970. Medical Student Engagement with the COVID-19 Pandemic Is Increased Through Participation in a Preclinical Elective

Abstract Background The medical field’s response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic required a multifaceted approach. Medical students were often excluded from the initial phases of pandemic response, resulting in feelings of disengagement. This study aimed to determine if offering educational experiences on current events related to the COVID-19 pandemic could increase medical students’ understanding of, and engagement with, the pandemic. Methods In Fall 2020, an elective course reviewing several aspects of the COVID-19 response was implemented. Preclinical medical students attended a discussion-based seminar series given by expert faculty on a variety of topics including pathophysiology, vaccine development, telemedicine, and others. Upon course completion, students were asked to complete a survey quantifying their understanding of the overall COVID-19 response, understanding of various individual facets of the response, and feelings of personal engagement on a Likert scale from 1-5, with 5 representing the most understanding or engagement. The differences in pre-course and post-course mean scores were compared using a Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank test for each question. Results A total of 65 students completed the course; 35 (54%) students filled out the final course survey. Results showed significant improvement in students’ perceived holistic understanding of the pandemic response (2.67 pre-course vs. 4.36 post-course; p < 0.001), and their feelings of personal engagement (3.06 pre-course vs. 4.33 post-course; p < 0.001). Students also reported significantly increased feelings of understanding for each individual facet of the pandemic response reviewed during the course (8 questions total, all p-values < 0.001). Conclusion Preclinical medical student participation in a course reviewing COVID-19 pandemic response significantly increased feelings of engagement with and understanding of the medical field’s response to the pandemic. Students showed improved understanding of each aspect of the pandemic response that was covered in the elective. Therefore, it appears that seminar- and discussion-based electives can be a useful tool for fostering preclinical student engagement in current events in medicine. Disclosures Prathit A. Kulkarni, M.D., Vessel Health, Inc. (Grant/Research Support)

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The Effectiveness of a Foundation Year 1 Doctor Preparation Course for Final Year Medical Students

Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development ◽

10.1177/2382120520984184 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

pp. 238212052098418

Author(s):

William Beedham ◽

Kasun Wanigasooriya ◽

Georgia R Layton ◽

Ley Taing Chan ◽

Adnan Darr ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Student ◽

Medical Students ◽

Core Curriculum ◽

Junior Doctor ◽

Hidden Curriculum ◽

Medical Curriculum ◽

Primary Objective ◽

Rank Test ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Curriculum Topics

Background: Starting work as a junior doctor can be daunting for any medical student. There are numerous aspects of the hidden curriculum which many students fail to acquire during their training. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of a novel foundation year one (FY1) doctor preparation course focusing on certain core topics, practical tips and components of the hidden curriculum. The primary objective was to improve the confidence level and knowledge of final year medical students transitioning to FY1 doctors. Method: A 2-day, practical course titled ‘Preparation 2 Practice’ delivering hands-on, small-group and lecture-based teaching, covering core medical student undergraduate curriculum topics in medicine and surgery. The course content spanned therapeutics, documentation skills and managing acute clinical tasks encountered by FY1 doctors during an on-call shift. A pre- and post-course survey and knowledge assessment were carried out to assess the effectiveness of the course. The assessment was MCQ-based, derived from topics covered within our course. The 20-question test and a short survey were administered electronically. Results: Twenty students from a single UK medical school attended the course. 100% participation was observed in the pre- and post-course test and survey. The median post-course test result was 22 (IQR 20.25-23.75) which was higher than the median pre-course test score of 18.75 (IQR 17-21.75). A Wilcoxon sign rank test revealed a statistically significant difference between the pre- and post-course test results ( P = .0003). The self-reported confidence score of delegates on starting work as a junior doctor was also significantly higher following the course ( P = .004). Conclusion: The results show a significant improvement in perceived confidence and knowledge on core curriculum topics amongst final year medical students having attended our FY1 doctor preparation course. We conclude that there is scope for similar supplementary courses as an adjunct to the undergraduate medical curriculum.

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Strengthening student communication through pediatric simulated patient encounters

Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions ◽

10.3352/jeehp.2014.11.21 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

pp. 21 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ryan Whitt ◽

Gregory Toussaint ◽

S. Bruce Binder ◽

Nicole J. Borges

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Communication Skills ◽

Family Members ◽

Young Patients ◽

Simulated Patient ◽

Rank Test ◽

Clinical Communication ◽

Oral Feedback ◽

Signed Rank ◽

Signed Rank Test

As medical students enter the role of physician, clinical outcomes not only rely on their mastery of clinical knowledge, but also on the effectiveness in which they can communicate with patients and family members. While students typically have numerous opportunities to practice clinical communication with adult patients, such practice in pediatric settings is limited. This study examines if simulated patient (SP) encounters strengthen third-year medical students’ communication skills during the pediatrics clerkship. During 2011-2013, three SP encounters (comprising 3 pediatric scenarios) were incorporated into a pediatrics clerkship at one United States medical school to give students a safe venue to practice advanced communication with observation and direct feedback. Third-year medical students engaged in the scenarios and received both written and oral feedback from an evaluator observing the encounter. With IRB approval, students’ self-perceived confidence and abilities at performing the advanced communication skills were measured using an eightitem, Likert scale questionnaire administered pre and post the SP encounter. Pre- and post-questionnaires (n = 215; response rate, 96%) analyzed using a Wilcoxon-matched pairs signed-rank test demonstrated statistically significant increases in students’ perception of their confidence and abilities regarding their performance (P < 0.05; Bonferroni correction, P < 0.006). There was an increases in student confidence and self-perceived ability in: first, communicating with children and family members of young patients; second, managing confrontational situations involving parents; third, performing a thorough psychosocial history with an adolescent; and fourth, using Evidence Based Medicine to motivate parents.

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The effectiveness of a FY-1 doctor preparation course for final year medical students

10.1101/2020.08.24.20180109 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

William Beedham ◽

Kasun Wanigasooriya ◽

Georgia R Layton ◽

Ley Tiang Chan ◽

Adnan Darr ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Student ◽

Medical Students ◽

Core Curriculum ◽

Junior Doctor ◽

Medical Curriculum ◽

Confidence Score ◽

Primary Objective ◽

Rank Test ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Curriculum Topics

Background: Starting work as a junior doctor can be daunting for any medical student. There are numerous aspects of the hidden or informal curriculum which many students fail to acquire during their training. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of a novel foundation year one (FY1) doctor preparation course focusing on certain core topics, practical tips and components of the hidden curriculum. The primary objective was to improve the confidence level and knowledge of final year medical student transition to FY1 doctors. Method: A two-day, practical course titled "Preparation 2 Practice" delivering hands-on, small-group and lecture-based teaching, covering core medical student undergraduate curriculum topics in medicine and surgery. The course content spanned therapeutics, documentation skills and managing acute clinical tasks encountered by FY1 doctors during an on-call shift. A pre- and post-course survey and knowledge assessment were carried out to assess the effectiveness of the course. The assessment was MCQ-based, derived from topics covered within our course. The 20-question test and a short survey were administered electronically. Results: Twenty students from a single UK medical school attended the course. 100% participation was observed in the pre- and post-course test and survey. The median post-course test result was 22 (IQR 20.25-23.75) which was higher than the median pre course test score of 18.75 (IQR 17-21.75). A Wilcoxon sign rank test revealed a statistically significant difference between the pre- and post-course test results (p=0.0003). The self-reported confidence score of delegates on starting work as a junior doctor was also significantly higher following the course (p=0.004). Conclusion: The results show a significant improvement in perceived confidence and knowledge on core curriculum topics amongst final year medical students having attended our FY1 doctor preparation course. We conclude that there is scope for similar supplementary courses as an adjunct to the undergraduate medical curriculum.

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Improved Medical Student Engagement with EHR Documentation following the 2018 Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Billing Changes

Applied Clinical Informatics ◽

10.1055/s-0041-1731342 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (03) ◽

pp. 582-588

Author(s):

Lindsay A. Stevens ◽

Natalie M. Pageler ◽

Jin S. Hahn

Keyword(s):

Medical Student ◽

Student Engagement ◽

Medical Students ◽

Writing Process ◽

Health Record ◽

Training Process ◽

Performance Requirements ◽

Physical Presence ◽

Before And After ◽

Attending Physicians

Abstract Background Medical student note writing is an important part of the training process but has suffered in the electronic health record (EHR) era as a result of student notes being excluded from the billable encounter. The 2018 CMS billing changes allow for medical student notes to be used for billable services provided that physical presence requirements are met, and attending physicians satisfy performance requirements and verify documentation. This has the potential to improve medical student engagement and decrease physician documentation burden. Methods Our institution implemented medical student notes as part of the billable encounter in August 2018 with support of our compliance department. Note characteristics including number, type, length, and time in note were analyzed before and after implementation. Rotating medical students were surveyed regarding their experience following implementation. Results There was a statistically significant increase in the number of student-authored notes following implementation. Attending physicians' interactions with student notes greatly increased following the change (4% of student notes reviewed vs. 84% of student notes). Surveyed students reported that having their notes as part of the billable record made their notes more meaningful and enhanced their learning. The majority of surveyed students also agreed that they received more feedback following the change. Conclusion Medical students are interested in writing notes for education and feedback. Inclusion of their notes as part of the billable record can facilitate their learning and increase their participation in the note writing process.

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687 The Effectiveness of a Two-Day Conference in Improving Plastic Surgery Knowledge and Skills of Medical Students and Junior Doctors

British Journal of Surgery ◽

10.1093/bjs/znab134.164 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 108 (Supplement_2) ◽

Author(s):

A Dawidziuk ◽

C Ngadimin ◽

R Kwasnicki ◽

N Jallali

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Plastic Surgery ◽

Aesthetic Surgery ◽

Evaluation Study ◽

Rank Test ◽

Junior Doctors ◽

Post Intervention ◽

Knowledge And Skills ◽

Reconstructive Ladder ◽

Signed Rank Test

Abstract Introduction Reconstructing the Stereotype is a student-led conference organised by Imperial College Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Society providing holistic outlook on plastic surgery with lectures, tutorials, and practical workshops. The aim of this event-evaluation study was to assess the effectiveness of the conference in improving reported knowledge, skills and awareness of the specialty. Method 25 delegates (21 medical students, 4 junior doctors; mean age 23.2 years; 14 women) volunteered to complete pre- and post-intervention online questionnaires comprising 26 five-step Likert scale questions on knowledge, skills, and career in plastic surgery. Significance of comparisons was established with Wilcoxon signed-rank test using IBM SPSS V26 (p < 0.05). Results Post-conference, there was a significant increase in participants’ self-ratings across all domains investigated (p-values 0.000-0.001). Understanding of the reconstructive ladder showed largest improvement in knowledge (mean±SD: 1.96±1.27 vs 3.80±1.08), performing Z-pasty in skills (1.72±1.17 vs 3.72±1.06) and portfolio development in career category (2.28±1.17 vs 4.08±1.04). Two more participants declared considering career in plastic surgery after the conference. Conclusions A two-day student-organised conference significantly improved plastic surgery knowledge and skills of medical students and junior doctors. It also provided them with a realistic idea of what a career in the specialty entails.

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Global surgery for medical students – is it meaningful? A mixed-method study

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0257297 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (10) ◽

pp. e0257297

Author(s):

Sofia Kühner ◽

Solvig Ekblad ◽

Jan Larsson ◽

Jenny Löfgren

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Qualitative Content Analysis ◽

Course Evaluation ◽

Global Surgery ◽

Rank Test ◽

Chi Square ◽

Signed Rank ◽

Signed Rank Test ◽

Surgical Conditions ◽

Case Based

Introduction There has been an increase in global health courses at medical universities in high-income countries. Their effect on students, however, is poorly understood. In 2016 an elective global surgery course was introduced for medical students at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. The course includes a theoretical module in Sweden and a two-week clinical rotation in Uganda. The present study aimed to assess the format and determine its effect on students’ knowledge of global surgery and approach towards patients of non-Swedish origin. Method A mixed-methods design was used. Semi-structured case-based interviews were conducted individually with 18 students and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Examination scores and the course evaluation were analysed with Kruskal Wallis one-way analysis of variance, Pearson’s Chi-square and a Wilcoxon signed-rank test as appropriate. Results The course was appreciated and students reported gained insights and interest in global surgery. Students’ ability to reason about global surgery issues was improved after the course. Students considered complicating aspects in the meeting with patients of non-Swedish origin. Students with abroad clinical experience felt less compelled to act on preconceptions. Discussion The global surgery course at Karolinska Institutet is appreciated and students gained valuable knowledge. The case-based interviews acted as a catalyst for reflection and showed that students felt insecure as they lacked knowledge about globally common surgical conditions and struggled with generalized preconceptions of patients of non-Swedish origin. To further support students to integrate theoretical knowledge and professional development, we suggest the introduction of problem-based learning. Conclusion The ability of the course to inspire students’ commitment to global surgery is promising as this engagement is the key to reaching the goal of equitable health globally. Offering such courses is a step towards inspiring and recruiting the future clinicians and researchers needed for expanding the field of global surgery.

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What Influences Mental Illness? Discrepancies Between Medical Education and Conception

Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development ◽

10.1177/2382120517705123 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

pp. 238212051770512 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Evan Hy Einstein ◽

Lidia Klepacz

Keyword(s):

Mental Illness ◽

Medical Education ◽

Medical Students ◽

Formal Education ◽

Mental Illnesses ◽

Rank Test ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

Systemic Racism ◽

Signed Rank ◽

Signed Rank Test

Objective: This preliminary study examined the differences between what was taught during a formal medical education and medical students’ and psychiatry residents’ conceptions of notions regarding the causes and determinants of mental illness. Methods: The authors surveyed 74 medical students and 11 residents via convenience sampling. The survey contained 18 statements which were rated twice based on truthfulness in terms of a participant’s formal education and conception, respectively. Descriptive statistics and a Wilcoxon signed rank test determined differences between education and conception. Results: Results showed that students were less likely to perceive a neurotransmitter imbalance to cause mental illness, as opposed to what was emphasized during a formal medical education. Students and residents also understood the importance of factors such as systemic racism and socioeconomic status in the development of mental illness, which were factors that did not receive heavy emphasis during medical education. Furthermore, students and residents believed that not only did mental illnesses have nonuniform pathologies, but that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders also had the propensity to sometimes arbitrarily categorize individuals with potentially negative consequences. Conclusions: If these notions are therefore part of students’ and residents’ conceptions, as well as documented in the literature, then it seems appropriate for medical education to be further developed to emphasize these ideas.

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Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives of medical students

Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences ◽

10.12669/pjms.37.5.4177 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 37 (5) ◽

Author(s):

Nadia Saeed ◽

Nismat Javed

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Medical Students ◽

Lifestyle Changes ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Rank Test ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Physical And Mental Health ◽

Signed Rank ◽

Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test ◽

Signed Rank Test

Objective: The objective of the study was to assess the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and lifestyle of our medical students. Methods: This observational study was conducted on medical students of Shifa College of Medicine, Islamabad from June to August 2020. The GAD-7 and PHQ-9 questionnaires were used for anxiety and depression assessment. Different aspects of changes in lifestyle were evaluated and students were inquired about their views regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. The chi-square test was applied to assess the associations between levels of anxiety and depression with student’s responses to the concerns and lifestyle changes. The binomial logistic analysis was used to highlight important predictors of anxiety and depression. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the time spent on various activities before and during the pandemic. Results: There were 234 participants in the study. The depression and anxiety were detected in 151 (64.5%) and 146 (66.7%) students. The college closure led to a significant increase in sleeping time, sedentary time, and time on gadgets (Z=-4.67, Z=-7.23, Z= -6.72, respectively) on the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The binomial regression analysis identified study years be the significant predictors for the development of depression and anxiety (p<0.05). Conclusions: Our study emphasizes prioritizing both the physical and mental health of medical students is vital to avoid complications related to the pandemic. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.37.5.4177 How to cite this:Saeed N, Javed N. Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic: perspectives of medical students. Pak J Med Sci. 2021;37(5):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.37.5.4177 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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A Week Long “PEP” Talk – Initial and 2-3 Year Longitudinal Data on the Ottawa Psychiatry Enrichment Program (OPEP)

10.21203/rs.3.rs-489469/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Elliott Kyung Lee ◽

Alexandra Morra ◽

Khalid Bazaid ◽

Abdellah Bezzahou ◽

Kevin Simas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Effect Size ◽

Rank Test ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Before And After ◽

Signed Rank Test ◽

Enrichment Program ◽

Students Attitudes ◽

Increasing Demand ◽

Mean Differences

Abstract Background: Recruitment to psychiatry has been challenging in Canada and abroad. Historically 4-6% of medical students match to psychiatry in Canada. Novel and innovative measures to increase interest in psychiatry among medical students are needed to meet the increasing demand for psychiatrists given the increasing burden of mental health issues globally. Common barriers include negative attitudes and stigma towards psychiatry and a paucity of knowledge about the field. The study goal was to evaluate the efficacy of the Ottawa Psychiatry Enrichment Program (OPEP), a one-week extracurricular program about psychiatry as a career, developed for 1st and 2nd year medical students to improve medical students’ attitudes towards psychiatry, and increase recruitment.Methods: 1st and 2nd year medical students from Canada applied to OPEP. Attendees completed the Attitudes Towards Psychiatry Questionnaire (ATP-30) before OPEP (PreOPEP), after OPEP (PostOPEP) and after their Canadian Residency Matching Service (CaRMs) match 2-3 years later. OPEP ATP-30 scores were compared to third-year student ATP-30 scores before and after their psychiatry rotation. Data were analysed using Friedman non-parametric ANOVA and post hoc testing by either Wilcoxon rank sum test, Wilcoxon matched pairs signed rank test, or parametric Welch independent t-test as appropriate. Effect sizes of group mean differences were calculated using Cohen’s “d”. Results: 29 students were selected for OPEP from 2017-2018 from across Canada. 100%, 93.1% and 75.8% of students completed the PreOPEP, PostOPEP, and CaRMs ATP-30 surveys respectively. 43% of OPEP attendees matched to psychiatry. PostOPEP ATP-30 scores (mean=133, median=137, SD=10.6) were significantly higher than PreOPEP ATP-30 (mean score=121, median=122, SD=9.3, p < 0.001) and CaRMS ATP-30 (mean=126, median=127, SD=12.3, p < 0.02) scores. OPEP effect size on ATP-30 scores was large (d=1.2) but decreased 2-3 years later (p=0.078, d=0.44). 97/202 students completed the ATP-30 before and after their psychiatry rotation (clerkship). Clerkship effect size on improvement in ATP-30 was moderate (d=0.39). There was a non significant difference between OPEP CaRMS ATP-30 and post clerkship ATP-30 scores (median 127 vs 121, p=0.056). Conclusions: OPEP ameliorated attitudes toward Psychiatry, but improvement deteriorated longitudinally. Additional strategies to boost/retain these improvements during clerkship years may be beneficial.

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1169 Innovative Exposure to Sleep Medicine for Medical Students

SLEEP ◽

10.1093/sleep/zsaa056.1163 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 43 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. A446-A447

Author(s):

S Gupta ◽

E Golden ◽

M Howell ◽

M Irfan

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Sleep Disorders ◽

Medical Curriculum ◽

Sleep Medicine ◽

Diagnostic Tools ◽

Rank Test ◽

Student Interest ◽

University Of Minnesota ◽

Signed Rank Test ◽

Diagnostic Modalities

Abstract Introduction Lack of exposure to the field of Sleep Medicine at the medical student level hinders sleep training. Instead of the traditional didactic style, there is a need for innovative collaborative measures to spark interest in the younger generation of learners. The goal of this educational endeavor was to introduce medical students to the field of Sleep Medicine through the platform of Student Interest Group in Neurology (SIGN). Methods An interactive session was conducted for SIGN at the University of Minnesota. 24 second-year medical students were divided into 6 groups. The session consisted of introduction, videos of common sleep disorders and interactive briefing afterward. 5-point Likert scale pre and post-session surveys were administered to measure the level of knowledge regarding sleep, familiarity with diagnostic tools, available education, pathways to Sleep Medicine, learner’s interest and impact of the session. Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test was performed to compare pre- and post-surveys. Results There was a significant improvement in measures of students’ knowledge about sleep diagnostic modalities (p =7.8*10-5), education received (p= 3.2*10-5) and pathways to sleep medicine (p=4.1*10-5). Survey also showed improvement in students’ interest in pursuing a Sleep Medicine career (p=0.07). There was no difference in knowledge about the importance of sleep for health (p=0.69). All of the students found the session to be informative. Conclusion Early exposure to sleep disorders in interactive format was well received by the medical students with significant improvement in scores regarding sleep education, awareness of diagnostic modalities, career pathway and interest in sleep medicine (p=0.07). Integration of exposure to Sleep Medicine within the medical curriculum in an innovative format should be done to instigate interest in this field. Further larger studies are warranted to evaluate the changes in the students’ interest in the subspecialty with an introduction in the early stages of their career. Support

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