scholarly journals Assessing the current state of medical education on cannabis in Canada: Preliminary findings from Quebec

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S29-S33
Author(s):  
Laurent Elkrief ◽  
Julien Belliveau ◽  
Tara D’Ignazio ◽  
Philippe Simard ◽  
Didier Jutras-Aswad
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Medical Schools ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Medical Curricula ◽  
Comfort Levels ◽  
Current State ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
Current Curriculum

Abstract The legalization of recreational cannabis across Canada has revealed the importance of medical education on cannabis-related topics. A recent study has indicated that Canadian physicians report a significant gap in current versus desired knowledge regarding the therapeutic use of cannabis. However, the state of education on cannabis has never been studied in Canadian medical schools. This article presents the preliminary findings of a survey conducted to understand the perceptions of Quebec’s medical students regarding cannabis-related teachings in their current curriculum. Overall, students reported very low to low levels of exposure to, knowledge of, and comfort levels with cannabis-related subjects. The majority of students reported that they felt that their medical curricula did not prepare them to face cannabis-related issues in their future practices. Strategies need to be developed for improving medical school curriculum regarding cannabis-related issues. These findings provide potential key strategies to improve curricula.

scholarly journals The impact of integrating environmental health into medical school curricula: a survey-based study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Kligler ◽  
Genevieve Pinto Zipp ◽  
Carmela Rocchetti ◽  
Michelle Secic ◽  
Erin Speiser Ihde
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Medical Education ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Environmental Health ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Learning Objectives ◽  
Lead Contamination ◽  
Institute Of Medicine ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Inclusion of environmental health (EH) in medical education serves as a catalyst for preparing future physicians to address issues as complex as climate change and health, water pollution and lead contamination. However, previous research has found EH education to be largely lacking in U.S. medical education, putting future physicians at risk of not having the expertise to address patients’ environmental illnesses, nor speak to prevention. Methods Environmental health (EH) knowledge and skills were incorporated into the first-year medical school curriculum at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine (Nutley, New Jersey), via a two-hour interactive large group learning module with follow up activities. Students completed the Environmental Health in Med School (EHMS) survey before and after the year 1 EH module. This survey evaluates medical students’ attitudes, awareness and professionalism regarding environmental health. In year 2, students completed the Environmental Health Survey II, which measured students’ perceptions of preparedness to discuss EH with future patients. The research team created both surveys based upon learning objectives that broadly aligned with the Institute of Medicine six competency-based environmental health learning objectives. Results 36 year 1 students completed both the pre and post EHMS surveys. McNemar’s test was used for paired comparisons. Results identified no statistically significant changes from pre to post surveys, identifying a dramatic ceiling. When comparing year 2, EHS II pre-survey (n = 84) and post-survey (n = 79) responses, a statistically significant positive change in students’ self-reported sense of preparedness to discuss environmental health with their patients following the curriculum intervention was noted. Conclusions Our conclusion for the EHMS in Year 1 was that the current generation of medical students at this school is already extremely aware of and concerned about the impact of environmental issues on health. Through the EHS II in Year 2, we found that the six-week environmental health module combining didactic and experiential elements significantly increased medical students’ self-reported sense of preparedness to discuss environmental health issues, including climate change, with their patients.

scholarly journals PRESCRIBING COMPETENCY OF MEDICAL STUDENTS: NATIONAL SURVEY OF MEDICAL EDUCATION LEADERS

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. e18-e24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiayu Liu ◽  
SherWin Wong ◽  
Gary Foster ◽  
Anne Holbrook
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Medical Schools ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Competency Assessment ◽  
Canadian Medical School ◽  
Education Leaders ◽  
Close Supervision ◽  
School Curricula

Evidence suggests that newly licensed physicians are not adequately prepared to prescribe medications safely. There is currently no national pre-licensure prescribing competency assessment required in North America. This study’s purpose was to survey Canadian medical school leaders for their interest in and perceived need for a nation-wide prescribing assessment for final year medical students. Method In spring of 2015, surveys were disseminated online to medical education leaders in all 17 Canadian medical schools. The survey included questions on perceived medication prescribing competency in medical schools, and interest in integration of a national assessment into medical school curricula and licensing. Results 372 (34.6 %) faculty from all 17 Canadian medical schools responded. 277 (74.5%) respondents were residency directors, 33 (8.9%) vice deans of medical education or equivalent, and 62 (16.7%) clerkship coordinators. Faculty judged 23.4% (SD 22.9%) of their own graduates’ prescribing knowledge to be unsatisfactory and 131 (44.8%) felt obligated to provide close supervision to more than a third of their new residents due to prescribing concerns. 239 (73.0%) believed that an assessment process would improve their graduates’ quality, 262 (80.4%) thought it should be incorporated into their medical school curricula and 248 (76.0%) into the national licensing process. Except in regards to close supervision due to concerns, there were no significant differences between schools’ responses. Conclusions Amongst Canadian medical school leadership, there is a perceived inadequacy in medical student prescribing competency as well as support for a standardized prescribing competency assessment in curricula and licensing processes.

Systematic review of medical student willingness to volunteer and preparedness for pandemics and disasters

2021 ◽  
pp. emermed-2020-211052
Author(s):  
Matthew Henry Vincent Byrne ◽  
James Ashcroft ◽  
Laith Alexander ◽  
Jonathan C M Wan ◽  
Anna Harvey
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Medical Schools ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Weighted Mean ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
And Training ◽  
School Curricula

ObjectiveThis systematic review aimed to estimate the willingness of students to volunteer during a disaster, and how well-prepared medical students are for volunteering by assessing their knowledge and medical school curriculum of disaster and pandemic medicine.ResultsA total of 37 studies met inclusion criteria including 11 168 medical students and 91 medical schools. 24 studies evaluated knowledge (64.9%), 16 evaluated volunteering (43.2%) and 5 evaluated medical school curricula (13.5%). Weighted mean willingness to volunteer during a disaster was 68.4% (SD=21.7%, range=26.7%–87.8%, n=2911), and there was a significant difference between those planning to volunteer and those who actually volunteered (p<0.0001). We identified a number of modifiable barriers which may contribute to this heterogeneity. Overall, knowledge of disasters was poor with a weighted mean of 48.9% (SD=15.1%, range=37.1%–87.0%, n=2985). 36.8% of 76 medical schools curricula included teaching on disasters. However, students only received minimal teaching (2–6 hours).ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that there is a large number of students who are willing to volunteer during pandemics. However, they are unlikely to be prepared for these roles as overall knowledge is poor, and this is likely due to minimal teaching on disasters at medical school. During the current COVID-19 pandemic and in future disasters, medical students may be required to volunteer as auxiliary staff. There is a need to develop infrastructure to facilitate this process as well as providing education and training to ensure students are adequately prepared to perform these roles safely.

scholarly journals Developing a training programme in physical activity counselling for undergraduate medical curricula: a nationwide Delphi study

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. e030425 ◽  
Author(s):  
Apichai Wattanapisit ◽  
Prachyapan Petchuay ◽  
Sanhapan Wattanapisit ◽  
Titiporn Tuangratananon
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Medical Education ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Delphi Study ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Medical Schools ◽  
Training Programme ◽  
Teaching Hospitals ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Medical Curricula

ObjectivesTo identify the essential content and approaches for developing a training programme in physical activity (PA) counselling for undergraduate medical curricula.DesignA three-round Delphi survey was conducted to investigate four key topics: (1) contents of PA counselling in medical education; (2) teaching and learning methods; (3) medical school collaboration and (4) educational policy implementation. Round 1 collected opinions from the participants. Round 2 focused on scoring the opinions. Round 3 summarised the expert opinions. A mean score of 4 or above identified as an important item.SettingAll 23 medical schools in Thailand.ParticipantsAcademic staff who were experts or in charge of medical schools in the fields of PA, health promotion or medical education.ResultsA total of 20 representatives from 18 of the 23 Thai medical schools participated in the study (for a response rate of 78.2%). The top three most important indicators of knowledge were (1) the definition and types of PA (4.75±0.55), (2) the FITT principle (frequency, intensity, time and type) (4.75±0.55) and (3) the benefits of PA (4.65±0.67). The most important component of the training involved general communication skills (4.55±0.60). An extracurricular module (4.05±0.76) was preferable to an intracurricular module (3.95±0.94). Collaborations with medical education centres and teaching hospitals (4.45±0.78) and supporting policies to increase medical students’ PA (4.40±0.73) were considered to be important.ConclusionKnowledge and counselling skills are important for PA counselling. Building collaborations between medical education and health institutions, as well as implementing effective educational policies, are key approaches to the integration of PA counselling into medical education. Future research should focus on investigating the effects of training in PA counselling on the learning outcomes of medical students and the clinical outcomes of patients.

scholarly journals Food for Thought: The Process of Bringing a Universal Medical Curriculum to the Plate – Part I of III

2014 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. JMECD.S17495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron M. McGuffin
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Medical Student ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Education System ◽  
Medical Curriculum ◽  
Burden Of Proof ◽  
Medical Schools ◽  
The United States ◽  
Medical Education System

There is currently no universally accepted core collection of competencies or medical education material for medical students. Individual medical schools create their own competencies and set of educational material using a variety of approaches. What has resulted is a medical education system wherein medical students are trained without any burden of proof that they are indeed competent in agreed upon areas of knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviors befit of a graduating medical student. In fact, the only uniform assurance a member of the public in the United States can have for a graduating allopathic medical student is that the student has successfully passed USMLE Step 1 and 2 by correctly answering a rumored 55–65% of questions correctly (yes, that is an F) and that they have maintained at least a “C” average or “Pass” equivalent in all of their medical school courses. This article discusses these inadequacies within the current medical education system, and the need to standardize the competencies and curricula for all medical schools through a narrative disclosing this author's experience with trying to initiate such a movement at his own medical school.

scholarly journals 986 A Systematic Review of Medical Student Willingness to Volunteer and Preparedness for Pandemics and Disasters

2021 ◽  
Vol 108 (Supplement_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Byrne ◽  
J Ashcroft ◽  
L Alexander ◽  
J Wan ◽  
A Harvey
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Medical Schools ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Weighted Mean ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
And Training ◽  
School Curricula

Abstract Introduction We aimed to identify motivators and barriers to volunteering during a disaster and knowledge and medical school curriculum of disaster and pandemic medicine. Method We systematically searched the literature on 28/6/2020, following PRISMA guidelines. Results A total of 37 studies met inclusion criteria including 11,168 medical students and 91 medical schools. 24 studies evaluated knowledge (64.9%), 16 evaluated volunteering (43.2%), and five evaluated medical school curricula (13.5%). Weighted mean willingness to volunteer during a disaster was 68.4% (SD = 21.7%, n = 2911), and there was a significant difference between those planning to volunteer and those who actually volunteered (P&lt;.001). We identified a number of modifiable barriers which may contribute to this difference. Overall, knowledge of disasters was poor with a weighted mean of 48.9% (SD = 15.1%, n = 2985). Conclusions There is a large number of students who are willing to volunteer during pandemics. However, they are likely to be under-prepared for these roles due to poor overall knowledge and limited teaching. During the current COVID-19 pandemic and in future disasters, medical students may be required to volunteer as auxiliary staff. Medical schools need to develop infrastructure to facilitate this process as well as providing education and training to ensure students are adequately prepared for these roles.

scholarly journals Students’ perceptions of the learning environment in two Nigerian medical schools offering different curricula

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 116-121
Author(s):  
Olufunmilola A. Ogun ◽  
Timothy E. Nottidge ◽  
Sue Roff
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Medical Schools ◽  
Learning Climate ◽  
Older Students ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Improved Learning

Objective: Compare the results of administering the DREEM questionnaire in two Nigerian medical schools offering traditional and student-centred curricular respectively, to identify any differences in the learning environment and appreciate advantages of the more modern curriculum.Methods: A survey design was used. Data was analysed using the DREEM scoring rubric. The independent t-test was used to compare results. Setting: The DREEM questionnaire was administered to final year medical students at two participating centres. Participants: Final year students of a teacher-centred and a student-centred medical school. Results: There were 138 respondents – 50 (96.2% of the final year students) from the teacher centred school and 88 (59.1% of the final year students) from the student-centred school. The mean total DREEM score was 117+22.3 in the former and 119 +23.6 in the latter (p = 0.798). Mean age of students in the teacher centred school was 28 ± 5.28 years, while that of the student-centred school was 23 ± 1.83 years (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The mean total DREEM score proximity between the schools suggests that the younger students using a more student-centred curriculum have less of an appreciation of their improved learning environment than is expected. Thus, the hidden curriculum could be lagging behind the written one. The older students in the teacher centred environment have a more mature appreciation of their learning climate.  Funding: Personal sourcesKeywords: medical education, Nigeria, curriculum, DREEM

scholarly journals The Attitudes of Medical Students for Their Roles and Social Accountability in the COVID-19 Pandemic Era

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jihoon Hong ◽  
Ikjae Jung ◽  
Mingeol Park ◽  
Kyumin Kim ◽  
Sungook Yeo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Rating Scales ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Social Accountability ◽  
New Normal ◽  
Adequate Knowledge ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionIn this study, we aimed to explore the attitude of medical students toward their roles and social accountability in this pandemic era. An online survey asked questions covering the topics of 1) the role of medical students in the pandemic era; 2) Medical education in the ‘new normal,’ and 3) the impact of COVID-19 on medical students. MethodsThe online survey, developed by a team consisting of 3 medical students, 3 psychiatric residents, and 3 psychiatric professors, was distributed to medical students, graduates, and professors in a single South Korean medical school. Anxiety symptom rating scales, including the Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemic - 6 (SAVE-6) scale and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder - 7 (GAD-7) scale, were also applied to measure participant anxiety level.ResultsAll of the 213 medical students, 180 graduates, and 181 professors that participated in this online survey were at the same medical school. Medical students indicated their willingness to join the healthcare response to the COVID-19 pandemic if requested; however, graduates and professors recommended that medical students continue their medical school curriculum rather than join the response. In the new normal era, medical education was considered to be changed appropriately. Moreover, adequate knowledge of COVID-19 infection and spread must be considered for the continuation of clinical clerkships during the pandemic. Overall, medical students who indicated anxiety about treating possible or confirmed cases rated higher on the SAVE-6 scale. Finally, medical students who reported that COVID-19 had an influence on their studies and daily life rated higher on the general anxiety scale (GAD-7). ConclusionSocial accountability is an important issue for medical students in the pandemic era. At the same time, cultivating professionalism is also important for the readiness for the future healthcare responses.

DO WE NEED AN ELECTIVE FOR OUR MEDICAL EDUCATION?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Orthi Shahzad
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Global Health ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Clinical Skills ◽  
Extended Period ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Global Pandemic

Medical electives have been part of the medical school curriculum since the 1970s in the United Kingdom. They are typically 4-8 week medical placements organised by the student in a field they are interested in. Electives are an extended period to increase understanding of global health, improve our clinical skills and deepen understanding of a speciality. They are the only part of the course in which students have autonomy over their learning. Unfortunately, I am part of the cohort of medical students who will be losing this opportunity due to the devastating Covid-19 global pandemic.

Dissecting the Student Experience at Australian Medical Schools, 1884–1912

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugenia Pacitti
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Medical Profession ◽  
Student Experience ◽  
Medical Schools ◽  
Left Behind ◽  
Lecture Notes ◽  
History Of

Abstract Historians of medicine have observed that the student experience of medical school is difficult to capture. While students sometimes left behind notebooks containing lecture notes and diagrams, there is often little evidence that illuminates their lived experiences and responses to their education. This article analyses written submissions to the publication of the Melbourne Medical Students’ Society, Speculum, between 1884 and 1912, to argue that students at the Melbourne Medical School in this era actively participated in discussions about the curriculum on offer, were highly aware of the moral and ethical consequences of their actions in the dissecting room and took great interest in the advancements and debates of the medical profession. It reclaims the student experience of medical school, which has often been hidden in favour of history written from the perspective of those in positions of power, to offer fresh insights into the history of medical education.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document