Second-year Medical Students (second-year + medical_student)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Early Clinical Exposure to Geriatric Medicine in Second-Year Medical School Students,The McGill Experience

JOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 4 2003
Gustavo Duque MD
This study examined the effect of a curriculum change on early clinical exposure to geriatrics for second-year medical students at McGill University and its effects on learning and students' appreciation of geriatrics as a subspecialty. Second-year medical students (N = 200) were exposed to a change in the curriculum involving the integration of 10 weekly sessions into one integrated week in geriatric medicine. Students participating in 10 weekly sessions were Group 1 and students participating in one integrated week were Group 2. Students rated their rotation using two different scales. The students completed 12-item questionnaires during their feedback sessions at the end of the 10-week session experience or the integrated week. The first six items assessed the students' appreciation of their improvement of knowledge in the subject of geriatrics and aging. The second and third part of the survey (questions 7 and 8) included the students' opinions about the quality of the instruction (teaching feedback) and evaluation. Students in Group 2 found their rotation more effective as a learning experience and expressed greater satisfaction with interaction with the tutors, community settings, and multidisciplinary team sessions. Grades obtained on final examinations showed a better and more-effective acquisition of knowledge by Group 2. The integrated week is a more-effective learning tool in the early clinical experience for medical students in geriatric medicine than 10 weekly sessions as the first introductory experience to the field of geriatric medicine. [source]


Towards more empathic medical students: a medical student hospitalization experience

MEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 6 2002
Michael Wilkes
Objective, We designed a curricular exercise intended to expose healthy medical students, near the end of their basic science training, to the experience of hospitalization. We attempted to assess how a standardized hospitalization, for medical students just about to start their clinical rotations, was experienced by student participants. Design, A qualitative observational design was used, both to explore the perceptions of the hospitalized students and to generate hypotheses for further exploration. Setting, University and affiliated hospitals. Participants, Second-year medical students, towards the end of their basic science training. Outcome measures, Qualitative assessment of hospitalization experience. Results, Among key themes expressed by student participants were the following: they felt a profound loss of privacy; they found the nursing staff to be caring, attentive and professional, and repeatedly commented about how much time the nurses took to talk and listen to them and to take a complete history; in contrast they were particularly upset about the distance and coldness they felt from the medical staff; they expect this experience to affect their own future practice as physicians. When asked how this might change their attitudes in the future, students' comments generally reflected a primary concern with improving the human aspects of the patient experience. Conclusions, Student participants in a standardized inpatient hospitalization generally experienced strong feelings about issues of privacy, and about interactions with medical and nursing staff, which they expect to have an important impact on their own professional development. [source]


A comparison of learning outcomes and attitudes in student- versus faculty-led problem-based learning: an experimental study

MEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 1 2000
David J Steele
Objectives To compare learning outcomes and perceptions of facilitator behaviours and small-group process in problem-based learning (PBL) groups led by students and those led by faculty. Design A prospective, Latin-square cross-over design was employed. Second-year medical students participated in 11 PBL cases over the course of the academic year. For each case, half the student groups were led by faculty and the other half by a student group member selected randomly to serve in the facilitator role. Learning outcomes were assessed by performance on objective examinations covering factual materials pertinent to the case. Perceptions of facilitator behaviours and of group functioning were assessed with a questionnaire completed at the end of each individual case. Focus-group discussions were held to gain more in-depth information about student perceptions and experience. Student-led sessions were observed at random by the investigators. Setting A state-supported, US medical school with a hybrid lecture-based and problem-based curriculum. Subjects One hundred and twenty-seven second-year medical students and 30 basic science and clinical faculty. Results No differences were detected in student performance on the objective evaluation based on whether the facilitator was a faculty member or peer group member, nor were there any differences in the perceptions of group process. Students gave peer facilitators slightly higher ratings in the second semester of the experiment. In the focus-group discussions, students voiced a general preference for student-led groups because they felt they were more efficient. Observation and focus-group reports suggest that groups led by students sometimes took short cuts in the PBL process. Conclusion In a hybrid lecture- and PBL-based curriculum, student performance on objective examinations covering PBL materials is unaffected by the status of the facilitator (student vs. faculty). However, in peer-facilitated groups, students sometimes took short cuts in the PBL process that may undermine some of the intended goals of PBL. [source]


A longitudinal evaluation of medical student knowledge, skills and attitudes to alcohol and drugs

ADDICTION, Issue 6 2006
Gavin Cape
ABSTRACT Aim To examine the knowledge, skills and attitudes of medical students to alcohol and drugs as training progresses. Design A longitudinal, prospective, cohort-based design. Setting The four schools of medicine in New Zealand. Participants All second-year medical students (first year of pre-clinical medical health sciences) in New Zealand were administered a questionnaire which was repeated in the fourth (first year of significant clinical exposure) and then sixth years (final year). A response rate of 98% in the second year, 75% in the fourth year and 34% in the sixth year, with a total of 637 respondents (47.8% male) and an overall response rate of 68%. Questionnaire The questionnaire consisted of 43 questions assessing knowledge and skills,a mixture of true/false and scenario stem-based multiple-choice questions and 25 attitudinal questions scored on a Likert scale. Demographic questions included first language, ethnicity and personal consumption of alcohol and tobacco. Findings The competence (knowledge plus skills) correct scores increased from 23.4% at the second year to 53.6% at the fourth year to 71.8% at the sixth year, being better in those students who drank alcohol and whose first language was English (P < 0.002). As training progressed the student's perceptions of their role adequacy regarding the effectiveness of the management of illicit drug users diminished. For example, at second year 21% and at sixth year 51% of students felt least effective in helping patients to reduce illicit drug use. At the sixth year, 15% of sixthyear students regarded the self-prescription of psychoactive drugs as responsible practice. Conclusion Education on alcohol and drugs for students remains a crucial but underprovided part of the undergraduate medical curriculum. This research demonstrated that while positive teaching outcomes were apparent, further changes to medical student curricula need to be considered to address specific knowledge deficits and to increase the therapeutic commitment and professional safety of medical students to alcohol and drugs. [source]


Improving Medical Student Attitudes Toward Older Patients Through a "Council of Elders" and Reflective Writing Experience

JOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 2 2009
Glenda R. Westmoreland MD
In an effort to reduce "agism" which is prevalent among medical trainees, a new geriatrics educational experience for medical students aimed at improving attitudes toward older patients was developed. Each 90-minute Older Adult Session included four components: initial reflective writing exercise; introduction to the session; 75-minute dialogue with the "Council of Elders," a group of active, "well" older adults; and final reflective writing exercise. The new session was provided to 237 first- and second-year medical students during the 2006/07 academic year at Indiana University School of Medicine. Session evaluation included comparing scores on the 14-item Geriatrics Attitude Scale administered before and after the session, identifying attitude changes in the reflective writing exercises, and a student satisfaction survey. Student responses on the Geriatrics Attitude Scale after the session were significantly improved in seven of 14 items, demonstrating better attitudes toward being with and listening to older people and caring for older patients. Analysis of the reflective writings revealed changing of negative to positive or reinforced positive attitudes in 27% of medical students, with attitudes not discernable in the remaining 73% (except one student, in whom positive attitudes changed to negative). Learner satisfaction with the Older Adult Session was high, with 98% agreeing that the session had a positive effect on insight into the care of older adults. A Council of Elders coupled with a reflective writing exercise is a promising new approach to improving attitudes of medical students toward their geriatric patients. [source]


Early Clinical Exposure to Geriatric Medicine in Second-Year Medical School Students,The McGill Experience

JOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 4 2003
Gustavo Duque MD
This study examined the effect of a curriculum change on early clinical exposure to geriatrics for second-year medical students at McGill University and its effects on learning and students' appreciation of geriatrics as a subspecialty. Second-year medical students (N = 200) were exposed to a change in the curriculum involving the integration of 10 weekly sessions into one integrated week in geriatric medicine. Students participating in 10 weekly sessions were Group 1 and students participating in one integrated week were Group 2. Students rated their rotation using two different scales. The students completed 12-item questionnaires during their feedback sessions at the end of the 10-week session experience or the integrated week. The first six items assessed the students' appreciation of their improvement of knowledge in the subject of geriatrics and aging. The second and third part of the survey (questions 7 and 8) included the students' opinions about the quality of the instruction (teaching feedback) and evaluation. Students in Group 2 found their rotation more effective as a learning experience and expressed greater satisfaction with interaction with the tutors, community settings, and multidisciplinary team sessions. Grades obtained on final examinations showed a better and more-effective acquisition of knowledge by Group 2. The integrated week is a more-effective learning tool in the early clinical experience for medical students in geriatric medicine than 10 weekly sessions as the first introductory experience to the field of geriatric medicine. [source]


A comparison of learning outcomes and attitudes in student- versus faculty-led problem-based learning: an experimental study

MEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 1 2000
David J Steele
Objectives To compare learning outcomes and perceptions of facilitator behaviours and small-group process in problem-based learning (PBL) groups led by students and those led by faculty. Design A prospective, Latin-square cross-over design was employed. Second-year medical students participated in 11 PBL cases over the course of the academic year. For each case, half the student groups were led by faculty and the other half by a student group member selected randomly to serve in the facilitator role. Learning outcomes were assessed by performance on objective examinations covering factual materials pertinent to the case. Perceptions of facilitator behaviours and of group functioning were assessed with a questionnaire completed at the end of each individual case. Focus-group discussions were held to gain more in-depth information about student perceptions and experience. Student-led sessions were observed at random by the investigators. Setting A state-supported, US medical school with a hybrid lecture-based and problem-based curriculum. Subjects One hundred and twenty-seven second-year medical students and 30 basic science and clinical faculty. Results No differences were detected in student performance on the objective evaluation based on whether the facilitator was a faculty member or peer group member, nor were there any differences in the perceptions of group process. Students gave peer facilitators slightly higher ratings in the second semester of the experiment. In the focus-group discussions, students voiced a general preference for student-led groups because they felt they were more efficient. Observation and focus-group reports suggest that groups led by students sometimes took short cuts in the PBL process. Conclusion In a hybrid lecture- and PBL-based curriculum, student performance on objective examinations covering PBL materials is unaffected by the status of the facilitator (student vs. faculty). However, in peer-facilitated groups, students sometimes took short cuts in the PBL process that may undermine some of the intended goals of PBL. [source]


Evaluation of the Clinical Anatomy Program in the Medical School of Porto by two cohorts of students

CLINICAL ANATOMY, Issue 1 2002
M.A.F. Tavares
Abstract The discipline of Clinical Anatomy, as introduced in the Medical School of Porto in academic year 1995/96, involved major changes in the way we teach anatomy to medical students, by adopting a clinically oriented approach. A questionnaire was designed to evaluate the opinion of second-year medical students enrolled in the program concerning main aspects of the discipline in two consecutive years; 84% of the students returned the questionnaire in 1996/97, and 70% in 1997/98. Students were asked about the level of their approval of the organization of the discipline, the role of the teaching staff, lectures, practical sessions, educational media, and continuous and summative assessments. For items replicated in both academic years, the means of the sum of scores in each year were compared (Student's t -distribution). Whenever a significant difference was found, changes in individual items were tested (chi-square distribution). The evaluation of the discipline in each of the two years was highly favorable for most of the parameters analyzed. Clin. Anat. 15:56,61, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]