scholarly journals Effect of COVID-19 on Canadian Medical Student Attitudes toward Ophthalmology Residency Application

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (01) ◽  
pp. e5-e10
Author(s):  
Cody Lo ◽  
Amandeep Rai ◽  
Jonathan A. Micieli
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Student Attitudes ◽  
Program Directors ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Survey Tool ◽  
Medical Student Attitudes ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Residency Application

Abstract Objective This study aims to survey medical students interested in ophthalmology about how changes in electives and Canadian Residency Matching Service (CaRMS) due to the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have affected their attitudes toward applying to ophthalmology residency. Design This is a cross-sectional survey. Participants A total of 32 Canadian medical students interested in ophthalmology responded to the survey. Methods A 32-question survey tool used was developed in consultation with medical students, academic ophthalmologists, and residency program directors. The survey was distributed through e-mail by local ophthalmology interest groups at all of Canada's medical schools. Results Respondents felt that changes in ability to travel for electives significantly decreased their likelihood of applying to ophthalmology residency. Additionally, respondents expressed concerns that lack of travel for electives and in-person CaRMS interviews significantly reduced their chances of successfully matching to ophthalmology. Respondents identified one-on-one video calls with program directors and residents as the initiatives that would best counteract the negative impacts from COVID-19. Increased presence of programs on social media were relatively less valued. Conclusion Canadian medical students interested in ophthalmology have concerns about how changes in electives and the CaRMS match due to COVID-19 will impact their ability to be fairly assessed and successfully match to ophthalmology. Lack of travel for electives and interviews has also resulted in students feeling ill equipped to make informed choices about program selection. However, there remains a sustained interest in ophthalmology among applicants.

scholarly journals Career Intentions and Dropout Causes Among Medical Students in Kazakhstan

Medicina ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 45
Author(s):  
Kamila Faizullina ◽  
Galina Kausova ◽  
Zhanna Kalmataeva ◽  
Ardak Nurbakyt ◽  
Saule Buzdaeva
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Human Resources ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Human Resources For Health ◽  
Medical Schools ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Unequal Distribution ◽  
Survey Tool

Background and Objective. The number of new entrants to higher medical schools of Kazakhstan increased by 1.6 times from 2007 to 2012. However, it is not known how it will affect the shortage of human resources for health. Additionally, human resources for health in rural areas of Kazakhstan are 4 times scarcer than in urban areas. The aim of the present study was to investigate the intentions of students toward their professional future and readiness to work in rural areas, as well as to determine the causes for dropping out from medical schools. Material and Methods. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2 medical universities in Almaty during the academic year 2011–2012. The study sample included medical students and interns. In total, 2388 students participated in the survey. The survey tool was an anonymous questionnaire. Results. The students of the first years of studies compared with those of later years of studies were more optimistic about the profession and had more intentions to work in the medical field. Only 8% of the students reported a wish to work in rural localities. On the other hand, 4% of the students did not plan to pursue the profession. On the average, every third medical student dropped out on his/her own request. Conclusions. Associations between intentions to work according to the profession and the year of studies, faculty, and residence area before enrolling in a medical school were documented. The majority of the students who came from rural areas preferred to stay and look for work in a city, which might contribute to an unequal distribution of physicians across the country.

scholarly journals Surgical Aptitude Testing among Ophthalmology Residency Applicants: Current Utilization and Residency Program Directors' Perspectives

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (02) ◽  
pp. e10-e17
Author(s):  
Amy Lu ◽  
Samuel Beckstead ◽  
Michael Wilkinson ◽  
Ingrid U. Scott
Keyword(s):  
Program Directors ◽  
Application Process ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Residency Programs ◽  
Aptitude Testing ◽  
Testing Strategies ◽  
Current Utilization ◽  
Residency Application ◽  
Residency Program Directors

Purpose To investigate the proportion of United States ophthalmology residency programs that utilize surgical aptitude testing during the applicant interview, and the perspectives of program directors (PDs) regarding surgical aptitude testing of applicants. Design This is a cross-sectional survey. Methods An anonymous survey constructed on REDCap was emailed to the PD of each ophthalmology residency accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Main outcome measures are proportion of programs which include surgical aptitude testing during the applicant interview, and proportion of PDs who (1) believe the current residency application process adequately assesses applicants' surgical aptitude; (2) believe surgical aptitude testing results predict surgical success; and (3) favor inclusion of surgical aptitude testing for applicant evaluation. Results Of 115 PDs, 63 completed the survey (54.8%). One (1.6%) reported current use of surgical aptitude testing during the interview and 6 (9.5%) used such testing previously. Fifty-five (87.3%) respondents do not believe the residency application process adequately assesses surgical aptitude. Most respondents (40/63, 63.5%) do not support using results from currently available surgical aptitude testing strategies performed during the interview to rank applicants; 47 (74.6%) do not believe results of such testing predict ultimate surgical potential. However, 35 (55.6%) would use surgical aptitude data for applicant screening if valid testing could be performed before the interview. Conclusion While most PDs do not believe the current ophthalmology residency application process adequately assesses surgical aptitude, screening for surgical aptitude during the application process is seldom employed, largely due to a perceived lack of valid testing strategies available.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Health Care Behaviour in The Gambia: a cross-sectional survey of 205 adults who went through mandatory institutional quarantine

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Penda Johm ◽  
Oluwatosin Oizamsi Nkereuwem ◽  
Aji Matty Manjang ◽  
Omar Ceesay ◽  
Lamin Leigh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
The Gambia ◽  
Phone Call ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Essential Services ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

Background: To control the spread of the novel Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome novel Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), countries around the world subsequently implemented several public health measures, including the adoption of mandatory institutional quarantine for close contacts. This study explored the experiences of individuals who underwent institutional quarantine in The Gambia to inform government measures to increase its effectiveness and reduce its associated negative impacts. Methods: Questionnaires were administered via mobile phone call with data collectors calling and directly recording participant responses on a tablet in an electronic online form developed in REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture). The questionnaire contained questions on COVID-19 related knowledge, health care behaviour, attitudes, perceptions and stigma. Data were analysed using STATA v.13 (Stata Corp, College Station, TX, USA). Results: In total, 205 adults who observed the mandatory institutional quarantine were interviewed. There was varied knowledge of COVID-19 causes, spread, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and severity. Participants believed the purpose of quarantine was monitoring for signs and symptoms of coronavirus disease, testing for SARS-CoV-2, separation from the community, and protection from coronavirus disease. While a majority reported positive experiences while in quarantine, some expressed prominent dissatisfaction related to the essential services and quality of care provided. Different forms of stigma were also experienced before, during and after the quarantine experience. Conclusion: This study provides important information on quarantine experiences in The Gambia during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The Ministry of Health in The Gambia and other countries could improve the experience of quarantined individuals by consistently providing psychosocial support, compensation for loss of earnings, and timely provision of SARS-CoV-2 test results. Furthermore, stigma experiences and practices should be addressed during and after individuals stay in quarantine via the provision of psychosocial support.

scholarly journals Breaking Bad News, a Pertinent Yet Still an Overlooked Skill: An International Survey Study

Healthcare ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 501
Author(s):  
Abbas Alshami ◽  
Steven Douedi ◽  
America Avila-Ariyoshi ◽  
Mohammed Alazzawi ◽  
Swapnil Patel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Bad News ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Formal Training ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Survey Tool ◽  
Delivering Bad News

Delivering bad news to patients is a challenging yet impactful everyday task in clinical practice. Ideally, healthcare practitioners should receive formal training in implementing these protocols, practice in simulation environments, and real-time supervision with feedback. We aimed to investigate whether healthcare providers involved in delivering bad news have indeed received formal training to do so. We conducted a cross-sectional survey study that targeted all healthcare providers in the intensive care units of 174 institutions in 40 different countries. Participants included physicians, nurses, medical students, nursing students, pharmacists, respiratory technicians, and others. The survey tool was created, validated, and translated to the primary languages of these countries to overcome language barriers. A total of 10,106 surveys were collected. Only one third of participants indicated that they had received a formal training. Providers who had received formal training were more likely to deliver bad news than those who had not. Younger and less experienced providers tend to deliver bad news more than older, more experienced providers. The percentage of medical students who claimed they deliver bad news was comparable to that of physicians. Medical schools and post-graduate training programs are strongly encouraged to tackle this gap in medical education.

scholarly journals COVID-19 and the mental well-being of Australian medical students: impact, concerns and coping strategies used

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 649-652 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zaza Lyons ◽  
Helen Wilcox ◽  
Lianne Leung ◽  
Oliver Dearsley
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Academic Goals ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mental Well Being

Objective: Medical students are vulnerable to poor mental well-being. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted student life and had significant effects on curricula delivery at medical schools around Australia. The study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on medical student mental well-being, assess concerns and determine activities used by students to help with the situation. Method: An online cross-sectional survey was designed. Questions focused on concerns and impact of COVID-19. The Kessler-10 (K10) measured psychological distress. Results: Two hundred and ninety-seven students participated with a 37.5% response rate. Mean K10 score was 20.6 indicating moderate psychological distress. There were no significant differences in K10 mean score or distress level (low, moderate, high, very high) between students in different years of the medical course. Deterioration in mental well-being since COVID-19 onset was reported by 68% students. Main negative impacts were on social connectedness, studies and stress levels. Concerns related to uncertainty about returning to normal and graduation. Common activities were using video chats, social media, exercise and hobbies. Conclusions: The impact of COVID-19 on mental well-being has led to legitimate concerns by students regarding their studies and progress through the medical course. We hope to minimise these disruptions, and reassure and support students to ensure that academic goals are achieved.

scholarly journals Patient-centred attitudes among medical students in Mali, West Africa: a cross-sectional study

BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. e019224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily A Hurley ◽  
Seydou Doumbia ◽  
Caitlin E Kennedy ◽  
Peter J Winch ◽  
Debra L Roter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Internal Consistency ◽  
Student Attitudes ◽  
Medical Training ◽  
Training Programme ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
West African ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Patient Centredness

Background/objectivePatient-centred attitudes have been shown to decline during medical training in high-income countries, yet little is known about attitudes among West African medical students. We sought to measure student attitudes towards patient-centredness and examine validity of the 18-item Patient–Practitioner Orientation Scale (PPOS) in this context.Participants/setting430 medical students in years 1, 3, 5 and 6 of a 6-year medical training programme in Bamako, Mali.DesignWe conducted a cross-sectional survey, compared the proportion of students who agreed with each PPOS item by gender and academic year, and calculated composite PPOS scores. To examine psychometrics of the PPOS and its two subscales (‘sharing’ and ‘caring’), we calculated internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) and performed confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses (CFA and EFA).ResultsIn seven of the nine ‘sharing’ items, the majority of students held attitudes favouring a provider-dominant style. For five of the nine ‘caring’ items, the majority of student responded consistently with patient-centred attitudes, while in the other four, responses indicated a disease-centred orientation. In eight items, a greater proportion of fifth/sixth year students held patient-centred attitudes as compared with first year students; there were few gender differences. Average PPOS scores indicated students were moderately patient-centred, with more favourable attitudes towards the ‘caring’ aspect than ‘sharing’. Internal consistency of the PPOS was inadequate for the full scale (α=0.58) and subscales (‘sharing’ α=0.37; ‘caring’ α=0.48). CFA did not support the original PPOS factors and EFA did not identify an improved structure.ConclusionsWest African medical students training in Bamako are moderately patient-centred and do not show the same declines in patient-centred attitudes in higher academic years as seen in other settings. Medical students may benefit from training in shared power skills and in attending to patient lifestyle factors. Locally validated tools are needed to guide West African medical schools in fostering patient-centredness among students.

e-Learning: Practices Among Undergraduates of a Medical College of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Background Information ◽  
P Value ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Students ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Medical College ◽  
Learning Practices ◽  
E Learning

Background: Information technology (IT) is a new way of teaching and learning. One of the promising media of information technology is e-Learning, which is used to enhance knowledge and skills among users. A student gains better and deep knowledge through a useful tool. This survey aimed to determine practices among medical students for e-Learning. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted on 184 students amongst the 500 students currently enrolled in medical college. Data was collected using questionnaires and were analyzed through SPSS version 22. Chi-square was used for qualitative values. Results: Majority 90.80% (n=167) students were aware of e-Learning and were statistically high in first year students (p-value: 0.018). The student did not show statistically significant results for content learned through e-Learning with a p-value of 0.063. Different resources were used for e-Learning in which videos had the highest percentage (87.60%) and audios were used as the least resource for e-Learning (29.20%). Daily, 56% of the students use e-Learning for 1 hour or less and only 3% of the students used it for more than 4 hours. Conclusion: Majority of undergraduate medical students were aware of the use of e-Learning and most of them preferred e-Learning for their course work and studies showing a significant increase in understanding and use, compared to studies conducted earlier. Participants found e-Learning useful and effective tool in increasing knowledge and understanding of their subject. Keywords: e-Learning; Practices; Students.

scholarly journals Required Longitudinal Service-Learning and Its Effects on Medical Students’ Attitudes Toward the Underserved

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Rose Arebalos ◽  
Faun Lee Botor ◽  
Edward Simanton ◽  
Jennifer Young
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Service Learning ◽  
Student Attitudes ◽  
Underserved Populations ◽  
Preclinical Phase ◽  
School Of Medicine ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Medical Student Attitudes ◽  
The University

AbstractAlthough medical students enter medicine with altruistic motives and seek to serve indigent populations, studies show that medical students’ attitudes towards the undeserved tend to worsen significantly as they go through their medical education. This finding emphasizes the need for medical educators to implement activities such as service-learning that may help mitigate this negative trend.All students at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) School of Medicine are required to participate in longitudinal service-learning throughout medical school, and a majority of students interact with the underserved at their service-learning sites. Using the previously validated Medical Student Attitudes Towards the Underserved (MSATU), independent sample T-tests showed that students who interact with underserved populations at their sites scored with significantly better attitudes towards the underserved at the end of their preclinical phase. Subjects included 58 medical students with 100% taking the MSATU. This result indicates that longitudinal service-learning, particularly when it includes interaction with the underserved, can be one method to combat the worsening of medical students’ attitudes as they complete their medical education.

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