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Medical Students (medical + student)
Kinds of Medical Students Terms modified by Medical Students Selected AbstractsTeaching Evidence-based Medicine to Medical StudentsACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 12 2004Richard B. Ismach MD Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is the rubric for an approach to learning and practicing medicine that applies skills from clinical epidemiology, library science, and information management to clinical practice. Teaching EBM effectively requires a longitudinal approach throughout medical education. This presents many opportunities for academic emergency physicians, especially in the setting of an emergency medicine clerkship. EBM is best taught at the bedside, although this depends on a skilled and interested faculty. Bedside teaching of EBM also requires ready access to modern information resources. Other venues for teaching EBM include morning report, teaching conferences, and journal clubs. Many tools can be used to aid the process, including Web-based sources such as UpToDate, textbooks, and Web-based tutorials, educational prescriptions, and critically appraised topics. [source] An Educator's Guide to Teaching Emergency Medicine to Medical StudentsACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 3 2004Wendy C. Coates MD Abstract There is a need for every medical school graduate to handle emergencies as they arise in the daily practice of medicine. Emergency medicine (EM) educators are in a unique position to provide students with basic life support skills, guidance in assessing the undifferentiated patient, and exposure to the specialty of EM during all years of medical school. Emergency physicians can become involved in a variety of education experiences that can supplement the preclinical curriculum and provide access to our specialty at an early stage. A well-designed course in the senior year allows students to develop critical thinking and patient management skills that are necessary for any medical career path. It can ensure that all medical students are exposed to the skills essential for evaluating and stabilizing the acutely ill patient. To implement this type of course, learning objectives and evaluation methods must be set when the curriculum is developed. An effective course combines didactic and clinical components that draw on the strengths of the teaching institution and faculty of the department. A structured clerkship orientation session and system for feedback to students are essential in nurturing the development of student learners. This article provides an approach to assist the medical student clerkship director in planning and implementing EM education experiences for students at all levels of training, with an emphasis on the senior-year rotation. [source] Development and Validation of a Geriatric Knowledge Test for Medical StudentsJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 6 2004Ming Lee PhD Objectives: To assesses the reliability and validity of a geriatrics knowledge test designed for medical students. Design: Cross-sectional studies. Setting: An academic medical center. Participants: A total of 343 (86% of those sampled) medical students participated in the initial study, including 137 (76%) first-year, 163 (96%) third-year, and 43 (86% of those sampled) fourth-year students in the 2000,2001 academic year. To cross-validate the instrument, another 165 (92%) third-year and 137 (76%) first-year students participated in the study in the 2001,2002 academic year. Measurements: An 18-item geriatrics knowledge test was developed. The items were selected from a pool of 23 items. An established instrument assessing the clinical skills of medical students was included in the validation procedure. Results: The instrument demonstrated good reliability (Cronbach ,=0.80) and known-groups and concurrent validity. Geriatrics knowledge scores increased progressively with the higher level of medical training (mean percentage correct=31.3, 65.3, and 66.5 for the first-year, third-year, and fourth-year classes, respectively, P<.001). A significant (P<.01) relationship was found between the third-year students' geriatrics knowledge and their clinical skills. Similar results, except the relationship between knowledge and clinical skills, were found in the cross-validation study, supporting the reliability and known-groups validity of the test. Conclusion: The 18-item geriatrics knowledge test demonstrated sound reliability and validity. The average scores of the student groups indicated substantial room for growth. The relationship between geriatrics knowledge and overall clinical skills needs further investigation. [source] Student-Run Health Clinic: Novel Arena to Educate Medical Students on Systems-Based PracticeMOUNT SINAI JOURNAL OF MEDICINE: A JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED AND TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE, Issue 4 2009Yasmin S. Meah MD Abstract In recent decades, the United States has experienced substantial growth in the number of student-run clinics for the indigent. Today, over 49 medical schools across the country operate over 110 student-run outreach clinics that provide primary care services to the poor and uninsured. Despite this development, little research has been published on the educational value of such student-led endeavors. Although much has been surmised, no general methodology for categorizing the learning experience in these clinics has been established. This article represents the first literature review of the novel method of educating students through the operation of a clinic for the underserved. It highlights the student-run clinic as a unique enhancement of medical education that may supplant current curricular arenas in teaching students about systems-based practice principles such as cost containment and financing, resource allocation, interdisciplinary collaboration, patient advocacy, and monitoring and delivery of quality care. The novelty of the student-run clinic is that students place themselves at the forefront of problem solving and system navigation to effectively care for severely disadvantaged populations. This article underscores the student-run clinic as a potentially ideal experiential learning method for preparing young physicians to confront a US healthcare system currently facing crises in cost, quality of care, and high rates of uninsurance. The article stresses the need for outcomes research on the long-term effectiveness of the student-run clinic experience in affecting medical student practice behaviors and attitudes in patient care settings that extend beyond the student-run clinic. Mt Sinai J Med 76:344,356, 2009. © 2008 Mount Sinai School of Medicine [source] Cancer Pain Education for Medical Students: The Development of a Short Course on CD-ROMPAIN MEDICINE, Issue 1 2002Paul A. Sloan MD Objective., The purpose of this study was to assess the educational value and acceptability of a short CD-ROM course on cancer pain management given to third-year medical students at the University of Kentucky. Methods., Thirty-six medical students were given a short-course CD-ROM on cancer pain assessment and management. The Cancer Pain CD-ROM included textual instruction as well as video clips and a 15-item interactive self-assessment examination on cancer pain management. Students were asked to evaluate the computerized course with an 18-item survey using a Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree; 5 = strongly agree). Results., Twenty-seven medical students completed the course, however, only 11 returned evaluations. In general, the medical students appreciated the CD-ROM material, with the exception of the video clips. Students agreed most strongly (mean ± standard deviation [SD]) that the educational material on the CD-ROM was presented clearly (3.9 ± 1.1), the CD-ROM format was easy to use (4.0 ± 0.8), the CD-ROM course improved knowledge of opioid use for cancer pain (4.0 ± 0.7), and the course improved understanding of opioid-related side effects (4.0 ± 0.7). The self-assessment examination on cancer pain was rated easy to use and felt to be helpful (4.0 ± 0.9) for students to identify cancer pain knowledge deficits. The authors estimate that 150 man-hours were needed to complete production of the CD-ROM without any specialized training in computer skills. Conclusions., A short-course computer format program was developed by the authors to teach the basics of cancer pain management to medical students. A minority of students evaluated the program and agreed the material was clearly presented, improved knowledge of opioid analgesia, and was easy to use. [source] Teaching Pain Management to Medical StudentsPAIN PRACTICE, Issue 2 2009James E. Heavner PhD No abstract is available for this article. [source] Emergency Medicine Clerkship Primer: A Manual for Medical StudentsACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 12 2009Kapil Dhingra MD No abstract is available for this article. [source] A Four-Year Perspective of Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Tests: An Online Testing Tool for Medical StudentsACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 2009Emily L. Senecal MD Abstract Nationwide survey findings that most U.S. emergency medicine clerkship directors were interested in participating in a methodologically rigorous student testing program prompted the development of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Medical Student Online Testing Service (SAEM Tests). This article describes the development of SAEM Tests and details usage and progress since the on-line release in June 2005. Specifically, we review the construction of SAEM Tests and present validity and difficulty statistics obtained at the first analysis of test performance 6 months after its release and again 12 months later after revisions aimed at enhancing test performance. We then review the current status of SAEM Tests and summarize future goals and directions. [source] Evaluation of a Web-based Asynchronous Pediatric Emergency Medicine Learning Tool for Residents and Medical StudentsACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 2009Kreg Burnette MD Abstract Objectives:, To examine the effectiveness of an asynchronous learning tool consisting of web-based lectures for trainees covering major topics pertinent to pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) and to assess resident and student evaluation of this mode of education. Methods:, PEM faculty and fellows created a 21-lecture, web-based curriculum. These 20-minute online lectures used Microsoft PowerPoint with the voice-over feature. A 75-question test was created to assess the effectiveness of the web-based learning model, administered online before and after the rotation in the pediatric emergency department (PED). All fourth-year medical students and residents (across all specialties) rotating through the PED were required to complete 10 of the 21 lectures during their 1-month rotation. The main outcome variable was difference in score between pre- and post-rotation tests of participants who viewed no lectures and those who viewed at least one lecture. Evaluation of the program was assessed by anonymous survey using 5-point discrete visual analog scales. Responses of 4 or 5 were considered positive for analysis. Results:, One hundred eleven residents and fourth-year medical students participated in the program. An initial 32 completed testing before implementation of the on-line lectures (March 2007,August 2007), and another five did not complete the on-line lectures after implementation (September 2007,February 2008). Seventy-one completed testing and on-line lectures, and all but three completed at least 10 on-line lectures during their rotation. Fourteen of 111 trainees did not complete the pre- or post-test (including two who viewed the lectures). The mean change in score was a 1% improvement from pre-test to post-test for trainees who viewed no lectures and a 6.2% improvement for those who viewed the lectures (mean difference = 5.2%, 95% confidence interval = 2.5% to 7.9%). In the linear regression model, the estimate of the coefficient was 0.43 (p < 0.001), meaning that, for each lecture viewed, post-test score rose by 0.43%. Sixty-nine of 75 test items (92%) had a point biserial correlation greater than 0.15. Thirty of the 72 trainees who completed the online lectures and testing (42%) returned surveys. All were comfortable using the Internet, and 87% (26/30) found the web-site easy to use. All felt that their educational goals were met, and 100% felt that the format would be useful in other areas of education. Conclusions:, Although not a replacement for traditional bedside teaching, the use of web-based lectures as an asynchronous learning tool has a positive effect on medical knowledge test scores. Trainees were able to view online lectures on their own schedules, in the location of their choice. This is helpful in a field with shift work, in which trainees rarely work together, making it difficult to synchronously provide lectures to all trainees. [source] ORIGINAL RESEARCH,WOMEN'S SEXUAL HEALTH: Prevalence of Sexual Dysfunction and Impact of Contraception in Female German Medical StudentsTHE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 6 2010Christian W. Wallwiener MD ABSTRACT Introduction., Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is a very common disorder, with an estimated prevalence of having at least one sexual dysfunction of about 40%. Aim., To investigate the prevalence and types of FSD and the relationship between hormonal contraception (HC) and FSD in female German medical students. Main Outcome Measures., Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) with additional questions on contraception, sexual activity, and other factors that may influence sexual function. Methods., An online questionnaire based on the FSFI was completed by students from six medical schools. Obtained data were screened for inconsistencies by programmed algorithms. Results., A total of 1,219 completed questionnaires were received, and 1,086 were included in the analyses after screening. The mean total FSFI score was 28.6 +/, 4.5. 32.4% of women were at risk for FSD according to FSFI definitions. Based on domain scores, 8.7% for were at risk for FSD concerning orgasm, 5.8% for desire, 2.6% for satisfaction, 1.2% for lubrication, 1.1% for pain and 1.0% for arousal. The method of contraception and smoking were factors with significant effect on the total FSFI score whereby hormonal contraception was associated with lower total FSFI scores and lower desire and arousal scores than no contraception and non-hormonal contraception only. Other variables such as stress, pregnancy, smoking, relationship and wish for children had an important impact on sexual function as expected according to earlier studies. Conclusions., The prevalence of students at high risk for FSD was consistent with the literature although domain subscores differed from samples previously described. The contraception method has a significant effect on the sexual functioning score and women using contraception, especially hormonal contraception, had lower sexual functioning scores. Stress and relationship among other variables were found to be associated with sexual function and may thus provide insight into the etiology of sexual disorders. Wallwiener CW, Wallwiener L-M, Seeger H, Mück AO, Bitzer J, and Wallwiener M. Prevalence of sexual dysfunction and impact of contraception in female german medical students. J Sex Med 2010;7:2139,2148. [source] Cricothyrotomy Technique Using Gum Elastic Bougie Is Faster Than Standard Technique: A Study of Emergency Medicine Residents and Medical Students in an Animal LabACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 6 2010Chandler Hill MD Abstract Objectives:, The objective was to compare time to completion, failure rate, and subjective difficulty of a new cricothyrotomy technique to the standard technique. The new bougie-assisted cricothyrotomy technique (BACT) is similar to the rapid four-step technique (RFST), but a bougie and endotracheal tube are inserted rather than a Shiley tracheostomy tube. Methods:, This was a randomized controlled trail conducted on domestic sheep. During a 3-month period inexperienced residents or students were randomized to perform cricothyrotomy on anesthetized sheep using either the standard technique or the BACT. Operators were trained with an educational video before the procedure. Time to successful cricothyrotomy was recorded. The resident or student was then asked to rate the difficulty of the procedure on a five-point scale from 1 (very easy) to 5 (very difficult). Results:, Twenty-one residents and students were included in the study: 11 in the standard group and 10 in the BACT group. Compared to the standard technique, the BACT was significantly faster with a median time of 67 seconds (interquartile range [IQR] = 55,82) versus 149 seconds (IQR = 111,201) for the standard technique (p = 0.002). The BACT was also rated easier to perform (median = 2, IQR = 1,3) than the standard technique (median = 3, IQR = 2,4; p = 0.04). The failure rate was 1/10 for the BACT compared to 3/11 for the standard method (p = NS). Conclusions:, This study demonstrates that the BACT is faster than the standard technique and has a similar failure rate when performed by inexperienced providers on anesthetized sheep. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:666,669 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine [source] Competence of New Emergency Medicine Residents in the Performance of Lumbar PuncturesACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 7 2005Richard L. Lammers MD Abstract Background: Medical students are taught some procedural skills during medical school, but there is no uniform set of procedures that all students learn before residency. Objective: To determine the level of competence in the performance of a lumbar puncture (LP) by new postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) emergency medicine (EM) residents. Methods: An observational study was conducted at three EM residencies with 42 PGY1 residents who recently graduated from 26 various medical schools. The LP procedure was divided into 26 major and 44 minor steps to create a scoring protocol. The model, procedure, and scoring protocol were validated by experienced emergency physicians. Subjects performed the procedure without interruption or feedback on an LP training model using a standard LP kit. A step was scored as "performed correctly" if two of the three evaluators concurred. Pre- and poststudy questionnaires assessed subjects' prior instruction and clinical experience with LP, self-confidence, sense of relevance, motivation, and fatigue. Results: Subjects completed an average of 14.8 (57%; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 53% to 61%) of the major steps (range: 4,26) and 19.1 (43%; 95% CI = 42% to 45%) of the minor steps (range: 7,28) in 14.3 minutes (range: 3,22). Sixty-nine percent failed to obtain cerebrospinal fluid from the model. Subjects' levels of confidence changed slightly on a five-point scale from 2.8 ("little-to-some") before the test to 2.5 after the test. Eighty-three percent of the subjects previously performed LPs on patients during medical school (average attempts = 2.2; range: 0,10), but only 40% of those who did so were supervised by an attending during their first attempt. Conclusions: In the cohort studied, new PGY1 EM residents had not attained competence in performing LPs from training in medical school. Most new PGY1 residents probably require training, practice, and close, direct supervision of this procedure by attending physicians until the residents demonstrate competent performance. [source] Cutaneous disorders in the "bairro Inhamudima" of Beira, MozambiqueINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 2007Kajal Chhaganlal Background, There are no reliable data on the prevalence of skin diseases in Mozambique. Aim, To address this issue and to apply the findings to the dermatology teaching program at the Universidade Católica de Moçambique. Methods, Medical students attempted to identify the most common skin disorders in the "bairro Inhamudima" of Beira, Mozambique by conducting a population survey. During a 3-month period, the students visited families in a slum area. Information on gender, age, human immunodeficiency virus status, cutaneous abnormalities, diagnosis, treatment, and clinical course was recorded. Results, Eleven per cent of the study population suffered from cutaneous disease. More than half the patients (57%) sought medical assistance, but 39% could not be diagnosed by the medical students. The most common disorder was scabies. Other problems included fungal infections, viral infections, allergies, and dermatitis with or without secondary bacterial infection. Conclusions, There is a major dermatologic need in the slum areas of Beira, Mozambique. The dermatology teaching program should pay particular attention to training in the diagnosis and management of infections and infestations. [source] Medical students' recognition of elder abuseINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 7 2009Jonas Thompson-McCormick Abstract Objectives To determine the proportion of fourth-year medical students who correctly recognise abusive and not abusive care of older people and whether recognition is related to sociodemographic factors and education. Design A cross-sectional self-report questionnaire study, using the Caregiving Scenario Questionnaire; measuring recognition of elder abuse according to the Department of Health's definition. Participants Fourth-year medical students at University College London and the University of Birmingham, UK. Results Two hundred and two of 207 students (97.6%) responded. Twenty-nine of 201 (14.4%) identified accepting someone was not clean; 113/200 (56.5%) locking someone in alone; and 160/200 (80.0%) trapping someone in an armchair as abusive. All medical students correctly identified four out of five not abusive responses. Twelve (6.0%) incorrectly identified camouflaging the door to prevent wandering as abusive. Logistic regression analysis found the independent predictors of recognising that locking in alone was abusive were working as a professional carer (OR,=,3.33, 95% CI,=,1.25,8.89, p,<,0.05) and reporting being taught to look for elder abuse (OR,=,0.46, 95% CI,=,0.24,0.89, p,<,0.05). Similarly, the independent predictors of recognising that restraint in an armchair was abusive were attending university A versus university B (OR,=,2.38, 95% CI,=,1.09,5.26, p,<,0.05); being of White British versus Asian ethnicity (OR,=,4.00, 95% CI,=,1.75,9.09, p,<,0.01). Conclusions Medical students are good at recognising not abusive care, but not as successful at recognising elder abuse. Working as a professional carer was associated with better recognition of abuse, while personal contact with a person with dementia and recalling formal education about abuse were not. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Interest in Geriatric Medicine in Canada: How Can We Secure a Next Generation of Geriatricians?JOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 3 2006FRCP(C), Laura L. Diachun MEd In Canada, there is minimal training of geriatrics for physicians, a shortage of geriatricians, and extremely low numbers of students entering geriatrics. This study explored student interest in and barriers and enticements to geriatric medicine as a career choice. Medical students attending a university in Ontario, Canada, were surveyed in their first year (N=121), after a geriatric education session, and again in their second year (N=118) about their interest in a career in geriatrics. In the first year, less than 20% of students were interested in geriatrics; in the second year this decreased to 16%. In both years, female students were more interested than male students. Those students interested in geriatrics had higher hopes that their practice would involve primarily adults and seniors. Students not interested in geriatrics rated performing procedures and technical skills, not wanting to work with chronically ill patients, and caring for younger patients as important practice characteristics. Although the importance of prestige was low for all students, it was significantly higher for those not interested in geriatrics. Although changes to prestige, income, lifestyle, and length of residency training were identified as potential enticements to geriatrics, they were not major deterrents to a career in geriatrics. The findings suggest strategies that may affect student interest in geriatrics, such as increased and early student exposure to geriatrics with emphasis on fostering and nurturing student interest, consideration of various enticements to this specialty, and the development of health system,specific solutions to this problem. Knowledge of student and practice characteristics that increase the likelihood of selecting geriatrics as a specialty may allow for early identification and support of future geriatricians. [source] Evaluation of nursing and medical students' attitudes towards people with disabilitiesJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 15-16 2010Hatice Sahin Aims and objectives., The aim of this study is to assess the attitudes of students towards disabled people and provide suggestions to make necessary changes in the curricula. Background., Disabled people suffer from rejection, exclusion and discrimination. The undergraduate education of future health professionals should include processes of critical thinking towards and analysis of the disabled. Design., Cross-sectional design was used. Methods., All the preclinical medical and nursing students in our institution were included in study. Data were collected using the Turkish Attitudes towards Disabled Person Scale (TATDP) and demographical variables. TATDP Scale was scored according to five-point Likert Scale. Results., Students' mean attitude score is 120·57 (SD 15·24). Subscale mean scores are 53·61 (SD 7·25) for compassion (CP), 50·47 (SDS 7·26) for social value (SV) and 16·49 (SD 2·89) for resource distribution (RD). Whilst nursing students had less contact with the disabled, medical students had a closer contact with them. Medical students acquired more prior knowledge about attitudes towards the disabled. Total attitude scores of female students were above the students' mean attitude score when compared to those of male students. Conclusion., Only if early contact is established with patients and the disabled, practical educational strategies are adopted, and the students are provided with information on attitudes about the disabled, will a social model of disability be introduced into the curriculum. Relevance to clinical practice., This study results were presented to curriculum planning committees of nursing and medical schools, so that they should use them as needs assessment data in developing a disability awareness curriculum. The curriculum will be implemented in cooperation with not only schools but also other social institutions. For instance, clerkship applications will be accomplished by cooperating with nursing homes and organisations of disabled people. [source] Medical students' perceptions of their educational environment: expected versus actual perceptionsMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 3 2007Susan Miles Objective, To compare Year 1 medical students' perceptions of their educational environment at the end of Year 1, with their expectations at the beginning of the year using the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM). Methods, Year 1 students (n = 130) at the University of East Anglia Medical School were asked to complete the DREEM during their induction week at the beginning of Year 1, thinking about the educational environment they expected to encounter (Expected DREEM), and again as part of a compulsory evaluation at the end of Year 1, thinking about the educational environment they had actually experienced (Actual DREEM). A total of 87 students (66.92% of the starting cohort) completed the DREEM on both occasions and gave permission for their data to be published. Results, The Expected DREEM score was 153 out of a maximum of 200, and the Actual DREEM score was 143. Student's expected perceptions of learning and teachers, and their expected academic self- and social self-perceptions were all more positive than their actual perceptions. There was no difference between expected and actual perceptions of atmosphere. Specific aspects of the educational environment showing dissonance were identified. In some areas students' low expectations had been matched by their actual experience. Conclusions, Medical students had started Year 1 with expectations about the educational environment that had not been met. However, areas showing dissonance received low item scores on the Actual DREEM and as such would be picked up for remediation, even without information about student expectations. [source] Factors affecting future choice of specialty among first-year medical students of the University of the West Indies, TrinidadMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 1 2007Nelleen S Baboolal Background, This study was conducted to determine factors that influence career choice among 1st-year medical students. Design And Methods, A cross-sectional survey of 170 1st-year medical students from the University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus was undertaken with a questionnaire designed to assess their perceptions of careers in various specialties. Likert scales were used to quantify the reasons for their preferences. Results, The response rate was 136/170 (80%). The age of respondents ranged from 16 to 36 years, mean 20.45, SD 2.88. Of the generic factors students considered important in their choice of a specialty, students ranked the ability to help patients the highest (rating of 1.44), along with the diagnosis and treatment of disease second (rating of 1.49); 38 (27.9%) cited medicine, 26 (19.1%) surgery, 13 (9.6%) paediatrics, 10 (7.4%) family practice and 4 (2.9%) psychiatry as their chosen career. Students begin their medical training with the view that a career in psychiatry is less attractive than other specialties surveyed. The average attractiveness was estimated as surgery 1.64, medicine, 1.81, paediatrics 1.95 and psychiatry 2.57. The differences between the averages were highly significant (F = 57.6, P < 0.001). Conclusion, The findings suggest that although 1st-year medical students rank the diagnosis and treatment of disease and the ability to help patients as the greatest influence in choosing a specialty, internal medicine was the most popular chosen career, while the surgical specialties were identified as the most attractive. Medical students have serious reservations about psychiatry as a career choice. [source] Medical students, deaf patients and cancerMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 11 2004Jacqueline H Farber No abstract is available for this article. [source] Interpreting course evaluation results: insights from thinkaloud interviews with medical studentsMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 10 2004Susan Billings-Gagliardi Purpose, To determine whether some of the fundamental assumptions that frequently underlie interpretation of course evaluation results are justified by investigating what medical students are thinking as they complete a typical basic science course evaluation. Methods, A total of 24 students participated in thinkaloud cognitive interviews, voicing their thoughts while completing a typical evaluation instrument that included items on overall course design, educational materials and methods, and faculty teaching. Students' responses were organised to consider how they interpreted questions, formed judgements and selected response options. Major themes relevant to the meaningful interpretation of course evaluation data were identified. Results, Medical students understood educational terms such as ,independent learning' in different ways from both one another and common usage. When formulating responses, students' judgements were sometimes based on unique or unexpected criteria, and they described editing their judgements by considering factors such as effort or caring on the part of teaching faculty. Students tended to avoid using the lower end of the rating scale, used the highest rating option selectively, but chose the second highest category indiscriminately. Conclusions, These results call into question fundamental assumptions that frequently underlie interpretation of course evaluation results, such as whether students understand the intended meanings of terms used in items; whether faculty members who receive the same rating are perceived similarly; whether ratings actually reflect teaching effectiveness, and whether ,positive' ratings reflect positive opinions. This study also demonstrates how thinkaloud interviews can be used in validity studies, providing information to supplement statistical and psychometric analyses. [source] Approaches to learning and studying in medical students: validation of a revised inventory and its relation to student characteristics and performanceMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 5 2004Karen Mattick Introduction, Inventories to quantify approaches to studying try to determine how students approach academic tasks. Medical curricula usually aim to promote a deep approach to studying, which is associated with academic success and which may predict desirable traits postqualification. Aims, This study aimed to validate a revised Approaches to Learning and Studying Inventory (ALSI) in medical students and to explore its relation to student characteristics and performance. Methods, Confirmatory factor analysis was used to validate the reported constructs in a sample of 128 Year 1 medical students. Models were developed to investigate the effect of age, graduate status and gender, and the relationships between approaches to studying and assessment outcomes. Results, The ALSI performed as anticipated in this population, thus validating its use in our sample, but a 4-factor solution had a better fit than the reported 5-factor one. Medical students scored highly on deep approach compared with other students in higher education. Graduate status and gender had significant effects on approach to studying and a deep approach was associated with higher academic scores. Conclusions, The ALSI is valid for use in medical students and can uncover interesting relationships between approaches to studying and student characteristics. In addition, the ALSI has potential as a tool to predict student success, both academically and beyond qualification. [source] Medical students' personality characteristics and academic performance: a five-factor model perspectiveMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 11 2002Filip Lievens Objectives, This study investigates: (1) which personality traits are typical of medical students as compared to other students, and (2) which personality traits predict medical student performance in pre-clinical years. Design, This paper reports a cross-sectional inventory study of students in nine academic majors and a prospective longitudinal study of one cohort of medical students assessed by inventory during their first preclinical year and by university examination at the end of each pre-clinical year. Subjects and methods In 1997, a combined total of 785 students entered medical studies courses in five Flemish universities. Of these, 631 (80·4%) completed the NEO-PI-R (i.e. a measure of the Five-Factor Model of Personality). This was also completed by 914 Year 1 students of seven other academic majors at Ghent University. Year end scores for medical students were obtained for 607 students in Year 1, for 413 in Year 2, and for 341 in Year 3. Results, Medical studies falls into the group of majors where students score highest on extraversion and agreeableness. Conscientiousness (i.e. self-achievement and self-discipline) significantly predicts final scores in each pre-clinical year. Medical students who score low on conscientiousness and high on gregariousness and excitement-seeking are significantly less likely to sit examinations successfully. Conclusions, The higher scores for extraversion and agreeableness, two dimensions defining the interpersonal dynamic, may be beneficial for doctors' collaboration and communication skills in future professional practice. Because conscientiousness affects examination results and can be reliably assessed at the start of a medical study career, personality assessment may be a useful tool in student counselling and guidance. [source] Making and sharing decisions about management with patients: the views and experiences of pre-registration house officers in general practice and hospitalMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 1 2002J E Thistlethwaite Objectives To explore the views and experiences of pre-registration house officers (PRHOs) in general practice and hospital settings regarding the concept of patient partnership and their experience of involving patients in management decisions. Design The 12 PRHOs who had graduated from British universities and who were working within the Yorkshire Deanery were interviewed towards the end of their four-month general practice attachments. The interviews were semi-structured and analysed qualitatively. Results Three major themes emerged. The PRHOs perceived differences in approach between consultations carried out in hospital and primary care settings, with general practitioners being more likely to share information and decisions with patients. As medical students, the PRHOs had little opportunity to practise sharing information and management decisions with patients, and variable experience of this after graduation. On the whole they were favourable to the concept of patient partnership. Conclusions Medical students and PRHOs lack training and opportunities to decide on management and discuss this with patients and yet, particularly in general practice settings, they have to practise these skills. The PRHOs had begun to develop strategies to decide how much information to give to patients and to what extent to involve patients in management decisions. This is an area that needs further consideration when planning both undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. [source] Standard setting in an objective structured clinical examination: use of global ratings of borderline performance to determine the passing scoreMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 11 2001Tim J Wilkinson Background Objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) standard-setting procedures are not well developed and are often time-consuming and complex. We report an evaluation of a simple ,contrasting groups' method, applied to an OSCE conducted simultaneously in three separate schools. Subjects Medical students undertaking an end-of-fifth year multidisciplinary OSCE. Methods Using structured marking sheets, pairs of examiners independently scored student performance at each OSCE station. Examiners also provided a global rating of overall performance. The actual scores of any borderline candidates at each station were averaged to provide a passing score for each station. The passing scores for all stations were combined to become the passing score for the whole exam. Validity was determined by making comparisons with performance on other fifth-year assessments. Reliability measures comprised interschool agreement, interexaminer agreement and interstation variability. Results The approach was simple and had face validity. There was a stronger association between the performance of borderline candidates on the OSCE and their in-course assessments than with their performance on the written exam, giving a weak measure of construct validity in the absence of a better ,gold standard'. There was good agreement between examiners in identifying borderline candidates. There were significant differences between schools in the borderline score for some stations, which disappeared when more than three stations were aggregated. Conclusion This practical method provided a valid and reliable competence-based pass mark. Combining marks from all stations before determining the pass mark was more reliable than making decisions based on individual stations. [source] A randomized, controlled, single-blind trial of teaching provided by a computer-based multimedia package versus lectureMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 9 2001Christopher Williams Background Computer-based teaching may allow effective teaching of important psychiatric knowledge and skills. Aims To investigate the effectiveness and acceptability of computer-based teaching. Method A single-blind, randomized, controlled study of 166 undergraduate medical students at the University of Leeds, involving an educational intervention of either a structured lecture or a computer-based teaching package (both of equal duration). Results There was no difference in knowledge between the groups at baseline or immediately after teaching. Both groups made significant gains in knowledge after teaching. Students who attended the lecture rated their subjective knowledge and skills at a statistically significantly higher level than students who had used the computers. Students who had used the computer package scored higher on an objective measure of assessment skills. Students did not perceive the computer package to be as useful as the traditional lecture format, despite finding it easy to use and recommending its use to other students. Conclusions Medical students rate themselves subjectively as learning less from computer-based as compared with lecture-based teaching. Objective measures suggest equivalence in knowledge acquisition and significantly greater skills acquisition for computer-based teaching. [source] What do medical students read and why?MEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 8 2000A survey of medical students in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England Objectives There is increasing interest in the role of medical humanities within the undergraduate curriculum, but we know little about medical students' views on this or about their reading habits. Our study explored the reading habits of medical students, and their attitudes towards literature and the introduction of humanities into the curriculum. Design Self-completion questionnaire survey. Setting Newcastle University and Medical School. Subjects All first-, second- and third-year undergraduate medical students (384), biology students (151) and a random sample of law students (137) were sent a self-completion questionnaire to assess reading levels, attitudes towards literature and the medical humanities (medical students) and the perceived benefits of reading. Results Medical students read widely beyond their course and articulate a range of benefits from this, including: increasing awareness of life outside their experience; introspection or inspiration; emotional responses; and stimulation of an interest in reading or literature. Of the medical students, 40% (103/258) read one or more fiction books per month, but 75% (193) read fewer non-curricular books since starting university, largely because of time pressures, work, study or academic pressures and restricted access to books. A total of 77% (194) thought that medical humanities should definitely or possibly be offered in the curriculum, but of these 73% (141) thought it should be optional and 89% (172) that it should not be examined. Conclusions Medical students read literature for a variety of very positive and valued reasons, but have found leisure reading harder to maintain since starting university. They support inclusion of the humanities in medical education, but have mixed views on how this should be done. [source] Medical students and mental health: the UK perspectiveTHE CLINICAL TEACHER, Issue 2 2008Patricia Hughes First page of article [source] Medical students leading social revolutionsTHE CLINICAL TEACHER, Issue 1 2006R. P. Narayanan No abstract is available for this article. [source] Medical students or consultants in anaesthesia , who would you want to resuscitate you?ANAESTHESIA, Issue 1 2010J. C. Thake No abstract is available for this article. [source] Improving calibration without training: the role of task informationAPPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 4 2003Tim Rakow Medical students estimated probabilities that medical school applicants selected randomly from a defined population would be offered a place on the basis of information about eight characteristics of each one. Estimates were biased in favour of acceptance and this was unaffected by mere provision of base rate information. However, a first experiment showed that provision of this information reduced miscalibration after each candidate had been discussed within small groups of participants. A second experiment showed beneficial effects of providing people with the range of probability responses derived from a statistical model of how candidates' characteristics influenced whether or not they were offered a place. Numerical and graphical representations of this information both improved calibration but did so by having different effects on the distribution of participants' probability responses. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||