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First-year Medical Students (first-year + medical_student)
Selected AbstractsThe effectiveness and reliability of peer-marking in first-year medical studentsMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 10 2006Rachel English Background, Peer-marking has been suggested as a method to enhance self-directed learning and reflection, although whether this improves performance is unclear. This study evaluated the impact of peer-marking on examination performance and investigated its reliability and acceptability to students. Methods, First-year medical students were randomised to peer-marking using a model answer or no intervention (control arm). Student scores were compared with tutor-marked scores. Two months later, students completed a summative assessment and performance was compared between students randomised to peer-marking and the control arm. A focus group was held with students in the intervention arm to capture their experiences and attitudes. Results, A total of 289 of 568 students consented to participate and 147 were randomised to peer-marking (142 controls). Students randomised to peer-marking achieved marginally higher examination marks (1.5% difference, 95% CI ,0.8% to 3.9%, P = 0.19) than controls (adjusting for year and in-course assessment), although this may have been due to chance. Students were harsher markers than the tutors. Focus group analysis suggested that students valued peer-marking, although concerns about passing judgement on a colleague's work were expressed. Conclusions, Peer-marking did not have a substantial effect on examination performance, although a modest effect cannot be excluded. Students gained insight into examination technique but may not have gained deeper knowledge. Given its potential positive educational value, further work is required to understand how peer-marking can be used more effectively to enhance the learning experience. [source] Comparison of Outcomes of Two Skills-teaching Methods on Lay-rescuers' Acquisition of Infant Basic Life Support SkillsACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 9 2010Itai Shavit MD ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:979,986 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Abstract Objectives:, The objective was to determine if lay-rescuers' acquisition of infant basic life support (BLS) skills would be better when skills teaching consisted of videotaping practice and providing feedback on performances, compared to conventional skills-teaching and feedback methods. Methods:, This pilot-exploratory, single-blind, prospective, controlled, randomized study was conducted on November 12, 2007, at the Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion,Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel. The population under study consisted of all first-year medical students enrolled in the 2007,2008 year. BLS training is part of their mandatory introductory course in emergency medicine. Twenty-three students with previous BLS training were excluded. The remaining 71 were randomized into four and then two groups, with final allocation to an intervention and control group of 18 and 16 students, respectively. All the students participated in infant BLS classroom teaching. Those in the intervention group practiced skills acquisition independently, and four were videotaped while practicing. Tapes were reviewed by the group and feedback was provided. Controls practiced using conventional teaching and feedback methods. After 3 hours, all subjects were videotaped performing an unassisted, lone-rescuer, infant BLS resuscitation scenario. A skills assessment tool was developed. It consisted of 25 checklist items, grouped into four sections: 6 points for "categories" (with specific actions in six categories), 14 points for "scoring" (of accuracy of performance of each action), 4 points for "sequence" (of actions within a category), and 1 point for "order" of resuscitation (complete and well-sequenced categories). Two blinded expert raters were given a workshop on the use of the scoring tool. They further refined it to increase scoring consistency. The main outcome of the study was defined as evidence of better skills acquisition in overall skills in the four sections and in the specific skills sets for actions in any individual category. Data analysis consisted of descriptive statistics. Results:, Means and mean percentages were greater in the intervention group in all four sections compared to controls: categories (5.72 [95.33%] and 4.69 [92.66%]), scoring (10.57 [75.50%] and 7.41 [43.59%]), sequence (2.28 [57.00%] and 1.66 [41.50%]), and order of resuscitation (0.96 [96.00%] and 0.19 [19.00%]). The means and mean percentages of the actions (skill sets) in the intervention group were also larger than those of controls in five out of six categories: assessing responsiveness (1.69 [84.50%] and 1.13 [56.50%]), breathing technique (1.69 [93.00%] and 1.13 [47.20%]), chest compression technique (3.19 [77.50%] and 1.84 [46.00%]), activating emergency medical services (EMS) (3.00 [100.00%] and 2.81 [84.50%]), and resuming cardiopulmonary resuscitation (0.97 [97.00%] and 0.47 [47.00%]). These results demonstrate better performance in the intervention group. Conclusions:, The use of videotaped practice and feedback for the acquisition of overall infant BLS skills and of specific skill sets is effective. Observation and participation in the feedback and assessment of nonexperts attempting infant BLS skills appeared to improve the ability of this group of students to perform the task. [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] The effectiveness and reliability of peer-marking in first-year medical studentsMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 10 2006Rachel English Background, Peer-marking has been suggested as a method to enhance self-directed learning and reflection, although whether this improves performance is unclear. This study evaluated the impact of peer-marking on examination performance and investigated its reliability and acceptability to students. Methods, First-year medical students were randomised to peer-marking using a model answer or no intervention (control arm). Student scores were compared with tutor-marked scores. Two months later, students completed a summative assessment and performance was compared between students randomised to peer-marking and the control arm. A focus group was held with students in the intervention arm to capture their experiences and attitudes. Results, A total of 289 of 568 students consented to participate and 147 were randomised to peer-marking (142 controls). Students randomised to peer-marking achieved marginally higher examination marks (1.5% difference, 95% CI ,0.8% to 3.9%, P = 0.19) than controls (adjusting for year and in-course assessment), although this may have been due to chance. Students were harsher markers than the tutors. Focus group analysis suggested that students valued peer-marking, although concerns about passing judgement on a colleague's work were expressed. Conclusions, Peer-marking did not have a substantial effect on examination performance, although a modest effect cannot be excluded. Students gained insight into examination technique but may not have gained deeper knowledge. Given its potential positive educational value, further work is required to understand how peer-marking can be used more effectively to enhance the learning experience. [source] Surgical skills training: simulation and multimedia combinedMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 9 2001Roger Kneebone Context Basic surgical skills are needed throughout the medical profession, but current training is haphazard and unpredictable. There is increasing pressure to provide transparency about training and performance standards. There is a clear need for inexperienced learners to build a framework of basic skills before carrying out surgical procedures on patients. Effective learning of a skill requires sustained deliberate practice within a cognitive framework, and simulation offers an opportunity for safe preparation. Objectives This paper presents a new approach to basic surgical skills training, where tuition using a specially designed computer program is combined with structured practice using simulated tissue models. This approach to teaching has evolved from practical experience with surgical skills training in workshops. Methods Pilot studies with 72 first-year medical students highlighted the need for separate programs for teaching and for self-directed learning. The authors developed a training approach in the light of this experience. Subsequent in-depth observational and interview studies examined (a) individual teaching sessions between surgical teachers and learners (five consultant surgeons and five senior house officers) and (b) group teaching sessions with general practitioners (14 participants in three group interviews). Further work has resulted in a self-directed learning program. Conclusions Qualitative analysis of observational and interview data provides strong preliminary support for the effectiveness of this approach. The response of teachers and learners was extremely positive. The combination of information (presented by computer) and practice of psychomotor skill (using simulated tissue models) could be extended to other surgical and practical skills. [source] Preliminary evaluation of ,interpreter' role plays in teaching communication skills to medical undergraduatesMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 3 2001K C J Lau Rationale and objectives Multiculturalism presents linguistic obstacles to health care provision. We explored the early introduction of ,interpreter' role-play exercises in teaching medical undergraduates communication skills. The interpreter role creates a natural barrier in communication providing an active prompt for recognizing learning needs in this area. Methods Bilingual Cantonese first-year medical students (n=160) were randomly allocated to either ,Observer' or ,Interpreter' role plays at a small-group introductory communication skills workshop using a quasi experimental design, counterbalanced across tutors. Students assessed their own skill competence before and, together with their perceptions of the different role plays' effectiveness, again after the workshop, using an anonymous 16 item Likert-type scale, analysed using ANOVA and MANOVA. Results Students' assessments of their skills improved significantly following the workshop (F=73·19 [1,156], P=0·0009). Students in the observer group reported greater changes in their scores following the workshop than did students in the interpreter group (F=4·84 [1,156], P=0·029), largely due to improvement in perceived skill (F=4·38 [1,156], P=0·038) rather than perceived programme effectiveness (F=3·13 [1,156], P > 0·05). Subsequent MANOVA indicated no main effect of observer/interpreter conditions, indicating these differences could be attributed to chance alone (F=1·41 [16 141], P > 0·05). Conclusion The workshop positively influenced students' perceived communication skills, but the ,Interpreter' role was less effective than the ,Observer' role in achieving this. Future studies should examine whether interpreter role plays introduced later in the medical programme are beneficial. [source] Effects of a one-hour educational program on medical students' attitudes to mental illnessPSYCHIATRY AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCES, Issue 5 2001Yoshio Mino MD Abstract A new 1-h educational program was developed to change attitudes towards mental illness, and was conducted on 95 first-year medical students in order to investigate its effects on their attitudes towards mental illness, using a pre- and postquestionnaire study design. A similar study without the program was conducted on 94 first-year medical students as controls. After the program, more students replied that they would accept former patients on relatively close social distance items. Favorable attitudinal changes were observed in terms of ,psychiatric services', ,human rights of the mentally ill', ,patients' independence in social life', and ,cause and characteristics of mental illness'. In contrast, no significant change was observed in the control group. These results suggest that attitudes towards mental illness could be changed favorably by this program. [source] Teaching energy metabolism using scientific articlesBIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY EDUCATION, Issue 2 2010Implementation of a virtual learning environment for medical students Abstract This work describes the use of a virtual learning environment (VLE) applied to the biochemistry class for undergraduate, first-year medical students at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. The course focused on the integration of energy metabolism, exploring metabolic adaptations in different physiological or pathological states such as starvation, diabetes, and exercise. The VLE was designed to combine online activities with traditional course content and presented guided inquiry-based activities to assist in the use of original scientific articles as educational resources. Based on the analysis of a semi-open questionnaire, the results provided evidence that the VLE encouraged students' engagement in activities and improved feedback. The results also suggested that guided inquiry-based activities were an effective way to stimulate students to critically read relevant scientific articles and to acquire skills to build and contextualize their knowledge through content association. In addition, most of the students involved in this experience considered the use of these resources important to become familiar with scientific language and to learn how to obtain up-to-date scientific information during their professional life. [source] Teaching gross anatomy using living tissueCLINICAL ANATOMY, Issue 2 2002D.S. Hubbell Abstract Embalmed cadaver tissues and organs that are dissected in gross anatomy laboratories lack many characteristics of fresh or living tissues. The purpose of this study was to assess the educational value of allowing first-year medical students to experience first-hand the color, texture, delicacy and other qualities of living porcine tissues and organs that are similar to those of human tissues. Guided by a laboratory protocol, medical students palpated and inspected organs of the opened thorax, abdomen and pelvis of anesthetized pigs on pulmonary ventilators. The learning experience was rated highly by the students as well as by the participating faculty. A further review of the medical students' later experiences at autopsies and in surgical clerkships showed that the living-tissue experience in their gross anatomy course represented a large part of their medical school exposure to unembalmed tissues. Clin. Anat. 15:157,159, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The relationship between premedical coursework in gross anatomy and histology and medical school performance in gross anatomy and histologyCLINICAL ANATOMY, Issue 2 2002Joseph P. Forester Abstract Many premedical students enroll in courses whose content will be encountered again during their medical education. Presumably, students believe this practice will lead to improved academic performance in corresponding medical school courses. Therefore, this study was undertaken to determine whether a premedical gross anatomy and/or histology course resulted in increased performance in corresponding medical school courses. A second aim of the study was to examine whether the type of premedical gross anatomy and/or histology course differentially affected medical school performance. A survey that assessed premedical gross anatomy and histology coursework was administered to 440 first-year medical students. The results from this survey showed that students with premedical gross anatomy (n = 236) and/or histology (n = 109) earned significantly more points in the corresponding medical school course than students without the premedical coursework (P < 0.05). Analysis of premedical course types revealed that students who took a gross anatomy course with prosected specimens (n = 35) earned significantly more points that those students without premedical gross anatomy coursework (P < 0.05). The results from this study suggest: 1) premedical gross anatomy and/or histology coursework improves academic performance in corresponding medical school courses, and 2) a premedical gross anatomy course with prosected specimens, a specific type of undergraduate course, significantly improves academic performance in medical gross anatomy. Clin. Anat. 15:160,164, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] | ||||||||||