scholarly journals P.011 Evaluation of educational needs in neurology in the province of Quebec: a survey-based study

Author(s):  
P Gros ◽  
S Reiter-Campeau ◽  
D Hamad ◽  
L Carmant

Background: In contrast with 56% of US medical schools, most Canadian medical schools do not offer a required clerkship neurology rotation. This study aims to assess the need for additional clinical neurology training in Quebec medical schools. Methods: Third and fourth year medical students from the province of Quebec completed surveys inquiring about accumulated theoretical teaching time, clinical neurology exposure, self-reported neurological examination proficiency and interest in additional training. Results: 66 students answered the survey. 43% were from Université de Montréal, 18 % from McGill University, 14% from Université Laval and 24% from Université de Sherbrooke. For theoretical teaching, 44% reported at least 60 hours (h) of teaching, 44% reported 40 to 60 h and 23% reported 10 to 40 h. For clinical exposure, 24% reported at least 60 h, 8% reported 40 to 60 h, 40% reported 10 to 40 h and 29% reported less than 10 h. Most students reported being comfortable with their neurological examination skills (58%) but still 41% were uncertain or felt uncomfortable. 80% indicated interest in receiving additional clinical exposure. Conclusions: Amongst Quebec medical students, clinical neurology exposure is likely insufficient. An important proportion of students remain uncomfortable with the neurological examination and most students are interested in additional neurological training.

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 98-104
Author(s):  
Kushani Rasangika Atukorala ◽  
Piyusha Atapattu

Background: Preclinical teaching of basic sciences provides the basis for the development of clinical reasoning skills and the ability to make management decisions. However, many senior undergraduates, pre-interns and doctors indicate that basic sciences knowledge is poorly recalled and has little relevance to their clinical practice. Objectives: To explore the perceptions of medical students in their clinical years, and pre-interns about the basic sciences courses taught to them in the preclinical years, and to assess how each group rates the applicability of these courses to current clinical training. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 118 pre-interns and 146 undergraduate medical students using a self-administered questionnaire, regarding their perceptions on preclinical basic sciences teaching. For statistical analysis chi square test was applied. Results: More than 75% both pre-interns and undergraduates agreed that preclinical teaching was useful and relevant for future clinical work. 50-75% frequently revisited preclinical subjects despite unapparent clinical significance. 55% couldn’t remember most of preclinical content. Physiology was the most retained (76%) and most clinically relevant subject (80%). Majority of (>60%) both the groups suggested more teaching time and >75% suggested concurrent clinical exposure for preclinical teaching. Undergraduates and preinterns differed in that 56% of undergraduates and 37% of pre-interns had studied pre clinical subjects just to pass examinations (p<0.01) Conclusions: Majority of undergraduates and pre-interns felt that preclinical teaching is interesting and relevant for future clinical practice, though recall and clinical significance were suboptimal. Revising teaching methods with interdisciplinary integration, early clinical exposure showing relevance of basic sciences and allocating more teaching time utilizing clinicians should be considered. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jbsp.v9i2.22806 Bangladesh Soc Physiol. 2014, December; 9(2): 98-104


2015 ◽  
Vol 86 (11) ◽  
pp. e4.140-e4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Charalambous ◽  
Adrian Goh ◽  
Ferenc Los ◽  
Kanch Sharma

IntroductionNeurophobia – ‘a fear of the neural sciences and clinical neurology’1 is an established phenomenon amongst medical students and physicians.1–3 Conclusions from previous studies indicate a need for more neurology teaching,2 3 with basic neuroscience felt to be extremely useful.2 This study examines whether a concise, focused tutorial integrating basic neuroscience with clinical neurology helps overcome neurophobia.MethodsStudents from the University of Bristol (n=56) were surveyed using quantitative and qualitative questions pre/post/1 month after a 15 minute tutorial on neurological examination, integrating the relevant anatomy and physiology with clinical findings.ResultsAnalysis was performed using Wilcoxon signed ranks and Freidman testing. Comparing pre and post surveys there was a statistically significant improvement (p<0.05) in knowledge, confidence and understanding of clinical signs. Importantly this increased confidence persisted when students were re-surveyed 1 month later. Responses to difficulties faced when learning neurology include the following themes (1) complex/overwhelming subject, (2) lack of teaching, (3) inability to correlate neuroanatomy with clinical presentation.ConclusionWhen teaching students (or even clinicians) with “neurophobia”, always commence with a review of basic neuroscience as a foundation on which to build an understanding of neurological function in health and disease.


1998 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 220-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott J. Murray ◽  
Giles P. Raymond

Background: Two reviews done in the 1980's showed that many Canadian medical schools scheduled relatively little time for dermatological teaching. Many students did not have a real clinical exposure to dermatology. Objective: The purpose of this study was to obtain new data to reevaluate the undergraduate training in dermatology in Canada. Methods: A survey was sent to the coordinators of undergraduate dermatology of all 16 Canadian medical schools. Results: The survey of medical schools demonstrates the current status of dermatology undergraduate teaching across Canada. Although many improvements have been made in the way dermatology is taught to medical students, many of the problems noticed in the 1980s remain unresolved. Conclusion: Because dermatological care in Canada is often rendered by nondermatologists, the dermatologists should emphasize the importance of undergraduate training in their specialty.


Neurology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 89 (24) ◽  
pp. e282-e283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel A. Freedman ◽  
Dara V.F. Albert

Osteopathic medical schools have a longstanding tradition of training primary care physicians (PCP). Neurologic symptoms are common in the PCP's office and there is an undersupply of neurologists in the United States. It is therefore crucial for osteopathic medical students to have a strong foundation in clinical neurology. Despite the importance, a mere 6% of osteopathic medical schools have required neurology clerkships. Furthermore, exposure to neurology in medical school through required clerkships has been correlated with matching into neurology residency. As osteopathic medical schools continue to expand, it will become increasingly important to emphasize the American Academy Neurology's published guidelines for a core clerkship curriculum. Practicing neurologists should take an active role in encouraging osteopathic medical schools to adopt these guidelines.


2019 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mustafa Alavi ◽  
Tiffany Ho ◽  
Chandler Stisher ◽  
Emma Richardson ◽  
Christina Kelly ◽  
...  

Background and Objectives: The Family Medicine for America’s Health Workforce and Education Team aims to increase the number of medical students choosing family medicine to address the projected primary care physician shortage. This aim can be achieved by developing a well-trained primary care workforce. Our student- and resident-led FMAHealth work group aimed to identify factors that influenced fourth-year medical students’ choice to become family physicians. The secondary objective compared such factors between the 10 medical schools with the highest percentage of students matching into family medicine and non-top 10 medical schools. Methods: Fourth-year medical students nationwide participated in 90-minute virtual focus groups. Reviewers coded deidentified transcriptions and identified key themes and subthemes that were found to influence student choice. Results: Fifty-five medical students participated in focus groups over a 2-year period. Three key themes were found to influence students: perspective, choice, and exposure. Subthemes included: (1) the importance of high-quality preceptors practicing full-scope family medicine, (2) the value of a rural experience, and (3) institutional support to pursue family medicine. Physician compensation and loan repayment concerns were not major factors influencing student choice. Conclusions: Many factors influence student choice of family medicine including preceptors, clinical exposures, and institutional support. These factors varied by institution and many were found to be different between top 10 and non-top 10 schools. Addressing these factors will help increase students’ choice of family medicine and reduce the primary care shortage.


2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen M. Sozio ◽  
Kurtis A. Pivert ◽  
Hitesh H. Shah ◽  
Harini A. Chakkera ◽  
Abdo R. Asmar ◽  
...  

Background: Interest in nephrology careers is declining, possibly due to perceptions of the field and/or training aspects. Understanding practices of medical schools successfully instilling nephrology interest could inform efforts to attract leading candidates to the specialty. Methods: The American Society of Nephrology Workforce Committee’s Best Practices Project was one of several initiatives to increase nephrology career interest. Board-certified nephrologists graduating medical school between 2002 and 2009 were identified in the American Medical Association Masterfile and their medical schools ranked by production. Renal educators from the top 10 producing institutions participated in directed focus groups inquiring about key factors in creating nephrology career interest, including aspects of their renal courses, clinical rotations, research activities, and faculty interactions. Thematic content analysis of the transcripts (with inductive reasoning implementing grounded theory) was performed to identify factors contributing to their programs’ success. Results: The 10 schools identified were geographically representative, with similar proportions of graduates choosing internal medicine (mean 26%) as the national graduating class (26% in the 2017 residency Match). Eighteen educators from 9 of these 10 institutions participated. Four major themes were identified contributing to these schools’ success: (1) nephrology faculty interaction with medical students; (2) clinical exposure to nephrology and clinical relevance of renal pathophysiology materials; (3) use of novel educational modalities; and (4) exposure, in particular early exposure, to the breadth of nephrology practice. Conclusion: Early and consistent exposure to a range of clinical nephrology experiences and nephrology faculty contact with medical students are important to help generate interest in the specialty.


2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 238-260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dee Hoole

This article examines the mechanisms and arrangements for the movement of subjects for dissection at Aberdeen after the Anatomy Act, and the methods adopted by the Inspector of Anatomy for Scotland and the teachers of anatomy to implement the Act. There has been limited research on the working of the Anatomy Act in Scotland, which this paper aims to address by demonstrating the uniquely Scottish manner of implementation of the Anatomy Act through the use of the Funeratory system, which worked remarkably smoothly. Regimes and arrangements associated with the dissection and disposal of anatomical remains in the city provide statistics, and give details of unclaimed paupers who became ‘material contributions’ for Aberdeen anatomists and medical students.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-103
Author(s):  
Gretchen Slover

Background: This research was birthed in 2017 during a trip to Lusaka, Zambia, with the purpose of offering fourth-year, medical students attending the University of Zambia, School of Medicine, lectures on psychology topics as part of their clinical studies.  Students were also offered brief therapy sessions where they could process thoughts and feelings causing them internal struggles.  The subject of offering counseling on a regular basis was randomly discussed with the students.  From these discussions the need for this research became evident, with the intent of becoming the launching pad to brainstorm the most effective ways of developing a plan to offer counseling services for all medical students attending the University of Zambia School of Medicine. Methods: An-experimental research design, consisting of completion of a 12-item questionnaire administered by paper and pen. The inclusion criteria were the fourth year, medical students attending the University of Zambia, School of Medicine. Results:  The student responses revealed that most of them had little to no experience with counseling services, but a strong desire for them. Discussion: The goal of this study was to simply establish a need for an on-campus counseling service, the need of which has been established by the very students who would benefit.  With the acceptance of this need, the future plan is to explore the different ways in which this need can be fulfilled with minimal costs to the Medical School Program. Conclusion:  This study is the first step towards identifying the needs of the medical students and sets the ground-work for further research into the specific areas of need and mental health challenges.  More specificity in the area of demographics of students will produce a more comprehensive picture of the areas of concentration for the therapists offering services.


Author(s):  
Mohammed Afify ◽  
Abdulrahman Alsaidi ◽  
Naif Almatrafi ◽  
Ahmed Alhazmi ◽  
Abdullah Alzahrani ◽  
...  

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