have a responsibility to prevent all forms of bullying, including those related to sexual orientation. However, relatively little is known about how schools go about this work successfully. This study aimed to identify how three secondary schools in south London, England, were addressing homophobia. Three…

Operation GRITROCK: the Defence Medical Services' story and emerging lessons from supporting the UK response to the Ebola crisis.

PubMed

Bricknell, Martin; Hodgetts, T; Beaton, K; McCourt, A

2016-06-01

This paper is a record of the UK Defence Medical Services (DMS) contribution to the UK response to the Ebola crisis in West Africa from the start of planning in July 2014 to the closure of the Ministry of Defence Ebola Virus Disease Treatment Unit at the end of June 2015. The context and wider UK government decisions are summarised. This paper describes the decisions and processes that resulted in the deployment of a DMS delivered Ebola Treatment Unit in conjunction with the Department for International Development and Save the Children. It covers arrangements for medical care for disease and non-battle injury, the Air Transportable Isolator and Force Health Protection policy, and finally, considers the medical lessons from this deployment. The core message is that the UK DMS are the only part of the UK health sector that is trained, equipped, manned and available to rapidly deploy and operate a complete medical unit as part of an international response to a health crisis. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

How do workplaces, working practices and colleagues affect UK doctors’ career decisions? A qualitative study of junior doctors’ career decision making in the UK

PubMed Central

Pearson, Emma; Gibson, Jonathan; Checkland, Kath

2017-01-01

Objectives This study draws on an in-depth investigation of factors that influenced the career decisions of junior doctors. Setting Junior doctors in the UK can choose to enter specialty training (ST) programmes within 2 years of becoming doctors. Their specialty choices contribute to shaping the balance of the future medical workforce, with views on general practice (GP) careers of particular interest because of current recruitment difficulties. This paper examines how experiences of medical work and perceptions about specialty training shape junior doctors’ career decisions. Participants Twenty doctors in the second year of a Foundation Training Programme in England were recruited. Purposive sampling was used to achieve a diverse sample from respondents to an online survey. Results Narrative interviewing techniques encouraged doctors to reflect on how experiences during medical school and in medical workplaces had influenced their preferences and perceptions of different specialties. They also spoke about personal aspirations, work priorities and their wider future. Junior doctors’ decisions were informed by knowledge about the requirements of ST programmes and direct observation of the pressures under which ST doctors worked. When they encountered negative attitudes towards a specialty they had intended to choose, some became defensive while others kept silent. Achievement of an acceptable work-life balance was a central objective that could override other preferences. Events linked with specific specialties influenced doctors’ attitudes towards them. For example, findings confirmed that while early, positive experiences of GP work could increase its attractiveness, negative experiences in GP settings had the opposite effect. Conclusions Junior doctors’ preferences and perceptions about medical work are influenced by multiple intrinsic and extrinsic factors and experiences. This paper highlights the importance of understanding how perceptions are formed and preferences are developed, as a basis for generating learning and working environments that nurture students and motivate their professional careers. PMID:29074517

Impact of a 2-Week Oncology Placement on Medical Students' Perception of Cancer.

PubMed

Mayes, Jonathan; Davies, Simon; Harris, Andrew; Wray, Emma; Dark, Graham G

2018-02-01

Statistics show that more than one in two people born after 1960 in the UK will develop cancer during their lifetime. However, a 2013 study found that only 36 % of UK medical schools offer dedicated clinical teaching in oncology. The aim of this study was to assess the views of medical students on five domains of oncology before and after their first clinical placement, to assess the impact, and to obtain students' views on the oncology curriculum. A 28-item questionnaire was developed to compare responses before and after the students' first 2-week clinical placement, and impact was measured as a positive or negative deviation from a baseline response. Students were asked about their career intentions and to evaluate their received teaching. Thirty-six (80 %) students responded to the questionnaire. The largest areas of change were identified in students' confidence in breaking bad news, recognising red flag symptoms, and awareness of the complications of cancer management. Following their placement, 19 students said they would consider a career in oncology, 14 said they would not, and 2 were undecided. Students stated that Maggie's Centre, a patient support facility, was the most useful learning experience. The evidence demonstrates that all students should experience oncology in a variety of settings to aid their learning. Student feedback and perception can help to guide and shape medical teaching.

University-School Partnerships: On the Impact on Students of Summer Schools (for School Students Aged 17-18) Run by Bristol ChemLabs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, A. J.; Harrison, T. G.; Croker, S. J.; Medley, M.; Sellou, L.; Shallcross, K. L.; Williams, S, J.; Grayson, D. J.; Shallcross, D. E.

2010-01-01

Chemistry summer schools for 17-18 year old school students in the UK were run by Bristol ChemLabS, a Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning in Chemistry at the University of Bristol. Students attending were all studying Chemistry at post-16 level (A level in the UK) and experienced not only new practical techniques but also lectures on…

High Quality in Primary Humanities: Insights from the UK's School Inspectorates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Catling, Simon

2017-01-01

The school inspectorates of the four jurisdictions of the UK are sources of evidence about the quality of humanities teaching, learning and curriculum in primary schools. The term "humanities" usually refers to the subjects of geography, history and Religious Education, but here they are considered holistically, not separately. Discrete…

Taking Stock of Violence in U.K. Schools: Risk, Regulation, and Responsibility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowie, Helen; Hutson, Nicola; Jennifer, Dawn; Myers, Carrie Anne

2008-01-01

This article documents the important issues of school violence and bullying in the United Kingdom. The authors provide examples of effective interventions for preventing violence and describe some methods, grounded in a restorative and emotional intelligence framework, that have been successfully adopted in U.K. schools. The authors conclude that…

Employer Engagement Practices of UK Business Schools and Departments: An Empirical Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Roger; Kane, Suzanne

2009-01-01

A survey of managers in charge of employer engagement activities in UK business schools and departments was completed to ascertain: (1) the employer engagement methods that were most commonly used by institutions; (2) business school managers' attitudes towards employers' involvement in course design; and (3) the respondents' perceptions of the…

Headteacher Career Paths in UK Independent Secondary Coeducational Schools: Gender Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLay, Margaret

2008-01-01

This article presents evidence of the similarities and differences in the career paths of men and women who have achieved headships in UK independent coeducational schools. The research comprised a pilot study of interviews with nine female headteachers and a questionnaire sent to male and female heads of coeducational secondary schools. It…

Does More Schooling Improve Health Outcomes and Health Related Behaviors? Evidence from U.K. Twins

PubMed Central

Amin, Vikesh; Behrman, Jere R.; Spector, Tim D.

2013-01-01

Several recent studies using instrumental variables based on changes in compulsory schoolleaving age laws have estimated the causal effect of schooling on health outcomes and health-related behaviors in the U.K. Despite using the same identification strategy and similar datasets, no consensus has been reached. We contribute to the literature by providing results for the U.K. using a different research design and a different dataset. Specifically, we estimate the effect of schooling on health outcomes (obesity and physical health) and health-related behaviors (smoking, alcohol consumption and exercise) for women through within-MZ twins estimates using the TwinsUK database. For physical health, alcohol consumption and exercise, the within-MZ twins estimates are uninformative about whether there is a causal effect. However, we find (1) that the significant association between schooling and smoking status is due to unobserved endowments that are correlated with schooling and smoking (2) there is some indication that more schooling reduces the body mass index for women, even once these unobserved endowments have been controlled for. PMID:24415826

Anatomy: a must for teaching the next generation.

PubMed

Older, J

2004-04-01

Teaching anatomy to both undergraduate medical students and medical graduates is in the midst of a downward spiral. The traditional anatomy education based on topographical structural anatomy taught by didactic lectures and complete dissection of the body with personal tuition, has been replaced by a multiple range of special study modules, problem-based workshops, computers, plastic models and many other teaching tools. In some centres, dissected cadaver-based anatomy is no longer taught. Changing the undergraduate medical curriculum in the UK has taken place without any research into the key aspects of knowledge necessary or comparing methods of teaching. There is no agreement on a common national core curriculum and as a result, numerous new curricula have been introduced. No external audit or validation is carried out, so medical schools have been free to teach and assess their own work themselves. There is a great divergence in medical schools across the UK and Ireland in teaching medicine in general and anatomy in particular. Published data on the impact of these changes is scant. The reduction in undergraduate teaching and knowledge of anatomy has caused great concern, not only for undergraduates but also to postgraduate students, especially in surgery. This, together with a change in basic surgical training, a marked reduction in demonstrator posts and a change in examination standards, has set up a system that is allowing young men and women with a poor knowledge of anatomy to become surgeons. There should be a full public debate at every level; the Royal Colleges, specialist associations, the Universities, Government, both health and education. This debate should highlight areas of concern, explore in depth and define a minimal core curriculum for anatomy. Teaching must be enhanced with a critical look at both teachers and methods. The dominance of research must be reassessed to establish an equitable cohabitation with teaching. The place of basic science, especially anatomy in basic surgical teaching, must be examined. A thorough knowledge of anatomy should be required in the new MRCS-UK. This should be mandatory as a preliminary to higher surgical training. The teaching of anatomy in surgical specialities must be improved. Does the dissecting room still have a place in educating our under- and postgraduate students? Yes--a sound knowledge of anatomy is essential if the medical practitioner is going to accurately define and successfully treat the problem presented by the patient. The dissected cadaver remains the most powerful means of presenting and learning anatomy as a dynamic basis for solving problems. The cadaver must not be dismissed as obsolete. Dissection has survived the most rigorous test of pedagological fitness--the test of time. The student--cadaver--patient encounter is paramount in medical education.

Broken Voices or a Broken Curriculum? The Impact of Research on UK School Choral Practice with Boys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashley, Martin R.

2013-01-01

Work such as that of John Cooksey on boys' changing voices has influenced choral practice in the USA and in certain UK youth choirs, but has hitherto had little impact in UK schools where many teachers continue to believe that boys' voices "break". Different practices are found across the independent and maintained sectors of secondary…

Ethnic stereotypes and the underachievement of UK medical students from ethnic minorities: qualitative study.

PubMed

Woolf, Katherine; Cave, Judith; Greenhalgh, Trisha; Dacre, Jane

2008-08-18

To explore ethnic stereotypes of UK medical students in the context of academic underachievement of medical students from ethnic minorities. Qualitative study using semistructured one to one interviews and focus groups. A London medical school. 27 year 3 medical students and 25 clinical teachers, purposively sampled for ethnicity and sex. Data were analysed using the theory of stereotype threat (a psychological phenomenon thought to negatively affect the performance of people from ethnic minorities in educational contexts) and the constant comparative method. Participants believed the student-teacher relationship was vital for clinical learning. Teachers had strong perceptions about "good" clinical students (interactive, keen, respectful), and some described being aggressive towards students whom they perceived as quiet, unmotivated, and unwilling. Students had equally strong perceptions about "good" clinical teachers (encouraging, interested, interactive, non-aggressive). Students and teachers had concordant and well developed perceptions of the "typical" Asian clinical medical student who was considered over-reliant on books, poor at communicating with patients, too quiet during clinical teaching sessions, and unmotivated owing to being pushed into studying medicine by ambitious parents. Stereotypes of the "typical" white student were less well developed: autonomous, confident, and outgoing team player. Direct discrimination was not reported. Asian clinical medical students may be more likely than white students to be perceived stereotypically and negatively, which may reduce their learning by jeopardising their relationships with teachers. The existence of a negative stereotype about their group also raises the possibility that underperformance of medical students from ethnic minorities may be partly due to stereotype threat. It is recommended that clinical teachers be given opportunities and training to encourage them to get to know their students as individuals and thus foster positive educational relationships with them.

A pilot study of an online universal school-based intervention to prevent alcohol and cannabis use in the UK

PubMed Central

Newton, Nicola C; Conrod, Patricia J; Rodriguez, Daniel M; Teesson, Maree

2014-01-01

Objectives The online universal Climate Schools intervention has been found to be effective in reducing the use of alcohol and cannabis among Australian adolescents. The aim of the current study was to examine the feasibility of implementing this prevention programme in the UK. Design A pilot study examining the feasibility of the Climate Schools programme in the UK was conducted with teachers and students from Year 9 classes at two secondary schools in southeast London. Teachers were asked to implement the evidence-based Climate Schools programme over the school year with their students. The intervention consisted of two modules (each with six lessons) delivered approximately 6 months apart. Following completion of the intervention, students and teachers were asked to evaluate the programme. Results 11 teachers and 222 students from two secondary schools evaluated the programme. Overall, the evaluations were extremely positive. Specifically, 85% of students said the information on alcohol and cannabis and how to stay safe was easy to understand, 84% said it was easy to learn and 80% said the online cartoon-based format was an enjoyable way to learn health theory topics. All teachers said the students were able to recall the information taught, 82% said the computer component was easy to implement and all teachers said the teacher's manual was easy to use to prepare class activities. Importantly, 82% of teachers said it was likely that they would use the programme in the future and recommend it to others. Conclusions The Internet-based universal Climate Schools prevention programme to be both feasible and acceptable to students and teachers in the UK. A full evaluation trial of the intervention is now required to examine its effectiveness in reducing alcohol and cannabis use among adolescents in the UK before implementation in the UK school system. PMID:24840248

FY1 doctors' ethicolegal challenges in their first year of clinical practice: an interview study.

PubMed

Vivekananda-Schmidt, Pirashanthie; Vernon, Bryan

2014-04-01

There is little evidence of junior trainee perspectives in the design and implementation of medical ethics and law (MEL) curriculum in UK medical schools. To determine the ethical issues the foundation year 1 (FY1) doctors (first year after graduation)  encountered during clinical practice and the skills and knowledge of MEL, which were useful in informing MEL curriculum development. The National Research Ethics Service gave ethical approval. Eighteen one-to-one interviews were conducted in each school with FY1 doctors. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim; a thematic analysis was undertaken with the transcriptions and saturation of themes was achieved. Themes closely overlapped between the two study sites. (1) Knowing my place as an FY1 (this theme consisted of four subthemes: challenging the hierarchy, being honest when the team is titrating the truth, taking consent for unfamiliar procedures and personal safety vs competing considerations); (2) Do not attempt resuscitation)/end-of-life pathway and its implications; (3) 'You have to be there' (contextualising ethics and law teaching through cases or role plays to allow students to explore future work situations); and (4) advanced interpersonal skills competency for ethical clinical practice. The data provide a snapshot of the real challenges faced by MEL FY1 doctors in early clinical practice: they may feel ill-prepared and sometimes unsupported by senior members of the team. The key themes suggest areas for development of undergraduate and postgraduate MEL curricula. We will work to develop our own curriculum accordingly. We intend to further investigate the applicability of our findings to UK medical ethics and law curriculum.

Medical students' experiences of resuscitation and discussions surrounding resuscitation status.

PubMed

Aggarwal, Asha R; Khan, Iqbal

2018-01-01

In the UK, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) should be undertaken in the event of cardiac arrest unless a patient has a "Do Not Attempt CPR" document. Doctors have a legal duty to discuss CPR with patients or inform them that CPR would be futile. In this study, final-year medical students were interviewed about their experiences of resuscitation on the wards and of observing conversations about resuscitation status to explore whether they would be equipped to have an informed discussion about resuscitation in the future. Twenty final-year medical students from two medical schools were interviewed about their experiences on the wards. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and thematic analysis was undertaken. Students who had witnessed CPR on the wards found that aspects of it were distressing. A significant minority had never seen resuscitation status being discussed with a patient. No students reported seeing a difficult conversation. Half of the students interviewed reported being turned away from difficult conversations by clinicians. Only two of the twenty students would feel comfortable raising the issue of resuscitation with a patient. It is vital that doctors are comfortable talking to patients about resuscitation. Given the increasing importance of this aspect of communication, it should be considered for inclusion in the formal communication skills teaching during medical school.

Student attitudes to psychiatry and their clinical placements.

PubMed

Budd, Simon; Kelley, Rachael; Day, Richard; Variend, Hannele; Dogra, Nisha

2011-01-01

Medical students consistently report low rates of interest in psychiatry as a career over time with negative perceptions of the specialty. Only 3-6% of students enter the specialty. To explore medical students' current career choices and attitudes to psychiatry and factors affecting these. Medical students at four UK medical schools completed a questionnaire related to career specialty choices and psychiatry and their psychiatry placement experiences. A total of 905 questionnaires were returned. Psychiatry was first career specialty choice in 4% but in the top three choices in 14%. The students in this group who had undertaken clinical placements were more positively inclined towards psychiatry, given more opportunities to practice and receive feedback on psychiatric skills, and more inclined to practice psychiatry later. One in seven students is interested in psychiatry. Psychiatrists need to find ways to identify these students and target them with individually tailored interventions to help recruitment into the specialty.

Teaching weather and climate science in primary schools - a pilot project from the UK Met Office

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orrell, Richard; Liggins, Felicity; Challenger, Lesley; Lethem, Dom; Campbell, Katy

2017-04-01

Wow Schools is a pilot project from the Met Office with an aim to inspire and educate the next generation of scientists and, uniquely, use the data collected by schools to improve weather forecasts and warnings across the UK. Wow Schools was launched in late 2015 with a competition open to primary schools across the UK. 74 schools entered the draw, all hoping to be picked as one of the ten lucky schools taking part in the pilot scheme. Each winning school received a fully automatic weather station (AWS), enabling them to transmit real-time local weather observations to the Met Office's Weather Observation Website (WOW - wow.metoffice.gov.uk), an award winning web portal for uploading and sharing a range of environmental observations. They were also given a package of materials designed to get students out of the classroom to observe the weather, get hands-on with the science underpinning weather forecasting, and analyse the data they are collecting. The curriculum-relevant materials were designed with the age group 7 to 11 in mind, but could be extended to support other age groups. Each school was offered a visit by a Wow Schools Ambassador (a Met Office employee) to bring the students' learning to life, and access to a dedicated forecast for its location generated by our new supercomputer. These forecasts are improved by the school's onsite AWS reinforcing the link between observations and forecast production. The Wow Schools pilot ran throughout 2016. Here, we present the initial findings of the project, examining the potential benefits and challenges of working with schools across the UK to: enrich students' understanding of the science of weather forecasting; to source an ongoing supply of weather observations and discover how these might be used in the forecasting process; and explore what materials and business model(s) would be most useful and affordable if a wider roll-out of the initiative was undertaken.

On the Impact of School Teacher Fellows in Chemistry Departments within UK Higher Education Institutes, from 2005-2013

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shallcross, Dudley E.; Harrison, Timothy G.; Read, David; Barker, Nicholas

2014-01-01

Two UK programmes to place school teachers in a university setting are compared; the Excellence Fellowship Awards Pilot Scheme and the School Teacher Fellows Scheme. In this paper we compare the School Teacher Fellow Scheme supported by Bristol ChemLabS (Shallcross et al., 2013a, 2013b) and subsequently by the Royal Society of Chemistry with the…

Food Hygiene Education in UK Secondary Schools: A Nationwide Survey of Teachers' Views

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Egan, M. B.; Bielby, G.; Eves, A.; Lumbers, M. L.; Raats, M. M.; Adams, M. R.

2008-01-01

Objective: A nationwide survey of teachers investigated the teaching of food hygiene in UK secondary schools. Previous studies have focused on effective strategies in consumer food hygiene training but there is little research focusing on school-based education. Design: The questionnaire was developed based on the results of in-depth interviews…

Incorporating Cultural and Linguistic Diversity into Policy and Practice: Case Studies from an English Primary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dakin, Justine

2017-01-01

Global migration has increased the number of non-English speaking pupils in UK schools, challenging a system which is politically and ideologically monolingual. This article examines how staff at a UK primary school positioned newly arrived pupils and their families, both culturally and linguistically, in terms of Cummins' educator role…

Explaining Social Class Inequalities in Educational Achievement in the UK: Quantifying the Contribution of Social Class Differences in School "Effectiveness"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hobbs, Graham

2016-01-01

There are large social class inequalities in educational achievement in the UK. This paper quantifies the contribution of one mechanism to the production of these inequalities: social class differences in school "effectiveness," where "effectiveness" refers to a school's impact on pupils' educational achievement (relative to…

Rationalising "for" and "against" a Policy of School-Led Careers Guidance in STEM in the U.K.: A Teacher Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watermeyer, Richard; Morton, Pat; Collins, Jill

2016-01-01

This paper reports on teacher attitudes to changes in the provision of careers guidance in the U.K., particularly as it relates to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). It draws on survey data of n = 94 secondary-school teachers operating in STEM domains and their attitudes towards a U.K. and devolved policy of internalising…

Palliative Care Medical Education in European Universities: A Descriptive Study and Numerical Scoring System Proposal for Assessing Educational Development.

PubMed

Carrasco, José Miguel; Lynch, Thomas J; Garralda, Eduardo; Woitha, Kathrin; Elsner, Frank; Filbet, Marilène; Ellershaw, John E; Clark, David; Centeno, Carlos

2015-10-01

The lack of palliative medicine (PM) education has been identified as a barrier to the development of the discipline. A number of international institutions have called for its implementation within undergraduate medical curricula. The objectives are to describe the situation of undergraduate PM education in Europe and to propose a scoring system to evaluate its status. This descriptive study was conducted with data provided by key experts from countries of the World Health Organization European Region (n = 53). A numerical scoring system was developed through consensus techniques. Forty-three countries (81%) provided the requested information. In 13 countries (30%), a PM course is taught in all medical schools, being compulsory in six of them (14%). In 15 countries (35%), PM is taught in at least one university. In 14 countries (33%), PM is not taught within medical curricula. A full professor of PM was identified in 40% of countries. Three indicators were developed to construct a scale (rank 0-100) of educational development: 1) proportion of medical schools that teach PM (weight = 32%); 2) proportion of medical schools that offer PM as a compulsory subject (weight = 40%); 3) total number of PM professors (weight = 28%). The highest level of PM educational development was found in Israel, Norway, the U.K., Belgium, France, Austria, Germany, and Ireland. PM is taught in a substantial number of undergraduate medical programs at European universities, and a qualified teaching structure is emerging; however, there is a wide variation in the level of PM educational development between individual countries. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Career choices for geriatric medicine: national surveys of graduates of 1974-2009 from all UK medical schools.

PubMed

Maisonneuve, Jenny J; Pulford, Claire; Lambert, Trevor W; Goldacre, Michael J

2014-07-01

numbers of elderly people are increasing worldwide. This increases the importance of the specialty of geriatric medicine. Recruitment to the specialty may not be keeping pace with need. to report trends in junior doctors' career choices for geriatric medicine, factors that influence career choice, and associations between early career choices and later specialty destinations. questionnaire surveys of all medical qualifiers from all UK medical schools in selected year-of-qualification cohorts (1974-2009). Survey response rates 1, 3 and 5 years after graduation were, respectively, 65.9% (33,972/51,535), 65.5% (29,400/44,879) and 66.1% (22,600/34,197). geriatric medicine was the career choice of 0.9% of medical graduates (0.4% of men, 1.3% of women) 1 year after qualification; and of 1.5% (1.2% of men, 1.9% of women) after 5 years. There was a modest increase in recent cohorts. Important influences on career choice included enthusiasm for and commitment to the specialty, experience of working in geriatric medicine and self-appraisal of own skills. Early career choices were not highly predictive of later destinations. Of practising geriatricians in our surveys, 9% (20/212) had told us that they wanted to be geriatricians in their first year after graduation, as had 36% when in their third year and 74% in their fifth year. a higher percentage of women than men choose geriatric medicine; in recent years its popularity has increased slightly. Early career choice is not highly predictive of an eventual career in the specialty. Flexibility is needed about when doctors can enter training in geriatric medicine. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

An intercalated BSc degree is associated with higher marks in subsequent medical school examinations.

PubMed

Cleland, Jennifer A; Milne, Andrew; Sinclair, Hazel; Lee, Amanda J

2009-05-19

To compare medical students on a modern MBChB programme who did an optional intercalated degree with their peers who did not intercalate; in particular, to monitor performance in subsequent undergraduate degree exams. This was a retrospective, observational study of anonymised databases of medical student assessment outcomes. Data were accessed for graduates, University of Aberdeen Medical School, Scotland, UK, from the years 2003 to 2007 (n = 861). The main outcome measure was marks for summative degree assessments taken after intercalating. Of 861 medical students, 154 (17.9%) students did an intercalated degree. After adjustment for cohort, maturity, gender and baseline (3rd year) performance in matching exam type, having done an IC degree was significantly associated with attaining high (18-20) common assessment scale (CAS) marks in three of the six degree assessments occurring after the IC students rejoined the course: the 4th year written exam (p < 0.001), 4th year OSCE (p = 0.001) and the 5th year Elective project (p = 0.010). Intercalating was associated with improved performance in Years 4 and 5 of the MBChB. This improved performance will further contribute to higher academic ranking for Foundation Year posts. Long-term follow-up is required to identify if doing an optional intercalated degree as part of a modern medical degree is associated with following a career in academic medicine.

An intercalated BSc degree is associated with higher marks in subsequent medical school examinations

PubMed Central

Cleland, Jennifer A; Milne, Andrew; Sinclair, Hazel; Lee, Amanda J

2009-01-01

Background To compare medical students on a modern MBChB programme who did an optional intercalated degree with their peers who did not intercalate; in particular, to monitor performance in subsequent undergraduate degree exams. Methods This was a retrospective, observational study of anonymised databases of medical student assessment outcomes. Data were accessed for graduates, University of Aberdeen Medical School, Scotland, UK, from the years 2003 to 2007 (n = 861). The main outcome measure was marks for summative degree assessments taken after intercalating. Results Of 861 medical students, 154 (17.9%) students did an intercalated degree. After adjustment for cohort, maturity, gender and baseline (3rd year) performance in matching exam type, having done an IC degree was significantly associated with attaining high (18–20) common assessment scale (CAS) marks in three of the six degree assessments occurring after the IC students rejoined the course: the 4th year written exam (p < 0.001), 4th year OSCE (p = 0.001) and the 5th year Elective project (p = 0.010). Conclusion Intercalating was associated with improved performance in Years 4 and 5 of the MBChB. This improved performance will further contribute to higher academic ranking for Foundation Year posts. Long-term follow-up is required to identify if doing an optional intercalated degree as part of a modern medical degree is associated with following a career in academic medicine. PMID:19454007

School Internet Use, Youth and Risk: A Social-Cultural Study of the Relation between Staff Views of Online Dangers and Students' Ages in UK Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hope, Andrew

2006-01-01

Internet access has recently been introduced into over 30,000 schools in the UK. While web provision has been heralded by some as an educational panacea, it is also recognised that there are dangers inherent in school Internet use. Adopting the cultural risk perspective, drawing upon a social-cultural analysis of Internet regulation and utilising…

The TROJAN Project: Creating a Customized International Orthopedic Training Program for Junior Doctors

PubMed Central

Kalraiya, Ashish; Buddhdev, Pranai

2015-01-01

Musculoskeletal problems account for a vast proportion of presentations encountered by doctors globally, with figures ranging from 15-36%. However, the time medical schools allocate to learning orthopedics is by no means proportional to this. This study aims to bridge this gap by developing an international orthopedic teaching program tailored to the specific knowledge and skills required by junior doctors in different countries. This prospective study asked fifty junior doctors, who had recently completed an orthopedics job, what three orthopedic teaching topics taught retrospectively would have benefitted their clinical practice. The most requested topics were used to design educational workshops for junior doctors and these consequently comprised the TROJAN (Teaching Requested by Orthopaedic Juniors And Novices) training program. Data was collected from twenty-five junior doctors in KwaZulu-Natale State, South Africa, and twenty-five in London, UK. It is therefore in these two countries that the TROJAN program was subsequently made available. Participants who selected topics were within two years of graduating medical school and had worked an orthopedic or Accident and Emergency job within the last year. 49% of topics chosen by SA doctors were practical skills such as wrist and ankle fracture reduction techniques, and management of open fractures. The most requested topic by UK doctors (11 out of 25) was management of neck of femur fractures. This is rationalized by the fact South African doctors require more hands-on responsibility in their daily practice whereas in the UK greater emphasis is placed on optimizing patients for theatre and making sound management plans. TROJAN currently develops orthopedic skills and knowledge in junior doctors in South Africa and United Kingdom with teaching customized based upon location. Feedback has been exceptionally positive with every candidate thus far rating the usefulness of TROJAN as the highest option, very useful. PMID:25874064

The TROJAN Project: Creating a Customized International Orthopedic Training Program for Junior Doctors.

PubMed

Kalraiya, Ashish; Buddhdev, Pranai

2015-03-03

Musculoskeletal problems account for a vast proportion of presentations encountered by doctors globally, with figures ranging from 15-36%. However, the time medical schools allocate to learning orthopedics is by no means proportional to this. This study aims to bridge this gap by developing an international orthopedic teaching program tailored to the specific knowledge and skills required by junior doctors in different countries. This prospective study asked fifty junior doctors, who had recently completed an orthopedics job, what three orthopedic teaching topics taught retrospectively would have benefitted their clinical practice. The most requested topics were used to design educational workshops for junior doctors and these consequently comprised the TROJAN (Teaching Requested by Orthopaedic Juniors And Novices) training program. Data was collected from twenty-five junior doctors in KwaZulu-Natale State, South Africa, and twenty-five in London, UK. It is therefore in these two countries that the TROJAN program was subsequently made available. Participants who selected topics were within two years of graduating medical school and had worked an orthopedic or Accident and Emergency job within the last year. 49% of topics chosen by SA doctors were practical skills such as wrist and ankle fracture reduction techniques, and management of open fractures. The most requested topic by UK doctors (11 out of 25) was management of neck of femur fractures. This is rationalized by the fact South African doctors require more hands-on responsibility in their daily practice whereas in the UK greater emphasis is placed on optimizing patients for theatre and making sound management plans. TROJAN currently develops orthopedic skills and knowledge in junior doctors in South Africa and United Kingdom with teaching customized based upon location. Feedback has been exceptionally positive with every candidate thus far rating the usefulness of TROJAN as the highest option, very useful.

Medical leadership and management in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Kyratsis, Yiannis; Armit, Kirsten; Zyada, Azra; Lees, Peter

2016-06-01

This article aims to outline the historical development of medical leadership in the United Kingdom (UK), present recent advances, and discuss professional development and future prospects. With increasing involvement of medical professionals in top managerial roles in the UK over the last 30 years, leadership development initiatives have been growing steadily and there is increasing recognition of the need for leadership and management skills for doctors. Such skills can help to greatly improve patient care as well as enhance organisational effectiveness and productivity. The central involvement of professional bodies such as the UK Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management, and the establishment of medical fellowship schemes, have provided a solid foundation for a new generation of aspiring medical leaders but there is still a long way to go to achieve a higher degree of professionalism for clinical leadership in the UK. The evidence base is weak such that integrated efforts by clinicians and management academics have much to offer in achieving the vision of socially responsible, clinically relevant and research informed medical leadership training. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2016.

Biology Fieldwork in Schools and Colleges in the UK: An Analysis of Empirical Research from 1963 to 2009

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lock, Roger

2010-01-01

Between 1963 and 2009, there have been 13 published studies offering empirical evidence on biology fieldwork in schools and colleges in the UK. This paper considers the evidence from these studies relating to work with 16-19 year old students undertaking academic study beyond the compulsory years of schooling; advanced ("A") level. It…

The Flow of Higher Qualified New Teachers into Challenging UK High Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, John

2015-01-01

If every child is to have a fairly even chance of a good education, every child must have a fairly even chance of being taught by high-quality teachers. However, high levels of social segregation in UK schools concentrate disadvantaged young people in some schools creating conditions that may deter many teachers. This study investigates whether…

The Case for Using Student Voice in Teacher Selection and Recruitment: Reflections from a School Leader

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kent, Peter

2012-01-01

In this piece Peter Kent, headteacher of Lawrence Sheriff School in Rugby in the UK, reflects upon the role of the student voice in selecting and recruiting new teaching staff. Contextualised by some recent unsympathetic reporting in the UK media, Peter explains why for their school community, using the student voice to inform teacher recruitment…

Nutrition Health Promotion in Schools in the UK: Learning from Food Standards Agency Funded Schools Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woolfe, Jennifer; Stockley, Lynn

2005-01-01

Objective: To test the feasibility and effectiveness of dietary change interventions in UK school-based settings. This overview draws out the main lessons that were learnt from these studies, for both practitioners and researchers. Design: A review and analysis of the final reports from five studies commissioned by the Food Standards Agency.…

Overcoming health inequalities by using the Bug Busting 'whole-school approach' to eradicate head lice.

PubMed

Ibarra, Joanna; Fry, Frances; Clarice, Wickenden; Olsen, Alice; Vander Stichele, Robert H; Lapeere, Hilde; Maryan, Jenner; Franks, Andrea; Smith, Jane L

2007-10-01

The aim of this paper was to illustrate the socially inclusive nature of the Bug Busting 'whole-school approach' to head louse eradication. In the UK, Belgium and Denmark, persistent head lice in families of all socio-economic status (SES) is a problem. Since 1995 in the UK and 1998 elsewhere, an educational programme intended to teach families how to detect and treat head lice by using the Bug Busting wet combing method has been organized in some areas. Local schools lead this community strategy for prevention, known as a 'whole-school approach' (UK). We describe five studies applying the Bug Busting approach, four set in districts where some disadvantaged families live (UK and Belgium) and a fifth set in Denmark. Feasibility and consumer satisfaction are examined. One UK study analyses data on area prescribing for head lice and the impact in a deprived locality of raising the profile of Bug Busting. We find parental education in Bug Busting enables families of all SES to participate in a 'whole-school approach' to head lice. Best results are obtained when each family has a Bug Buster Kit. This provides all the combs necessary with full instructions on their use with ordinary shampoo and conditioner to detect lice, eradicate an infestation mechanically, or to check the success of any treatment. In the UK, the promotion of the Bug Busting approach is reducing primary care expenditure on treatment for head lice and professional time spent with worried parents. As a result, healthcare providers can give time to the few families who require one-to-one guidance. Incorporation of the Bug Busting approach to head lice into clinical practice in school communities contributes to sustainable control whilst overcoming health inequalities in participating families.

Helping doctors become better doctors: Mary Lobjoit—an unsung heroine of medical ethics in the UK

PubMed Central

Brazier, Margaret R; Gillon, Raanan

2012-01-01

Medical Ethics has many unsung heros and heroines. Here we celebrate one of these and on telling part of her story hope to place modern medical ethics and bioethics in the UK more centrally within its historical and human contex. PMID:22518049

Should there be greater exposure to interventional radiology in the undergraduate curriculum?

PubMed

Ojha, Utkarsh; Mohammed, Raihan; Vivekanantham, Sayinthen

2017-01-01

Medical imaging has been one of the most revolutionary innovations in medicine. Today, as health care professionals shift their focus toward more sophisticated technology and minimally invasive procedures, interventional radiology (IR) has become a rapidly expanding specialty. Despite these advances, there is a lack of doctors specializing in this field. A growing body of evidence suggests that the low number of applicants for posts may be due to poor exposure to the specialty at medical school. In this article, we outline the importance of IR in today's health care system. Next, we evaluate the evidence that there is a lack of knowledge of IR not only among medical students in the UK but globally. We further discuss how a more effective incorporation of IR in the undergraduate curriculum can enhance medical students' interest in the field and subsequently increase the number of doctors specializing in IR. Finally, we suggest alternative strategies to gauge medical students' interest in IR, including teaching via e-learning and virtual reality.

Performance in the Duke–Elder ophthalmology undergraduate prize examination and future careers in ophthalmology

PubMed Central

Joshi, L; Shanmuganathan, V A; Kneebone, R L; Amoaku, W

2011-01-01

Aims Cognitive factors (eg, academic achievement) have had a significant role in selecting postgraduate surgical trainees in the past. This project sought to determine the role of a national undergraduate ophthalmology prize examination (Duke–Elder examination) in the selection of postgraduate ophthalmology trainees. This would also serve as a quality assurance exercise for the assessment, in which the ultimate aim is to encourage trainees into ophthalmology. Methods A retrospective analysis of the top 20 ranked candidates in the Duke–Elder examination from 1989 to 2005 (except 1995) was carried out to determine which of them subsequently entered the ophthalmic training and General Medical Council Specialist Registers. Results Out of the top 20 candidates in the exam, 29.5% went into specialist training in ophthalmology. Some appeared in the top 20 more than once, with 56% of them going into ophthalmic training, but they had a similar median time to enter training as those who appeared in the top 20 once. There was no significant evidence to suggest that the overall median ranking scores between the UK medical schools differed (P=0.23; Kruskal–Wallis test). However, there was a marked difference in frequency of top 20 candidates from each medical school, which could not be explained by the size of the medical school alone. Conclusion It is difficult to conclude from these findings the importance that the Duke–Elder examination has in the selection of trainees into ophthalmology. The role of cognitive factors in selection into postgraduate medical/surgical training is discussed, along with the potential academic criteria, which may influence interview scores. PMID:21587276

Institutional marginalisation and student resistance: barriers to learning about culture, race and ethnicity.

PubMed

Roberts, Jane H; Sanders, Tom; Mann, Karen; Wass, Val

2010-10-01

Although education about culture, race and ethnicity has increasingly been viewed as an important addition to the medical undergraduate curriculum, internationally the evidence of its effectiveness is mixed. Research to date fails to show why. We chose to explore how contrasting approaches to learning about cultural diversity impacted on medical students. The views of second year students towards teaching about cultural diversity at two UK medical schools, with differently structured curricula, were explored using a series of focus groups (7). The findings, using a methodology based on a combination of grounded theory and thematic analysis identified two potentially competing views espoused by the students at both sites. First, they claimed that although cultural diversity was important, their medical schools marginalised and failed to adequately support effective teaching. Second, in contrast, they claimed that the medical school was an 'inappropriate' setting for successful teaching about cultural diversity. Students did not consider the subject matter to be of central relevance to biomedicine. They felt it should be learnt experientially in the workplace and socially among peers. These narratives represent two potentially conflicting standpoints, which might be understood through the sociological concept of 'habitus', where students conform to the institution's dominant values in order to succeed. The tensions identified in this study cannot be ignored if effective learning about race, ethnicity and culture is to be achieved. Early introduction to understanding the delivery of health care to diverse populations is needed. This should be accompanied by more open collaborative debate between tutors and students on the issues raised.

Interview with Sanofi's Dr Tunde Falode.

PubMed

Falode, Tunde

2017-01-01

Dr Tunde Falode speaks to Elena Conroy, Commissioning Editor: Dr Tunde Falode is General Manager for the Diabetes and Cardiovascular Business Unit in the UK and Ireland at Sanofi, a global pharmaceutical company. Following graduation from the University of Jos Medical School in Nigeria, he secured a basic surgical training post through Guy's and St Thomas' hospitals in London, eventually specializing in cardiac and thoracic surgery, before changing his career path. In addition to his current role at Sanofi, he recently completed his specialist training in pharmaceutical medicine and has a keen interest in sports.

Factors influencing stethoscope cleanliness among clinical medical students.

PubMed

Saunders, C; Hryhorskyj, L; Skinner, J

2013-07-01

This study aims to identify current stethoscope hygiene habits and attitudes in a UK medical school setting. Students completed a questionnaire using Likert-scale questions and free-text answers. A total of 308 questionnaires were completed from a potential 750 students (41%); 22.4% of respondents had never cleaned their stethoscope and only 3.9% cleaned their stethoscope after every patient. Significant correlations were identified between cleaning frequency and: others acting as role models (P = 0.001), students having confidence in how to clean stethoscopes (P = 0.001), and students thinking cleaning was important (P = 0.01), thereby highlighting inadequate education and role models as potential problems. Copyright © 2013 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Working with Secondary School Leadership in a Large-Scale Reform in London, UK: Consultants' Perspectives of Their Role as Agents of School Change and Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cameron, David Hagen

2010-01-01

This article uses a cultural and political theoretical framework to examine the relationship between consultants and secondary school leaders within a large-scale consultancy-based reform, the Secondary National Strategy (SNS), in London UK. The SNS follows a cascade model of implementation, in which nationally created initiatives are introduced…

The Negative Effect of School-Average Ability on Science Self-Concept in the UK, the UK Countries and the World: The Big-Fish-Little-Pond-Effect for PISA 2006

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nagengast, Benjamin; Marsh, Herbert W.

2011-01-01

Research on the relation between students' achievement (ACH) and their academic self-concept (ASC) has consistently shown a Big-Fish-Little-Pond-Effect (BFLPE); ASC is positively affected by individual ACH, but negatively affected by school-average ACH. Surprisingly, however, there are few good UK studies of the BFLPE and few anywhere in the world…

Medical student teaching in the UK: how well are newly qualified doctors prepared for their role caring for patients with cancer in hospital?

PubMed Central

Cave, J; Woolf, K; Dacre, J; Potts, H W W; Jones, A

2007-01-01

A number of studies have identified problems with undergraduate oncology teaching. We have investigated how well prepared newly qualified doctors (first foundation year, or FY1 doctors) are for treating patients with cancer. Twenty-five FY1 doctors and 15 senior doctors participated in interviews. We turned the emergent themes into a questionnaire for all 5143 UK FY1 doctors in 2005. The response rate was 43% (2062 responses). Sixty-one percent of FY1 doctors had received oncology teaching at medical school, but 31% recalled seeing fewer than 10 patients with cancer. Forty percent of FY1 doctors felt prepared for looking after patients with cancer. Sixty-five percent felt prepared for diagnosing cancer, 15% felt they knew enough about chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and 11% felt prepared for dealing with oncological emergencies. Respondents believed medical students should learn about symptom control (71%) and communication skills (41%). Respondents who had received oncology teaching were more likely to feel prepared for looking after patients with cancer (OR 1.52; 95% CI 1.14–2.04). Preparedness also correlated with exposure to patients with cancer (OR 1.48; 95% CI 1.22–1.79). We have found worryingly low levels of exposure of medical students to patients with cancer. First foundation year doctors lack knowledge about cancer care and symptom control. Oncologists should maintain involvement in undergraduate teaching, and encourage greater involvement of patients in this teaching. PMID:17667931

Medical student teaching in the UK: how well are newly qualified doctors prepared for their role caring for patients with cancer in hospital?

PubMed

Cave, J; Woolf, K; Dacre, J; Potts, H W W; Jones, A

2007-08-20

A number of studies have identified problems with undergraduate oncology teaching. We have investigated how well prepared newly qualified doctors (first foundation year, or FY1 doctors) are for treating patients with cancer. Twenty-five FY1 doctors and 15 senior doctors participated in interviews. We turned the emergent themes into a questionnaire for all 5143 UK FY1 doctors in 2005. The response rate was 43% (2062 responses). Sixty-one percent of FY1 doctors had received oncology teaching at medical school, but 31% recalled seeing fewer than 10 patients with cancer. Forty percent of FY1 doctors felt prepared for looking after patients with cancer. Sixty-five percent felt prepared for diagnosing cancer, 15% felt they knew enough about chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and 11% felt prepared for dealing with oncological emergencies. Respondents believed medical students should learn about symptom control (71%) and communication skills (41%). Respondents who had received oncology teaching were more likely to feel prepared for looking after patients with cancer (OR 1.52; 95% CI 1.14-2.04). Preparedness also correlated with exposure to patients with cancer (OR 1.48; 95% CI 1.22-1.79). We have found worryingly low levels of exposure of medical students to patients with cancer. First foundation year doctors lack knowledge about cancer care and symptom control. Oncologists should maintain involvement in undergraduate teaching, and encourage greater involvement of patients in this teaching.

Followership among UK Secondary School Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francis, Andrew

2014-01-01

This paper reports the preliminary findings of an exploratory study which investigates the followership of longstanding, classroom-based school teachers working in the UK secondary education sector. Using Gronn's (1999) educational leadership formation model as a frame of reference, the study employs a multiple case study methodology with data…

Incentives from Curriculum Tracking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koerselman, Kristian

2013-01-01

Curriculum tracking creates incentives in the years before its start, and we should therefore expect test scores to be higher during those years. I find robust evidence for incentive effects of tracking in the UK based on the UK comprehensive school reform. Results from the Swedish comprehensive school reform are inconclusive. Internationally, I…

Using Applied Behaviour Analysis as Standard Practice in a UK Special Needs School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foran, Denise; Hoerger, Marguerite; Philpott, Hannah; Jones, Elin Walker; Hughes, J. Carl; Morgan, Jonathan

2015-01-01

This article describes how applied behaviour analysis can be implemented effectively and affordably in a maintained special needs school in the UK. Behaviour analysts collaborate with classroom teachers to provide early intensive behaviour education for young children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and function based behavioural…

Associations between perceived institutional support, job enjoyment, and intentions to work in the United Kingdom: national questionnaire survey of first year doctors.

PubMed

Lachish, Shelly; Goldacre, Michael J; Lambert, Trevor

2016-05-23

Identifying factors that improve job satisfaction of new doctors and ease the difficult transition from student to doctor is of great interest to public health agencies. Studies to date have focused primarily on the value of changes to medical school curricula and induction processes in this regard, but have overlooked the extent to which institutional support can influence new doctors' enjoyment of and attitude to work. Here, we examine variation in the perceived level of support received by new medical graduates in the United Kingdom (UK) from their employer and whether this influences enjoyment of and attitudes to the first postgraduate year, and whether doctors who perceived a lower level of support were less inclined to intend a long term career in medicine in the UK. All UK medical graduates of 2012 were surveyed in 2013 in a cross-sectional study, towards the end of their first post-graduate year (the 'F1' year of the 2-year Foundation Training Programme for new UK doctors). We used linear regression to assess whether the level of support doctors reported receiving from their employing Trust (Very Good, Good, Adequate, Poor, or Very Poor) was associated with the extent to which they enjoyed their F1 year. Similarly, we assessed the strength of associations between self-reported level of Trust support and doctors' responses to 12 statements about fundamental aspects of their working lives, each assessed on a 5-point scale of agreement. Using χ (2) tests we examined whether doctors' intentions to practise medicine in the UK varied with the level of support they reported receiving from their Trust. The response rate was 45 % (2324/5171). Of 2324 responding junior doctors, 63.8 % reported receiving 'Very Good' (23.6 %) or 'Good' (40.2 %) initial support from their Trust, while a further 27.4 % stated they received 'Adequate' support. 'Poor' support was reported by 5.8 % and 'Very Poor' support by 2.2 %. We found very strong positive associations between the institutional support doctors reported receiving and their enjoyment of the F1 year and their self-expressed attitudes to aspects of their first year of work. Crucially, doctors who reported receiving lower levels of support ('Poor' or 'Very Poor') were significantly less likely to express intentions to continue practising medicine in the UK. The provision of effective institutional support for graduate doctors may promote workplace satisfaction and could help safeguard the long-term retention of junior doctors.

UK Preparatory School Librarians' and Teachers' Design and Use of Reading Lists: A Qualitative Study of Approaches, Perceptions, and Content

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott, Rebecca; Inskip, Charles

2017-01-01

This paper reports the findings of a small-scale qualitative study that explored the perceptions of and approaches used by UK school librarians and teachers in the design and use of reading lists. The research question was: "What is the best way to construct reading lists to maximize their benefit in the school library or classroom?" The…

Global Salafist Jihad in UK -- Strategies of Prevention

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-24

and elements of its social network. Faith based schools , especially for girls to avoid religiously banned coeducation , grew up favouring a close 17...Global Salafist Jihad in UK - Strategies of Prevention A Monograph by COL James L Murray-Playfair MBE British Army School of Advanced...7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) US Army School for Advanced Military Studies,250 Gibbon Ave.,Fort Leavenworth,KS,66027 8

Preschool and School Meal Policies: An Overview of What We Know about Regulation, Implementation, and Impact on Diet in the UK, Sweden, and Australia

PubMed Central

Sacks, Gary; Billich, Natassja; Evans, Charlotte Elizabeth Louise

2017-01-01

School meals make significant contributions to healthy dietary behaviour, at a time when eating habits and food preferences are being formed. We provide an overview of the approaches to the provision, regulation, and improvement of preschool and primary school meals in the UK, Sweden, and Australia, three countries which vary in their degree of centralisation and regulation of school meals. Sweden has a centralised approach; all children receive free meals, and a pedagogical approach to meals is encouraged. Legislation demands that meals are nutritious. The UK system is varied and decentralised. Meals in most primary schools are regulated by food-based standards, but preschool-specific meal standards only exist in Scotland. The UK uses food groups (starchy foods, fruit and vegetables, proteins and dairy) in a healthy plate approach. Australian States and Territories all employ guidelines for school canteen food, predominantly using a “traffic light” approach outlining recommended and discouraged foods; however, most children bring food from home and are not covered by this guidance. The preschool standards state that food provided should be nutritious. We find that action is often lacking in the preschool years, and suggest that consistent policies, strong incentives for compliance, systematic monitoring, and an acknowledgement of the broader school eating environment (including home provided food) would be beneficial. PMID:28696403

Education and training in psychiatry in the U.K.

PubMed

Carney, Stuart; Bhugra, Dinesh K

2013-07-01

Recent training and education changes have raised important issues in delivery of psychiatric education at all levels. In this article, the authors describe the current status of mental health education in the training of all doctors and postgraduate training and education in psychiatry in the U.K. The authors explore and describe some of the initiatives that are being used in order to increase exposure to mental health placements in the Foundation Program, and they then describe the existing specific mental health opportunities within general practice and other specialist training programs. After graduation from medical school, a two-year Foundation training program is a must, and, at the end of the first year, trainees become eligible for full registration with the "regulator," the General Medical Council; after finishing the second year, they become eligible to undertake specialist training. Psychiatry training takes up to 6 years, and six specialties are recognized as leading to certificates for completion of training before independent practice. These six specialties are 1) general and community; 2) child and adolescent; 3) medical psychotherapy; 4) forensic psychiatry; 5) psychiatry of old age; and 6) psychiatry of learning disability. Also, three subspecialties-liaison psychiatry, addictions, and rehabilitation-form a part of the training in general and community psychiatry. The authors discuss advantages and disadvantages of such an approach and raise key issues related to ongoing work to improve recruitment, progression, and retention of trainee psychiatrists.

Advanced Carbon Materials Center Established At UK

Science.gov Websites

UK Home Academics Athletics Medical Center Research Site Index Search UK University Master ] [research at UK] Advanced Carbon Materials Center Established At UK The tiny but mighty nanotube will continue to be the subject of several research projects at the University of Kentucky, thanks in part to a

A comparison of course-related stressors in undergraduate problem-based learning (PBL) versus non-PBL medical programmes.

PubMed

Lewis, Alexander D; Menezes, Darryl A Braganza; McDermott, Helen E; Hibbert, Louise J; Brennan, Sarah-Louise; Ross, Elizabeth E; Jones, Lisa A

2009-09-13

Medical students report high levels of stress related to their medical training as well as to other personal and financial factors. The aim of this study is to investigate whether there are differences in course-related stressors reported by medical students on undergraduate problem-based learning (PBL) and non-PBL programmes in the UK. A cross-sectional study of second-year medical students in two UK medical schools (one PBL and one non-PBL programme) was conducted. A 16-question self-report questionnaire, derived from the Perceived Medical Student Stress Scale and the Higher Education Stress Inventory, was used to measure course-related stressors. Following univariate analysis of each stressor between groups, multivariate logistic regression was used to determine which stressors were the best predictors of each course type, while controlling for socio-demographic differences between the groups. A total of 280 students responded. Compared to the non-PBL students (N = 197), the PBL students (N = 83) were significantly more likely to agree that: they did not know what the faculty expected of them (Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.38, p = 0.03); there were too many small group sessions facilitated only by students resulting in an unclear curriculum (OR = 0.04, p < 0.0001); and that there was a lack of opportunity to explore academic subjects of interest (OR = 0.40, p = 0.02). They were significantly more likely to disagree that: there was a lack of encouragement from teachers (OR = 3.11, p = 0.02); and that the medical course fostered a sense of anonymity and feelings of isolation amongst students (OR = 3.42, p = 0.008). There are significant differences in the perceived course-related stressors affecting medical students on PBL and non-PBL programmes. Course designers and student support services should therefore tailor their work to minimise, or help students cope with, the specific stressors on each course type to ensure optimum learning and wellbeing among our future doctors.

Should Undergraduate Lectures be Compulsory? The Views of Dental and Medical Students from a UK University

PubMed Central

Daud, Alaa; Bagria, Aaron; Shah, Kushal; Puryer, James

2017-01-01

Formal lectures have been a traditional part of medical and dental education, but there is debate as to their compulsory status. This study was designed to explore dental and medical students’ views on compulsory lectures and the use of Video-Recorded Lectures (VRL). A cross-sectional study of University of Bristol students in Years 2 to 4 was conducted using an online questionnaire. The majority of both dental (76%) and medical (66%) students felt lectures should be non-compulsory. The most common learning resources used by both dental and medical students were live lectures, lecture handouts and VRL. The majority of both dental (84%) and medical (88%) students used VRL. Most students attended lectures all of the time both before and after the introduction of VRL, even though most dental and medical students believe lectures should be non-compulsory. VRL is a popular learning resource. These findings tie-in with General Dental Council and General Medical Council recommendations that encourage self-directed learning. Dental and Medical schools should offer a range of learning resources and make use of current technology, including the use of VRL. PMID:29563421

How do workplaces, working practices and colleagues affect UK doctors' career decisions? A qualitative study of junior doctors' career decision making in the UK.

PubMed

Spooner, Sharon; Pearson, Emma; Gibson, Jonathan; Checkland, Kath

2017-10-25

This study draws on an in-depth investigation of factors that influenced the career decisions of junior doctors. Junior doctors in the UK can choose to enter specialty training (ST) programmes within 2 years of becoming doctors. Their specialty choices contribute to shaping the balance of the future medical workforce, with views on general practice (GP) careers of particular interest because of current recruitment difficulties. This paper examines how experiences of medical work and perceptions about specialty training shape junior doctors' career decisions. Twenty doctors in the second year of a Foundation Training Programme in England were recruited. Purposive sampling was used to achieve a diverse sample from respondents to an online survey. Narrative interviewing techniques encouraged doctors to reflect on how experiences during medical school and in medical workplaces had influenced their preferences and perceptions of different specialties. They also spoke about personal aspirations, work priorities and their wider future.Junior doctors' decisions were informed by knowledge about the requirements of ST programmes and direct observation of the pressures under which ST doctors worked. When they encountered negative attitudes towards a specialty they had intended to choose, some became defensive while others kept silent. Achievement of an acceptable work-life balance was a central objective that could override other preferences.Events linked with specific specialties influenced doctors' attitudes towards them. For example, findings confirmed that while early, positive experiences of GP work could increase its attractiveness, negative experiences in GP settings had the opposite effect. Junior doctors' preferences and perceptions about medical work are influenced by multiple intrinsic and extrinsic factors and experiences. This paper highlights the importance of understanding how perceptions are formed and preferences are developed, as a basis for generating learning and working environments that nurture students and motivate their professional careers. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

[Selection of medical graduates for residency posts. A comparative study of the methodologies used in different countries].

PubMed

Lobato, Ramiro D; Lagares, Alfonso; Villena, Victoria; García Seoane, Jorge; Jiménez-Roldán, Luis; Munarriz, Pablo M; Castaño-Leon, Ana M; Alén, José F

2015-01-01

The design of an appropriate method for the selection of medical graduates for residency posts is extremely important, not only for the efficiency of the method itself (accurate identification of most competent candidates), but also for its influence on the study and teaching methodologies operating in medical schools. Currently, there is a great variation in the criteria used in different countries and there is no definitively appropriate method. The use of isolated or combined criteria, such as the marks obtained by students in medical schools, their performance in tests of theoretical knowledge and evaluations of clinical competence, or personal interviews, have a limited value for identifying those candidates who will perform better during the residency and later on during independent practice. To analyse the variability in the methodologies used for the selection of residents employed in different countries, in particular those used in the United Kingdom and USA, where external agencies and medical schools make systematic analyses of curriculum development. The advantages and disadvantages of national or transnational licensing examinations on the process of convergence and harmonization of medical degrees and residency programmes through Europe are discussed. The present analysis is used to design a new and more efficient multi-criteria methodology for resident selection in Spain, which will be published in the next issue of this journal. Since the multi-criteria methods used in UK and USA appear to be most consistent, these have been employed for designing the new methodology that could be applied in Spain. Although many experts in medical education reject national examinations for awarding medical degrees or ranking candidates for residency posts, it seems that, when appropriately designed, they can be used to verify the level of competence of graduating students without necessarily distorting curriculum implementation or improvement. Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Neurocirugía. Published by Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Teacher Led School Improvement: Teacher Leadership in the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muijs, Daniel; Harris, Alma

2006-01-01

Teacher leadership is increasingly being seen as a key vehicle for school improvement and renewal. However, research on this phenomenon is limited, especially outside of the US. This article presents findings from an empirical study of teacher leadership in the UK, aimed at exploring both the ways in which teacher leadership can influence school…

Creating Cultures of Integrity: Ethics Education in UK Business Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bell, Emma; Caulfield, Paul; Hibbert, Paul; Jennings, Paul

2014-01-01

Recent corporate scandals and responses by regulators have created an environment in which there is a heightened awareness of business ethics. This report presents a series of case studies exploring how the current curricula in UK business schools could be scoped differently to give new business leaders the tools required for strong ethical…

Adolescent Moral Judgement: A Study of UK Secondary School Pupils

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, David Ian; Thoma, Stephen J.; Jones, Chantel; Kristjánsson, Kristján

2017-01-01

Despite a recent world-wide upsurge of academic interest in moral and character education, little is known about pupils' character development in schools, especially in the UK context. The authors used a version of the Intermediate Concept Measure for Adolescents, involving dilemmas, to assess an important component of character--moral…

Communication Interventions for Families of Pre-School Deaf Children in the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rees, Rachel; Mahon, Merle; Herman, Rosalind; Newton, Caroline; Craig, Gordon; Marriage, Josephine

2015-01-01

UK professionals use a range of intervention approaches to promote communication development in pre-school deaf children by influencing the familys' interaction style. This investigation surveyed the approaches used and explored how these translated into specific practices. An online questionnaire was developed and reviewed by a panel of experts.…

Promoting Environmental Citizenship and Corporate Social Responsibility through a School/Industry/University Partnership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gebbels, Susan; Evans, Stewart M.; Delany, Jane E.

2011-01-01

A partnership was formed between King Edward VI School Morpeth (UK) and the pharmaceutical company Merck, Sharp and Dohme within the programme of "Joint Responsibility" operated by the Dove Marine Laboratory (Newcastle University, UK). Pupils surveyed an ecologically important coastal area in northeast England and made 15 recommendations…

Negotiating and Contesting "Success": Discourses of Aspiration in a UK Secondary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spohrer, Konstanze

2016-01-01

The need to "raise aspirations" among young people from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds has been prominent in UK policy debates over the last decade. This paper examines how this discourse is negotiated and contested by teachers and pupils in a Scottish secondary school. Interviews, group discussions and observations were…

Student Representations of Psychology in the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banyard, Philip; Duffy, Karen

2014-01-01

Psychology is a popular choice for UK students in their secondary school curriculum. Policy makers and elite universities, however, express concern about the subject. The British Psychological Society (2013) commissioned a detailed study of the provision of school curricula in psychology and as part of this work a survey of students was conducted.…

The Medical Boomerang: will it come back?

PubMed

McDermott, Cian; Sheridan, Michael; Moore, Katie; Gosbell, Andrew

2015-04-01

To explore the increasing numbers of emergency medicine (EM) registrars that obtained their primary medical degree from UK or Irish universities, who work in emergency departments (ED) throughout Australia and New Zealand. The Victorian Emergency Registrar Study was published at the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) annual scientific meeting in Adelaide in November 2013. As a follow on, ACEM provided the authors with data regarding country of primary degree for international medical graduates (IMG) working as registrars in Australasian EDs. UK and Irish EM registrars make up the largest proportion of IMGs working in Australian and New Zealand EDs. These figures have increased from 34% in 2008 to 45% in 2013. In 2013, there was the highest yearly intake of UK and Irish ED IMG registrars, representing 41% of registrars joining the Australasian EM training programme. Current data show that >25% of all ED registrars working in Australasian EDs studied for their primary medical degree in a university either in Ireland or the UK. While there have been anecdotal reports of increased outflow of junior EM doctors from the UK and Ireland, we provide quantitative data on the extent of the recent (5-year trend data) emigration of UK/Irish EM trainees to Australia and New Zealand and discuss the impact of this on both the UK/Irish and Australasian health systems. 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.

Predictors of professional behaviour and academic outcomes in a UK medical school: A longitudinal cohort study.

PubMed

Adam, Jane; Bore, Miles; Childs, Roy; Dunn, Jason; Mckendree, Jean; Munro, Don; Powis, David

2015-01-01

Over the past 70 years, there has been a recurring debate in the literature and in the popular press about how best to select medical students. This implies that we are still not getting it right: either some students are unsuited to medicine or the graduating doctors are considered unsatisfactory, or both. To determine whether particular variables at the point of selection might distinguish those more likely to become satisfactory professional doctors, by following a complete intake cohort of students throughout medical school and analysing all the data used for the students' selection, their performance on a range of other potential selection tests, academic and clinical assessments throughout their studies, and records of professional behaviour covering the entire five years of the course. A longitudinal database captured the following anonymised information for every student (n = 146) admitted in 2007 to the Hull York Medical School (HYMS) in the UK: demographic data (age, sex, citizenship); performance in each component of the selection procedure; performance in some other possible selection instruments (cognitive and non-cognitive psychometric tests); professional behaviour in tutorials and in other clinical settings; academic performance, clinical and communication skills at summative assessments throughout; professional behaviour lapses monitored routinely as part of the fitness-to-practise procedures. Correlations were sought between predictor variables and criterion variables chosen to demonstrate the full range of course outcomes from failure to complete the course to graduation with honours, and to reveal clinical and professional strengths and weaknesses. Student demography was found to be an important predictor of outcomes, with females, younger students and British citizens performing better overall. The selection variable "HYMS academic score", based on prior academic performance, was a significant predictor of components of Year 4 written and Year 5 clinical examinations. Some cognitive subtest scores from the UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) and the UKCAT total score were also significant predictors of the same components, and a unique predictor of the Year 5 written examination. A number of the non-cognitive tests were significant independent predictors of Years 4 and 5 clinical performance, and of lapses in professional behaviour. First- and second-year tutor ratings were significant predictors of all outcomes, both desirable and undesirable. Performance in Years 1 and 2 written exams did not predict performance in Year 4 but did generally predict Year 5 written and clinical performance. Measures of a range of relevant selection attributes and personal qualities can predict intermediate and end of course achievements in academic, clinical and professional behaviour domains. In this study HYMS academic score, some UKCAT subtest scores and the total UKCAT score, and some non-cognitive tests completed at the outset of studies, together predicted outcomes most comprehensively. Tutor evaluation of students early in the course also identified the more and less successful students in the three domains of academic, clinical and professional performance. These results may be helpful in informing the future development of selection tools.

Statistics teaching in medical school: opinions of practising doctors.

PubMed

Miles, Susan; Price, Gill M; Swift, Louise; Shepstone, Lee; Leinster, Sam J

2010-11-04

The General Medical Council expects UK medical graduates to gain some statistical knowledge during their undergraduate education; but provides no specific guidance as to amount, content or teaching method. Published work on statistics teaching for medical undergraduates has been dominated by medical statisticians, with little input from the doctors who will actually be using this knowledge and these skills after graduation. Furthermore, doctor's statistical training needs may have changed due to advances in information technology and the increasing importance of evidence-based medicine. Thus there exists a need to investigate the views of practising medical doctors as to the statistical training required for undergraduate medical students, based on their own use of these skills in daily practice. A questionnaire was designed to investigate doctors' views about undergraduate training in statistics and the need for these skills in daily practice, with a view to informing future teaching. The questionnaire was emailed to all clinicians with a link to the University of East Anglia Medical School. Open ended questions were included to elicit doctors' opinions about both their own undergraduate training in statistics and recommendations for the training of current medical students. Content analysis was performed by two of the authors to systematically categorize and describe all the responses provided by participants. 130 doctors responded, including both hospital consultants and general practitioners. The findings indicated that most had not recognised the value of their undergraduate teaching in statistics and probability at the time, but had subsequently found the skills relevant to their career. Suggestions for improving undergraduate teaching in these areas included referring to actual research and ensuring relevance to, and integration with, clinical practice. Grounding the teaching of statistics in the context of real research studies and including examples of typical clinical work may better prepare medical students for their subsequent career.

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.

Ethnic stereotypes and the underachievement of UK medical students from ethnic minorities: qualitative study

PubMed Central

Cave, Judith; Greenhalgh, Trisha; Dacre, Jane

2008-01-01

Objective To explore ethnic stereotypes of UK medical students in the context of academic underachievement of medical students from ethnic minorities. Design Qualitative study using semistructured one to one interviews and focus groups. Setting A London medical school. Participants 27 year 3 medical students and 25 clinical teachers, purposively sampled for ethnicity and sex. Methods Data were analysed using the theory of stereotype threat (a psychological phenomenon thought to negatively affect the performance of people from ethnic minorities in educational contexts) and the constant comparative method. Results Participants believed the student-teacher relationship was vital for clinical learning. Teachers had strong perceptions about “good” clinical students (interactive, keen, respectful), and some described being aggressive towards students whom they perceived as quiet, unmotivated, and unwilling. Students had equally strong perceptions about “good” clinical teachers (encouraging, interested, interactive, non-aggressive). Students and teachers had concordant and well developed perceptions of the “typical” Asian clinical medical student who was considered over-reliant on books, poor at communicating with patients, too quiet during clinical teaching sessions, and unmotivated owing to being pushed into studying medicine by ambitious parents. Stereotypes of the “typical” white student were less well developed: autonomous, confident, and outgoing team player. Direct discrimination was not reported. Conclusions Asian clinical medical students may be more likely than white students to be perceived stereotypically and negatively, which may reduce their learning by jeopardising their relationships with teachers. The existence of a negative stereotype about their group also raises the possibility that underperformance of medical students from ethnic minorities may be partly due to stereotype threat. It is recommended that clinical teachers be given opportunities and training to encourage them to get to know their students as individuals and thus foster positive educational relationships with them. PMID:18710846

Nanosilicon for nanomedicine: a step towards biodegradable electronic implants?

PubMed

Canham, Leigh

2013-10-01

Leigh Canham received his BSc degree in physics from University College London (London, UK) in 1979 and his PhD in solid state physics from King's College London (London, UK). He now has over 30 years of experience conducting research on widely differing aspects of silicon technology. Two key personal discoveries--that nanostructured silicon can emit visible light efficiently (1990) and can be rendered medically biodegradable (1995)--have had significant academic (>15,000 citations) and commercial (multiple companies created) impact. Professor Canham is a scientist who is devoted to finding novel properties and uses for semiconductors that already pervade our everyday lives. He has 13 years of experience of start up company management, right through from cofounding with seed venture capital finance to NASDAQ listing. He has served on the board of two companies based in England, UK, one in Singapore and one in Australia. Since 1999, he has held an Honorary Professorship at the School of Physics, University of Birmingham (Birmingham, UK) for his work on luminescent silicon. In 2011, Leigh was a shortlisted finalist for the European Inventor of the Year Award from the European Patent Office for his work on biodegradable silicon. In 2012, he became a Thomson Reuters Citation Laureate for his work on luminescent silicon. Professor Canham has authored over 150 peer-reviewed papers and has more than 100 granted patents worldwide.

Anaesthetic training programmes in the UK: the role of the programme director.

PubMed

Barker, I

1998-02-01

Schools of anaesthesia provide anaesthetic training in the UK. Each school has at least one programme director undertaking some or all of the management duties. Most programme directors appears to be unresourced volunteers whose roles have developed in response to local requirements. A postal questionnaire was sent to all anaesthetic training programme directors in the UK, asking about their role. Respondents had a wide variation in duties and responsibilities towards anaesthetic training schemes. Few had terms of reference, clear lines of responsibility, remuneration or resources to undertake the role.

The Provision of Prescription-Only Medicines for Use on UK-based Overseas Expeditions.

PubMed

Moore, James K; Ladbrook, Matthew; Goodyer, Larry; Dallimore, Jon

2017-09-01

Expedition teams without accompanying medical professionals traveling overseas from the UK frequently carry medical kits containing prescription-only medicines (POMs). Access to safe, basic POMs whilst on expedition is important, as the quality and availability of medicines in-country may not be acceptable, and delay in treatment may be hazardous. At present, there is no published guidance relating to drug acquisition and administration in these situations. In the UK, a number of different practices are currently in use, with uncertainty and medicolegal concerns currently hampering safe and efficient provision of POMs on overseas expeditions. A guideline is proposed for the management of prescription-only medications in an expedition setting. Copyright © 2017 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

School nurses' experiences of delivering the UK HPV vaccination programme in its first year

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background In the United Kingdom (UK) in September 2008, school nurses began delivering the HPV immunisation programme for girls aged 12 and 13 years old. This study offers insights from school nurses' perspectives and experiences of delivering this new vaccination programme. Methods Thirty in-depth telephone interviews were conducted with school nurses working across the UK between September 2008 and May 2009. This time period covers the first year of the HPV vaccination programme in schools. School nurses were recruited via GP practices, the internet and posters targeted at school nurse practitioners. Results All the school nurses spoke of readying themselves for a deluge of phone calls from concerned parents, but found that in fact few parents telephoned to ask for more information or express their concerns about the HPV vaccine. Several school nurses mentioned a lack of planning by policy makers and stated that at its introduction they felt ill prepared. The impact on school nurses' workload was spoken about at length by all the school nurses. They believed that the programme had vastly increased their workload leading them to cut back on their core activities and the time they could dedicate to offering support to vulnerable pupils. Conclusion Overall the first year of the implementation of the HPV vaccination programme in the UK has exceeded school nurses' expectations and some of its success may be attributed to the school nurses' commitment to the programme. It is also the case that other factors, including positive newsprint media reporting that accompanied the introduction of the HPV vaccination programme may have played a role. Nevertheless, school nurses also believed that the programme had vastly increased their workload leading them to cut back on their core activities and as such they could no longer dedicate time to offer support to vulnerable pupils. This unintentional aspect of the programme may be worthy of further exploration. PMID:21864404

Equity in interviews: do personal characteristics impact on admission interview scores?

PubMed

Lumb, Andrew B; Homer, Matthew; Miller, Amy

2010-11-01

Research indicates that some social groups are disadvantaged by medical school selection systems. The stage(s) of a selection process at which this occurs is unknown, but at interview, when applicant and interviewer are face-to-face, there is potential for social bias to occur. We performed a detailed audit of the interview process for a single-entry year to a large UK medical school. Our audit included investigating the personal characteristics of both interviewees and interviewers to find out whether any of these factors, including the degree of social matching between individual pairs of interviewees and interviewers, influenced the interview scores awarded. A total of 320 interviewers interviewed 734 applicants, providing complete data for 2007 interviewer-interviewee interactions. The reliability of the interview process was estimated using generalisability theory at 0.82-0.87. For both interviewers and interviewees, gender, ethnic background, socio-economic group and type of school attended had no influence on the interview scores awarded or achieved. Staff and student interviewer marks did not differ significantly. Although numbers in each group of staff interviewers were too small for formal statistical analysis, there were no obvious differences in marks awarded between different medical specialties or between interviewers with varying amounts of interviewing experience. Our data provide reassurance that the interview does not seem to be the stage of selection at which some social groups are disadvantaged. These results support the continued involvement of senior medical students in the interview process. Despite the lack of evidence that an interview is useful for predicting future academic or clinical success, most medical schools continue to use interviews as a fundamental component of their selection process. Our study has shown that at least this arguably misplaced reliance upon interviewing is not introducing further social bias into the selection system. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2010.

The Future of Family Business Education in UK Business Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collins, Lorna; Seaman, Claire; Graham, Stuart; Stepek, Martin

2013-01-01

Purpose: This practitioner paper aims to question basic assumptions about management education and to argue that a new paradigm is needed for UK business schools which embraces an oft neglected, yet economically vital, stakeholder group, namely family businesses. It seeks to pose the question of why we have forgotten to teach about family business…

Full Service Extended Schools and Educational Inequality in Urban Contexts--New Opportunities for Progress?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raffo, Carlo; Dyson, Alan

2007-01-01

This paper examines the extent to which the UK government's full service extended schools programme has the capacity to ameliorate educational inequality in urban contexts. It starts by examining a variety of explanatory narratives for educational inequality in urban contexts in the UK and suggests that the dynamics of social exclusion created by…

The Search for next Practice: A UK Approach to Innovation in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hannon, Valerie

2009-01-01

In 2002, the Labor Government in the UK established an Innovation Unit, within government, to support practitioner-led innovation in schools. Two considerations led to this action. First, there was an increasing sense that amidst the plethora of national strategies and change programs, an important element was in danger of being lost: the…

International Students and Ambiguous Pedagogies within the UK Art School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davey, Annie

2016-01-01

This article will consider the tensions and opportunities provoked by the presence of a growing number of international students at UK art schools in which ambiguity operates as an implicit value within fine art pedagogies. Challenging assumptions of lack or deficit this article will ask how responding to this changing student body might require…

Interactions between EAL Pupils, Specialist Teachers and TAs during Withdrawal from the Mainstream in UK Primary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wardman, Clare

2013-01-01

Many primary school children with English as an additional language in the UK receive additional educational support. This article reports on a study comparing withdrawal sessions between teaching assistants (TAs) and specialist teachers. The findings show that the specialist teachers included more personalisation than TAs' sessions, through the…

Quality Management and Enhancement Processes in UK Business Schools: A Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodgkinson, Myra; Kelly, Mike

2007-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to provide insights into the processes that can be and have been adopted by UK business schools as they attempt to meet the Quality Assurance Agency's concern with the standard of quality management and enhancement. Design/methodology/approach: A review of the literature provides interpretations of quality,…

Responding to Concerns about Online Radicalization in U.K. Schools through a Radicalization Critical Digital Literacy Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNicol, Sarah

2016-01-01

This article discusses the two main strategies commonly used to safeguard children and young people online; namely, Internet filtering and digital literacy education. In recent U.K. government guidance, both are identified as means to prevent online radicalization in schools. However, despite the inadequacies of filtering, more attention is…

Chinese Language Teaching in the UK: Present and Future

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, George X.; Li, Linda M.

2010-01-01

There has been a long history of Chinese learning and teaching (CLT) in the UK, but until recently CLT was predominantly confined to community schools for Chinese children at weekends and a small number of other schools and universities. Therefore, it had remained peripheral for a long time in terms of student numbers and its position in the…

Rationalising for and against a policy of school-led careers guidance in STEM in the U.K.: a teacher perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watermeyer, Richard; Morton, Pat; Collins, Jill

2016-06-01

This paper reports on teacher attitudes to changes in the provision of careers guidance in the U.K., particularly as it relates to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). It draws on survey data of n = 94 secondary-school teachers operating in STEM domains and their attitudes towards a U.K. and devolved policy of internalising careers guidance within schools. The survey presents a mixed message of teachers recognising the significance of their unique position in providing learners with careers guidance yet concern that their 'relational proximity' to students and 'informational distance' from higher education and STEM industry may produce bias and misinformation that is harmful to their educational and occupational futures.

State-of-the-art techniques in operative dentistry: contemporary teaching of posterior composites in UK and Irish dental schools.

PubMed

Lynch, C D; Frazier, K B; McConnell, R J; Blum, I R; Wilson, N H F

2010-08-14

Advances of composite systems and their application have revolutionised the management of posterior teeth affected by caries, facilitating a minimally invasive approach. Previous surveys have indicated that the teaching of posterior composites within dental schools was developing, albeit not keeping pace with clinical evidence and the development of increasingly predictable techniques and materials. Concurrently, surveys of dental practice indicate that dental amalgam still predominates as the 'material of choice' for the restoration of posterior teeth within UK general dental practice. In light of such considerations, the aim of this study was to investigate current teaching of posterior composites in Irish and UK dental schools. An online questionnaire which sought information in relation to the current teaching of posterior composites was developed and distributed to the 17 established Irish and UK dental schools with undergraduate teaching programmes in late 2009. Completed responses were received from all 17 schools (response rate = 100%). All 17 schools taught the placement of occlusal and two-surface occlusoproximal composites in premolar and permanent molar teeth. Two schools did not teach placement of three-surface occlusoproximal composites in either premolars or molars. In their preclinical courses, ten schools taught posterior composites before teaching dental amalgams. Fifty-five percent of posterior restorations placed by dental students were of composite (range = 10-90%) and 44% amalgam (range = 10-90%), indicating an increase of 180% in the numbers of posterior composites placed over the past five years. Diversity was noted in the teaching of clinical techniques and students at different schools are trained with different composites and bonding systems. Some cause for concern was noted in the teaching of certain techniques that were not in keeping with existing best evidence, such as the teaching of transparent matrix bands and light-transmitting wedges for occluso-proximal composites (eight schools) and the teaching of bevels on the cavosurface enamel margins of both the occlusal and proximal box margins (three schools). The teaching of posterior composites in the Irish and UK dental schools has substantially increased over the last five years. Dental students in these schools often gain more experience in the placement of posterior composites than amalgam. However, practice trends indicate that a majority of GDPs continue to place amalgam in preference to composite, thereby suggesting a source of tension as current dental students emerge into the dental workforce over the coming years. There is, as a consequence, a challenge to the dental profession and its funding agencies in the UK to encourage more of a shift towards the minimally interventive use of composite systems in the restoration of posterior teeth, in particular among established practitioners.

Comparison of the sensitivity of the UKCAT and A Levels to sociodemographic characteristics: a national study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) was introduced to facilitate widening participation in medical and dental education in the UK by providing universities with a continuous variable to aid selection; one that might be less sensitive to the sociodemographic background of candidates compared to traditional measures of educational attainment. Initial research suggested that males, candidates from more advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds and those who attended independent or grammar schools performed better on the test. The introduction of the A* grade at A level permits more detailed analysis of the relationship between UKCAT scores, secondary educational attainment and sociodemographic variables. Thus, our aim was to further assess whether the UKCAT is likely to add incremental value over A level (predicted or actual) attainment in the selection process. Methods Data relating to UKCAT and A level performance from 8,180 candidates applying to medicine in 2009 who had complete information relating to six key sociodemographic variables were analysed. A series of regression analyses were conducted in order to evaluate the ability of sociodemographic status to predict performance on two outcome measures: A level ‘best of three’ tariff score; and the UKCAT scores. Results In this sample A level attainment was independently and positively predicted by four sociodemographic variables (independent/grammar schooling, White ethnicity, age and professional social class background). These variables also independently and positively predicted UKCAT scores. There was a suggestion that UKCAT scores were less sensitive to educational background compared to A level attainment. In contrast to A level attainment, UKCAT score was independently and positively predicted by having English as a first language and male sex. Conclusions Our findings are consistent with a previous report; most of the sociodemographic factors that predict A level attainment also predict UKCAT performance. However, compared to A levels, males and those speaking English as a first language perform better on UKCAT. Our findings suggest that UKCAT scores may be more influenced by sex and less sensitive to school type compared to A levels. These factors must be considered by institutions utilising the UKCAT as a component of the medical and dental school selection process. PMID:24400861

Learning and teaching clinical communication in the clinical workplace.

PubMed

Brown, Jo; Dearnaley, Jo

2016-08-01

Clinical communication teaching and learning has become increasingly separate from the clinical workplace over the last 20 years in the UK, and in many medical schools is front-loaded to the early years of the curriculum. Many reasons exist to explain this separation, including the increasing use of simulation. However, learning by simulation alone is not ideal, and the literature now points towards a new direction that blends simulation with authentic experiences in the clinical workplace to aid the transition to clinical life. This article presents a practical example of collaboration between a London medical school and a hospital trust to provide an integrated clinical communication learning experience for students by situating teaching on the clinical wards for senior medical students. Clinical communication teaching and learning has become increasingly separate from the clinical workplace We outline a new teaching initiative, the 'Communication on the wards' pilot project, that blends clinical communication teaching with ward-based learning in an authentic environment, with patients, medical students and teachers working together. This teaching initiative was a practical attempt to bridge the theory-practice gap in clinical communication education, and to place learning in the clinical workplace for students. As such, it was enjoyed by all those who took part, and may be the way forward for clinical communication teaching and learning in the future. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

UK role 4 military infection services: past, present and future.

PubMed

Dufty, Ngozi E; Bailey, M S

2013-09-01

NATO describes 'Role 4' military medical services as those provided for the definitive care of patients who cannot be treated within a theatre of operations and these are usually located in a military force's country of origin and may include the involvement of civilian medical services. The UK Defence Medical Services have a proud history of developing and providing clinical services in infectious diseases and tropical medicine, sexual health and HIV medicine, and medical microbiology and virology. These UK Role 4 Military Infection Services have adapted well to recent overseas deployments, but new challenges will arise due to current military cutbacks and a greater diversity of contingency operations in the future. Further evidence-based development of these services will require leadership by military clinicians and improved communication and support for 'reach-back' services.

Resources for Teaching Astronomy in UK Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roche, Paul; Newsam, Andy; Roberts, Sarah; Mason, Tom; Baruch, John

2012-01-01

This article looks at a selection of resources currently available for use in the teaching of astronomy in UK schools. It is by no means an exhaustive list but it highlights a variety of free resources that can be used in the classroom to help engage students of all ages with astronomy and space science. It also lists several facilities with a…

Does Education Improve Citizenship? Evidence from the U.S. and the U.K. Working Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milligan, Kevin; Moretti, Enrico; Oreopoulos, Philip

This paper explores the effect of extra schooling, induced through compulsory schooling laws, on the likelihood of becoming politically involved in the United States and the United Kingdom. U.S. data come from the annual National Elections Studies and the November Current Population Surveys. U.K. data come from the British General Election Studies…

Establishment of the Department of Anaesthesia at Harvard Medical School-1969.

PubMed

Mizrahi, Ilan; Desai, Sukumar P

2016-02-01

The first academic departments of anesthesia were established in the United States at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1927, with Ralph M. Waters named as chairman, and in the UK at Oxford University in 1937, with Robert Macintosh as chairman. Compared to these early departments, more than 3 decades would pass before Harvard Medical School decided it was time to establish a department of anaesthesia, in 1969. We examine the forces on both sides of the issue, for and against, and how they played out in the late 1960s. Published articles, books, interviews, and biographical and autobiographical notes as well as primary source documents such as reports of department and medical school committee meetings were examined to obtain information relevant to our investigation. The late 1960s were an ideal time for the chiefs of anesthesia at the various Harvard teaching hospitals to make a strong argument in favor of establishment of an independent department of anaesthesia. Although strongly opposed by Francis Daniels Moore, Chief of Surgery at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, an independent department at Harvard was established in 1969. The recognition of anesthesia as a distinctive specialty at universities across the country as well as the specific concerns over administration, hiring, and the future of the clinical service in the 1960s provided overwhelming support for the establishment of a separate, free-standing department of anaesthesia at one of the most tradition-bound universities in the United States-Harvard. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A critical review of the core medical training curriculum in the UK: A medical education perspective.

PubMed

Laskaratos, Faidon-Marios; Gkotsi, Despoina; Panteliou, Eleftheria

2014-01-01

This paper represents a systematic evaluation of the Core Medical Training Curriculum in the UK. The authors critically review the curriculum from a medical education perspective based mainly on the medical education literature as well as their personal experience of this curriculum. They conclude in practical recommendations and suggestions which, if adopted, could improve the design and implementation of this postgraduate curriculum. The systematic evaluation approach described in this paper is transferable to the evaluation of other undergraduate or postgraduate curricula, and could be a helpful guide for medical teachers involved in the delivery and evaluation of any medical curriculum.

Views of senior UK doctors about working in medicine: questionnaire survey

PubMed Central

Lambert, Trevor W; Goldacre, Michael J

2014-01-01

Summary Objectives We surveyed the UK medical qualifiers of 1993. We asked closed questions about their careers; and invited them to give us comments, if they wished, about any aspect of their work. Our aim in this paper is to report on the topics that this senior cohort of UK-trained doctors who work in UK medicine raised with us. Design Questionnaire survey Participants 3479 contactable UK-trained medical graduates of 1993. Setting UK. Main outcome measures Comments made by doctors about their work, and their views about medical careers and training in the UK. Method Postal and email questionnaires. Results Response rate was 72% (2507); 2252 were working in UK medicine, 816 (36%) of whom provided comments. Positive comments outweighed negative in the areas of their own job satisfaction and satisfaction with their training. However, 23% of doctors who commented expressed dissatisfaction with aspects of junior doctors’ training, the impact of working time regulations, and with the requirement for doctors to make earlier career decisions than in the past about their choice of specialty. Some doctors were concerned about government health service policy; others were dissatisfied with the availability of family-friendly/part-time work, and we are concerned about attitudes to gender and work-life balance. Conclusions Though satisfied with their own training and their current position, many senior doctors felt that changes to working hours and postgraduate training had reduced the level of experience gained by newer graduates. They were also concerned about government policy interventions. PMID:25408920

Views of senior UK doctors about working in medicine: questionnaire survey.

PubMed

Lambert, Trevor W; Smith, Fay; Goldacre, Michael J

2014-11-01

We surveyed the UK medical qualifiers of 1993. We asked closed questions about their careers; and invited them to give us comments, if they wished, about any aspect of their work. Our aim in this paper is to report on the topics that this senior cohort of UK-trained doctors who work in UK medicine raised with us. Questionnaire survey. 3479 contactable UK-trained medical graduates of 1993. UK. Comments made by doctors about their work, and their views about medical careers and training in the UK. Postal and email questionnaires. Response rate was 72% (2507); 2252 were working in UK medicine, 816 (36%) of whom provided comments. Positive comments outweighed negative in the areas of their own job satisfaction and satisfaction with their training. However, 23% of doctors who commented expressed dissatisfaction with aspects of junior doctors' training, the impact of working time regulations, and with the requirement for doctors to make earlier career decisions than in the past about their choice of specialty. Some doctors were concerned about government health service policy; others were dissatisfied with the availability of family-friendly/part-time work, and we are concerned about attitudes to gender and work-life balance. Though satisfied with their own training and their current position, many senior doctors felt that changes to working hours and postgraduate training had reduced the level of experience gained by newer graduates. They were also concerned about government policy interventions.

Science education reforms in the UK.

PubMed

2012-10-01

As children return to school at the end of the summer in the UK, planned reforms aim to increase their science and maths literacy. A comprehensive foundation in these essential subjects is necessary to ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of science and technology for decades to come.

The IB Diploma and UK University Degree Qualifications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frank-Gemmill, Gerda

2013-01-01

In recent years the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma has become widely accepted as a university-entry qualification in the UK, but there has been little quantitative research into the achievements of IB students at degree level. This study investigates IB students from one selective independent school who entered UK universities between…

A UK trial-based cost--utility analysis of transmyocardial laser revascularization compared to continued medical therapy for treatment of refractory angina pectoris.

PubMed

Campbell, H E; Tait, S; Buxton, M J; Sharples, L D; Caine, N; Schofield, P M; Wallwork, J

2001-08-01

Transmyocardial laser revascularization (TMLR) is used to treat patients with refractory angina considered unsuitable for conventional forms of revascularization. Using patient specific data from a single centre UK randomised-controlled trial, we aimed to determine whether, from a UK National Health Service (NHS) perspective, TMLR plus standard medical management is cost-effective when compared with standard medical management alone. One hundred and eighty-eight patients assessed as having refractory angina, and not suitable for conventional forms of revascularization were randomized to receive TMLR and medical management (94) or medical management alone (94). Costs to the UK NHS of TMLR (where appropriate), and all secondary sector health care contacts and cardiac-related medication in the 12 months following randomization, were collected. Patient utility as measured using the EuroQol EQ-5D questionnaire was combined with 12-month survival data to generate quality adjusted life years (QALYs). The mean cost per patient over the year from hospitalization for TMLR was 11,470 pounds sterling and for medical management alone was 2586 pounds sterling, giving a cost difference of 8901 pounds sterling (95% confidence interval (CI) 7502 pounds sterling--10,008 pounds sterling: P < 0.0001). The mean QALY difference, in favour of TMLR was 0.039 (95% CI -0.033 to 0.113: P = 0.268). This gives an incremental cost per QALY of over 228,000 pounds sterling. Analysis of stochastic uncertainty and of sensitivity to gross changes in key parameters consistently produces very high costs per QALY. The policy implications are clear: for such patients TMLR is an inefficient use of UK health service resources. This conclusion would not be changed by considerable improvements in effectiveness or reductions in cost.

"Over my dead body?": the influence of demographics on students' willingness to participate in peer physical examination.

PubMed

Rees, Charlotte E; Bradley, Paul; Collett, Tracey; McLachlan, John C

2005-11-01

This study aims to explore quantitatively and qualitatively students' attitudes towards peer physical examination (PPE) and the influence of demographics on students' willingness to participate in PPE. A total of 296 first-year medical students from two consecutive cohorts at the Peninsula Medical School, UK completed the EFS questionnaire. Quantitative data from the questionnaire were analysed using univariate (i.e. Mann-Whitney and chi-squared tests) and multivariate statistics (i.e. stepwise multiple regression) and qualitative data were analysed using theme analysis. At least 92% of Peninsula Medical School students were willing to examine all 11 body parts (except breast and inguinal regions) of peers of same and opposite gender. Qualitative data support this by highlighting students' positive attitudes towards PPE. PPE was more acceptable within rather than across gender and students generally felt more comfortable examining their peers than being examined by peers. Qualitative data outline the range of student concerns with PPE. Significant relationships existed between students' attitudes towards PPE and various variables: gender, age and religious faith. The findings demonstrate that students may show a greater willingness to participate in PPE than previously thought. Further research is required to explore more fully the barriers to PPE.

PHYSICS EDUCATION AND THE INTERNET: A beginner's guide to a physicist starting out on an Internet journey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burton, Paul

1998-05-01

Thirty useful physics-related sites are listed to help get you started. I hope you will find some of the following sites of use in your teaching or good for pointing your pupils in the right direction when doing research. I have not attempted to rank or sort them in any order. However, by the time you read this issue of Physics Education some of the sites may not be available; this is the nature of the net. Those not wishing to retype each address can access them from my school's physics page (http://www.bootham.demon.co.uk/physics/links.html) or e-mail me at pkb@bootham.demon.co.uk and I can send you a document with the hypertext live links in. The new IOP sponsored 16-19 Physics project is promising great things with its own Internet site. You will be able to download information, updates, worksheets etc. Any queries about the development of this project at present can be sent to Evelyn van Dyk at: 16-19project@iop.org Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Councilhttp://www.epsrc.ac.uk Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Councilhttp://www.pparc.ac.uk American Institute of Physicshttp://www.aip.org Usenet Physics FAQ (frequently asked questions)http://www.weburbia.demon.co.uk/physics/faq.html CERNhttp://www.cern.ch/ BBC Educationhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/education/ Useful data on the Periodic Tablehttp://www.shef.ac.uk/chemistry/web-elements/ JET WWW index page:http://www.jet.uk NERC satellite station, Dundee Universityhttp://www.sat.dundee.ac.uk/ The Meteorological Officehttp://www.meto.govt.uk/ The Smithsonian Institute, Washington, DChttp://www.si.edu/newstart.htm Frequently asked questions on time and frequencyhttp://www.boulder.nist.gov/timefreq/faq/faq.htm Physics newshttp://www.het.brown.edu/news/index.html TIPTOP: The Internet Pilot to Physicshttp://www.tp.umu.se/TIPTOP/ A Dictionary of Scientific Quotationshttp://naturalscience.com/dsqhome.html ScI-Journal: an on-line publication for science studentshttp://www.soton.ac.uk/~plf/ScI-Journal/ Science On-linehttp://www.shu.ac.uk/schools/sci/sol/contents.htm Physics humourhttp://quark.physics.uwo.ca/~harwood/humor12.htm Searching for someone's e-mail address?http://www.four11.com SKY publicationshttp://www.skypub.com Planet Sciencehttp://www.keysites.com New Scientisthttp://www.newscientist.com NASA links to the American space programhttp://www.nasa.gov NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratoryhttp://www.jpl.nasa.gov Hewlett-Packardhttp://www.hp.com The Bradford Schools Telescope Projecthttp://www.telescope.org/rti/nuffield/ To contact a professional societyhttp://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/society/overview.html The Schools' Physics Group: post-16 issueshttp://diana.ecs.soton.ac.uk/~pm/Physics/post16.html Sleuth search for physics and chemistryhttp://www.isleuth.com/index.shtml The Particle Adventurehttp://pdg.lbl.gov/cpep/adventure_home.html Acknowledgments I thank colleagues David Robinson and Robin Peach for their help in selecting and validating these sites and William Try, pupil at Bootham School, for preparing and maintaining the department's homepage with hypertext links. Received 21 January 1998

Japanese healthcare system: lessons to be learned.

PubMed

Ikegami, Naoki

2009-06-01

Naoki Ikegami is Professor and Chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Keio University School of Medicine (Tokyo, Japan), from which he received his MD and PhD. He also received a Master of Arts degree in health services studies with Distinction from Leeds University (UK). During 1990-1991, he was a visiting Professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and Medical School (PA, USA). His publications include "The Art of Balance in Health Policy--Maintaining Japan's Low-Cost Egalitarian System" (Cambridge University Press, 1998) with John C Campbell, and "Measuring the quality of long-term care in institutional and community settings. In: "Measuring Up--Improving Health Care Performance in OECD Countries" (OECD, 2002) with John Hirdes and Iain Carpenter. His interests are comparative health policy, long-term care and reimbursement systems. He is currently president of the Japan Society on Healthcare Administration, and the Japan Healtheconomics Society. Here, Naoki Ikegami talks to Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics & Outcomes Research about how Japan is dealing with the health policy issues of today.

Telemedicine for Peer-to-Peer Psychiatry Learning between U.K. and Somaliland Medical Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keynejad, Roxanne; Ali, Faisal R.; Finlayson, Alexander E. T.; Handuleh, Jibriil; Adam, Gudon; Bowen, Jordan S. T.; Leather, Andrew; Little, Simon J.; Whitwell, Susannah

2013-01-01

Objective: The proportion of U.K. medical students applying for psychiatry training continues to decline, whereas, in Somaliland, there are no public-sector psychiatrists. This pilot study assessed the usefulness and feasibility of online, instant messenger, peer-to-peer exchange for psychiatry education between cultures. Method: Twenty medical…

A Study of CHARGE Syndrome in the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deuce, Gail; Howard, Simon; Rose, Steve; Fuggle, Chris

2012-01-01

This article reports findings of a questionnaire completed by 44 families living in the UK with a child (aged 15 years or younger) with a medical diagnosis of CHARGE syndrome. The questionnaire contained three sections, namely Diagnosis (including medical and health issues), Child development, and Educational provision. This article reports on the…

"At Risk of Harm"? An Exploratory Survey of School Counsellors in the UK, Their Perceptions of Confidentiality, Information Sharing and Risk Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, Peter; Palmer, Joanne

2012-01-01

The primary objective of this study was to explore perceptions of UK school counsellors of confidentiality and information sharing in therapeutic work with children and young people, using qualitative methods. The research design employed a two-stage process, using questionnaires and follow-up interviews, with a small, non-random sample of school…

Leadership at the Top: Some Insights from a Longitudinal Case Study of a UK Business School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Allan P. O.

2009-01-01

A UK business school was researched to record its history and to account for its development. The data collection and interpretation were influenced by the flexible and iterative nature of the methodology. Theories and concepts used to make sense of the findings include: open systems, force fields, and power. The focus is on strategic leadership,…

Optimizing School-Based Health-Promotion Programmes: Lessons from a Qualitative Study of Fluoridated Milk Schemes in the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, Geraldine R. K.; Tickle, Martin

2013-01-01

Background and objective: Some districts in the United Kingdom (UK), where the level of child dental caries is high and water fluoridation has not been possible, implement school-based fluoridated milk (FM) schemes. However, process variables, such as consent to drink FM and loss of children as they mature, impede the effectiveness of these…

"I DON'T CARE DO UR OWN PAGE!!" A Case Study of Using Wikis for Collaborative Work in a UK Secondary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Lyndsay

2009-01-01

Alongside other forms of social software, wikis have been heralded as supporting more collaborative and democratic teaching and learning practices. This paper explores, through a case study approach, the use of wikis to support a collaborative research project undertaken in a UK secondary school. Findings are analysed in the context of research on…

Disciplinary Disjunctures in the Transition from Secondary School to Higher Education Study of Modern Foreign Languages: A Case Study from the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallagher-Brett, Angela; Canning, John

2011-01-01

Discussions of student transition from the study of languages in UK high schools to the study of languages at university usually focus on the vertical transition, comparing the differences in curricula and approach to languages taken in each sector. Whilst acknowledging that this aspect of the student transition is important, this article explores…

A questionnaire based assessment of numbers, motivation and medical care of UK patients undergoing liver transplant abroad.

PubMed

Kerr Winter, Ben; Odedra, Anand; Green, Steve

Medical tourism, where patients travel abroad intentionally to access medical treatment, is a growing trend. Some of these patients travel to undergo organ transplantation. This study aims to quantify the number of UK patients who undergo liver transplantation abroad, assessing their motivations and management. Questionnaires were sent to all seven UK liver transplant units enquiring about liver patients receiving transplant abroad. Included were questions on destination, motivation, and pre and post-transplant care. Responses were received from six of the seven transplant centres (86%). A total of 12 patients were identified as having undergone liver transplantation overseas. The top destinations were India, China and Egypt. Four units responded to questions regarding pre-transplant screening. One unit reported Hepatitis B and C screening not taking place. Four units responded to questions regarding post-transplant antimicrobial therapy. This revealed examples of patients inappropriately not receiving valganciclovir, co-trimoxazole, anti-fungal treatment and Hepatitis B immunoglobulins. UK patients are undergoing liver transplant abroad, albeit in small numbers. Pre and post-transplant management of these patients is of a lower standard than that provided to those undergoing transplantation in the UK. Information transfer between overseas and UK based transplant teams is poor. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The incidence of medically reported work-related ill health in the UK construction industry.

PubMed

Stocks, S J; McNamee, R; Carder, M; Agius, R M

2010-08-01

Self-reported work-related ill health (SWI) data show a high incidence of occupational ill health and a high burden of cancer attributable to occupational factors in the UK construction industry. However, there is little information on the incidence of medically reported work-related ill health (WRI) within this industry. This study aims to examine the incidence of WRI within the UK construction industry. Standardised incidence rate ratios (SRRs) were used to compare incidence rates of reports of medically certified work-related ill health returned to The Health and Occupation Reporting network (THOR) within the UK construction industry with all other UK industries combined. Male UK construction industry workers aged under 65 years had significantly raised SRRs for respiratory (3.8, 95% CI 3.5 to 4.2), skin (1.6, 1.4 to 1.8) and musculoskeletal disorders (MSD; 1.9, 1.6 to 2.2). These SRRs were further raised for those working within a construction trade. The increased SRRs for skin disease within male construction industry workers were due to contact dermatitis (1.4, 1.2 to 1.6) and neoplasia (4.2, 3.3 to 5.3). For respiratory disease, the increased SRRs were due to non-malignant pleural disease (7.1, 6.3 to 8.1), mesothelioma (7.1, 6.0 to 8.3), lung cancer (5.4, 3.2 to 8.9) and pneumoconiosis (5.5, 3.7 to 8.0), but the SRRs for asthma (0.09, 0.06 to 0.11) and mental ill health (0.3, 0.1 to 0.4) were significantly reduced. The significantly raised SRRs for medically reported MSD and significantly reduced SRRs for mental ill health in construction workers confirm self-reported UK data. These SRRs provide a baseline of the incidence of WRI in the UK construction industry from which to monitor the effects of changes in policy or exposures.

Patient-reported quality of life outcomes for children with serious congenital heart defects.

PubMed

Knowles, Rachel L; Day, Thomas; Wade, Angie; Bull, Catherine; Wren, Christopher; Dezateux, Carol

2014-05-01

To compare patient-reported, health-related quality of life (QoL) for children with serious congenital heart defects (CHDs) and unaffected classmates and to investigate the demographic and clinical factors influencing QoL. Retrospective cohort study. UK National Health Service. UK-wide cohort of children with serious CHDs aged 10-14 years requiring cardiac intervention in the first year of life in one of 17 UK paediatric cardiac surgical centres operating during 1992-1995. A comparison group of classmates of similar age and sex was recruited. Child self-report of health-related QoL scores (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, PedsQL) and parental report of schooling and social activities. Questionnaires were completed by 477 children with CHDs (56% boys; mean age 12.1 (SD 1.0) years) and 464 classmates (55%; 12.0 (SD 1.1) years). Children with CHDs rated QoL significantly lower than classmates (CHDs: median 78.3 (IQR 65.0-88.6); classmates: 88.0 (80.2-94.6)) and scored lower on physical (CHDs: 84.4; classmates: 93.8; difference 9.4 (7.8 to 10.9)) and psychosocial functioning subscales (CHDs: 76.7, classmates: 85.0; difference 8.3 (6.0 to 10.6)). Cardiac interventions, school absence, regular medications and non-cardiac comorbidities were independently associated with reduced QoL. Participation in sport positively influenced QoL and was associated with higher psychosocial functioning scores. Children with serious CHDs experience lower QoL than unaffected classmates. This appears related to the burden of clinical intervention rather than underlying cardiac diagnosis. Participation in sports activities is positively associated with increased emotional well-being. Child self-report measures of QoL would be a valuable addition to clinical outcome audit in this age group.

Do we need medical leadership or medical engagement?

PubMed

Spurgeon, Peter; Long, Paul; Clark, John; Daly, Frank

2015-07-06

The purpose of this paper is to address issues of medical leadership within health systems and to clarify the associated conceptual issues, for example, leadership versus management and medical versus clinical leadership. However, its principle contribution is to raise the issue of the purpose or outcome of medical leadership, and, in this respect, it argues that it is to promote medical engagement. The approach is to provide evidence, both from the literature and empirically, to suggest that enhanced medical engagement leads to improved organisational performance and, in doing so, to review the associated concepts. Building on current evidence from the UK and Australia, the authors strengthen previous findings that effective medical leadership underpins the effective organisational performance. There is a current imbalance between the size of the databases on medical engagement between the UK (very large) and Australia (small but developing). The authors aim to equip medical leaders with the appropriate skill set to promote and enhance greater medical engagement. The focus of leaders in organisations should be in creating a culture that fosters and supports medical engagement. This paper provides empowerment of medical professionals to have greater influence in the running of the organisation in which they deliver care. The paper contains, for the first time, linked performance data from the Care Quality Commission in the UK and from Australia with the new set of medical engagement findings.

What do we know about medical tourism? A review of the literature with discussion of its implications for the UK National Health Service as an example of a public health care system.

PubMed

Hanefeld, Johanna; Smith, Richard; Horsfall, Daniel; Lunt, Neil

2014-01-01

Medical tourism is a growing phenomenon. This review of the literature maps current knowledge and discusses findings with reference to the UK National Health Service (NHS). Databases were systematically searched between September 2011 and March 2012 and 100 papers were selected for review. The literature shows specific types of tourism depending on treatment, eg, dentistry, cosmetic, or fertility. Patient motivation is complex and while further research is needed, factors beyond cost, including availability and distance, are clearly important. The provision of medical tourism varies. Volume of patient travel, economic cost and benefit were established for 13 countries. It highlights contributions not only to recipient countries' economies but also to a possible growth in health systems' inequities. Evidence suggests that UK patients travel abroad to receive treatment, complications arise and are treated by the NHS, indicating costs from medical travel for originating health systems. It demonstrates the importance of quality standards and holds lessons as the UK and other EU countries implement the EU Directive on cross-border care. Lifting the private-patient-cap for NHS hospitals increases potential for growth in inbound medical tourism; yet no research exists on this. Research is required on volume, cost, patient motivation, industry, and on long-term health outcomes in medical tourists. © 2014 International Society of Travel Medicine.

The Benefits of Residential Fieldwork for School Science: Insights from a five-year initiative for inner-city students in the UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amos, Ruth; Reiss, Michael

2012-03-01

There is considerable international interest in the value of residential fieldwork for school students. In the UK, pressures on curriculum time, rising costs and heightened concern over students' safety are curtailing residential experiences. Collaboration between several key fieldwork providers across the UK created an extensive programme of residential courses for 11-14-year-olds in London schools from 2004 to 2008. Some 33,000 students from 849 schools took part. This paper draws on the evaluation of the programme that gathered questionnaire, interview and observational data from 2,706 participating students, 70 teachers and 869 parents/carers from 46 schools, mainly in deprived areas of the city. Our findings revealed that students' collaborative skills improved and interpersonal relationships were strengthened and taken back to school. Gains were strongest in social and affective domains, together with behavioural improvements for some students. Individual cognitive gains were revealed more convincingly during face-to-face interviews, rather than through survey items. Students from socially deprived backgrounds benefitted from exposure to learning environments which promoted authentic practical inquiry. Over the 5-year programme, combined physical adventure and real-world experiences proved to be popular with students and their teachers, and opened up opportunities for learning and doing science in ways not often accessible in urban school environments. Further programmes have been implemented in other parts of the UK as a result of the London experience, which build upon the provision of mixed curriculum-adventure course design. The popularity and apparent success of these combination courses suggest that providers need to consider the value of developing similar programmes in the future.

Identification of alkaptonuria in the general population: a United Kingdom experience describing the challenges, possible solutions and persistent barriers.

PubMed

Ranganath, L; Taylor, A M; Shenkin, A; Fraser, W D; Jarvis, J; Gallagher, J A; Sireau, N

2011-06-01

Progress in research into rare diseases is challenging. This paper discusses strategies to identify individuals with the rare genetic disease alkaptonuria (AKU) within the general population. Strategies used included a questionnaire survey of general practitioners, a dedicated website and patient network contact, targeted family screening and medical conference targeting. Primary care physicians of the UK were targeted by a postal survey that involved mailing 11,151 UK GPs; the response rate was 18.2%. We have identified 75 patients in the UK with AKU by the following means: postal survey (23), targeted family screening (11), patient networks and the website (41). Targeting medical conferences (AKU, rare diseases, rheumatology, clinical biochemistry, orthopaedics, general practitioners) did not lead to new identification in the UK but helped identify overseas cases. We are now aware of 626 patients worldwide including newly identified non-UK people with AKU in the following areas: Slovakia (208), the rest of Europe (including Turkey) (79), North America (including USA and Canada) (110), and the rest of the world (154). A mechanism for identifying individuals with AKU in the general population-not just in the UK but worldwide-has been established. Knowledge of patients with AKU, both in the UK and outside, is often confined to establishing their location in a particular GP practice or association with a particular medical professional. Mere identification, however, does not always lead to full engagement for epidemiological research purposes or targeting treatment since further barriers exist.

Career destinations, views and future plans of the UK medical qualifiers of 1988.

PubMed

Taylor, Kathryn; Lambert, Trevor; Goldacre, Michael

2010-01-01

To report the career destinations, views and future plans of a cohort of senior doctors who qualified in the 1980s. Postal questionnaire survey of all doctors who qualified from all UK medical schools in 1988. The response rate was 69%. We estimated that 81% of the total cohort was working in the NHS, 16 years after qualification; and that at least 94% of graduates who, when students, were from UK homes, were working in medicine. Of NHS doctors, 30% worked part-time. NHS doctors rated their job satisfaction highly (median score 19.9, scale 5-25) but were less satisfied with the amount of leisure time available to them (median score 5.4, scale 1-10). NHS doctors were very positive about their careers, but were less positive about working hours and some other aspects of the NHS. Women were more positive than men about working conditions; general practitioners were more positive than hospital doctors. Twenty-five percent reported unmet needs for further training or career-related advice, particularly about career development. Twenty-nine percent intended to reduce their hours in future, while 6%, mainly part-time women, planned to increase their hours. Overall, 10% of NHS doctors planned to do more service work in future and 24% planned to do less; among part-time women, 18% planned to do more and only 14% less. These NHS doctors, now in their 40s, had a high level of satisfaction with their jobs and their careers but were less satisfied with some other aspects of their working environment. A substantial percentage had expectations about future career development and change.

Career destinations, views and future plans of the UK medical qualifiers of 1988

PubMed Central

Taylor, Kathryn; Lambert, Trevor; Goldacre, Michael

2010-01-01

Summary Objectives To report the career destinations, views and future plans of a cohort of senior doctors who qualified in the 1980s. Methods Postal questionnaire survey of all doctors who qualified from all UK medical schools in 1988. Results The response rate was 69%. We estimated that 81% of the total cohort was working in the NHS, 16 years after qualification; and that at least 94% of graduates who, when students, were from UK homes, were working in medicine. Of NHS doctors, 30% worked part-time. NHS doctors rated their job satisfaction highly (median score 19.9, scale 5–25) but were less satisfied with the amount of leisure time available to them (median score 5.4, scale 1–10). NHS doctors were very positive about their careers, but were less positive about working hours and some other aspects of the NHS. Women were more positive than men about working conditions; general practitioners were more positive than hospital doctors. Twenty-five percent reported unmet needs for further training or career-related advice, particularly about career development. Twenty-nine percent intended to reduce their hours in future, while 6%, mainly part-time women, planned to increase their hours. Overall, 10% of NHS doctors planned to do more service work in future and 24% planned to do less; among part-time women, 18% planned to do more and only 14% less. Conclusions These NHS doctors, now in their 40s, had a high level of satisfaction with their jobs and their careers but were less satisfied with some other aspects of their working environment. A substantial percentage had expectations about future career development and change. PMID:20056666

Advance directives in the UK: legal, ethical, and practical considerations for doctors.

PubMed

Kessel, A S; Meran, J

1998-05-01

In the United Kingdom (UK), advance directives have recently received considerable attention from professional and voluntary organizations as well as medical journals and the media. However, despite such exposure, many doctors remain uncertain of the importance or relevance of advance directives with regard to their own clinical practice. This paper addresses these uncertainties by first explaining what advance directives are and then describing the current legal status of such directives in the UK. Examination of the cases underpinning this status reveals several key elements: competence, information, anticipation, applicability, and freedom from duress. Each is discussed. Although this paper focuses on legal issues, it is important that medical law does not dominate medical ethics. Accordingly, the paper also discusses some important philosophical and sociological considerations that have remained largely unexplored in the medical press. Finally, the paper deals with practical matters, including how the general practitioner might be involved.

Preventing and lessening exacerbations of asthma in school-age children associated with a new term (PLEASANT): study protocol for a cluster randomised control trial

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Within the UK, during September, there is a pronounced increase in the number of unscheduled medical contacts by school-aged children (4–16 years) with asthma. It is thought that that this might be caused by the return back to school after the summer holidays, suddenly mixing with other children again and picking up viruses which could affect their asthma. There is also a drop in the number of prescriptions administered in August. It is possible therefore that children might not be taking their medication as they should during the summer contributing to them becoming ill when they return to school. It is hoped that a simple intervention from the GP to parents of children with asthma at the start of the summer holiday period, highlighting the importance of maintaining asthma medication can help prevent increased asthma exacerbation, and unscheduled NHS appointments, following return to school in September. Methods/design PLEASANT is a cluster randomised trial. A total of 140 General Practices (GPs) will be recruited into the trial; 70 GPs randomised to the intervention and 70 control practices of “usual care”. An average practice is expected to have approximately 100 children (aged 4–16 with a diagnosis of asthma) hence observational data will be collected on around 14000 children over a 24-month period. The Clinical Practice Research Datalink will collect all data required for the study which includes diagnostic, prescription and referral data. Discussion The trial will assess whether the intervention can reduce exacerbation of asthma and unscheduled medical contacts in school-aged children associated with the return to school after the summer holidays. It has the potential to benefit the health and quality of life of children with asthma while also improving the effectiveness of NHS services by reducing NHS use in one of the busiest months of the year. An exploratory health economic analysis will gauge any cost saving associated with the intervention and subsequent impacts on quality of life. If results for the intervention are positive it is hoped that this could be adopted as part of routine care management of childhood asthma in general practice. Trial registration Current controlled trials: ISRCTN03000938 (assigned 19/10/12) http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN03000938/. UKCRN ID: 13572 PMID:24041259

The European Union’s Headline Goal: An Operational Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-09-01

strong between the United States and the rest of Europe. The 1956 Suez Crisis did not scar relations between the UK and the United States to the...Support Logistics UK 6 Light Infantry Brigade HQ & Augmentees 7 Light/Medium Armoured Companies UK 8 Medical Collective Protection Role 3

Characteristics and practices of Traditional Chinese Medicine retail shops in London, UK: A cross-sectional study using an observational approach.

PubMed

Teng, Lida; Shaw, Debbie; Barnes, Joanne

2015-09-15

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a popular form of ethnomedicine in the UK, and is accessed by Western, Chinese and other ethnic groups. The current regulatory regime does not effectively protect the public against poor-quality and unsafe TCMs. Understanding ethnopharmacological information on how TCM is promoted and practiced may help to inform initiatives aimed at ensuring the safe use of TCMs in the UK, and put laboratory-based ethnopharmacological investigations of TCMs in a broader context. This study aimed to examine the characteristics and practices of TCM retail outlets in London, UK, and to identify factors relevant to the safe use of TCM in the UK. TCM retail outlets ('shops') in London, UK, were identified using a systematic approach. A structured questionnaire including questions on shop business type was used to recruit participant shops. Shops consenting to participate were visited within six weeks of providing consent. A piloted semi-structured questionnaire on shop characteristics was used for data collection following observation. The British National Formulary 53 was used to classify medical conditions/uses for TCMs promoted in the shops. Data were stored and analysed using MS Access 2003, MS Excel 2003 and SPSS 13. In total, 54 TCM shops in London were identified, of which 94% offered TCM consultations with a TCM practitioner. Detailed characteristics were described within 35/50 shops that gave consent to observing their premises. Most shops labelled and displayed over 150 Chinese Materia Medica (CMMs; crude materials, particularly herbs) for dispensing after consultations with a TCM practitioner. Medical conditions/uses and Patent Chinese Medicines (PCMs) were commonly promoted. In total, 794 occurrences of 205 different medical conditions/uses (median=32, QL=19, QU=48) were identified. These conditions/uses most commonly related to the following therapeutic systems: central nervous system (160/794, 20.2%); musculoskeletal and joint disease (133/794, 16.8%); obstetrics, gynaecology, and urinary-tract disorders (122/794, 15.4%); skin (102/794, 12.9%); gastrointestinal system (62/794, 7.8%). Specific conditions/uses that were frequently promoted included eczema (19/23 shops, 82.6%), arthritis (18/23, 78.3%), acne (17/23, 73.9%), obesity/weight loss/slimming (17/23, 73.9%) and psoriasis (17/23, 73.9%). Claimed conditions/uses included some serious medical conditions (e.g. diabetes, cancer and hypertension) and those focusing on vulnerable groups (e.g. children's diseases and pregnancy treatments). TCM shops in London, UK, typically displayed names of a wide range of medical conditions/uses for TCMs using readily understandable medical terms, implying TCM can be used to prevent or treat these conditions. However, many of these advertisements did not comply with UK regulations on medical claims for herbal medicines. Future studies should explore how these advertisements influence consumers' decisions to access TCM in the UK, practices of TCM shop staff towards the supply of TCMs in the UK, and what are the health implications at the individual and population levels. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

How fair is access to more prestigious UK universities?

PubMed

Boliver, Vikki

2013-06-01

Now that most UK universities have increased their tuition fees to £9,000 a year and are implementing new Access Agreements as required by the Office for Fair Access, it has never been more important to examine the extent of fair access to UK higher education and to more prestigious UK universities in particular. This paper uses Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) data for the period 1996 to 2006 to explore the extent of fair access to prestigious Russell Group universities, where 'fair' is taken to mean equal rates of making applications to and receiving offers of admission from these universities on the part of those who are equally qualified to enter them. The empirical findings show that access to Russell Group universities is far from fair in this sense and that little changed following the introduction of tuition fees in 1998 and their initial increase to £3,000 a year in 2006. Throughout this period, UCAS applicants from lower class backgrounds and from state schools remained much less likely to apply to Russell Group universities than their comparably qualified counterparts from higher class backgrounds and private schools, while Russell Group applicants from state schools and from Black and Asian ethnic backgrounds remained much less likely to receive offers of admission from Russell Group universities in comparison with their equivalently qualified peers from private schools and the White ethnic group. © London School of Economics and Political Science 2013.

Authentic early experience in Medical Education: a socio-cultural analysis identifying important variables in learning interactions within workplaces.

PubMed

Yardley, Sarah; Brosnan, Caragh; Richardson, Jane; Hays, Richard

2013-12-01

This paper addresses the question 'what are the variables influencing social interactions and learning during Authentic Early Experience (AEE)?' AEE is a complex educational intervention for new medical students. Following critique of the existing literature, multiple qualitative methods were used to create a study framework conceptually orientated to a socio-cultural perspective. Study participants were recruited from three groups at one UK medical school: students, workplace supervisors, and medical school faculty. A series of intersecting spectra identified in the data describe dyadic variables that make explicit the parameters within which social interactions are conducted in this setting. Four of the spectra describe social processes related to being in workplaces and developing the ability to manage interactions during authentic early experiences. These are: (1) legitimacy expressed through invited participation or exclusion; (2) finding a role-a spectrum from student identity to doctor mindset; (3) personal perspectives and discomfort in transition from lay to medical; and, (4) taking responsibility for 'risk'-moving from aversion to management through graded progression of responsibility. Four further spectra describe educational consequences of social interactions. These spectra identify how the reality of learning is shaped through social interactions and are (1) generic-specific objectives, (2) parallel-integrated-learning, (3) context specific-transferable learning and (4) performing or simulating-reality. Attention to these variables is important if educators are to maximise constructive learning from AEE. Application of each of the spectra could assist workplace supervisors to maximise the positive learning potential of specific workplaces.

Twenty-first-century medical microbiology services in the UK.

PubMed

Duerden, Brian

2005-12-01

With infection once again a high priority for the UK National Health Service (NHS), the medical microbiology and infection-control services require increased technology resources and more multidisciplinary staff. Clinical care and health protection need a coordinated network of microbiology services working to consistent standards, provided locally by NHS Trusts and supported by the regional expertise and national reference laboratories of the new Health Protection Agency. Here, I outline my thoughts on the need for these new resources and the ways in which clinical microbiology services in the UK can best meet the demands of the twenty-first century.

Evaluation of different delivery modes of an interactive e-learning programme for teaching cultural diversity.

PubMed

Hawthorne, Kamila; Prout, Hayley; Kinnersley, Paul; Houston, Helen

2009-01-01

UK medical schools find it challenging to provide standardised teaching to expanding year intakes. In addition, developing and implementing diversity training can cause difficulties. This paper describes the evaluation of an interactive e-learning programme to raise awareness and understanding of communication difficulties in diversity consultations. The programme was part of an undergraduate portfolio-based community module. Three hundred and two students were assigned to one of three delivery methods--a large group setting, small groups with a facilitator, and as part of distance learning while on community placement. The evaluation included analysis of their coursework marks, a self-completed evaluation questionnaire, and small group discussions. Two hundred and twenty-three students took part in the evaluation. They were able to apply the concepts they learnt to clinical examples from their own experiences. Type of delivery did not affect coursework marks, but students tended to prefer the e-learning as part of a distance learning package. They offered helpful suggestions to improve its complexity and range. The acceptability and utility of this e-learning module both in face to face teaching and remote placement has been demonstrated, and evaluation by the students has provided valuable information for its further development. All medical schools should include some diversity training, and further research should concentrate on the effects of this type of learning on longer term outcomes such as attitude and performance tests. Such tools could reduce demands on staff time in facilitation of small groupwork, and their cost effectiveness could be increased by making them available to other medical schools.

Sarilumab for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Cooper, Simon

2016-01-01

Simon Cooper has >18 years of global experience in the pharmaceutical industry. He joined Sanofi in July 2014 as the Vice President, Global Project Head. In his current position at Sanofi, Dr Cooper is responsible for the clinical development of sarilumab and the worldwide submission in rheumatoid arthritis. He joined Sanofi after serving as the Global Program Medical Director at Novartis since 2012. In this role, Dr Cooper acted as the clinical lead for secukinumab psoriasis submission. Prior to Novartis, Dr Cooper held various posts at Human Genome Sciences, USA, including Executive Director of Clinical Research, Senior Director of Clinical Research and Director of Clinical Research. During his tenure at Human Genome Sciences, USA, Dr Cooper was involved in the submission of belimumab leading to its approval for SLE, and was responsible for its subsequent clinical development program. Dr Cooper has also previously held positions at MedImmune Ltd, UK, Roche, Napp Pharmaceutical Research Ltd, Wyeth Research and Medeval Ltd. In these roles, his responsibilities ranged from medical oversight of clinical trials to medical support for commercial, medical affairs and business development. He received a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from University of Newcastle upon Tyne Medical School.

Career progression of men and women doctors in the UK NHS: a questionnaire study of the UK medical qualifiers of 1993 in 2010/2011

PubMed Central

Svirko, Elena; Goldacre, Michael J

2014-01-01

Summary Objectives To report the career progression of a cohort of UK medical graduates in mid-career, comparing men and women. Design Postal and questionnaire survey conducted in 2010/2011, with comparisons with earlier surveys. Setting UK. Participants In total, 2507 responding UK medical graduates of 1993. Main outcome measures Doctors’ career specialties, grade, work location and working pattern in 2010/2011 and equivalent data in earlier years. Results The respondents represented 72% of the contactable cohort; 90% were working in UK medicine and 7% in medicine outside the UK; 87% were in the UK NHS (87% of men and 86% of women). Of doctors in the NHS, 70.6% of men and 52.0% of women were in the hospital specialties and the great majority of the others were in general practice. Within hospital specialties, a higher percentage of men than women were in surgery, and a higher percentage of women than men were in paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology, clinical oncology, pathology and psychiatry. In the NHS, 63% of women and 8% of men were working less-than-full-time (in general practice, 19% of men and 83% of women; and in hospital specialties, 3% of men and 46% of women). Among doctors who had always worked full-time, 94% of men and 87% of women GPs were GP principals; in hospital practice, 96% of men and 93% of women had reached consultant level. Conclusions The 1993 graduates show a continuing high level of commitment to the NHS. Gender differences in seniority lessened considerably when comparing doctors who had always worked full-time. PMID:25408921

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Breakfast Clubs According to Parents, Children, and School Staff in the North East of England, UK

PubMed Central

Graham, Pamela Louise; Russo, Riccardo; Defeyter, Margaret Anne

2015-01-01

The provision of school breakfast has become increasingly popular in the UK in recent years. However, UK-based studies highlighting the views of parents, children, and school staff on school breakfast clubs are lacking. The current study set out to address this dearth in the literature by investigating the views of these key user and stakeholder groups on breakfast clubs within the North East of England. Fourteen parents, 21 children, and 17 school staff were recruited from four primary schools where breakfast clubs were available on site. Parents and school staff took part in semistructured interviews and children participated in focus groups, through which the advantages and disadvantages of breakfast clubs were discussed. Thematic analysis revealed that breakfast clubs provided children with a settled and enjoyable start to the school day. As well as providing children with a healthy and varied breakfast meal and unique opportunities for social interaction, breakfast clubs were recognized as an integral part of the school system that offered support to parents, particularly those who worked and relied on breakfast clubs as a means of affordable and reliable childcare. The few disadvantages identified related to practical issues such as a lack of adherence to school food standards, breakfast club staff missing class preparation time and concerns that some children were being excluded from participating in breakfast clubs particularly due to costs associated with attendance. The findings are discussed in relation to the School Food Plan, and areas for further investigation are proposed. PMID:26097840

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Breakfast Clubs According to Parents, Children, and School Staff in the North East of England, UK.

PubMed

Graham, Pamela Louise; Russo, Riccardo; Defeyter, Margaret Anne

2015-01-01

The provision of school breakfast has become increasingly popular in the UK in recent years. However, UK-based studies highlighting the views of parents, children, and school staff on school breakfast clubs are lacking. The current study set out to address this dearth in the literature by investigating the views of these key user and stakeholder groups on breakfast clubs within the North East of England. Fourteen parents, 21 children, and 17 school staff were recruited from four primary schools where breakfast clubs were available on site. Parents and school staff took part in semistructured interviews and children participated in focus groups, through which the advantages and disadvantages of breakfast clubs were discussed. Thematic analysis revealed that breakfast clubs provided children with a settled and enjoyable start to the school day. As well as providing children with a healthy and varied breakfast meal and unique opportunities for social interaction, breakfast clubs were recognized as an integral part of the school system that offered support to parents, particularly those who worked and relied on breakfast clubs as a means of affordable and reliable childcare. The few disadvantages identified related to practical issues such as a lack of adherence to school food standards, breakfast club staff missing class preparation time and concerns that some children were being excluded from participating in breakfast clubs particularly due to costs associated with attendance. The findings are discussed in relation to the School Food Plan, and areas for further investigation are proposed.

Recognising and developing students as teachers: Introduction of a novel Undergraduate Certificate in Veterinary Medical Education.

PubMed

Hudson, Neil; Stansbie, Nigel; Rhind, Susan; Brown, Gillian; Handel, Ian; Mellanby, Richard; Bell, Catriona

2016-01-01

A key responsibility of healthcare professionals is the education of clients/patients, colleagues and students undertaking placements. Peer-assisted learning (PAL) has been incorporated in our veterinary medicine programme for a number of years. The aim of this project was to develop a mechanism to formally recognise the important role that students play in the School's teaching and learning processes and foster students as partners in education through the development of a novel Undergraduate Certificate in Veterinary Medical Education (UCVME). Students and veterinarians were surveyed in order to inform the design of the programme. The programme is modular and aligned with the UK Professional Standards Framework (UKPSF). Students enrol in their third year, undertaking core and elective components, with completion over the final three years of the degree. The UCVME has been positively received, with 30 of 160 third year students enrolling in the programme's first year. Activities receiving credit and designed in partnership between staff and students have included: PAL sessions, widening participation school educational workshops and client education events. This initiative has created numerous student-driven educational opportunities. It is hoped that this programme will facilitate the educational training of students and enhance employability and career satisfaction.

A survey-based cross-sectional study of doctors’ expectations and experiences of non-technical skills for Out of Hours work

PubMed Central

Brown, Michael; Shaw, Dominick; Sharples, Sarah; Jeune, Ivan Le; Blakey, John

2015-01-01

Objectives The skill set required for junior doctors to work efficiently and safely Out of Hours (OoH) in hospitals has not been established. This is despite the OoH period representing 75% of the year and it being the time of highest mortality. We set out to explore the expectations of medical students and experiences of junior doctors of the non-technical skills needed to work OoH. Design Survey-based cross-sectional study informed by focus groups. Setting Online survey with participants from five large teaching hospitals across the UK. Participants 300 Medical Students and Doctors Outcome measure Participants ranked the importance of non-technical skills, as identified by literature review and focus groups, needed for OoH care. Results The focus groups revealed a total of eight non-technical skills deemed to be important. In the survey ‘Task Prioritisation’ (mean rank 1.617) was consistently identified as the most important non-technical skill. Stage of training affected the ranking of skills, with significant differences for ‘Communication with Senior Doctors’, ‘Dealing with Clinical Isolation’, ‘Task Prioritisation’ and ‘Communication with Patients’. Importantly, there was a significant discrepancy between the medical student expectations and experiences of doctors undertaking work. Conclusions Our findings suggest that medical staff particularly value task prioritisation skills; however, these are not routinely taught in medical schools. The discrepancy between expectations of students and experience of doctors reinforces the idea that there is a gap in training. Doctors of different grades place different importance on specific non-technical skills with implications for postgraduate training. There is a pressing need for medical schools and deaneries to review non-technical training to include more than communication skills. PMID:25687899

Medical Professionalism: Conflicting Values for Tomorrow's Doctors

PubMed Central

Cohn, Simon; Barclay, Stephen

2010-01-01

Background New values and practices associated with medical professionalism have created an increased interest in the concept. In the United Kingdom, it is a current concern in medical education and in the development of doctor appraisal and revalidation. Objective To investigate how final year medical students experience and interpret new values of professionalism as they emerge in relation to confronting dying patients and as they potentially conflict with older values that emerge through hidden dimensions of the curriculum. Methods Qualitative study using interpretative discourse analysis of anonymized student reflective portfolios. One hundred twenty-three final year undergraduate medical students (64 male and 59 female) from the University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine supplied 116 portfolios from general practice and 118 from hospital settings about patients receiving palliative or end of life care. Results Professional values were prevalent in all the portfolios. Students emphasised patient-centered, holistic care, synonymous with a more contemporary idea of professionalism, in conjunction with values associated with the ‘old’ model of professionalism that had not be directly taught to them. Integrating ‘new’ professional values was at times problematic. Three main areas of potential conflict were identified: ethical considerations, doctor-patient interaction and subjective boundaries. Students explicitly and implicitly discussed several tensions and described strategies to resolve them. Conclusions The conflicts outlined arise from the mix of values associated with different models of professionalism. Analysis indicates that ‘new’ models are not simply replacing existing elements. Whilst this analysis is of accounts from students within one UK medical school, the experience of conflict between different notions of professionalism and the three broad domains in which this conflict arises are relevant in other areas of medicine and in different national contexts. PMID:20740324

Bridging the gap: the roles of social capital and ethnicity in medical student achievement.

PubMed

Vaughan, Suzanne; Sanders, Tom; Crossley, Nick; O'Neill, Paul; Wass, Val

2015-01-01

Within medical education, there is a discrepancy between the achievement level of White students and that of their ethnic minority peers. The processes underlying this disparity have not been adequately investigated or explained. This study utilises social network analysis to investigate the impact of relationships on medical student achievement by ethnicity, specifically by examining homophily (the tendency to interact with others in the same group) by ethnicity, age and role. Data from a cross-sectional social network study conducted in one UK medical school are presented and are analysed alongside examination records obtained from the medical school. Participants were sampled across the four hospital placement sites; a total of 158 medical students in their clinical phase (Years 3 and 4) completed the survey. The research was designed and analysed using social capital theory. Although significant patterns of ethnic and religious homophily emerged, no link was found between these factors and achievement. Interacting with problem-based learning (PBL) group peers in study-related activities, and having seniors in a wider academic support network were directly linked to better achievement. Students in higher academic quartiles were more likely to be named by members of their PBL group in study activities and to name at least one tutor or clinician in their network. Students from lower-achieving groups were least likely to have the social capital enabling, and resulting from, interactions with members of more expert social groups. Lower levels of the social capital that mediates interaction with peers, tutors and clinicians may be the cause of underperformance by ethnic minority students. Because of ethnic homophily, minority students may be cut off from potential and actual resources that facilitate learning and achievement. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Letters to the Editor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1991-12-01

Radon variations D J Noble Plockton High School, Ross shire IV52 8TU, UK Environmental physics A T Jackson Belfast Institute of Further and Higher Education On mnemonic schemes A T Bardócz Teacher Training College, Szombathely, Hungary Regarding mnemonic devices for Maxwell's relations A H Kalantar Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada TG6 2G2 On an analogy for Ohm's law H S Fricker Bradford Grammar School Further reflections D Hinson `Brenig', Town Hill, Llanrwst, Gwynedd LL26 0NF, UK Moving charges W Jarvis 6 Peggy''s Mill Road, Edinburgh EH4 6JY, UK More on the distance travelled A Tan Department of Physics, Alabama A&M University, USA

The Macalister archive: records from the Queen's Hospital, Sidcup, 1917-1921.

PubMed

Bamji, A N

1993-04-01

The Queen's Hospital opened in 1917 to care for soldiers receiving facial injuries in Western Front trenches, usually as a result of a gunshot wound. Some 8000 patients were treated by the medical teams of the UK, the Dominions and the USA. The wartime records were removed by their respective sections in 1921, but Queen Mary's Hospital has recently reacquired those of the New Zealand section, rescued from imminent destruction by Professor A.D. Macalister, late Dean of the Dental School at Dunedin, and kindly donated by him. There are 282 sets of case-notes containing typescript summaries, clinical photographs and radiographs, drawings, 77 watercolor paintings and a life-size wax model of head and upper torso illustrating some of the surgical techniques. The archive is a fine example of medical illustration 75 years ago, and provides invaluable detail on the plastic surgery and dental reconstructive methods that were developed at Sidcup.

Understanding constructive feedback: a commitment between teachers and students for academic and professional development.

PubMed

Hamid, Yasir; Mahmood, Sajid

2010-03-01

This review highlights the need in the Pakistani medical education system for teachers and students to be able to: define constructive feedback; provide constructive feedback; identify standards for constructive feedback; identify a suitable model for the provision of constructive feedback and evaluate the use of constructive feedback. For the purpose of literature review we had defined the key word glossary as: feedback, constructive feedback, teaching constructive feedback, models for feedback, models for constructive feedback and giving and receiving feedback. The data bases for the search include: Medline (EBSCO), Web of Knowledge, SCOPUS, TRIP, ScienceDirect, Pubmed, U.K. Pubmed Central, ZETOC, University of Dundee Library catalogue, SCIRUS (Elsevier) and Google Scholar. This article states that the Pakistani medical schools do not reflect on or use the benefits of the constructive feedback process. The discussion about constructive feedback suggests that in the context of Pakistan, constructive feedback will facilitate the teaching and learning activities.

UK doctors' views on the implementation of the European Working Time Directive as applied to medical practice: a quantitative analysis.

PubMed

Maisonneuve, Jenny J; Lambert, Trevor W; Goldacre, Michael J

2014-02-06

To report on doctors' views, from all specialty backgrounds, about the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) and its impact on the National Health Service (NHS), senior doctors and junior doctors. All medical school graduates from 1999 to 2000 were surveyed by post and email in 2012. The UK. Among other questions, in a multipurpose survey on medical careers and career intentions, doctors were asked to respond to three statements about the EWTD on a five-point scale (from strongly agree to strongly disagree): 'The implementation of the EWTD has benefited the NHS', 'The implementation of the EWTD has benefited senior doctors' and 'The implementation of the EWTD has benefited junior doctors'. The response rate was 54.4% overall (4486/8252), 55.8% (2256/4042) of the 1999 cohort and 53% (2230/4210) of the 2000 cohort. 54.1% (2427) of all respondents were women. Only 12% (498/4136 doctors) agreed that the EWTD has benefited the NHS, 9% (377) that it has benefited senior doctors and 31% (1289) that it has benefited junior doctors. Doctors' views on EWTD differed significantly by specialty groups: 'craft' specialties such as surgery, requiring extensive experience in performing operations, were particularly critical. These cohorts have experience of working in the NHS before and after the implementation of EWTD. Their lack of support for the EWTD 4 years after its implementation should be a concern. However, it is unclear whether problems rest with the current ceiling on hours worked or with the ways in which EWTD has been implemented.

Views of UK medical graduates about flexible and part-time working in medicine: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Evans, J; Goldacre, M J; Lambert, T W

2000-05-01

To report on the views of doctors about flexible and part-time working in medicine. As part of ongoing studies of doctors' careers, postal questionnaires were sent in 1995 and 1996 to all doctors who qualified from UK medical schools in 1977, 1988 and 1993. Structured questions about recipients' careers were accompanied by a form which invited free-text comment. Comments about flexible and part-time working were extracted for analysis. All respondents who commented on flexible and part-time working. Most doctors who commented believed there were insufficient opportunities to meet demand. They also commonly commented that there was not enough information about flexible training opportunities. Some men, as well as women, expressed a wish to work part-time. The most frequently cited reasons for part-time working were to balance career with family responsibilities, and to reduce work-related stress. Cited disadvantages of part-time working were mainly financial and included the problems of paying for childcare and professional subscriptions when on a reduced income. Some respondents perceived negative attitudes towards doctors in part-time jobs. It is well-recognised that more flexible medical career structures are needed so that doctors can vary their time commitment according to their needs at particular stages in their lives. Until recently, needs have not been adequately met. Changes in arrangements for flexible training accompanying the implementation of the specialist registrar grade may have begun to alleviate some of the problems, but others, such as negative attitudes towards part-time work, may take time to change.

Alienating evidence based medicine vs. innovative medical device marketing: a report on the evidence debate at a Wounds conference.

PubMed

Madden, Mary

2012-06-01

Wound care management is one of the largest segments of the UK medical technology sector with a turnover exceeding £1bn in 2009 (BIS, 2010). Using data derived from participant observation, this article examines the antagonistic relationship expressed by wound care clinicians towards evidence based medicine in the context of the 2010 United Kingdom (UK) Wounds UK conference/trade show, where evidence based medicine is positioned in opposition to clinical knowledge, as an obstacle to innovation and as a remover of solutions rather than a provider of them. The article is written in the context of the trend towards increasing marketization and privatization in the UK National Health Service (NHS). Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantifying the economic impact of government and charity funding of medical research on private research and development funding in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Sussex, Jon; Feng, Yan; Mestre-Ferrandiz, Jorge; Pistollato, Michele; Hafner, Marco; Burridge, Peter; Grant, Jonathan

2016-02-24

Government- and charity-funded medical research and private sector research and development (R&D) are widely held to be complements. The only attempts to measure this complementarity so far have used data from the United States of America and are inevitably increasingly out of date. This study estimates the magnitude of the effect of government and charity biomedical and health research expenditure in the United Kingdom (UK), separately and in total, on subsequent private pharmaceutical sector R&D expenditure in the UK. The results for this study are obtained by fitting an econometric vector error correction model (VECM) to time series for biomedical and health R&D expenditure in the UK for ten disease areas (including 'other') for the government, charity and private sectors. The VECM model describes the relationship between public (i.e. government and charities combined) sector expenditure, private sector expenditure and global pharmaceutical sales as a combination of a long-term equilibrium and short-term movements. There is a statistically significant complementary relationship between public biomedical and health research expenditure and private pharmaceutical R&D expenditure. A 1% increase in public sector expenditure is associated in the best-fit model with a 0.81% increase in private sector expenditure. Sensitivity analysis produces a similar and statistically significant result with a slightly smaller positive elasticity of 0.68. Overall, every additional £1 of public research expenditure is associated with an additional £0.83-£1.07 of private sector R&D spend in the UK; 44% of that additional private sector expenditure occurs within 1 year, with the remainder accumulating over decades. This spillover effect implies a real annual rate of return (in terms of economic impact) to public biomedical and health research in the UK of 15-18%. When combined with previous estimates of the health gain that results from public medical research in cancer and cardiovascular disease, the total rate of return would be around 24-28%. Overall, this suggests that government and charity funded research in the UK crowds in additional private sector R&D in the UK. The implied historical returns from UK government and charity funded investment in medical research in the UK compare favourably with the rates of return achieved on investments in the rest of the UK economy and are greatly in excess of the 3.5% real annual rate of return required by the UK government to public investments generally.

Using functional data analysis to understand daily activity levels and patterns in primary school-aged children: Cross-sectional analysis of a UK-wide study.

PubMed

Sera, Francesco; Griffiths, Lucy J; Dezateux, Carol; Geraci, Marco; Cortina-Borja, Mario

2017-01-01

Temporal characterisation of physical activity in children is required for effective strategies to increase physical activity (PA). Evidence regarding determinants of physical activity in childhood and their time-dependent patterns remain inconclusive. We used functional data analysis (FDA) to model temporal profiles of daily activity, measured objectively using accelerometers, to identify diurnal and seasonal PA patterns in a nationally representative sample of primary school-aged UK children. We hypothesised that PA levels would be lower in girls than boys at play times and after school, higher in children participating in social forms of exercise (such as sport or play), and lower among those not walking to school. Children participating in the UK-wide Millennium Cohort Study wore an Actigraph GT1M accelerometer for seven consecutive days during waking hours. We modelled 6,497 daily PA profiles from singleton children (3,176 boys; mean age: 7.5 years) by means of splines, and used functional analysis of variance to examine the cross-sectional relation of time and place of measurement, demographic and behavioural characteristics to smoothed PA profiles. Diurnal and time-specific patterns of activity showed significant variation by sex, ethnicity, UK country and season of measurement; girls were markedly less active than boys during school break times than boys, and children of Indian ethnicity were significantly less active during school hours (9:30-12:00). Social activities such as sport clubs, playing with friends were associated with higher level of PA in afternoon (15:00-17:30) and early evenings (17:30-19:30). Lower PA levels between 8:30-9:30 and 17:30-19:30 were associated with mode of travel to and from school, and number of cars in regular use in the household. Diminished PA in primary school aged children is temporally patterned and related to modifiable behavioural factors. FDA can be used to inform and evaluate public health policies to promote childhood PA.

Domestic violence education for UK and Ireland undergraduate dental students: a five-year perspective.

PubMed

Patel, Neil; Bailey, Edmund; Mahdmina, Ayeh; Lomax, Alastair; Coulthard, Paul

2014-08-01

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to ascertain whether undergraduate dental students in the United Kingdom and Ireland are receiving formal teaching on recognizing and managing domestic violence (DV) as part of their curricula. A questionnaire was sent to all dental schools in the UK and Ireland in 2007 and again in 2012, requesting information on whether the subject was taught, by which specialty it was taught, and whether schools felt it was important to include in the curriculum. In 2007, twelve of the fifteen dental schools completed and returned the questionnaire, for a response rate of 80 percent; in 2012, eleven of the sixteen dental schools responded, for a response rate of 69 percent. The main findings were that, in 2007, 50 percent of the responding schools were providing teaching about DV and the majority of this teaching was delivered by oral surgery and pediatric dentistry departments. In 2012, only 45 percent of the responding schools were teaching DV, with 60 percent of this teaching being delivered by pediatric dentists. This study's findings suggest that DV is an undertaught area in UK and Irish undergraduate dental curricula. Some schools recognized the importance of DV teaching; however, they have been unable to implement it because of a full curriculum and lack of appropriately trained staff amongst other reasons.

How we developed eForms: an electronic form and data capture tool to support assessment in mobile medical education.

PubMed

Mooney, Jane S; Cappelli, Tim; Byrne-Davis, Lucie; Lumsden, Colin J

2014-12-01

Mobile learning technologies are being introduced and adopted by an increasing number of medical schools. Following the implementation of these devices, institutions are tasked with the challenge of their integration into curriculum delivery and presented with the opportunity to facilitate data collection from large student cohorts. Since 2011, Manchester Medical School (MMS) has undertaken the largest deployment of iPads within UK Higher Education. Working towards the more efficient collation of students' compulsory workplace-based assessment data led us to evaluate how existing information management software could replace previously paper-based systems. Following an evaluation of six, and a trial of one, commercially available packages, the existing software solutions were found to be inflexible and unfit for purpose. This resulted in the development of a new digital solution that addressed the limitations of the previous system. "University of Manchester (UoM) eForms" consists of an app and a web-based administration system that respectively permit high volume data collection and management. UoM eForms has now replaced the preceding paper-based and electronic systems within MMS for workplace-based assessment administration, due to the improved usability and dynamicity built into its interface and infrastructure. This new system has found many further useful applications, including research data collection, feedback, placement evaluations, quality assurance and interview marking.

Can we share questions? Performance of questions from different question banks in a single medical school.

PubMed

Freeman, Adrian; Nicholls, Anthony; Ricketts, Chris; Coombes, Lee

2010-01-01

To use progress testing, a large bank of questions is required, particularly when planning to deliver tests over a long period of time. The questions need not only to be of good quality but also balanced in subject coverage across the curriculum to allow appropriate sampling. Hence as well as creating its own questions, an institution could share questions. Both methods allow ownership and structuring of the test appropriate to the educational requirements of the institution. Peninsula Medical School (PMS) has developed a mechanism to validate questions written in house. That mechanism can be adapted to utilise questions from an International question bank International Digital Electronic Access Library (IDEAL) and another UK-based question bank Universities Medical Assessment Partnership (UMAP). These questions have been used in our progress tests and analysed for relative performance. Data are presented to show that questions from differing sources can have comparable performance in a progress testing format. There are difficulties in transferring questions from one institution to another. These include problems of curricula and cultural differences. Whilst many of these difficulties exist, our experience suggests that it only requires a relatively small amount of work to adapt questions from external question banks for effective use. The longitudinal aspect of progress testing (albeit summatively) may allow more flexibility in question usage than single high stakes exams.

The Francis Crick Institute.

PubMed

Peters, Keith; Smith, Jim

2017-04-01

The Francis Crick Institute Laboratory, opened in 2016, is supported by the Medical Research Council, Cancer Research UK, the Wellcome Trust, and University College London, King's College London and Imperial College London. The emphasis on research training and early independence of gifted scientists in a multidisciplinary environment provides unique opportunities for UK medical science, including clinical and translational research. © Royal College of Physicians 2017. All rights reserved.

The under-representation of minority ethnic groups in UK medical research.

PubMed

Smart, Andrew; Harrison, Eric

2017-02-01

Objectives . The paper investigates differences in engagement with medical research between White British and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) groups in the UK, using data from the Wellcome Trust Monitor (WTM). The study used two waves of the WTM (n = 2575) to examine associations between ethnic group and participation in medical research, and willingness to participate (WP) in medical research. Logistic regression models controlled for socio-economic and demographic factors, and relevant outlooks and experiences that are assumed to be markers of engagement. Respondents from the BAME group were less likely to have participated in medical research compared to those from the White British group, but there was only patchy evidence of small ethnic group differences in WP. Influences on engagement with medical research varied somewhat between the White British and BAME groups, in particular in relation to occupation, education, health, attitudes to medical science and belief. These findings consolidate previously context-specific evidence of BAME group under-representation in the UK, and highlight heterogeneity in that group. Efforts to address the under-representation of those from BAME groups might benefit from targeted strategies for recruitment and advocacy, although improved data sets are required to fully understand ethnic differences in engagement with medical research.

Periodontology in the undergraduate curriculum in UK dental schools.

PubMed

Heasman, P A; Witter, J; Preshaw, P M

2015-07-10

In 1980 the British Society of Periodontology published a series of educational goals which have guided periodontal curricula at UK dental schools. Further, a survey of UK dental schools evaluated aspects of teaching and learning in periodontology. The aims of this project were to identify teaching practices and assessments in periodontology and best practice which may be developed in the future. A questionnaire was sent to dental schools who had participated in the previous survey. The questionnaire sought information on aspects of teaching and learning in periodontology: teaching manpower, curriculum structure, assessment, research opportunities for students and whether implantology is delivered in the undergraduate curriculum. There is consistency between the education providers with respect to teaching and learning in periodontology. Most are developing integrated learning between dental undergraduates and members of the dental team although there are opportunities for further development. Students are expected to have knowledge of complex treatments but are not expected to be competent at undertaking periodontal surgery nor placing and restoring implants. The findings confirm that there is considerable consistency between the education providers with respect to aspects of teaching and learning in periodontology.

Why geriatric medicine? A survey of UK specialist trainees in geriatric medicine.

PubMed

Fisher, James Michael; Garside, Mark J; Brock, Peter; Gibson, Vicky; Hunt, Kelly; Briggs, Sally; Gordon, Adam Lee

2017-07-01

there is concern that there are insufficient numbers of geriatricians to meet the needs of the ageing population. A 2005 survey described factors that influenced why UK geriatricians had chosen to specialise in the field-in the decade since, UK postgraduate training has undergone a fundamental restructure. to explore whether the reasons for choosing a career in geriatric medicine in the UK had changed over time, with the goal of using this knowledge to inform recruitment and training initiatives. an online survey was sent to all UK higher medical trainees in geriatric medicine. survey questions that produced categorical data were analysed with simple descriptive statistics. For the survey questions that produced free-text responses, an inductive, iterative approach to analysis, in keeping with the principles of framework analysis, was employed. two hundred and sixty-nine responses were received out of 641 eligible respondents. Compared with the previous survey, a substantially larger number of respondents regarded geriatric medicine to be their first-choice specialty and a smaller number regretted their career decision. A greater number chose geriatric medicine early in their medical careers. Commitments to the general medical rota and the burden of service provision were considered important downsides to the specialty. there are reasons to be optimistic about recruitment to geriatric medicine. Future attempts to drive up recruitment might legitimately focus on the role of the medical registrar and perceptions that geriatricians shoulder a disproportionate burden of service commitments and obligations to the acute medical take. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society.All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Getting to the core of medicine: Developing undergraduate forensic medicine and pathology teaching.

PubMed

Jones, Richard Martin

2017-11-01

Teaching and learning of forensic medicine and pathology in the undergraduate medical curriculum has been in decline for decades in the UK, and yet graduates are expected to be able to recognise, and protect, those who are most vulnerable in society - i.e. at risk of abuse or neglect - a matter highly relevant to the role of the forensic medical practitioner. When Cardiff University School of Medicine created a new 'learner-centred' undergraduate curriculum, championing case-based discussion in small groups, and earlier clinical contact, residual teaching on 'the pathology of trauma' disappeared. An opportunity to create a new course for the year 3 core curriculum, however, led to re-emergence of forensic medicine and pathology, with a focus on identification, and protection, of the 'vulnerable patient'. This paper describes the development process of the first two iterations of that course, and the influence of 'listening to the student voice'. Forensic medicine and pathology remain relevant in undergraduate medical education; effective, and ethical, safeguarding of the vulnerable is an essential 'core' skill of the modern medical graduate, and forensic medical practitioners can play an integral role in the preparation of medical students for their future clinical practice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Gender and Medical Leadership: Student Perceptions and Implications for Developing Future Leaders in Primary and Secondary Care--a Pilot Study.

PubMed

Crolla, Elizabeth; O'Sullivan, Helen; Bogg, Jan

2011-10-01

To explore perceptions of leadership in undergraduate medical students. A quantitative pilot study; anonymous online survey. All undergraduates were invited to participate from one UK medical school; 469 students participated. The survey used Likert scales and open and closed questions. Lack of self-confidence and perceptions of women leaders were issues for undergraduates. A significant number of male undergraduates rated women less able to perform 10 of 12 attributes of leadership. Furthermore, male undergraduates showed greater ambition towards future leadership, with 42.2% males compared to 21.7% females strongly agreeing that they saw themselves in a position of leadership in the future. Networking and tradition were also seen as barriers to females gaining the highest office in the student medical society. The importance of embedding leadership in the curriculum was highlighted by both genders. CONCLUSIONS Barriers to progression still need to be investigated and removed especially because women are expected to comprise the majority of the medical workforce by 2017. There needs to be greater emphasis on mentoring and role models at the undergraduate level and beyond and more awareness of leadership in curricula at all levels. These changes should ultimately improve confidence and change the perception of women in the medical workforce.

UK Policy on Doctor Remediation: Trajectories and Challenges.

PubMed

Price, Tristan; Archer, Julian

2017-01-01

Around the world, policy-makers, academics, and health service professionals have become increasingly aware of the importance of remediation, the process by which poor performance is "remedied," as part of the changing landscape of medical regulation. It is, therefore, an opportune time to critique the UK experience with remediation policy. This article frames, for the first time, the UK remediation policy as developing from a central policy aim that was articulated in the 1990s: to accelerate the identification of underperformance and, subsequently, remedy any problems identified as soon as possible. In pursuit of this aim, three policy trajectories have emerged: professionalizing and standardizing remediation provision; linking remediation with other forms of regulation, namely relicensure (known in the UK as medical revalidation); and fostering obligations for doctors to report themselves and others for remediation needs. The operationalization of policy along these trajectories, and the challenges that have arisen, has relevance for anyone seeking to understand or indeed improve remediation practices within any health care system. It is argued here that the UK serves as an example of the more general challenges posed by seeking to integrate remediation policy within broader frameworks of medical governance, in particular systems of relicensure, and the need to develop a solid evidence base for remediation practices.

Whooping cough in school age children presenting with persistent cough in UK primary care after introduction of the preschool pertussis booster vaccination: prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Wang, Kay; Fry, Norman K; Campbell, Helen; Amirthalingam, Gayatri; Harrison, Timothy G; Mant, David; Harnden, Anthony

2014-06-24

To estimate the prevalence and clinical severity of whooping cough (pertussis) in school age children presenting with persistent cough in primary care since the introduction and implementation of the preschool pertussis booster vaccination. Prospective cohort study (November 2010 to December 2012). General practices in Thames Valley, UK. 279 children aged 5 to 15 years who presented in primary care with a persistent cough of two to eight weeks' duration. Exclusion criteria were cough likely to be caused by a serious underlying medical condition, known immunodeficiency or immunocompromise, participation in another clinical research study, and preschool pertussis booster vaccination received less than one year previously. Evidence of recent pertussis infection based on an oral fluid anti-pertussis toxin IgG titre of at least 70 arbitrary units. Cough frequency was measured in six children with laboratory confirmed pertussis. 56 (20%, 95% confidence interval 16% to 25%) children had evidence of recent pertussis infection, including 39 (18%, 13% to 24%) of 215 children who had been fully vaccinated. The risk of pertussis was more than three times higher (21/53; 40%, 26% to 54%) in children who had received the preschool pertussis booster vaccination seven years or more previously than in those who had received it less than seven years previously (20/171; 12%, 7% to 17%). The risk of pertussis was similar between children who received five and three component preschool pertussis booster vaccines (risk ratio for five component vaccine 1.14, 0.64 to 2.03). Four of six children in whom cough frequency was measured coughed more than 400 times in 24 hours. Pertussis can still be found in a fifth of school age children who present in primary care with persistent cough and can cause clinically significant cough in fully vaccinated children. These findings will help to inform consideration of the need for an adolescent pertussis booster vaccination in the United Kingdom. UK Clinical Research Network portfolio ID 8361. © Wang et al 2014.

Whooping cough in school age children presenting with persistent cough in UK primary care after introduction of the preschool pertussis booster vaccination: prospective cohort study

PubMed Central

Fry, Norman K; Campbell, Helen; Amirthalingam, Gayatri; Harrison, Timothy G; Mant, David; Harnden, Anthony

2014-01-01

Objective To estimate the prevalence and clinical severity of whooping cough (pertussis) in school age children presenting with persistent cough in primary care since the introduction and implementation of the preschool pertussis booster vaccination. Design Prospective cohort study (November 2010 to December 2012). Setting General practices in Thames Valley, UK. Participants 279 children aged 5 to 15 years who presented in primary care with a persistent cough of two to eight weeks’ duration. Exclusion criteria were cough likely to be caused by a serious underlying medical condition, known immunodeficiency or immunocompromise, participation in another clinical research study, and preschool pertussis booster vaccination received less than one year previously. Main outcome measures Evidence of recent pertussis infection based on an oral fluid anti-pertussis toxin IgG titre of at least 70 arbitrary units. Cough frequency was measured in six children with laboratory confirmed pertussis. Results 56 (20%, 95% confidence interval 16% to 25%) children had evidence of recent pertussis infection, including 39 (18%, 13% to 24%) of 215 children who had been fully vaccinated. The risk of pertussis was more than three times higher (21/53; 40%, 26% to 54%) in children who had received the preschool pertussis booster vaccination seven years or more previously than in those who had received it less than seven years previously (20/171; 12%, 7% to 17%). The risk of pertussis was similar between children who received five and three component preschool pertussis booster vaccines (risk ratio for five component vaccine 1.14, 0.64 to 2.03). Four of six children in whom cough frequency was measured coughed more than 400 times in 24 hours. Conclusions Pertussis can still be found in a fifth of school age children who present in primary care with persistent cough and can cause clinically significant cough in fully vaccinated children. These findings will help to inform consideration of the need for an adolescent pertussis booster vaccination in the United Kingdom. Study registration UK Clinical Research Network portfolio ID 8361. PMID:24961836

Library collaboration with medical humanities in an american medical college in qatar.

PubMed

Birch, Sally; Magid, Amani; Weber, Alan

2013-11-01

The medical humanities, a cross-disciplinary field of practice and research that includes medicine, literature, art, history, philosophy, and sociology, is being increasingly incorporated into medical school curricula internationally. Medical humanities courses in Writing, Literature, Medical Ethics and History can teach physicians-in-training communication skills, doctor-patient relations, and medical ethics, as well as empathy and cross-cultural understanding. In addition to providing educational breadth and variety, the medical humanities can also play a practical role in teaching critical/analytical skills. These skills are utilized in differential diagnosis and problem-based learning, as well as in developing written and oral communications. Communication skills are a required medical competency for passing medical board exams in the U.S., Canada, the UK and elsewhere. The medical library is an integral part of medical humanities training efforts. This contribution provides a case study of the Distributed eLibrary at the Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar in Doha, and its collaboration with the Writing Program in the Premedical Program to teach and develop the medical humanities. Programs and initiatives of the DeLib library include: developing an information literacy course, course guides for specific courses, the 100 Classic Books Project, collection development of 'doctors' stories' related to the practice of medicine (including medically-oriented movies and TV programs), and workshops to teach the analytical and critical thinking skills that form the basis of humanistic approaches to knowledge. This paper outlines a 'best practices' approach to developing the medical humanities in collaboration among the medical library, faculty and administrative stakeholders.

Library Collaboration with Medical Humanities in an American Medical College in Qatar

PubMed Central

Birch, Sally; Magid, Amani; Weber, Alan

2013-01-01

The medical humanities, a cross-disciplinary field of practice and research that includes medicine, literature, art, history, philosophy, and sociology, is being increasingly incorporated into medical school curricula internationally. Medical humanities courses in Writing, Literature, Medical Ethics and History can teach physicians-in-training communication skills, doctor-patient relations, and medical ethics, as well as empathy and cross-cultural understanding. In addition to providing educational breadth and variety, the medical humanities can also play a practical role in teaching critical/analytical skills. These skills are utilized in differential diagnosis and problem-based learning, as well as in developing written and oral communications. Communication skills are a required medical competency for passing medical board exams in the U.S., Canada, the UK and elsewhere. The medical library is an integral part of medical humanities training efforts. This contribution provides a case study of the Distributed eLibrary at the Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar in Doha, and its collaboration with the Writing Program in the Premedical Program to teach and develop the medical humanities. Programs and initiatives of the DeLib library include: developing an information literacy course, course guides for specific courses, the 100 Classic Books Project, collection development of ‘doctors’ stories’ related to the practice of medicine (including medically-oriented movies and TV programs), and workshops to teach the analytical and critical thinking skills that form the basis of humanistic approaches to knowledge. This paper outlines a ‘best practices’ approach to developing the medical humanities in collaboration among the medical library, faculty and administrative stakeholders. PMID:24223240

School Structure, School Autonomy and the Tail. Special Paper No. 29

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Machin, Stephen; Silva, Olmo

2013-01-01

In this paper, we survey the UK-based literature on school structures and school autonomy to identify settings in which alternative and more autonomous school arrangements can improve the educational attainments of pupils in the bottom tail of the achievement distribution. We also present new evidence on the effect of school academies on the…

KUSPACE: Embedding Science Technology and Mathematics Ambassador Activities in the Undergradiuate Engineering Curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welch, C.; Osborne, B.

The UK national STEM Ambassadors programme provides inspiring role models for school students in science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) subjects. STEMNET, the national body responsible for STEM Ambassa- dors aims to provide more than 27,000 STEM Ambassadors nationwide by the end of 2011. This paper reports on a project at Kingston University to embed STEM Ambassador training and activity in Year 2 of the undergraduate Aerospace Engineering, Astronautics and Space Technology degree. The project, known as KUSPACE (Kingston University Students Providing Amazing Classroom Experiences), was conceived to develop students' communication, planning and presentation skills and build links between different cohort years, while providing a valuable contribution to local primary schools' STEM programmes and simultaneously raising the public engagement profile of the university. This paper describes the pedagogical conception of the KUSPACE, its implementation in the curriculum, the delivery of it in the university and schools and its effect on the undergraduate students, as well as identifying good practice and drawing attention to lessons learned.STEMNET (www.stemnet.org) is the UK's Science, Technol- ogy, Engineering and Mathematics Network. Working with a broad range of UK partners and funded by the UK govern- ment's Department for Business Innovation and Skills, STEMNET plays a significant role in ensuring that five to nineteen year olds and their teachers can experience a wide range of activities and schemes which enhance and enrich the school curriculum [1]. Covering all aspects of Science, Tech- nology, Engineering and Maths (STEM), these activities and schemes are designed both to increase STEM awareness and literacy in the young people and also to encourage more of them to undertake post-16 STEM qualifications and associated careers [2]. STEMNET operates through forty-five local con- tract holders around the UK which help the network deliver its programmes to schools and organisations in their particular areas, mainly through the STEM Ambassador Programme (see below) and the Schools STEM Advisory Network.In support of its vision - `To increase young people's choice and chances through science, technology, engineering, and mathematics ' - STEMNET seeks to be a recognised leader in enabling all young people to achieve their potential in STEM by:

Autism and the U.K. Secondary School Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dillon, Gayle V.; Underwood, Jean D. M.; Freemantle, Lauren J.

2016-01-01

This research investigated the self-reported mainstream school experiences of those diagnosed on the autistic spectrum compared with the typically developing school population. Existing literature identifies four key areas that affect the quality of the school experience for students with autism: social skills, perceived relationships with…

Surveying the Views of Pupils Attending Supplementary Schools in England

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strand, Steve

2007-01-01

Background: Supplementary schooling broadly refers to extra schooling organized by and for particular ethnic groups outside of mainstream provision. Purpose: This is the first study to systematically explore the attitudes of pupils attending supplementary schools in England and the largest ever UK study of supplementary schools and their pupils.…

Global strategies targeting the recruitment crisis in psychiatry: the Doctors Academy Future Excellence International Medical Summer School.

PubMed

Hankir, Ahmed; Zaman, Rashid

2015-09-01

The World Health Organization has identified a chronic shortage of psychiatrists worldwide whereas the demand for mental health services is on the rise. Indeed mental health problems are projected to be a leading cause of morbidity by 2020 according to the Global Burden of Disease study. Bhugra et al, under the auspices of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the World Psychiatry Association, spearheaded an international study across 22 countries and identified myriad factors that can influence career choices at pre-medical school, medical school and postgraduate levels. The enthusiasm and passion of mental health educators and the quality of psychiatry placements were identified as factors that can attract medical and students and graduates to a career in psychiatry. The Future Excellence International Medical Summer School (FEIMSS) is a 5-day event for medical students held yearly in Manchester, UK. FEIMSS is the largest event of its kind in the world; the 2013 cohort was comprised of 244 students from 40 countries representing 80 universities. To improve the image of psychiatrists and the perception of psychiatry in general with 2 brief contact-based lectures from a consultant and an early-career psychiatrist. The lectures incorporated references to the humanities (literature, poetry, history, film, drama and art). A mixed-methods study was conducted. Paper evaluation forms were hand-distributed to participants who attended the psychiatry talks. Items to constructs relevant to the talks were on a Likert-type scale. Participants were given the choice of anonymity. There was space for free-text comments which were subjected to thematic analyses. 25/25 of the participants responded (response rate 100%). The heterogeneous sample was comprised of participants representing 11 countries from Japan to Kosovo. The written feedback was exceptionally positive. For the, 'The psychiatry talks were interesting' and, 'Attending FEIMMS improved my understanding and respect for other cultures' constructs, 23/25 (92%) of respondents agreed or strongly agreed. Notwithstanding the limitations of our evaluation--which to our knowledge is the first of its kind on such an ethnically eclectic sample--our results suggest that a brief contact-based intervention incorporating the humanities may positively influence the perceptions of psychiatry and psychiatrists that medical students from diverse cultural backgrounds have. We contend that FEIMSS provides a platform to recruit medical students into psychiatry from all over the world and enables them to develop cultural competency.

The role of anatomy demonstrators: A surgical trainees' perspective.

PubMed

Smith, C F; Gami, B; Standfield, N; Davies, D C

2018-04-01

Core Surgical Trainees (CST) in the London (UK) Postgraduate School of Surgery receive clinical anatomy teaching in their first year of training, and, in their second year, give 30 sessions of anatomy teaching to medical and other students. This study set out to investigate the role of demonstrators from the perspective of the trainees. A focus group was convened to ascertain trainees' perspectives on demonstrating anatomy and to identify problems and improvement strategies to optimize their ability to enhance students' learning. A questionnaire was formulated and all second-year CST (n = 186-from two cohorts) in the London Postgraduate School of Surgery were invited. A total of 109 out of 186 trainees completed the questionnaire. A high percentage (98%) of trainees that completed the questionnaire responded that demonstrating was an invaluable part of their training. Sixty-two per cent responded that anatomy teaching they received in their first year of core surgical training helped them in their teaching role and 80% responded that it helped them prepare for surgical training. The study also revealed the need for improved communication between trainees and the London Postgraduate School of Surgery/Medical Schools/National Health Service Trusts to address issues such as trainees' perceived difficulty in fulfilling their teaching session requirement. The stakeholders have acknowledged and addressed the outcomes to improve the experience for both surgical trainees and students. The results indicate that anatomy demonstrating delivers important benefits to early surgical trainees, in addition to those received by the students that they teach. Clin. Anat. 31:409-416, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Letters to the Editor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1995-05-01

Stirling 1994Lis Unsworth and Alexander BellSCOTVEC External Verifiers in Physical Sciences, Edinburgh, UK An elephant in the back seatJ M HathawayRetired Head of Physics, King Edward VI College, Nuneaton, UK Graphical construction of the tangent law of refractionA TanDepartment of Physics, Alabama A & M University, Normal, AL 35762, USA Measuring up to rainJim FawcettKing's School, Worcester, UK No flies on trainsCyril IsenbergUniversity of Kent at Canterbury, UK More on flies and trainsAlvin H BachmanThe City College/CUNY, NEW York, USA

Preventing Radicalisation: A Systematic Review of Literature Considering the Lived Experiences of the UK's Prevent Strategy in Educational Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Laura; Soni, Anita

2017-01-01

This article surveys relevant literature on experiences of the Prevent Strategy in the UK in order to explore the role of schools in preventing radicalisation. The first section explores the concept of radicalisation and how this is positioned within UK policy and legislation followed by a review and critical appraisal of seven relevant articles.…

Making sense of feedback experiences: a multi-school study of medical students' narratives.

PubMed

Urquhart, Lynn M; Rees, Charlotte E; Ker, Jean S

2014-02-01

Until recently, the perspective of students in the feedback process has been ignored, with strategies for improvement focusing on the tutor and feedback delivery. We employed an original narrative interviewing approach to explore how medical students make sense of their experiences of feedback. A qualitative design was adopted employing three individual and 10 group interviews to elicit narratives of feedback experiences from 53 medical students at three 5-year undergraduate programmes in the UK during 2011. Thematic analysis was undertaken of students' understandings of feedback and of their narratives of positive and negative experiences of feedback at medical school. In addition, thematic and discourse analysis of the linguistic and paralinguistic features of talk within the narratives was conducted. Students typically constructed feedback as a monologic process that happened 'to' them rather than 'with' them. They shared 352 distinct narratives of feedback experiences, which were rich in linguistic and paralinguistic features of talk. Through the analysis of the interplay between the 'whats' and 'hows' of student talk, i.e. emotion, pronominal and metaphoric talk and laughter, we were able to understand how students find meaning in their experiences. Students used laughter as a coping strategy, emotion talk as a means to convince the audience of the impact of feedback, pronominal and metaphoric talk to describe their relationship (often adversarial) with their feedback providers and to communicate feelings that they might otherwise struggle to articulate. This research extends current feedback literature by focusing on medical students' lived experiences of feedback and their emotional impact through narrative. We go on to discuss the educational implications of our findings and to make recommendations for improvement of the feedback process for students, tutors and for institutions. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Networks as Power Bases for School Improvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Tessa A.; Kelly, Michael P.

2009-01-01

Although there is limited research into the success of primary school networking initiatives in the UK, there is a drive at national government level for promoting school collaborative working arrangements as a catalyst for whole-school improvement. This paper discusses the findings from research into two such initiatives: "Networked Learning…

Reducing children's classroom sitting time using sit-to-stand desks: findings from pilot studies in UK and Australian primary schools.

PubMed

Clemes, Stacy A; Barber, Sally E; Bingham, Daniel D; Ridgers, Nicola D; Fletcher, Elly; Pearson, Natalie; Salmon, Jo; Dunstan, David W

2016-09-01

This research examined the influence of sit-to-stand desks on classroom sitting time in primary school children. Pilot controlled trials with similar intervention strategies were conducted in primary schools in Melbourne, Australia, and Bradford, UK. Sit-to-stand desks replaced all standard desks in the Australian intervention classroom. Six sit-to-stand desks replaced a bank of standard desks in the UK intervention classroom. Children were exposed to the sit-to-stand desks for 9-10 weeks. Control classrooms retained their normal seated desks. Classroom sitting time was measured at baseline and follow-up using the activPAL3 inclinometer. Thirty UK and 44 Australian children provided valid activPAL data at baseline and follow-up. The proportion of time spent sitting in class decreased significantly at follow-up in both intervention groups (UK: -9.8 ± 16.5% [-52.4 ± 66.6 min/day]; Australian: -9.4 ± 10% [-43.7 ± 29.9 min/day]). No significant changes in classroom sitting time were observed in the UK control group, while a significant reduction was observed in the Australian control group (-5.9 ± 11.7% [-28.2 ± 28.3 min/day]). Irrespective of implementation, incorporating sit-to-stand desks into classrooms appears to be an effective way of reducing classroom sitting in this diverse sample of children. Longer term efficacy trials are needed to determine effects on children's health and learning. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Health promotion in medical education: lessons from a major undergraduate curriculum implementation.

PubMed

Wylie, Ann; Leedham-Green, Kathleen

2017-11-01

Despite the economic, environmental and patient-related imperatives to prepare medical students to become health promoting doctors, health promotion remains relatively deprioritised in medical curricula. This paper uses an in-depth case study of a health promotion curriculum implementation at a large UK medical school to provide insights into the experiences of teachers and learners across a range of topics, pedagogies, and teaching & assessment modalities. Topics included smoking cessation, behavioural change approaches to obesity, exercise prescribing, social prescribing, maternal and child health, public and global health; with pedagogies ranging from e-learning to practice-based project work. Qualitative methods including focus groups, analysis of reflective learning submissions, and evaluation data are used to illuminate motivations, frustrations, practicalities, successes and limiting factors. Over this three year implementation, a range of challenges have been highlighted including: how adequately to prepare and support clinical teachers; the need to establish relevance and importance to strategic learners; the need for experiential learning in clinical environments to support classroom-based activities; and the need to rebalance competing aspects of the curriculum. Conclusions are drawn about heterogeneous deep learning over standardised surface learning, and the impacts, both positive and negative, of different assessment modalities on these types of learning.

Do high tuition fees make a difference? Characteristics of applicants to UK medical and dental schools before and after the introduction of high tuition fees in 2012.

PubMed

Gallagher, J E; Calvert, A; Niven, V; Cabot, L

2017-02-10

Aim To compare trends in the volume, socio-demography and academic experience of UK applicants and entrants to medicine and dentistry in the UK with university in general, before and after the major increase in university fees in England in 2012.Methods Descriptive trend analyses of University and College Admissions Services (UCAS) data for focused (preferred subject was medicine or dentistry) and accepted applicants, 2010-14, compared with university in general in relation to socio-demography (age, sex, ethnicity, POLAR 2, region) and academic experience (school type). POLAR2 data provide an indication of the likelihood of young people in the area participating in further or higher education.Results In 2012 the volume of applicants to medicine and dentistry fell by 2.4% and 7.8% respectively, compared with 6.6% for university overall. Medical applications remained buoyant and by 2014 had risen by 10.2% from 2010 to 23,365. While dental applications fell in both 2012 and 2013, they had increased by 15.6% to 3,410 in 2014, above 2010 levels. Females formed the majority of applicants, and admissions, with the proportion gaining admission to dentistry in 2014 reaching an all-time high (64%), exceeding medicine (56%), and university in general (56%). Mature admissions to dentistry were at their highest in 2010 (29%) falling to 21% in 2014, compared with 22-24% in medicine. Black and minority ethnic group admissions to university, although rising (24% in 2014), are still less than for medicine (34%) and dentistry (48%). In 2013, just over half of the students admitted to dentistry were from BME groups (51%) for dentistry. Among UK applicants <19 years, over 60% of applicants, and 70% of accepted applicants, to medicine and dentistry are from the top two POLAR2 quintiles representing areas of high participation in education; however, in 2014 there was a notable increase in the proportion of applications from the lower two quintiles to dentistry (19%) and medicine (20%), with a very modest increase in those gaining admission over 2012 (14% of both; cf 10% and 12% respectively).Discussion The findings suggest that the short-term impact of the 2012 rise in fees had a greater influence on the volume and nature of applicants to dentistry than medicine, and that both programmes are gaining in popularity, despite high fees and reduced places. Dentistry remains particularly attractive to Asians, and females, the latter forming an increasing majority of students. While there is some recovery, social inequalities exist and present a challenge for widening participation in the professions.

Gender-related perceptions of careers in surgery among new medical graduates: results of a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Fitzgerald, J Edward F; Tang, Siau-Wei; Ravindra, Pravisha; Maxwell-Armstrong, Charles A

2013-07-01

Despite promotional measures at a national level, female surgeons account for only 10% of the consultant workforce in the United Kingdom. With rising proportions of female medical graduates, it is important that surgery continues to recruit the most able candidates regardless of sex. This study investigates the differing perceptions of surgical careers among recent medical school graduates and identifies factors discouraging female doctors from pursuing a career in surgery. Newly qualified graduates from the University of Nottingham Medical School, Nottingham, UK, were invited to complete a nonmandatory questionnaire investigating career intentions and factors influencing this. Two hundred and eight questionnaires were returned (a 66% response rate). Male respondents were significantly more likely to rate surgery as an attractive or very attractive career (P = .0116). Overall, only 33 (25%) female doctors expressed interest in a surgical career as opposed to 33 (42%) male doctors (P = .010). Frequently cited reasons included no interest in surgery itself (21%) and negative attitudes toward women in surgery among the surgical teams (18%). Irrespective of career interests, 59% of male and 68% of female respondents believed surgery was not a career welcoming women (P = .186). Reasons included difficulty maintaining family life, limited flexible training, and lack of role models. This study identifies significant sex differences in the perception of surgical careers. The majority believes surgery does not welcome female trainees. Future strategies to promote surgery must address attitudes and behaviors in both sexes while taking active steps to support female surgeons during their training and in the workplace. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Seismology and Research in Schools: One School's Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tedd, Joe; Tedd, Bernie

2018-01-01

The UK School Seismology Project started in 2007. King Edward VI High School for Girls was one of the fortunate schools to obtain a school seismometer system, free of charge, as an early adopter of the resource. This report outlines our experiences with the system over the past 10 years and describes our recent research on the relationship between…

Medical research and audit skills training for undergraduates: an international analysis and student-focused needs assessment.

PubMed

2018-01-01

Interpreting, performing and applying research is a key part of evidence-based medical practice, however, incorporating these within curricula is challenging. This study aimed to explore current provision of research skills training within medical school curricula, provide a student-focused needs assessment and prioritise research competencies. A international, cross-sectional survey of final year UK and Irish medical students was disseminated at each participating university. The questionnaire investigated research experience, and confidence in the Medical Education in Europe (MEDINE) 2 consensus survey research competencies. Fully completed responses were received from 521 final year medical students from 32 medical schools (43.4% male, mean age 24.3 years). Of these, 55.3% had an additional academic qualification (49.5% Bachelor's degree), and 38.8% had been a named author on an academic publication. Considering audit and research opportunities and teaching experience, 47.2% reported no formal audit training compared with 27.1% who reported no formal research training. As part of their medical school course, 53.4% had not performed an audit, compared with 29.9% who had not participated in any clinical or basic science research. Nearly a quarter of those who had participated in research reported doing so outside of their medical degree course. Low confidence areas included selecting and performing the appropriate statistical test, selecting the appropriate research method, and critical appraisal. Following adjustment, several factors were associated with increased confidence including previous clinical research experience (OR 4.21, 2.66 to 6.81, P<0.001), additional degrees (OR 2.34, 1.47 to 3.75, P<0.001), and male gender (OR 1.90, 1.25 to 2.09, P=0.003). Factors associated with an increase in perceived opportunities included formal research training in the curriculum (OR 1.66, 1.12 to 2.46, P=0.012), audit skills training in the curriculum (OR 1.52, 1.03 to 2.26, P= 0.036) and research methods taught in a student selected component (OR 1.75, 1.21 to 2.54, P=0.003). Nearly one-third of students lacked formal training on undertaking research, and half of students lacked formal audit training and opportunities to undertake audit as part of their medical school course. The presence of research training in the cirriculum was associated with an increase in perceived opportunities to participate in MEDINE2 research competencies. Female gender and a lack of previous research experience were significant factors influencing confidence and participation in research. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Increasing medical students' engagement in public health: case studies illustrating the potential role of online learning.

PubMed

Sheringham, J; Lyon, A; Jones, A; Strobl, J; Barratt, H

2016-09-01

The value of e-learning in medical education is widely recognized but there is little evidence of its value in teaching medical students about public health. Such evidence is needed because medical students' engagement with public health has been low. We present three recent case studies from UK medical schools to illustrate diverse ways in which online approaches can increase medical students' engagement with learning public health. A comparative case study approach was used applying quantitative and qualitative data to examine engagement in terms of uptake/use amongst eligible students, acceptability and perceived effectiveness using an analytic framework based on Seven Principles of Effective Teaching. Across the three case studies, most (67-85%) eligible students accessed online materials, and rated them more favourably than live lectures. Students particularly valued opportunities to use e-learning flexibly in terms of time and place. Online technologies offered new ways to consolidate learning of key public health concepts. Although students found contributing to online discussions challenging, it provided opportunities for students to explore concepts in depth and enabled students that were uncomfortable speaking in face-to-face discussions to participate. E-learning can be applied in diverse ways that increase medical student engagement with public health teaching. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Underachievement, Failing Youth and Moral Panics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Emma

2010-01-01

This paper considers contemporary "moral panics" around the underachievement of boys in school examinations in the UK and America. In the UK, in particular, the underachievement of boys is central to current "crisis accounts" about falling standards and failing pupils. "Underachievement" is a familiar word to those…

The future of UK/Irish surgery: A European solution.

PubMed

Varzgalis, M; Kerin, M J; Sweeney, K J

2015-11-01

The United Kingdom (UK) and Republic of Ireland (ROI) hospital systems are dependent on junior doctors for their functionality however it is increasingly difficult to recruit UK/ROI trained doctors to fill these posts. Directive 2005/36/EC, which came into force in 2007, is the principal European legislation on the recognition of equivalence of professional qualifications across Europe. European trained doctors are therefore attractive candidates for junior doctor posts. However, although their training is recognised as equivalent by the Irish Medical Council (IMC) and General Medical Council (GMC) they are not being appointed to equivalent posts by the Health Service Executive (HSE) or National Health Service (NHS). With the influence of European Union (EU) centralisation, modification of UK/ROI consultant grade is imminent, possibly to pyramidal structure of the Continental European model with clearer lines of corporate responsibility. Copyright © 2015 IJS Publishing Group Limited. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Promoting Gypsy Children's Behavioural Engagement and School Success: Evidence from a Four-Wave Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosário, Pedro; Núñez, José Carlos; Vallejo, Guillermo; Azevedo, Raquel; Pereira, Raquel; Moreira, Tânia; Fuentes, Sonia; Valle, Antonio

2017-01-01

Low schooling, high non-attendance and school dropout rates are critical phenomena within disadvantaged groups, especially among the Gypsy community. For example, in the UK, 10%-25% of Gypsy children do not attend school regularly and have significantly higher levels of overall absence from school (percentage of half-day sessions missed) than…

The Effect of Childhood Bereavement on Secondary School Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdelnoor, Adam; Hollins, Sheila

2004-01-01

This paper reports on a UK survey of GCSE examination results for children from schools throughout England who had lost a parent (n =73) or sibling (n =24) through death to establish whether this had a long-term impact on school performance, levels of anxiety and self-esteem, and school attendance. Participants were matched for school, age, gender…

Perceptions about Forest Schools: Encouraging and Promoting Archimedes Forest Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nawaz, Haq; Blackwell, Sarah

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to find out parents' and children's perception of outdoor learning programmes with specific reference to Archimedes Forest Schools, known as Forest Schools. A review of existing research showed that there had been no rigorous evaluation of perception of forest schools. The study was conducted in the UK and mixed method…

Schools for the Twenty-First Century: School Design and Educational Transformation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leiringer, Roine; Cardellino, Paula

2011-01-01

The Building Schools for the Future programme has been established to ensure that English secondary schools are designed or redesigned to allow for educational transformation. The programme represents the biggest single UK government investment in school buildings for over 50 years. For this reason, it poses a major challenge to those involved in…

Order effects in high stakes undergraduate examinations: an analysis of 5 years of administrative data in one UK medical school.

PubMed

Burt, Jenni; Abel, Gary; Barclay, Matt; Evans, Robert; Benson, John; Gurnell, Mark

2016-10-11

To investigate the association between student performance in undergraduate objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) and the examination schedule to which they were assigned to undertake these examinations. Analysis of routinely collected data. One UK medical school. 2331 OSCEs of 3 different types (obstetrics OSCE, paediatrics OSCE and simulated clinical encounter examination OSCE) between 2009 and 2013. Students were not quarantined between examinations. (1) Pass rates by day examination started, (2) pass rates by day station undertaken and (3) mean scores by day examination started. We found no evidence that pass rates differed according to the day on which the examination was started by a candidate in any of the examinations considered (p>0.1 for all). There was evidence (p=0.013) that students were more likely to pass individual stations on the second day of the paediatrics OSCE (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.54). In the cases of the simulated clinical encounter examination and the obstetrics and gynaecology OSCEs, there was no (p=0.42) or very weak evidence (p=0.099), respectively, of any such variation in the probability of passing individual stations according to the day they were attempted. There was no evidence that mean scores varied by day apart from the paediatric OSCE, where slightly higher scores were achieved on the second day of the examination. There is little evidence that different examination schedules have a consistent effect on pass rates or mean scores: students starting the examinations later were not consistently more or less likely to pass or score more highly than those starting earlier. The practice of quarantining students to prevent communication with (and subsequent unfair advantage for) subsequent examination cohorts is unlikely to be required. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Sustainability Innovation in United Kingdom Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Head, Wayne; Buckingham, Richard

2009-01-01

This article recommends approaches to take in designing sustainable educational environments. The authors present recent examples of UK school buildings that reduce carbon emissions and capitalise on renewable energy sources, and predict how schools will respond to energy needs in the future. (Contains 1 footnote.)

UK doctors’ views on the implementation of the European Working Time Directive as applied to medical practice: a quantitative analysis

PubMed Central

Maisonneuve, Jenny J; Lambert, Trevor W; Goldacre, Michael J

2014-01-01

Objectives To report on doctors’ views, from all specialty backgrounds, about the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) and its impact on the National Health Service (NHS), senior doctors and junior doctors. Design All medical school graduates from 1999 to 2000 were surveyed by post and email in 2012. Setting The UK. Methods Among other questions, in a multipurpose survey on medical careers and career intentions, doctors were asked to respond to three statements about the EWTD on a five-point scale (from strongly agree to strongly disagree): ‘The implementation of the EWTD has benefited the NHS’, ‘The implementation of the EWTD has benefited senior doctors’ and ‘The implementation of the EWTD has benefited junior doctors’. Results The response rate was 54.4% overall (4486/8252), 55.8% (2256/4042) of the 1999 cohort and 53% (2230/4210) of the 2000 cohort. 54.1% (2427) of all respondents were women. Only 12% (498/4136 doctors) agreed that the EWTD has benefited the NHS, 9% (377) that it has benefited senior doctors and 31% (1289) that it has benefited junior doctors. Doctors’ views on EWTD differed significantly by specialty groups: ‘craft’ specialties such as surgery, requiring extensive experience in performing operations, were particularly critical. Conclusions These cohorts have experience of working in the NHS before and after the implementation of EWTD. Their lack of support for the EWTD 4 years after its implementation should be a concern. However, it is unclear whether problems rest with the current ceiling on hours worked or with the ways in which EWTD has been implemented. PMID:24503305

Demographic characteristics of doctors who intend to follow clinical academic careers: UK national questionnaire surveys.

PubMed

Smith, Fay; Lambert, Trevor W; Goldacre, Michael J

2014-10-01

It is well recognised that women are underrepresented in clinical academic posts. Our aim was to determine which of a number of characteristics-notably gender, but also ethnicity, possession of an intercalated degree, medical school attended, choice of specialty-were predictive of doctors' intentions to follow clinical academic careers. Questionnaires to all UK-trained medical graduates of 2005 sent in 2006 and again in 2010, graduates of 2009 in 2010 and graduates of 2012 in 2013. At the end of their first year of medical work, 13.5% (368/2732) of men and 7.3% (358/4891) of women specified that they intended to apply for a clinical academic training post; and 6.0% (172/2873) of men and 2.2% (111/5044) of women specified that they intended to pursue clinical academic medicine as their eventual career. A higher percentage of Asian (4.8%) than White doctors (3.3%) wanted a long-term career as a clinical academic, as did a higher percentage of doctors who did an intercalated degree (5.6%) than others (2.2%) and a higher percentage of Oxbridge graduates (8.1%) than others (2.8%). Of the graduates of 2005, only 30% of those who in 2006 intended a clinical medicine career also did so when re-surveyed in 2010 (men 44%, women 12%). There are noteworthy differences by gender and other demographic factors in doctors' intentions to pursue academic training and careers. The gap between men and women in aspirations for a clinical academic career is present as early as the first year after qualification. 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.

Demographic characteristics of doctors who intend to follow clinical academic careers: UK national questionnaire surveys

PubMed Central

Smith, Fay; Lambert, Trevor W; Goldacre, Michael J

2014-01-01

Objectives It is well recognised that women are underrepresented in clinical academic posts. Our aim was to determine which of a number of characteristics—notably gender, but also ethnicity, possession of an intercalated degree, medical school attended, choice of specialty—were predictive of doctors’ intentions to follow clinical academic careers. Design Questionnaires to all UK-trained medical graduates of 2005 sent in 2006 and again in 2010, graduates of 2009 in 2010 and graduates of 2012 in 2013. Results At the end of their first year of medical work, 13.5% (368/2732) of men and 7.3% (358/4891) of women specified that they intended to apply for a clinical academic training post; and 6.0% (172/2873) of men and 2.2% (111/5044) of women specified that they intended to pursue clinical academic medicine as their eventual career. A higher percentage of Asian (4.8%) than White doctors (3.3%) wanted a long-term career as a clinical academic, as did a higher percentage of doctors who did an intercalated degree (5.6%) than others (2.2%) and a higher percentage of Oxbridge graduates (8.1%) than others (2.8%). Of the graduates of 2005, only 30% of those who in 2006 intended a clinical medicine career also did so when re-surveyed in 2010 (men 44%, women 12%). Conclusions There are noteworthy differences by gender and other demographic factors in doctors’ intentions to pursue academic training and careers. The gap between men and women in aspirations for a clinical academic career is present as early as the first year after qualification. PMID:25136138

Nature and governance of veterinary clinical research conducted in the UK.

PubMed

Fordyce, P; Mullan, S

2017-01-21

In order to quantify the amount of clinical research conducted on client-owned animals under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, and the nature and extent of any ethical review of that research, a questionnaire was sent to 6 UK veterinary schools, 1 charity veterinary clinic and 12 private referral clinics. The questionnaire examined whether and how much clinical research respondents undertook, and the composition of any ethical review panels examining research proposals. The questionnaire revealed a substantial amount of clinical research was conducted in the UK, with over 200 veterinary surgeons involved in the year of the survey, with at least 170 academic papers involving clinical research published by respondents in the same year. However, it proved impossible to quantify the full extent of clinical research in the UK. All UK veterinary schools required ethical review of clinical research. The composition and working practices of their ethical review panels generally reflected skill sets in ethical review panels set-up under statute to consider the ethics of non-clinical biomedical research on animals and clinical research conducted on human patients. The process for review of clinical research in the private sector was less clear. British Veterinary Association.

Medical students writing on death, dying and palliative care: a qualitative analysis of reflective essays.

PubMed

Boland, Jason W; Dikomitis, Lisa; Gadoud, Amy

2016-12-01

Medical students and doctors are becoming better prepared to care for patients with palliative care needs and support patients at the end of life. This preparation needs to start at medical school. To assess how medical students learn about death, dying and palliative care during a clinical placement using reflective essays and to provide insights to improve medical education about end-of-life care and/or palliative care. Qualitative study in which all reflective essays written by third-year medical students in 1 year from a UK medical school were searched electronically for those that included 'death', 'dying' and 'palliative care'. The anonymised data were managed using QSR NVivo 10 software, and a systematic analysis was conducted in three distinct phases: (1) open coding; (2) axial coding and (3) selective coding. Ethical approval was received. 54 essays met the inclusion criteria from 241 essays screened for the terms 'death', 'dying' or 'palliative'; 22 students gave consent for participation and their 24 essays were included. Saturation of themes was reached. Three overarching themes were identified: emotions, empathy and experiential and reflective learning. Students emphasised trying to develop a balance between showing empathy and their emotional state. Students learnt a lot from clinical encounters and watching doctors manage difficult situations, as well as from their refection during and after the experience. Reflective essays give insights into the way students learn about death, dying and palliative care and how it affects them personally as well as the preparation that is needed to be better equipped to deal with these kinds of experiences. Analysis of the essays enabled the proposal of new strategies to help make them more effective learning tools and to optimise students' learning from a palliative care attachment. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Attitudes, motivators, and barriers to a career in surgery: a national study of U.K. undergraduate medical students.

PubMed

Sutton, Paul A; Mason, John; Vimalachandran, Dale; McNally, Scarlett

2014-01-01

Numerous factors influence the career choices of undergraduate medical students, although little work has focused specifically on the surgical specialties. We aimed to investigate medical students' early experiences of surgery along with the motivators and barriers to selecting a surgical career. All final-year medical students were invited to participate in an online survey. A range of quantitative data (expressed as a proportion of total respondents) and qualitative data (grouped and thematically analyzed) were collected to evaluate students' attitudes to careers in surgery and potential influences on these. A total of 482 students from 20 medical schools throughout England and Wales completed the survey. Overall, 91% of respondents had work experience before medical school, in which the greatest satisfaction was reported in the 21% who undertook placements in surgery. In addition, 58% expressed a desire to spend time working abroad and 59% to undertake a period of research; the primary motivator for both was career/professional development. Surgery was the most popular career choice amongst respondents. The 2 most important factors in decisions pertaining to their career were reported as interest in the specialty and work-life balance. Students draw career advice from numerous sources, most commonly mentors (49%) and student surgical societies (46%). Only 1% wanted more website information, with personal contact being paramount. It is vital for the continuing strength of the profession and the quality of surgery for the public that we continue to attract the best undergraduates into careers in surgery. Surgeons of all grades must be aware that how they are perceived by students affects future career choices. Early experiences of surgery are fundamental in assisting medical students to make informed career choices. Copyright © 2014 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Governmentality and "My School": School Principals in Societies of Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niesche, Richard

2015-01-01

The introduction of new accountabilities and techniques of government for the purposes of educational reform have created new complexities and tensions for school leadership. Policies such as the publishing of league tables in the UK, high stakes testing in the US and the introduction of the "My School" website in Australia are…

The Nature of Institutional Heteronormativity in Primary Schools and Practice-Based Responses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DePalma, Renee; Atkinson, Elizabeth

2010-01-01

Concern for school-based homophobia is increasing, yet there is a tendency to focus on individual incidents of homophobic bullying rather than the cultural and institutional factors supporting them. We analyse ways in which institutional heteronormativity operates in primary schools and report results from our research in UK schools that…

Health Promotion in Schools: A Scoping Review of Systematic Reviews

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chilton, Roy; Pearson, Mark; Anderson, Rob

2015-01-01

Purpose: Schools are an important setting for a wide variety of activities to promote health. The purpose of this paper is to map the different types of health promotion programmes and activities in schools, to estimate the amount of published evaluations of health promotion within UK schools, and to identify any provisional "candidate…

A Profile of Mathematics Instruction Time in Irish Second Level Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prendergast, Mark; O'Meara, Niamh

2017-01-01

Similar to counties such as the UK and Netherlands, second level schools in Ireland are free to decide how to allocate instruction time between curriculum subjects. This results in variations between the quantum of time allocated to teaching mathematics in different schools and between different class groups within the same school. This…

Is Children's Free School Meal "Eligibility" a Good Proxy for Family Income?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hobbs, Graham; Vignoles, Anna

2010-01-01

Family income is an important factor associated with children's educational achievement. However, key areas of UK research (for example, on socially segregated schooling) and policy (for example, the allocation of funding to schools) rely on children's free school meal (FSM) "eligibility" to proxy family income. This article examines the…

What Price Free Schools? The Continued Insidious Privatisation of UK State Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kitchener, David

2013-01-01

A review of American charter schools and Swedish free-school research is outlined, providing strong evidence that both free-market models are flawed in their claims of enhancing young people's educational experience. A substantial body of work is included that strongly indicates charter and free schools increase social segregation and lower…

Mathematics delivering the advantage: the role of mathematicians in manufacturing and beyond.

PubMed

Saward, Vicki

2017-05-01

Much has been written about the benefits that mathematics can bring to the UK economy and the manufacturing sector in particular, but less on the value of mathematicians and a mathematical training. This article, written from an industry perspective, considers the value of mathematicians to the UK's industrial base and the importance to the UK economy of encouraging young people in the UK to choose to study mathematics at school as a gateway to a wide range of careers. The points are illustrated using examples from the author's 20 years' experience in the security and intelligence and manufacturing sectors.

Doctors who considered but did not pursue specific clinical specialties as careers: questionnaire surveys.

PubMed

Goldacre, Michael J; Goldacre, Raph; Lambert, Trevor W

2012-04-01

To report doctors' rejection of specialties as long-term careers and reasons for rejection. Postal questionnaires. United Kingdom. Graduates of 2002, 2005 and 2008 from all UK medical schools, surveyed one year after qualification. Current specialty choice; any choice that had been seriously considered but not pursued (termed 'rejected' choices) with reasons for rejection. 2573 of 9155 respondents (28%) had seriously considered but then not pursued a specialty choice. By comparison with positive choices, general practice was under-represented among rejected choices: it was the actual choice of 27% of respondents and the rejected choice of only 6% of those who had rejected a specialty. Consideration of 'job content' was important in not pursuing general practice (cited by 78% of those who considered but rejected a career in general practice), psychiatry (72%), radiology (69%) and pathology (68%). The surgical specialties were the current choice of 20% of respondents and had been considered but rejected by 32% of doctors who rejected a specialty. Issues of work-life balance were the single most common factor, particularly for women, in not pursuing the surgical specialties, emergency medicine, the medical hospital specialties, paediatrics, and obstetrics and gynaecology. Competition for posts, difficult examinations, stressful working conditions, and poor training were mentioned but were mainly minority concerns. There is considerable diversity between doctors in their reasons for finding specialties attractive or unattractive. This underlines the importance of recruitment strategies to medical school that recognize diversity of students' interests and aptitudes.

Impact of a Graduate Entry Programme on a medical school library service.

PubMed

Martin, Sam

2003-03-01

The aim of this study was to compare the use of library facilities by first year undergraduate medical students and Graduate Entry Programme students (GEP). More specifically it tried to determine which library services (if any) were more frequently used by GEP so that this could be taken into account in future Information Services planning. A questionnaire on the use of Library and Information Services was posted to all first year GEP students and undergraduates on the 5-year course. In addition, user statistics of library entry and borrowing were collated from gate readings and the library Unicorn management system. Overall, GEP students were found to make a greater daily/weekly use of library facilities than undergraduates on the 5-year course. The facilities most used by both sets of students were essential texts, e-mail, PCs and study facilities. Computer Aided Learning packages, journals and video facilities were least used. However, on a daily/weekly basis GEP students made 74% more use of journals (P < 0.01), 59% more use of e-journals (P < 0.05), 36% more use photocopiers (P < 0.05), 42% more use of printers (P < 0.05), 56% more use of the library catalogue (P < 0.05) and 50% more use of databases (P < 0.05). This difference in use should be taken into account by LIS providers as there is expected to be an increase in fast-track graduate courses offered by medical schools throughout the UK.

Bristol girls dance project (BGDP): protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial of an after-school dance programme to increase physical activity among 11-12 year old girls.

PubMed

Jago, Russell; Edwards, Mark J; Sebire, Simon J; Cooper, Ashley R; Powell, Jane E; Bird, Emma L; Simon, Joanne; Blair, Peter S

2013-10-24

Many children do not meet current UK physical activity (PA) guidelines. Girls are less active than boys throughout childhood, and the age-related decline in PA, particularly from early adolescence, is steeper for girls than for boys. Dance is the favourite form of PA among UK secondary school aged girls. Delivering dance sessions after school could make a significant contribution to girls' PA. Therefore, after-school dance sessions may be an appropriate and cost-effective activity through which adolescent girls' PA levels can be increased. Two-arm cluster randomised control trial and economic evaluation conducted in 18 secondary schools across the greater Bristol area. All Year 7 girls in participating schools will receive a 'taster' dance session and subsequently be invited to participate in the project. There is space for up to 33 girls to participate in each school. Schools will be randomly assigned in equal numbers to intervention or control arms after baseline data has been collected. The nine intervention schools will receive a 20 week after-school dance-based intervention, consisting of 40 × 75 minute sessions, delivered by external dance instructors. Control schools will not receive the dance intervention. All measures will be assessed at baseline (time 0), at the end of the intervention period (time 1) and six months after the intervention has ended (time 2). Our primary interest is to determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the intervention to affect the objectively-assessed (accelerometer) mean weekday minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) accumulated by Year 7 girls one year after the baseline measurement (time 2). This paper describes the protocol for the Bristol Girls Dance Project cluster randomized controlled trial and economic evaluation, which is attempting to increase MVPA among Year 7 girls in UK secondary schools. ISRCTN52882523.

Gender, Policy and Educational Change: Shifting Agendas in the UK and Europe.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salisbury, Jane, Ed.; Riddell, Sheila, Ed.

This book contains 16 papers in four parts. After an introduction, "Educational Reforms and Equal Educational Opportunities Programmes" (Sheila Riddell and Jane Salisbury), Part 1, "Gender and Educational Reforms: The U.K. and European Context," includes: (1) "Gender Equality and Schooling, Education Policy-Making and…

Digitally Included: Business-Community Partnerships To Promote the Use of Information and Communication Technologies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

2003

This publication describes efforts in the United Kingdom (UK) to develop mutually beneficial, collaborative partnerships between businesses and communities that promote digital inclusion (access to information and communication technologies). Case studies of different kinds of relationships are listed, including UK online centers, schools, events…

Project SEARCH UK--Evaluating Its Employment Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaehne, Axel

2016-01-01

Background: The study reports the findings of an evaluation of Project SEARCH UK. The programme develops internships for young people with intellectual disabilities who are about to leave school or college. The aim of the evaluation was to investigate at what rate Project SEARCH provided employment opportunities to participants. Methods: The…

Learning to Program with Game Maker

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Claire

2017-01-01

"Game Maker" is widely used in UK secondary schools, yet under-researched in that context. This paper presents the findings of a qualitative case study that explores how authoring computer games using "Game Maker" can support the learning of basic programming concepts in a mainstream UK secondary setting. The research draws on…

Medical students' attitudes towards science and gross anatomy, and the relationship to personality

PubMed Central

Plaisant, Odile; Stephens, Shiby; Apaydin, Nihal; Courtois, Robert; Lignier, Baptiste; Loukas, Marios; Moxham, Bernard

2014-01-01

Assessment of the personalities of medical students can enable medical educators to formulate strategies for the best development of academic and clinical competencies. Previous research has shown that medical students do not share a common personality profile, there being gender differences. We have also shown that, for French medical students, students with personality traits associated with strong competitiveness are selected for admission to medical school. In this study, we further show that the medical students have different personality profiles compared with other student groups (psychology and business studies). The main purpose of the present investigation was to assess attitudes to science and gross anatomy, and to relate these to the students' personalities. Questionnaires (including Thurstone and Chave analyses) were employed to measure attitudes, and personality was assessed using the Big Five Inventory (BFI). Data for attitudes were obtained for students at medical schools in Cardiff (UK), Paris, Descartes/Sorbonne (France), St George's University (Grenada) and Ankara (Turkey). Data obtained from personality tests were available for analysis from the Parisian cohort of students. Although the medical students were found to have strongly supportive views concerning the importance of science in medicine, their knowledge of the scientific method/philosophy of science was poor. Following analyses of the BFI in the French students, ‘openness’ and ‘conscientiousness’ were linked statistically with a positive attitude towards science. For anatomy, again strongly supportive views concerning the subject's importance in medicine were discerned. Analyses of the BFI in the French students did not show links statistically between personality profiles and attitudes towards gross anatomy, except male students with ‘negative affectivity’ showed less appreciation of the importance of anatomy. This contrasts with our earlier studies that showed that there is a relationship between the BF dimensions of personality traits and anxiety towards the dissection room experience (at the start of the course, ‘negative emotionality’ was related to an increased level of anxiety). We conclude that medical students agree on the importance to their studies of both science in general and gross anatomy in particular, and that some personality traits relate to their attitudes that could affect clinical competence. PMID:23594196

Medical students' attitudes towards science and gross anatomy, and the relationship to personality.

PubMed

Plaisant, Odile; Stephens, Shiby; Apaydin, Nihal; Courtois, Robert; Lignier, Baptiste; Loukas, Marios; Moxham, Bernard

2014-03-01

Assessment of the personalities of medical students can enable medical educators to formulate strategies for the best development of academic and clinical competencies. Previous research has shown that medical students do not share a common personality profile, there being gender differences. We have also shown that, for French medical students, students with personality traits associated with strong competitiveness are selected for admission to medical school. In this study, we further show that the medical students have different personality profiles compared with other student groups (psychology and business studies). The main purpose of the present investigation was to assess attitudes to science and gross anatomy, and to relate these to the students' personalities. Questionnaires (including Thurstone and Chave analyses) were employed to measure attitudes, and personality was assessed using the Big Five Inventory (BFI). Data for attitudes were obtained for students at medical schools in Cardiff (UK), Paris, Descartes/Sorbonne (France), St George's University (Grenada) and Ankara (Turkey). Data obtained from personality tests were available for analysis from the Parisian cohort of students. Although the medical students were found to have strongly supportive views concerning the importance of science in medicine, their knowledge of the scientific method/philosophy of science was poor. Following analyses of the BFI in the French students, 'openness' and 'conscientiousness' were linked statistically with a positive attitude towards science. For anatomy, again strongly supportive views concerning the subject's importance in medicine were discerned. Analyses of the BFI in the French students did not show links statistically between personality profiles and attitudes towards gross anatomy, except male students with 'negative affectivity' showed less appreciation of the importance of anatomy. This contrasts with our earlier studies that showed that there is a relationship between the BF dimensions of personality traits and anxiety towards the dissection room experience (at the start of the course, 'negative emotionality' was related to an increased level of anxiety). We conclude that medical students agree on the importance to their studies of both science in general and gross anatomy in particular, and that some personality traits relate to their attitudes that could affect clinical competence. © 2013 Anatomical Society.

The social life of the dead: The role of post-mortem examinations in medical student socialisation.

PubMed

Goodwin, Dawn; Machin, Laura; Taylor, Adam

2016-07-01

Dissection has held a privileged position in medical education although the professional values it inculcates have been subject to intense debate. Claims vary from it generating a dehumanising level of emotional detachment, to promotion of rational and dispassionate decision-making, even to being a positive vehicle for ethical education. Social scientists have positioned dissection as a critical experience in the emotional socialisation of medical students. However, curricular revision has provoked debate about the style and quantity of anatomy teaching thus threatening this 'rite of passage' of medical students. Consequently, some UK medical schools do not employ dissection at all. In its place, observation of post-mortem examinations - a long established, if underutilised, practice - has re-emerged in an attempt to recoup aspects of anatomical knowledge that are arguably lost when dissection is omitted. Bodies for post-mortem examinations and bodies for dissection, however, have striking differences, meaning that post-mortem examinations and dissection cannot be considered comparable opportunities to learn anatomy. In this article, we explore the distinctions between dissection and post-mortem examinations. In particular, we focus on the absence of a discourse of consent, concerns about bodily integrity, how the body's shifting ontology, between object and person, disrupts students' attempts to distance themselves, and how the observation of post-mortem examinations features in the emotional socialisation of medical students. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

AB013. Inappropriate asthma therapy: a tale of two countries

PubMed Central

Nibber, Anjan; Belhassen, Manon; Van Ganse, Eric; Ryan, Dermot; Langlois, Carole; Appiagyei, Francis; Skinner, Derek; Laforest, Laurent; Soriano, Joan B.; Price, David

2016-01-01

Background Inappropriate prescribing and misuse of asthma medication, have been identified as potentially preventable factors linked to asthma exacerbations and deaths. A recent report by the National Review of Asthma Deaths drew attention to the excessive prescribing of reliever medication, and under-prescribing of controlled medication in the United-Kingdom (UK). The inappropriate prescribing of long-acting beta agonist (LABA) bronchodilator inhalers, as either a monotherapy or without inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) has been highlighted as a major preventable factor of asthma exacerbations and deaths. To determine whether the prevalence of inappropriate LABA therapy use in asthma in the UK and in France has changed over time. Methods Two interval, parallel, population-based cohorts (2007 and 2013), were developed in each country, utilising the UK Optimum Patient Care Research Database and the French Permanent Beneficiaries Sample database. Following inclusion, patients aged 6–40 years were studied over a 12-month period. The use of LABAs without ICS, and ≥2-fold higher use of LABA compared with ICS were investigated. Analyses were stratified by age groups: children (6–13 years) and adults (14–40 years). Results Overall, 39,743 UK and 4,910 French patients were included in 2007 and 14,036 and 5,657 in 2013. In 2013, LABA use without ICS occurred in 0.1% and 1.5% of UK and French adults respectively. This was a marked reduction from 2007 UK and French figures of 0.4% and 2.6% respectively (P<0.05 for both). Excessive use of LABA relative to ICS occurred in 0.2% of UK adults and in 0.7% of French adults in 2013. These percentages represented a decrease from the 2007 figures of 0.6% and 1.4% for UK (P=0.29) and France (P=0.003), respectively. In 2007, LABA inappropriate use was more frequent in French than UK asthmatic children (P<0.0001), but showed a downward trend by time in both countries (0.1% in 2013 in both countries). Conclusions Our study suggests that despite noticeable differences in the healthcare systems between these two countries, there has been a marked reduction of inappropriate LABA use in asthma in recent years. Despite this, 7,480 and 55,650 patients with asthma in the UK and France respectively, were inappropriately prescribed LABAs, highlighting the necessity of corrective measures to reduce the asthma-associated burden.

A Space-Based Learning Service for Schools Worldwide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, Norman A.; Gibson, Alan

2002-01-01

This paper outlines a scheme for international collaboration to enrich the use of space in school education, to improve students' learning about science and related subjects and to enhance the continuity of science-related studies after the age of 16. Guidelines are presented for the design of an on-line learning service to provide schools worldwide with:- interactive curriculum-related learning resources for teaching about space and through - access to a purpose-designed education satellite or satellites; - opportunities for hands-on work by students in out-of-school hours; - news about space developments to attract, widen and deepen initial interest among teachers - support services to enable teachers to make effective use of the learning service. The Learning Service is the product of almost twenty years of experience by a significant number of UK schools in experimenting with, and in using, satellites and space to aid learning; and over four years of study and development by the SpaceLink Learning Foundation - a private-sector, not- for-profit UK registered charity, which is dedicated to help in increasing both the supply of scientists and engineers and the public understanding of science. This initiative provides scope for, and could benefit from, the involvement of relevant/interested organisations drawn from different countries. The Foundation would be ready, from its UK base, to be among such a group of initiating organisations.

Does Money Matter for Schools? CEE DP 105

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmlund, Helena; McNally, Sandra; Viarengo, Martina

2009-01-01

In the UK, education is the third largest area of government spending (of which school spending has the largest share). Since 2000, school expenditure has increased by about 40 per cent in real terms for both primary and secondary schools (see Figure 1). The question as to whether such investment is worthwhile is of central importance. The…

Fairtrade in Schools: Teaching Ethics or Unlawful Marketing to the Defenceless?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffiths, Peter

2014-01-01

Schools in the UK teach pupils about Fairtrade as part of Religious Education, Personal and Social Education, Citizenship, Geography and so on. There are also Fairtrade Schools, where the whole school, including staff and parents, is committed to promoting the brand. It is argued here that promoting this commercial brand to schoolchildren and…

Overlooked Issues of Religious Identity in the School Dinners Debate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Twiner, Alison; Cook, Guy; Gillen, Julia

2009-01-01

The TV broadcast of "Jamie's school dinners" in 2005 prompted action throughout the UK to improve the standards of school meals. A public debate continues across the media around changes, resistance to them and consequences. This article draws upon the findings of a one-year ESRC-funded project on the English school dinners debate, which…

School Improvement for Schools Facing Challenging Circumstances: A Review of Research and Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Potter, David; Reynolds, David; Chapman, Christopher

2002-01-01

Reviews the literature on what works in school improvement in the UK. Outlines the practices that appear to be necessary--in terms of organization, culture, leadership, and ethos--to improve the levels of effectiveness. Appended is an outline of a number of particularly effective school-improvement projects. (Contains 22 references.) (WFA)

Revisiting Cyberbullying in Schools Using the Quality Circle Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paul, Simone; Smith, Peter K.; Blumberg, Herbert H.

2012-01-01

An earlier study reported the use of Quality Circles (QC) in a UK school in the context of understanding and reducing bullying and cyberbullying. Here, we report further work in the same school setting. The QC approach allows explorative analysis of problems in school settings, whereby students embark on a problem-solving exercise over a period of…

"Micro" Politics: Mapping the Origins of Schools Computing as a Field of Education Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selwyn, Neil

2013-01-01

This paper examines the emergence of schools "micro-computing" in the UK between 1977 and 1984--a period of significant educational, technological and political change. During this time, computing developed rapidly from a niche activity in a few select schools to the state subsidized purchasing of a "computer in every school"…

Responsibility for Financial Management in Primary Schools: Evidence from an English Local Authority

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitzgerald, Sarah; Drake, Julie

2013-01-01

Financial management in primary schools has changed in the UK with the introduction of the Schools Financial Value Standard (SFVS). There is increasing delegation of financial responsibility to the management team in the school, increasing the role of the head teacher and the governing body as part of overall responsibility for the strategic…

Implementation of a Cooking Bus Intervention to Support Cooking in Schools in Wales, UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Segrott, Jeremy; Holliday, Jo; Murphy, Simon; Macdonald, Sarah; Roberts, Joan; Moore, Laurence; Phillips, Ceri

2017-01-01

Purpose: The teaching of cooking is an important aspect of school-based efforts to promote healthy diets among children, and is frequently done by external agencies. Within a limited evidence base relating to cooking interventions in schools, there are important questions about how interventions are integrated within school settings. The purpose…

The Changing Economic Advantage from Private School. CEE DP 115

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Francis; Machin, Stephen; Murphy, Richard; Zhu, Yu

2010-01-01

Private schooling, in its various guises, is an important feature of education systems across the world. The existence of a private education sector generates the possibility for parents to opt their children out of state provided education. In the case of the UK, private schools, though far less numerous than state schools, have for a long time…

The School Choice Market in China: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Xiaoxin

2013-01-01

Background: In contrast to the top-down government-designated school choice programmes in many countries, e.g. in the UK and USA in particular, school choice in the Chinese context is a bottom-up movement initiated by parents and is characterised by the payment of a substantial "choice fee" to the preferred school, and by competition by…

UK Business School Rankings over the Last 30 Years (1980-2010): Trends and Explanations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkins, Stephen; Huisman, Jeroen

2012-01-01

Business schools globally operate in a market-driven environment and rankings are very much part of that environment. Rankings have a significant impact on a school's ability to attract the top scholars, the most able students and research funding. Schools use rankings to support claims of excellence and "world class" status. The purpose…

Evaluation of the Massage in Schools Programme in One Primary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marsh, Lesley J.

2011-01-01

This article discusses the potential benefits of the Massage in Schools Programme (MISP), a programme originating in Scandinavia, which has been introduced into schools in the United Kingdom (UK) since 2001. Meeting four out of five outcomes of the Every Child Matters agenda, the review of the literature aims to separate anecdotal and media…

Evaluating the Impact of Forest Schools: A Collaboration between a University and a Primary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slade, Melanie; Lowery, Claire; Bland, Ken

2013-01-01

The Forest School movement, an important part of education in Scandinavia, has gained momentum in the UK in recent years. Within the context of declining access to, and engagement with, the natural environment Forest Schools can provide invaluable life experiences for our children. In 2012 the University of Northampton investigated opportunities…

Can personal qualities of medical students predict in-course examination success and professional behaviour? An exploratory prospective cohort study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Over two-thirds of UK medical schools are augmenting their selection procedures for medical students by using the United Kingdom Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT), which employs tests of cognitive and non-cognitive personal qualities, but clear evidence of the tests’ predictive validity is lacking. This study explores whether academic performance and professional behaviours that are important in a health professional context can be predicted by these measures, when taken before or very early in the medical course. Methods This prospective cohort study follows the progress of the entire student cohort who entered Hull York Medical School in September 2007, having taken the UKCAT cognitive tests in 2006 and the non-cognitive tests a year later. This paper reports on the students’ first and second academic years of study. The main outcome measures were regular, repeated tutor assessment of individual students’ interpersonal skills and professional behaviour, and annual examination performance in the three domains of recall and application of knowledge, evaluation of data, and communication and practical clinical skills. The relationships between non-cognitive test scores, cognitive test scores, tutor assessments and examination results were explored using the Pearson product–moment correlations for each group of data; the data for students obtaining the top and bottom 20% of the summative examination results were compared using Analysis of Variance. Results Personal qualities measured by non-cognitive tests showed a number of statistically significant relationships with ratings of behaviour made by tutors, with performance in each year’s objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), and with themed written summative examination marks in each year. Cognitive ability scores were also significantly related to each year’s examination results, but seldom to professional behaviours. The top 20% of examination achievers could be differentiated from the bottom 20% on both non-cognitive and cognitive measures. Conclusions This study shows numerous significant relationships between both cognitive and non-cognitive test scores, academic examination scores and indicators of professional behaviours in medical students. This suggests that measurement of non-cognitive personal qualities in applicants to medical school could make a useful contribution to selection and admission decisions. Further research is required in larger representative groups, and with more refined predictor measures and behavioural assessment methods, to establish beyond doubt the incremental validity of such measures over conventional cognitive assessments. PMID:22873571

Iodine Nutritional Status among Adolescent Girls in Uttarakhand, India.

PubMed

Kapil, Umesh; Sareen, Neha; Nambiar, Vanisha S; Khenduja, Preetika; Sofi, Nighat Yaseen

2016-02-01

Uttarakhand (UK) state is a known endemic region for Iodine deficiency. To assess iodine nutritional status among adolescent girls in districts: Udham Singh Nagar (USN), Nainital (N) and Pauri (P) of UK state. In each district, 30 clusters (schools) were identified by using population proportionate to size cluster sampling. In each school, 60 girls (12-18 years) attending the schools were included. Total of 5430 girls from USN (1823), N (1811) and P (1796) were studied. Clinical examination of thyroid of each girl was conducted. From each cluster, spot urine and salt samples were collected. Total goiter rate was found to be 6.8% (USN), 8.2% (N) and 5.6% (P). Median urinary iodine concentration levels were 250 μg/l (USN), 200 μg/l (N) and 183 μg/l (P). Findings of the study documented that adolescent girls had adequate iodine nutritional status in the three districts of UK. © The Author [2015]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

GeoBus: bringing experiential Earth science learning to secondary schools in the UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pike, C. J.; Robinson, R. A. J.; Roper, K. A.

2014-12-01

GeoBus (www.geobus.org.uk) is an educational outreach project that was developed in 2012 by the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of St Andrews, and it is sponsored jointly by industry and the UK Research Councils (NERC and EPSRC). The aims of GeoBus are to support the teaching of Earth Science in secondary (middle and high) schools by providing teaching support to schools that have no or little expertise of teaching Earth science, to share the outcomes of new science research and the experiences of young researchers with school pupils, and to provide a bridge between industry, higher education institutions, research councils and schools. Since its launch, GeoBus has visited over 160 different schools across the length and breadth of Scotland. Over 30,000 pupils will have been involved in experiential Earth science learning activities by December 2014, including many in remote and disadvantaged regions. The challenge with secondary school experiential learning as outreach is that activities need to be completed in either 50 or 80 minutes to fit within the school timetables in the UK, and this can limit the amount of hands-on activities that pupils undertake in one session. However, it is possible to dedicate a whole or half day of linked activities to Earth science learning in Scotland and this provides a long enough period to undertake field work, conduct group projects, or complete more complicated experiments. GeoBus has developed a suite of workshops that all involve experiential learning and are targeted for shorter and longer time slots, and the lessons learned in developing and refining these workshops to maximise the learning achieved will be presented. Three potentially unsurprising observations hold true for all the schools that GeoBus visits: young learners like to experiment and use unfamiliar equipment to make measurements, the element of competition stimulates learners to ask questions and maintain focus and enthusiasum, and role playing is an effective way to get learners to participate in group projects and to communicate with each other. Examples of our workshops and experiential learning activities for a range of ages will be presented along with feedback from teachers and young learners.

Sapientia: accelerating rare disease diagnosis and treatment.

PubMed

Furness, Mike

2016-09-01

Congenica (Cambridge, UK) is a world leading developer of genome-based discovery and diagnostic technologies. The UK company is a spin-out from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (Cambridge, UK) and was founded by scientists and clinicians at the leading edge of genomic analysis. Congenica's Sapientia™ technology platform allows whole-genome sequence analysis to be easily interpreted and presented within a clinically actionable diagnostic report. It is based on pioneering research from Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, National Health Service clinicians and regional genetic testing laboratories and validated by Genomics England Ltd (London, UK). Sapientia used for medical diagnosis in hospitals including Great Ormond Street Hospital (London, UK), Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine (Manchester, UK), Birmingham Women's Hospital (Birmingham, UK) and for new drug development by pharmaceutical companies. This profile follows the journey from proof of concept to clinical diagnosis.

Ethical, legal and professional issues arising from social media coverage by UK Helicopter Emergency Medical Services.

PubMed

Steele, Sarah; Adcock, Christopher; Steel, Alistair

2016-01-01

Social media (SoMe) are gaining increasing acceptance among, and use by, healthcare service deliverers and workers. UK Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) use SoMe to deliver service information and to fundraise, among other purposes. This article examines UK HEMS use of SoMe between January and February 2014 to determine the extent of adoption and to highlight trends in use. The database of the Association of Air Ambulances, crosschecked with UK Emergency Aviation, was used to identify flying, charitable UK HEMS. This search identified 28 UK HEMS, of which 24 services met the criteria for selection for review. Using information harvested from the public domain, we then systematically documented SoMe use by the services. SoMe use by UK HEMS is extensive but not uniform. All selected UK HEMS maintained websites with blogs, as well as Facebook, Twitter, Wikipedia and JustGiving profiles, with the majority of services using Ebay for Charity, LinkedIn and YouTube. Some HEMS also held a presence on Pinterest, Google+, Instagram and Flickr, with a minority of services maintaining their own Rich Site Summary (RSS) feed. The SoMe adopted, while varied, allowed for increased, and different forms of, information delivery by HEMS to the public, often in real time. Such use, though, risks breaching patient confidentiality and data protection requirements, especially when information is viewed cumulatively across platforms. There is an urgent need for the continued development of guidance in this unique setting to protect patients while UK HEMS promote and fundraise for their charitable activities. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

The Relationship between Private Schooling and Earnings: A Review of the Evidence for the US and the UK. Occasional Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Celia; Belfield, Clive R.

Despite the strategic importance of the private-school sector to education policy reform, and a general belief in the superiority of private schools, there is very little evidence on the relative effects of such schooling in comparison with public schools. This paper reviews the current evidence in the United States and United Kingdom on the…

School Belonging: Listening to the Voices of Secondary School Students Who Have Undergone Managed Moves

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craggs, Holly; Kelly, Catherine

2018-01-01

A sense of school belonging has a powerful effect on students' emotional, motivational, and academic functioning, yet there have been few attempts to listen to students' views on school belonging, or to seek their opinions on how best to promote it. Managed move protocols to facilitate a move to an alternative school were developed in the UK as a…

Religious Diversity, Inter-Ethnic Relations and the Catholic School: Introducing the "Responsive" Approach to Single Faith Schooling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breen, Damian

2009-01-01

The article offers a case study of the ways in which a Catholic primary school located in the centre of a large South-Asian community in Leicester, UK, responded to the religious and ethnic diversity of its surroundings. The school, Our Saviour's, engaged in shared activities with a neighbouring school which had a majority intake of Hindu, Muslim…

School Mathematics Qualifications and Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drake, Pat; Noyes, Andrew; Wake, Geoff

2012-01-01

This article explores the relationship between school mathematics qualifications and the transition into employment. As part of a large-scale, three-year independent evaluation of pilot qualifications in 14-19 school mathematics, all 39 Sector Skills Councils and Employment Skills Boards in the UK were invited to provide evidence regarding their…

Counter-Narratives of Educational Excellence: Free Schools, Success, and Community-Based Schooling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gerrard, Jessica

2014-01-01

The notion of "competitive excellence" is an enduring cornerstone of UK educational policy. Most recently, expanding and adapting New Labour's Academy project with the introduction of free schools, the Coalition's approach advances and embeds competitive market-based forms of community engagement in education. Responding to this policy…

Equity, Trust and the Self-Improving Schools System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riddell, Richard

2016-01-01

Richard Riddell draws on his interviews with senior managers in schools, academy chains and the regions during the UK Coalition Government to analyse the changes in education policy during its term. He argues that the developing regional organization for supervising schools in England, with its regional commissioners, provides a far more…

Diversity, Specialisation and Equity in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Chris; Fitza, John; Gorard, Stephen

2005-01-01

School diversity in the UK is not a new phenomenon. However, recent reforms to "modernise" the secondary school system towards greater diversity of provision, primarily in England, needs to be explored in more detail. The article begins by proposing three phases in the development of state-funded school diversity and provision between…

Sustaining Emotional Resilience for School Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steward, Julia

2014-01-01

Driven by the country's need to compete in a global economy, the UK government is imposing rapid and relentless educational change on schools. School leaders face the challenge of managing the impact of externally driven change and supporting others' resilience while frequently paying scant attention to their own. Six semi-structured interviews…

Persistence, how do they do it? A case study of Access to Higher Education learners on a U.K. Diploma/BSc nursing programme.

PubMed

Hinsliff-Smith, Kathryn; Gates, Peter; Leducq, Marion

2012-01-01

In 2006, the United Kingdom (U.K.) Department of Health (DoH) produced guidelines, requiring institutions to address the attrition rates for student nurses and midwives. This issue is not only a concern in the U.K. but has gained prominence in other Schools of Nursing including the U.S.A., Australia, and developing countries. Many Schools of Nursing have witnessed a change in their student population with a growing prominence of mature entrants (those over 21). Studies that focus on learner persistence, in particular mature students are relatively rare and very scarce on entrants with an Access to Higher Education (HE) qualification. This study, using focus group interviews, involved Access to HE learners who successfully progressed to a Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)/Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Nursing at one U.K. University. The study findings indicated that Access to HE learners are able to develop a range of coping strategies in relation to academic demands and caring responsibilities, which are drawn upon in their DipHE/BSc programme. The findings have relevance for all Schools of Nursing as we face new and difficult challenges not least the global shortage of qualified nurses and the pressures placed on educators to retain student nurses. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Putting Role 1 first: the Role 1 capability review.

PubMed

Hodgetts, T J; Findlay, S

2012-09-01

To quantify the risk for delivering care at Role 1 in the Land Environment (point of wounding to hospital care) on current operations and set the conditions for systematic change to enhance future capability. UK, US and Danish Army Role 1 Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) (1) Questionnaire study ofUK SMEs to determine capability gaps; (2) Questionnaire study of US and Danish SMEs to benchmark UK capability; (3) Semi-structured interviews of UK SMEs; (4) In-theatre evaluation of deployed Role 1. Thirty two SMEs completed the questionnaire (68% response rate), comprising 25 medical officers (20 in clinical appointments; five in command and staff appointments), six nurses and one medical support officer. Results of the entire review were collated as a cross-Defence Lines of Development analysis, separating the specific experience of 1 Medical Regiment's Hybrid Foundation Training (HFT), Mission Specific Training (MST) and deployment cycle from the analysis gained from questionnaire studies, SME consultation and documentary evidence. The review generated 77 recommendations and 38 sub-recommendations. The top six messages of the review were (1) To balance the expressed desire to increase the ratio of trained Team Medics with the reality of generating credible instructors with clinical experience; (2) To recognise that inadequate experience for Combat Medical Technicians in Primary Healthcare in the Firm Base undermines their operational preparedness; (3) To recognise that Current Regimental Aid Post (RAP) at contingency without power lacks the rudimentary infrastructure of a modern Medical Treatment Facility; (4) To recognise that inappropriate deployment of personnel with chronic disease or acutely limiting conditions is a consistent trend for 20 years that highlights continuing system weaknesses in applying protective medical grading; (5) To accept that General Practitioner manning requires re-evaluating as an Operational Pinch Point, reviewing all options to maintain operational effectiveness including, but not focusing on, incentives; and (6) To recognise that a best practice template for Role 1 Healthcare Governance has been created that must endure.

Making clinical academic careers more attractive: views from questionnaire surveys of senior UK doctors.

PubMed

Lambert, Trevor W; Smith, Fay; Goldacre, Michael J

2015-08-01

To report on doctors' reasons, as expressed to our research group, for choosing academic careers and on factors that would make a career in clinical academic medicine more attractive to them. Postal, email and web questionnaires. UK. A total of 6936 UK-trained doctors who graduated in 1996, 1999 and 2000. Open-ended comments about a career in clinical academic medicine. Of doctors who provided reasons for pursuing a long-term career in clinical academic medicine, the main reasons were enjoyment of academic work and personal satisfaction, whether expressed directly in those terms, or in terms of intellectual stimulation, enjoyment of research, teaching and the advancement of medicine, and the job being more varied than and preferable to clinical work alone. Doctors' suggestions for making clinical academic medicine more attractive included improved pay and job security, better funding of research, greater availability of academic posts, more dedicated time for research (and less service work) and more support and mentoring. Women were more likely than men to prioritise flexible working hours and part-time posts. Medical schools could provide more information, as part of student teaching, about the opportunities for and realities of a career in clinical academic medicine. Women, in particular, commented that they lacked the role models and information which would encourage them to consider seriously an academic career. Employers could increase academic opportunities by allowing more time for teaching, research and study and should assess whether job plans make adequate allowance for academic work.

Systematic analysis of funding awarded to institutions in the United Kingdom for infectious disease research, 1997-2010.

PubMed

Head, Michael G; Fitchett, Joseph R; Moore, David Aj; Atun, Rifat

2015-03-01

This study aimed to assess the research investments made to UK institutions for all infectious disease research and identify the direction of spend by institution. Systematic analysis. Databases and websites were systematically searched for information on relevant studies funded for the period 1997-2010. UK institutions carrying out infectious disease research. None. Twenty academic institutions receiving greatest sum investments across infection are included here, also NHS sites, Sanger Institute, Health Protection Agency and the Medical Research Council. We measured total funding, median award size, disease areas and position of research along the R&D value chain. Included institutions accounted for £2.1 billion across 5003 studies. Imperial College and University of Oxford received the most investment. Imperial College led the most studies. The Liverpool and London Schools of Tropical Medicine had highest median award size, whereas the NHS sites combined had many smaller studies. Sum NHS funding appears to be declining over time, whilst university income is relatively stable. Several institutions concentrate almost exclusively on pre-clinical research. In some areas, there is clearly a leading institution, e.g. Aberdeen and mycology research or UCL and antimicrobial resistance. UK institutions carry out research across a wide range of infectious disease areas. This analysis can identify centres of excellence and help inform future resource allocation for research priorities. Institutions can use this analysis for establishing expertise within their groups, identifying external collaborators and informing local research strategy.

'It gives you an understanding you can't get from any book.' The relationship between medical students' and doctors' personal illness experiences and their performance: a qualitative and quantitative study.

PubMed

Woolf, Katherine; Cave, Judith; McManus, I Chris; Dacre, Jane E

2007-12-05

Anecdotes abound about doctors' personal illness experiences and the effect they have on their empathy and care of patients. We formally investigated the relationship between doctors' and medical students' personal illness experiences, their examination results, preparedness for clinical practice, learning and professional attitudes and behaviour towards patients. Newly-qualified UK doctors in 2005 (n = 2062/4784), and two cohorts of students at one London medical school (n = 640/749) participated in the quantitative arm of the study. 37 Consultants, 1 Specialist Registrar, 2 Clinical Skills Tutors and 25 newly-qualified doctors participated in the qualitative arm. Newly-qualified doctors and medical students reported their personal illness experiences in a questionnaire. Doctors' experiences were correlated with self-reported preparedness for their new clinical jobs. Students' experiences were correlated with their examination results, and self-reported anxiety and depression. Interviews with clinical teachers, newly-qualified doctors and senior doctors qualitatively investigated how personal illness experiences affect learning, professional attitudes, and behaviour. 85.5% of newly-qualified doctors and 54.4% of medical students reported personal illness experiences. Newly-qualified doctors who had been ill felt less prepared for starting work (p < 0.001), but those who had only experienced illness in a relative or friend felt more prepared (p = 0.02). Clinical medical students who had been ill were more anxious (p = 0.01) and had lower examination scores (p = 0.006). Doctors felt their personal illness experiences helped them empathise and communicate with patients. Medical students with more life experience were perceived as more mature, empathetic, and better learners; but illness at medical school was recognised to impede learning. The majority of the medical students and newly qualified doctors we studied reported personal illness experiences, and these experiences were associated with lower undergraduate examination results, higher anxiety, and lower preparedness. However reflection on such experiences may have improved professional attitudes such as empathy and compassion for patients. Future research is warranted in this area.

Does the inclusion of 'professional development' teaching improve medical students' communication skills?

PubMed

Joekes, Katherine; Noble, Lorraine M; Kubacki, Angela M; Potts, Henry W W; Lloyd, Margaret

2011-06-27

This study investigated whether the introduction of professional development teaching in the first two years of a medical course improved students' observed communication skills with simulated patients. Students' observed communication skills were related to patient-centred attitudes, confidence in communicating with patients and performance in later clinical examinations. Eighty-two medical students from two consecutive cohorts at a UK medical school completed two videoed consultations with a simulated patient: one at the beginning of year 1 and one at the end of year 2. Group 1 (n = 35) received a traditional pre-clinical curriculum. Group 2 (n = 47) received a curriculum that included communication skills training integrated into a 'professional development' vertical module. Videoed consultations were rated using the Evans Interview Rating Scale by communication skills tutors. A subset of 27% were double-coded. Inter-rater reliability is reported. Students who had received the professional development teaching achieved higher ratings for use of silence, not interrupting the patient, and keeping the discussion relevant compared to students receiving the traditional curriculum. Patient-centred attitudes were not related to observed communication. Students who were less nervous and felt they knew how to listen were rated as better communicators. Students receiving the traditional curriculum and who had been rated as better communicators when they entered medical school performed less well in the final year clinical examination. Students receiving the professional development training showed significant improvements in certain communication skills, but students in both cohorts improved over time. The lack of a relationship between observed communication skills and patient-centred attitudes may be a reflection of students' inexperience in working with patients, resulting in 'patient-centredness' being an abstract concept. Students in the early years of their medical course may benefit from further opportunities to practise basic communication skills on a one-to-one basis with patients.

eDrug: a dynamic interactive electronic drug formulary for medical students

PubMed Central

Maxwell, Simon R J; McQueen, Daniel S; Ellaway, Rachel

2006-01-01

What is already known about this subject Delivering education about an ever-increasing number of prescribable drugs to medical students represents a major challenge. Drug names are generally not logical or intuitive, and many students find learning them akin to learning a foreign language. Pharmacology and therapeutics teaching is struggling for visibility in some integrated medical curricula. What this study adds Development of electronic tools allowing web delivery of a restricted student formulary facilitates dynamic access to core learning materials, improves the profile of this aspect of the curriculum and is highly appreciated by students. Aims Prescribing drugs is a key responsibility of a doctor and requires a solid grounding in the relevant scientific disciplines of pharmacology and therapeutics (PT). The move away from basic science disciplines towards a more system-based and integrated undergraduate curriculum has created difficulties in the delivery of PT teaching in some medical schools. We aimed to develop a web-based strategy to overcome these problems and improve the PT learning experience. Methods We designed and introduced ‘eDrug’, a dynamic interactive web-based student formulary, as an aid to teaching and learning of PT throughout a 5-year integrated medical curriculum in a UK medical school of 1300 students. This was followed by a prospective observational study of student-reported views about its impact on their PT learning experience. Results eDrug was rated highly by students and staff, with the main benefits being increased visibility of PT in the curriculum, clear identification of core drugs, regular sourcing of drug information via direct links to accredited sources including the British National Formulary, prioritization of learning, immediate access and responsiveness. It has also served as a focus of discussion concerning core PT learning objectives amongst staff and students. Conclusions Web-based delivery of PT learning objectives actively supports learning within an integrated curriculum. PMID:17054667

A survey-based cross-sectional study of doctors' expectations and experiences of non-technical skills for Out of Hours work.

PubMed

Brown, Michael; Shaw, Dominick; Sharples, Sarah; Jeune, Ivan Le; Blakey, John

2015-02-16

The skill set required for junior doctors to work efficiently and safely Out of Hours (OoH) in hospitals has not been established. This is despite the OoH period representing 75% of the year and it being the time of highest mortality. We set out to explore the expectations of medical students and experiences of junior doctors of the non-technical skills needed to work OoH. Survey-based cross-sectional study informed by focus groups. Online survey with participants from five large teaching hospitals across the UK. 300 Medical Students and Doctors Participants ranked the importance of non-technical skills, as identified by literature review and focus groups, needed for OoH care. The focus groups revealed a total of eight non-technical skills deemed to be important. In the survey 'Task Prioritisation' (mean rank 1.617) was consistently identified as the most important non-technical skill. Stage of training affected the ranking of skills, with significant differences for 'Communication with Senior Doctors', 'Dealing with Clinical Isolation', 'Task Prioritisation' and 'Communication with Patients'. Importantly, there was a significant discrepancy between the medical student expectations and experiences of doctors undertaking work. Our findings suggest that medical staff particularly value task prioritisation skills; however, these are not routinely taught in medical schools. The discrepancy between expectations of students and experience of doctors reinforces the idea that there is a gap in training. Doctors of different grades place different importance on specific non-technical skills with implications for postgraduate training. There is a pressing need for medical schools and deaneries to review non-technical training to include more than communication skills. 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.

Does the inclusion of 'professional development' teaching improve medical students' communication skills?

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background This study investigated whether the introduction of professional development teaching in the first two years of a medical course improved students' observed communication skills with simulated patients. Students' observed communication skills were related to patient-centred attitudes, confidence in communicating with patients and performance in later clinical examinations. Methods Eighty-two medical students from two consecutive cohorts at a UK medical school completed two videoed consultations with a simulated patient: one at the beginning of year 1 and one at the end of year 2. Group 1 (n = 35) received a traditional pre-clinical curriculum. Group 2 (n = 47) received a curriculum that included communication skills training integrated into a 'professional development' vertical module. Videoed consultations were rated using the Evans Interview Rating Scale by communication skills tutors. A subset of 27% were double-coded. Inter-rater reliability is reported. Results Students who had received the professional development teaching achieved higher ratings for use of silence, not interrupting the patient, and keeping the discussion relevant compared to students receiving the traditional curriculum. Patient-centred attitudes were not related to observed communication. Students who were less nervous and felt they knew how to listen were rated as better communicators. Students receiving the traditional curriculum and who had been rated as better communicators when they entered medical school performed less well in the final year clinical examination. Conclusions Students receiving the professional development training showed significant improvements in certain communication skills, but students in both cohorts improved over time. The lack of a relationship between observed communication skills and patient-centred attitudes may be a reflection of students' inexperience in working with patients, resulting in 'patient-centredness' being an abstract concept. Students in the early years of their medical course may benefit from further opportunities to practise basic communication skills on a one-to-one basis with patients. PMID:21708000

The health care burden and societal impact of acute otitis media in seven European countries: results of an Internet survey.

PubMed

Wolleswinkel-van den Bosch, Judith H; Stolk, Elly A; Francois, Martine; Gasparini, Roberto; Brosa, Max

2010-11-19

This paper estimates medical resource use, direct costs, and productivity losses and costs (indirect costs) during episodes of acute otitis media (AOM) in young children. A 24-item Internet questionnaire was developed for parents in Belgium (Flanders), France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom (UK) to report health care resource use and productivity losses during the most recent episode of AOM in their child, younger than 5 years. The percentage who did not seek medical help for AOM was considerable in The Netherlands (28.3%) and the UK (19.7%). Antibiotic use was high, ranging from 60.8% (Germany) to 87.1% (Italy). Total costs per AOM episode ranged from €332.00 (The Netherlands) to €752.49 (UK). Losses in productivity accounted for 61% (France) to 83% (Germany) of the total costs. AOM poses a significant medical and economic burden to society. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Letters to the Editor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1997-07-01

All the Letters to the Editor in this issue are in the same PostScript or PDF file. Contents Joining capacitors R Bridges King Edward's School, Birmingham B15 2UA, UK Enjoying Physics John Bausor 5 Longcrofte Road, Edgware, Middlesex HA8 6RR, UK The disadvantages of success M L Cooper Newham College of Further Education, London

The Education of Asylum Seekers: Some UK Case Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reakes, Angharad

2007-01-01

The body of literature examining the educational needs of asylum-seeker children is limited. Extending the body of knowledge has become increasingly important because of the increasing number of asylum seekers in the UK, with significant implications for local education authorities and schools. The main focus of the research was the situation in…

Quality Assurance in UK Higher Education: Issues of Trust, Control, Professional Autonomy and Accountability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoecht, Andreas

2006-01-01

This article explores the issues of trust, control, professional autonomy and accountability in higher education quality assurance in the UK. The main part of this article is conceptual, but it includes results from semi-structured interviews with academic staff that were conducted at two "new university" business schools. Both…

Impact of Cultural Exposure on Young Chinese Students' Adaptation in a UK Business School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Yi; Harding, Richard; Mai, Li-Wei

2012-01-01

This study examines young Chinese students' (born post 1985) adaptation to cultural exposure in the UK. Built from data collected from in-depth interviews, the research establishes that, through direct communication with students from various cultural backgrounds during teamwork, the Chinese students adapt to varying degrees in ideology,…

Good Practice in GNVQ Induction Programmes. Project Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benett, Yves

A 2-year research and development project was conducted to identify existing good practices for introducing students in the United Kingdom (UK) to General National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQs) and available teaching and learning materials for use in the induction of GNVQs in UK schools and colleges. The main activities of the project's three…

Leveraging Value in Doctoral Student Networks through Social Capital

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pilbeam, Colin; Lloyd-Jones, Gaynor; Denyer, David

2013-01-01

UK higher education policy relating to doctoral-level education assumes that student networks provide the basis for informal learning and the acquisition of necessary skills and information. Through semi-structured interviews with 17 doctoral students from a UK management school, this study investigated the value of these networks to students, the…

Learning the Price of Poverty across the UK

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ivinson, Gabrielle; Thompson, Ian; Beckett, Lori; Egan, David; Leitch, Ruth; McKinney, Stephen

2018-01-01

In 2016, the British Educational Research Association (BERA) Commission on Poverty and Policy Advocacy brought together several academics from across the four jurisdictions of the UK already engaged in work on poverty, education and schooling. The aim of this BERA Commission was to build a network of research-active practitioners across the UK…

Evolution in Health and Disease: The Role of Evolutionary Biology in the Medical Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Downie, J. R.

2004-01-01

Recent work has emphasised the relevance of evolutionary processes to medical thinking and practice. However, medical curricular revisions, in reducing basic science content, have often excluded evolution. This study establishes the extent of inclusion of evolution in UK medical courses, reports on the level of medical student rejection of…

Evolving trauma and orthopedics training in the UK.

PubMed

Inaparthy, Praveen K; Sayana, Murali K; Maffulli, Nicola

2013-01-01

The ever-growing population of the UK has resulted in increasing demands on its healthcare service. Changes have been introduced in the UK medical training system to avoid loss of training time and make it more focused and productive. Modernizing medical careers (MMC) was introduced in 2005. This promised to reduce the training period for a safe trauma specialist, in trauma and orthopedics, to 10 years. At around the same time, the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) was introduced to reduce the working hours for junior doctors in training, to improve patient safety and also work-life balance of junior doctors. Introduction of the assessment tools from Orthopedic Competency assessment project (OCAP) will help tailor the training according to the needs of the trainee. The aim of this article is to review the changes in the UK orthopedic surgical training over the past two decades. Copyright © 2012 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mathematics delivering the advantage: the role of mathematicians in manufacturing and beyond

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Much has been written about the benefits that mathematics can bring to the UK economy and the manufacturing sector in particular, but less on the value of mathematicians and a mathematical training. This article, written from an industry perspective, considers the value of mathematicians to the UK's industrial base and the importance to the UK economy of encouraging young people in the UK to choose to study mathematics at school as a gateway to a wide range of careers. The points are illustrated using examples from the author's 20 years' experience in the security and intelligence and manufacturing sectors. PMID:28588416

Uses of the Twins UK genetic database.

PubMed

Spector, Tim D

2007-11-01

Tim Spector is a Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at King's College London and Director of the Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology Unit at St Thomas' Hospital, London. Professor Spector graduated from St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical School, London, in 1982. After working in General Medicine, he completed a MSc in Epidemiology, and his MD degree at the University of London in 1989. He founded the UK Twins Registry of 10,000 twins in 1993, which is one of the largest collections of genotype and phenotype information on twins worldwide, whose breadth of research has expanded to cover a wide range of common complex traits many of which were previously thought to be mainly due to aging and the environment. He has published over 350 research articles on common diseases. He has written several original articles on the genetics of a wide range of diseases and traits including back pain, acne, inflammation, obesity, memory, musical ability and sexuality. He is the principal investigator of the EU Euroclot and Treat OA study, and a partner in five others. He has written several books, focusing on osteoporosis and genetics and, in 2003, he published a popular book on genetics: Your Genes Unzipped.

Abortion legislation: exploring perspectives of general practitioners and obstetrics and gynaecology clinicians.

PubMed

Theodosiou, Anastasia A; Mitchell, Oliver R

2015-02-01

Abortion legislation remains a contentious topic in the UK, which receives much attention from politicians, clinicians and professional bodies alike. In this study, the perspectives of general practitioners and obstetrics and gynaecology clinicians on the Abortion Act 1967 was explored. To this end, a short electronic questionnaire was distributed to all 211 GP and obstetrics and gynaecology clinicians affiliated with the University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine. Of the 100 anonymous responses collected, a significant majority felt that abortion law in Northern Ireland should be changed in line with the rest of the UK. The respondents' votes, however, were either opposed to or divided over any other changes to the Abortion Act, including altering the 24 week time limit, clarifying the legal definition of fetal abnormalities, introducing abortion purely on the woman's request, and modifying the requirement for two clinicians to approve any request for abortion. These perspectives were not entirely aligned with the recommendations of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee, or with current medical evidence and demographic data. Copyright © 2014 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Discovering Innovation at the Intersection of Undergraduate Medical Education, Human Factors, and Collaboration: The Development of a Nasogastric Tube Safety Pack.

PubMed

Taylor, Natalie; Bamford, Thomas; Haindl, Cornelia; Cracknell, Alison

2016-04-01

Significant deficiencies exist in the knowledge and skills of medical students and residents around health care quality and safety. The theory and practice of quality and safety should be embedded into undergraduate medical practice so that health care professionals are capable of developing interventions and innovations to effectively anticipate and mitigate errors. Since 2011, Leeds Medical School in the United Kingdom has used case study examples of nasogastric (NG) tube patient safety incidents within the undergraduate patient safety curriculum. In 2012, a medical undergraduate student approached a clinician with an innovative idea after undertaking an NG tubes root cause analysis case study. Simultaneously, a separate local project demonstrated low compliance (11.6%) with the United Kingdom's National Patient Safety Agency NG tubes guideline for use of the correct method to check tube position. These separate endeavors led to interdisciplinary collaboration between a medical student, health care professionals, researchers, and industry to develop the Initial Placement Nasogastric Tube Safety Pack. Human factors engineering was used to inform pack design to allow guideline recommendations to be accessible and easy to follow. A timeline of product development, mapped against key human factors and medical device design principles used throughout the process, is presented. The safety pack has since been launched in five UK National Health Service (NHS) hospitals, and the pack has been introduced into health care professional staff training for NG tubes. A mixed-methods evaluation is currently under way in five NHS organizations.

Emergent Communities of Practice: Secondary Schools' Interaction with Primary School Foreign Language Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Michael; Fisher, Linda

2012-01-01

The aim of this paper is to give an account of the response of secondary schools to the primary school foreign language teaching initiative recently introduced by the UK government. The paper also explores defining features of the process of cross-phase interaction and the role that knowledge and collaborative practice plays in generating change…

Inclusive Education for Students with Refugee Experience: Whole School Reform in a South Australian Primary School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pugh, Karen; Every, Danielle; Hattam, Robert

2012-01-01

In recent years, there has been an increase in students with refugee experience in the UK, the US, Europe and Australia. These students face many barriers to education, and appropriately educating this diverse student population presents many challenges to schools and education departments. We argue that a whole of school approach that includes…

Towards an Understanding of the Place of Ethics in School-Based Action Research in the United Kingdom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brindley, Sue; Bowker, Anne

2013-01-01

As school-based action research has taken a higher profile in UK schools, the place of ethics warrants particular attention. This paper draws on evidence from a taught online Master of Education course collated via chat room discussion where 53 researching teachers were asked to explore policy within their own institution regarding school-based…

Environmental Design and Educational Performance, with Particular Reference to "Green" Schools in Hampshire and Essex

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Brian W.

2006-01-01

This article examines the argument that "green" schools enhance educational performance. Having set the context of the relationship between environmentalism and the design of schools in the twentieth century, the article explores the performance of a number of green schools built in the UK between 1980 and 1995. The aim is to discover…

Research and the problems of litter and medical wastes on the UK coastline.

PubMed

Philipp, R; Pond, K; Rees, G

1997-01-01

Recent research has shown that recreational water and bathing beach quality are associated with injury, infection and personal well-being. Continued surveillance is essential to audit the environmental and associated health trends. In the Coastwatch UK project and since 1989, annual surveys each autumn have been undertaken during a two-week study period, into the extent of littering of the UK coastline. The Public Health Laboratory Service also collects data on the use of hepatitis B immunoglobulin. In these studies it is now possible to examine time trends. The findings are not reassuring. They help to justify present concern about the health effects of discarded litter and medical waste and fears that environmental degradation could lead to loss of income from tourism. In response, some health and local authorities have started public education programmes, supplying litter bins on or near bathing beaches, emptying them regularly and undertaking beach cleansing during the summer months. The UK government is also introducing new legislation that will require 6 mm fine mesh wire screens on all shore-based sewage outlets around the UK coastline. Continued monitoring is needed to assess the effectiveness of these interventions. The need for greater personal responsibility is particularly identified.

Discrimination, harassment and non-reporting in UK medical education.

PubMed

Broad, Jonathan; Matheson, Marion; Verrall, Fabienne; Taylor, Anna K; Zahra, Daniel; Alldridge, Louise; Feder, Gene

2018-04-01

Discrimination and harassment create a hostile environment with deleterious effects on student well-being and education. In this study, we aimed to: (i) measure prevalences and types of discrimination and harassment in one UK medical school, and (ii) understand how and why students report them. The study used a mixed-methods design. A medical school population survey of 1318 students was carried out in March 2014. Students were asked whether they had experienced, witnessed or reported discrimination or harassment and were given space for free-text comments. Two focus group sessions were conducted to elicit information on types of harassment and the factors that influenced reporting. Proportions were analysed using the Wilson score method and associations tested using chi-squared and regression analyses. Qualitative data were subjected to framework analysis. Degrees of convergence between data were analysed. A total of 259 (19.7%) students responded to the survey. Most participants had experienced (63.3%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 57.3-69.0) or witnessed (56.4%, 95% CI: 50.3-62.3) at least one type of discrimination or harassment. Stereotyping was the form most commonly witnessed (43.2%, 95% CI: 37.4-49.3). In the qualitative data, reports of inappropriate joking and invasion of personal space were common. Black and minority ethnic students had witnessed and religious students had experienced a greater lack of provision (χ 2  = 4.73, p = 0.03 and χ 2  = 4.38, p = 0.04, respectively). Non-heterosexual students had experienced greater joking (χ 2  = 3.99, p = 0.04). Students with disabilities had experienced more stereotyping (χ 2  = 13.5, p < 0.01). Female students and students in clinical years had 2.6 (95% CI: 1.3-5.3) and 3.6 (95% CI: 1.9-7.0) greater odds, respectively, of experiencing or witnessing any type of discrimination or harassment. Seven of 140 survey respondents had reported incidents (5.0%, 95% CI: 2.4-10.0). Reporting was perceived as ineffective and as potentially victimising of the reporter. Harassment and discrimination are prevalent in this sample and associated with gender, ethnicity, sexuality, disability and year group. Reporting is rare and perceived as ineffective. These findings have informed local developments, future strategies and the development of a national prevention policy. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

Aspirations to become an anaesthetist: longitudinal study of historical trends and trajectories of UK-qualified doctors' early career choices and of factors that have influenced their choices.

PubMed

Emmanouil, Beatrice; Goldacre, Michael J; Lambert, Trevor W

2017-07-25

It is important to inform medical educators and workforce planners in Anaesthesia about early career choices for the specialty, factors that influence them and to elucidate how recent choices of men and women doctors relate to the overall historical trends in the specialty's popularity. We analysed longitudinal data on career choice, based on self-completed questionnaires, from national year-of-qualification cohorts of UK-trained doctors from 1974 to 2012 surveyed one, three and 5 years post-qualification. Career destination data 10 years post-qualification were used for qualifiers between 1993 and 2002, to investigate the association between early choice and later destinations. In years 1, 3 and 5 post-qualification, respectively, 59.9% (37,385), 64.6% (31,473), and 67.2% (24,971) of contactable doctors responded. There was an overall increase, from the early to the later cohorts, in the percentage of medical graduates who wished to enter anaesthesia: for instance year 1 choices rose from 4.6 to 9.4%, comparing the 1974 and 2012 cohorts. Men were more likely than women to express an early preference for a career in anaesthesia: for example, at year 3 after qualification anaesthesia was the choice of 10.1% of men and 7.9% of women. There was a striking increase in the certainty with which women chose anaesthesia as their future career specialty in recent compared to earlier cohorts, not reflected in any trends observed in men choosing anaesthesia. Sixty percent of doctors who were anaesthetists, 10 years after qualifying, had specified anaesthesia as their preferred specialty when surveyed in year 1, 80% in year 3, and 92% in year 5. Doctors working as anaesthetists were less likely than those working in other hospital specialties to have specified, as strong influences on specialty choice, 'experience of the subject' as students, 'inclinations before medical school', and 'what I really want to do'. Men anaesthetists were more influenced in their specialty choice than men in other hospital specialties by 'wanting a career with acceptable hours'; the corresponding difference among women was not significant. We suggest a focus on inspirational teaching of anaesthesia in medical school and on greater exposure to the specialty in the foundation programme. Factors which may discourage women from entering anaesthesia should be explored and addressed.

An overview of space medicine.

PubMed

Hodkinson, P D; Anderton, R A; Posselt, B N; Fong, K J

2017-12-01

Space medicine is fundamental to the human exploration of space. It supports survival, function and performance in this challenging and potentially lethal environment. It is international, intercultural and interdisciplinary, operating at the boundaries of exploration, science, technology and medicine. Space medicine is also the latest UK specialty to be recognized by the Royal College of Physicians in the UK and the General Medical Council. This review introduces the field of space medicine and describes the different types of spaceflight, environmental challenges, associated medical and physiological effects, and operational medical considerations. It will describe the varied roles of the space medicine doctor, including the conduct of surgery and anaesthesia, and concludes with a vision of the future for space medicine in the UK.Space medicine doctors have a responsibility to space workers and spaceflight participants. These 'flight surgeons' are key in developing mitigation strategies to ensure the safety, health and performance of space travellers in what is an extreme and hazardous environment. This includes all phases from selection, training and spaceflight itself to post-flight rehabilitation and long-term health. The recent recognition of the speciality provides a pathway to train in this fascinating field of medicine and is a key enabler for the UK Government's commercial spaceflight ambition. © Crown copyright 2017.

Out of Our Heads! Four perspectives on the curation of an on-line exhibition of medically themed artwork by UK medical undergraduates

PubMed Central

Thompson, Trevor; van de Klee, Danny; Lamont-Robinson, Catherine; Duffin, Will

2010-01-01

The Medical School at Bristol University is noted for offering, and in some instances requiring, its students to work creatively with medical themes. Students, artists, educationalists and a web designer have worked to create an on-line exhibition of the resulting creative output. This can be viewed at www.outofourheads.net. This site is a themed repository of poetry, prose, drawings, paintings, cartoons, films, music, dance and rap. Most works come with commentaries that can be as illuminating as the works they describe. The site invites comment and welcomes new postings from anyone connected to medicine. As an alternative to the conventional pedagogical report, and in keeping with the subject matter, in this paper we tell the story of this unique educational enterprise through the narratives of four of its principle architects. The ‘Teacher's Tale’, the ‘Designer's Tale’, the ‘Curator's Tale’ and the ‘Artist's Tale’ offer different, personal, tellings of how the site came to be. Each tale contains hypertext links to notable works on the site some of which have become teaching resources within the institution. This paper is of relevance to anyone who seeks to explore and champion the human insights of this privileged community. PMID:21321667

Strong Genetic Influence on a UK Nationwide Test of Educational Achievement at the End of Compulsory Education at Age 16

PubMed Central

Shakeshaft, Nicholas G.; Trzaskowski, Maciej; McMillan, Andrew; Rimfeld, Kaili; Krapohl, Eva; Haworth, Claire M. A.; Dale, Philip S.; Plomin, Robert

2013-01-01

We have previously shown that individual differences in educational achievement are highly heritable in the early and middle school years in the UK. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether similarly high heritability is found at the end of compulsory education (age 16) for the UK-wide examination, called the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). In a national twin sample of 11,117 16-year-olds, heritability was substantial for overall GCSE performance for compulsory core subjects (58%) as well as for each of them individually: English (52%), mathematics (55%) and science (58%). In contrast, the overall effects of shared environment, which includes all family and school influences shared by members of twin pairs growing up in the same family and attending the same school, accounts for about 36% of the variance of mean GCSE scores. The significance of these findings is that individual differences in educational achievement at the end of compulsory education are not primarily an index of the quality of teachers or schools: much more of the variance of GCSE scores can be attributed to genetics than to school or family environment. We suggest a model of education that recognizes the important role of genetics. Rather than a passive model of schooling as instruction (instruere, ‘to build in’), we propose an active model of education (educare, ‘to bring out’) in which children create their own educational experiences in part on the basis of their genetic propensities, which supports the trend towards personalized learning. PMID:24349000

Strong genetic influence on a UK nationwide test of educational achievement at the end of compulsory education at age 16.

PubMed

Shakeshaft, Nicholas G; Trzaskowski, Maciej; McMillan, Andrew; Rimfeld, Kaili; Krapohl, Eva; Haworth, Claire M A; Dale, Philip S; Plomin, Robert

2013-01-01

We have previously shown that individual differences in educational achievement are highly heritable in the early and middle school years in the UK. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether similarly high heritability is found at the end of compulsory education (age 16) for the UK-wide examination, called the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). In a national twin sample of 11,117 16-year-olds, heritability was substantial for overall GCSE performance for compulsory core subjects (58%) as well as for each of them individually: English (52%), mathematics (55%) and science (58%). In contrast, the overall effects of shared environment, which includes all family and school influences shared by members of twin pairs growing up in the same family and attending the same school, accounts for about 36% of the variance of mean GCSE scores. The significance of these findings is that individual differences in educational achievement at the end of compulsory education are not primarily an index of the quality of teachers or schools: much more of the variance of GCSE scores can be attributed to genetics than to school or family environment. We suggest a model of education that recognizes the important role of genetics. Rather than a passive model of schooling as instruction (instruere, 'to build in'), we propose an active model of education (educare, 'to bring out') in which children create their own educational experiences in part on the basis of their genetic propensities, which supports the trend towards personalized learning.

Current state of medical device nomenclature and taxonomy systems in the UK: spotlight on GMDN and SNOMED CT

PubMed Central

White, Judith; Carolan-Rees, Grace

2013-01-01

A standardised terminology for describing medical devices can enable safe and unambiguous exchange of information. Proposed changes to EU-wide medical devices regulations mandate the use of such a system. This article reviews two important classification systems for medical devices in the UK. The Global Medical Device Nomenclature (GMDN) provides a classification system specifically for medical devices and diagnostics, and facilitates data exchange between manufacturers and regulators. SNOMED CT is the terminology of choice in the NHS for communicating, sharing and storing information about patients’ healthcare episodes. Harmonisation of GMDN and SNOMED CT will encourage use of single terminology throughout the lifetime of a device; from regulatory approval through clinical use and post-marketing surveillance. Manufacturers will be required to register medical devices with a European device database (Eudamed) and to fit certain devices with a Unique Device Identifier; both are efforts to improve transparency and traceability of medical devices. Successful implementation of these elements depends on having a consistent nomenclature for medical devices. PMID:23885299

What's in a name? Nominative determinism in the UK dental workforce.

PubMed

Sleigh, J

2016-12-16

Background Nominative determinism describes the theory that people are more likely to pursue careers that are connected to their names. Compelling research has been carried out across the medical professions that provides strong evidence for this phenomenon, but as yet its applicability to the UK dental workforce remains unknown.Aim The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of dentally-related surnames in the UK dental workforce (dentists and dental care professionals) and compare this to the UK population.Results Dentistry may provide a surprising counter-example to prevailing theories of nominative determinism, as UK dentists are significantly less likely than the UK general population to have dentally-related surnames. This new phenomenon of 'nominative antideterminism' was not observed in the dental care professional (DCP) cohort, for whom the prevalence of dentally-related surnames was similar to that in the wider UK population.

Improved Attitudes to Psychiatry: A Global Mental Health Peer-to-Peer E-Learning Partnership.

PubMed

Keynejad, Roxanne; Garratt, Elisabeth; Adem, Gudon; Finlayson, Alexander; Whitwell, Susannah; Sheriff, Rebecca Syed

2016-08-01

Health links aim to strengthen healthcare systems in low and middle-income countries through mutual exchange of skills, knowledge, and experience. However, student participation remains limited despite growing educational emphasis upon global health. Medical students continue to report negative attitudes to psychiatry in high-income countries, and in Somaliland, the lack of public sector psychiatrists limits medical students' awareness of mental healthcare. The authors describe the design, implementation, and mixed-methods analysis of a peer-to-peer psychiatry e-learning partnership between UK and Somaliland students arising from a global mental health link between the two countries. Medical students at King's College London and Hargeisa and Amoud universities, Somaliland, were grouped into 24 pairs. Participants aimed to complete ten fortnightly meetings to discuss psychiatry topics via the website MedicineAfrica. Students completed initial and final evaluations including Attitudes toward Psychiatry (ATP-30) questions, a stigma questionnaire, and brief evaluations after each meeting. Quantitative findings demonstrated that enjoyment, interest, and academic helpfulness were rated highly by students in Somaliland and moderately by students in the UK. Somaliland students' attitudes to psychiatry were significantly more positive post-participation, whereas UK students' attitudes remained stable. Qualitative findings identified more gains in factual knowledge for Somaliland students, whereas UK students reported more cross-cultural learning. Reasons for non-completion and student-suggested improvements emphasized the need to ensure commitment to the program by participants. This partnership encouraged students to consider global mental health outside the standard medical education environment, through an e-learning format solely utilizing existing resources. This new approach demonstrates potential benefits to students in contrasting locations of brief, focused online peer-to-peer education partnerships, expanding the scope of health links to the medical professionals of the future.

Seeing Ourselves as Others See Us: Egyptian Teachers' Views of Science Education in Secondary Schools in London, UK.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swain, Julian; Monk, Martin; Johnson, Sally

1999-01-01

Explores Egyptian science teachers' views of (1) science education in London secondary schools and (2) how London schools influenced their teaching in Egypt. Explains that the Egyptian teachers were participating in a 12-week in-service course at King's College, London. Discusses the results. (CMK)

Perspectives on Public Relations Training in International Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bunnell, Tristan

2005-01-01

Purpose: Evidence from the UK shows that public relations (PR) in schools initially met with resistance but has since entered a second phase, that of "post marketisation". But, it is still believed that unqualified and untrained administrators practise it in schools. Little formal research has been undertaken into this, especially among the…

A Comparison of Staff Perceptions of Behaviour in Scottish Schools in 2009 and 2006

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munn, Pamela; Sharp, Stephen; Lloyd, Gwynedd; Macleod, Gale; McCluskey, Gillean; Brown, Jane; Hamilton, Lorna

2013-01-01

Behaviour in schools is an enduring public policy concern not only within the UK, but internationally also. Current concern should come as no surprise as behaviour is intimately connected with policy priorities for schools, namely raising standards of attainment and promoting social cohesion. Clearly, standards are threatened where disruptive…

Gender Differences in Perceptions of Studying for the GCSE

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Lynne; Hallam, Susan

2010-01-01

This study explored gender differences in perceptions of studying for the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). The sample comprised 644 pupils drawn from eight schools in Outer London, UK. The schools encompassed pupils who could be regarded as high, middle and low achievers drawn from co-educational and single-sex schools. Pupils…

Developing an Evidence-Informed Support Service for Schools--Reflections on a UK Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharples, Jonathan

2015-01-01

This paper reports on a "proof-of-concept" for evidence-informed practice, whereby schools are provided with tailored support in accessing research evidence and help in implementing evidence-based approaches. Two aspects of intermediary brokerage are explored: (a) creating tailored summary materials for schools, based on education…

Language Abilities of Secondary Age Pupils at Risk of School Exclusion: A Preliminary Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clegg, Judy; Stackhouse, Joy; Finch, Katy; Murphy, Claire; Nicholls, Shelley

2009-01-01

In the UK, exclusions from school because of behaviour problems usually occur when other alternatives have proved unsuccessful. There is some evidence to suggest that behaviour problems and resulting school exclusions are associated with language impairment. In older children who are permanently excluded, expressive rather than receptive language…

Can Restorative Practices in Schools Make a Difference?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCluskey, Gillean; Lloyd, Gwynedd; Kane, Jean; Riddell, Sheila; Stead, Joan; Weedon, Elisabet

2008-01-01

Schools in the UK looking for solutions to concerns about indiscipline have been enthused by the basic premise of restorative practice; the need to restore good relationships when there has been conflict or harm; and develop a school ethos, policies and procedures that reduce the possibilities of such conflict and harm arising. In 2004 the…

The United Kingdom's School Asset Management Plans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Alan

1999-01-01

Examines the U.K.'s Asset Management Plans (AMPs) designed to help Local Education Authorities (LEAs) identify and address the most important priorities in their school capital programs, and to help in their longer term planning and management of the school estate. Discusses AMP objectives, the stages of developing an AMP, and how the Department…

Competition, Choice and Pupil Achievement. CEE DP 56

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibbons, Stephen; Machin, Stephen; Silva, Olmo

2006-01-01

The expansion of school choice and greater competition between schools is currently the centrepiece of government educational policy in the UK. There is an increasing emphasis on parents' right to choose their preferred schools, and whilst many parents may value choice itself, the advocates of these market oriented reforms usually argue that the…

No Outsiders and "The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Child"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rasmussen, Mary Lou

2011-01-01

"Interrogating Heteronormativity in Primary Schools: The No Outsiders Project" is a book that reflects on a research project based in primary schools and funded by The Economic and Social Research Council of the UK. This text is accompanied by another practice-focused work: "Undoing Homophobia in Primary Schools". The project…

Concurrent and Short-Term Longitudinal Associations between Peer Victimization and School and Recess Liking during Middle Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boulton, Michael J.; Chau, Cam; Whitehand, Caroline; Amataya, Kishori; Murray, Lindsay

2009-01-01

Background: Prior studies outside of the UK have shown that peer victimization is negatively associated with school adjustment. Aims: To examine concurrent and short-term longitudinal associations between peer victimization (physical, malicious teasing, deliberate social exclusion, and malicious gossiping) and two measures of school adjustment…

Momentum and Kinetic Energy: Confusable Concepts in Secondary School Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryce, T. G. K.; MacMillan, K.

2009-01-01

Researchers and practitioners alike express concerns about the conceptual difficulties associated with the concepts of momentum and kinetic energy currently taught in school physics. This article presents an in-depth analysis of the treatment given to them in 44 published textbooks written for UK secondary school certificate courses. This is set…

Researching Pupil Well-Being in UK Secondary Schools: Community Psychology and the Politics of Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duckett, Paul; Sixsmith, Judith; Kagan, Carolyn

2008-01-01

This study explores the relationships between a school, its staff and its pupils and the impact of these relationships on school pupils' well-being. The authors adopted a community psychological perspective and applied critical, social constructionist epistemologies and participatory, multi-method research tools. The article discusses the…

Reflections on the Use of Critical Incident Stress Debriefing in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aucott, Clare; Soni, Anita

2016-01-01

Providing support to schools following a critical incident has become an established part of service delivery for many Educational Psychology Services (EPSs) in the UK. This article offers reflections on the use of Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD) in schools. A review of the literature on critical incidents, trauma, resilience and…

Exclusion from School and Recognition of Difference

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCluskey, Gillean; Riddell, Sheila; Weedon, Elisabet; Fordyce, Mariela

2016-01-01

There has been an overall decrease in exclusion rates and numbers in recent years across the UK. This change has often been heralded as evidence that national inclusion policies are "working" and that schools themselves are becoming increasingly inclusive. This article examines findings from a recent study on school exclusion in Wales,…

Strengthening Socio-Emotional Competencies in a School Setting: Data from the Pyramid Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohl, Madeleine; Fox, Pauline; Mitchell, Kathryn

2013-01-01

Background: Development of socio-emotional competencies is key to children's successful social interaction at home and at school. Aims: This study examines the efficacy of a UK primary school-based intervention, the Pyramid project, in strengthening children's socio-emotional competencies. Sample: Participants were 385 children from seven schools…

Changing Tendencies in the UK: Teaching Dialects in Schools and Standardization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minasyan-Bareid, Armenui

2016-01-01

This paper investigates the case of diglossia in Shetland, northern Scotland: the use of dialect and its implementation in pre-school and school educational curriculum. In particular, this article is aimed at revealing methodology and educational programs used in teaching the dialect in order to protect the local language traditions. The article…

Clinical pathology accreditation: standards for the medical laboratory

PubMed Central

Burnett, D; Blair, C; Haeney, M R; Jeffcoate, S L; Scott, K W M; Williams, D L

2002-01-01

This article describes a new set of revised standards for the medical laboratory, which have been produced by Clinical Pathology Accreditation (UK) Ltd (CPA). The original standards have been in use since 1992 and it was recognised that extensive revision was required. A standards revision group was established by CPA and this group used several international standards as source references, so that the resulting new standards are compatible with the most recent international reference sources. The aim is to make the assessment of medical laboratories as objective as possible in the future. CPA plans to introduce these standards in the UK in 2003 following extensive consultation with professional bodies, piloting in selected laboratories, and training of assessors. PMID:12354795

How the UK Can Lead the Terrestrial Translation of Biomedical Advances Arising from Lunar Exploration Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, David A.

2010-12-01

Terrestrial translation of biomedical advances is insufficient justification for lunar exploration. However, terrestrial translation should be viewed as a critical part of the cycle of mission planning, execution and review, both in terms of the progress of space exploration, but also of sustained life on Earth. Thus, both the mission and its potential to benefit mankind are increased by the adoption of human-based exploration of the lunar surface. Whilst European biomedical sciences have grown in stature, there remains a gap between space biomedical science and terrestrial medical application. As such, an opportunity for the UK to take a sustainable leadership role exists by utilising its biomedical science community, socialised health care system (National Health Service) and defined mechanisms to determine the clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness upon health and wellbeing (i.e. National Institute Clinical Excellence), aiding the difficult process of health care rationing. By focusing upon exploitation of the more scientifically rewarding, potentially long-term and more terrestrially analogous challenge of lunar habitation, the UK would circumnavigate the current impediments to International Space Station utilisation. Early engagement in lunar exploration would promote the UK, and its adoption of a leadership role incorporating a considered approach to the development of space biomedicine with an eye to its terrestrial value. For instance, prolonged lunar habitation could provide an `ideal controlled environment' for investigation of medical interventions, in particular multiple interactions (e.g. between exercise and nutrition), a model of accelerated aging and a number of chronic pathologies, including those related to disuse. Lunar advances could provide a springboard for individualized medicine, insights into occupational and de-centralised medicine (e.g. telemedicine) and act as a stimulus for biomedical innovation and understanding. Leadership in biomedical science activities would retain mission critically (and thus avoid obsolesce) so long as a human is involved (irrespective of specific mission architecture) and could be used to leverage opportunities for UK-based institutions, companies and individuals, most notably current ESA astronaut candidate Major Tim Peake. A combination of ESA engagement and national support for space biomedical sciences via research councils (e.g. Medical Research Council) could facilitate a virtuous circle of investment, advancement and socio-economic return invigorating the NHS, education, and key research initiatives such as ESA Harwell, UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation, and the newly instigated Academic Health Science Centres. Such a strategy could also boost private space enterprise within the UK including the creation of a space port and could help retain the UK's position as a European aerospace transportation, services and legislative hub. By focusing upon its biomedical strength within a multi-faceted but co-ordinated strategy of engagement, the UK could reap significant socio-economic benefits for the UK and its citizens, be they on the Moon, or the Earth.