Optimising undergraduate medico-legal and professionalism teaching through a student-selected component

PurposeWe sought to understand how best to teach medico-ethics, law and professionalism to undergraduate medical students using a student selected component.Materials and methodsStudents received small-group, seminar-based teaching from the module organiser and external representatives from organisations such as the General Medical Council and Medical Protection Society. Experiential learning was also facilitated through attendance at fitness to practice tribunals and Coroner’s court, followed by structured debrief sessions. Two cohorts of medical students(n=40) from Manchester University were surveyed before and after undergoing the placement, with qualitative interviews and thematic analysis for a subset of this group(n=16) and course leaders(n=4).ResultsThere were significant (p<0.05) improvements in students’ self-reported understanding of key medicolegal organisations and accessing guidance on professionalism. Thematic analysis uncovered increasing confidence in the role of the medicolegal system, barriers to challenging unprofessional behaviour, and a desire for this to be placed in the curricula.ConclusionsThis placement was well received and demonstrates an importance for this content to be taught effectively in the medical curricula. Having protected time to attend sessions while an undergraduate may reduce anxiety felt by doctors fearing medicolegal proceedings and help challenge unprofessional behaviours. Further work could explore mechanisms into how best to incorporate this into the medical curricula.

Download Full-text

Is there a need for formal undergraduate patient handover training and could an educational workshop effectively provide this? A proof-of-concept study in a Scottish Medical School

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2019-034468 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. e034468 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Nicholas Holt ◽

Kirsty Crowe ◽

Daniel Lynagh ◽

Zoe Hutcheson

Keyword(s):

Medical Education ◽

Medical Students ◽

Student Performance ◽

Assessment Tool ◽

Significant Proportion ◽

General Medical Council ◽

Competency Assessment ◽

Medical Council ◽

Undergraduate Medical Students ◽

Before And After

BackgroundPoor communication between healthcare professionals is recognised as accounting for a significant proportion of adverse patient outcomes. In the UK, the General Medical Council emphasises effective handover (handoff) as an essential outcome for medical graduates. Despite this, a significant proportion of medical schools do not teach the skill.ObjectivesThis study had two aims: (1) demonstrate a need for formal handover training through assessing the pre-existing knowledge, skills and attitudes of medical students and (2) study the effectiveness of a pilot educational handover workshop on improving confidence and competence in structured handover skills.DesignStudents underwent an Objective Structured Clinical Examination style handover competency assessment before and after attending a handover workshop underpinned by educational theory. Participants also completed questionnaires before and after the workshop. The tool used to measure competency was developed through a modified Delphi process.SettingMedical education departments within National Health Service (NHS) Lanarkshire hospitals.ParticipantsForty-two undergraduate medical students rotating through their medical and surgical placements within NHS Lanarkshire enrolled in the study. Forty-one students completed all aspects.Main outcome measuresPaired questionnaires, preworkshop and postworkshop, ascertained prior teaching and confidence in handover skills. The questionnaires also elicited the student’s views on the importance of handover and the potential effects on patient safety. The assessment tool measured competency over 12 domains.ResultsEighty-three per cent of participants reported no previous handover teaching. There was a significant improvement, p<0.0001, in confidence in delivering handovers after attending the workshop. Student performance in the handover competency assessment showed a significant improvement (p<0.05) in 10 out of the 12 measured handover competency domains.ConclusionsA simple, robust and reproducible intervention, underpinned by medical education theory, can significantly improve competence and confidence in medical handover. Further research is required to assess long-term outcomes as student’s transition from undergraduate to postgraduate training.

Download Full-text

Undergraduate anatomy teaching in the UK

Bulletin of The Royal College of Surgeons of England ◽

10.1308/147363509x407506 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 91 (3) ◽

pp. 102-106 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

P Gogalniceanu ◽

E Fitzgerald O'Connor ◽

A Raftery

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Basic Science ◽

Medical Curriculum ◽

General Medical Council ◽

Junior Doctors ◽

Medical Council ◽

The Uk ◽

Teaching Time ◽

Anatomy Teaching

The UK undergraduate medical curriculum has undergone significant changes following the recommendation of Tomorrow's Doctors, a report by the UK's General Medical Council (GMC). One consequence of these reforms is believed to be an overall reduction in basic science teaching. Many anatomists, surgeons and medical students have objected to the reduction in anatomy teaching time, the diminishing role of dissection and the inadequate assessment of students' knowledge of anatomy. Moreover, there have been concerns regarding the future of anatomy as an academic subject as well as the fitness to practise of junior doctors. Currently there is much debate as to whether the UK is experiencing a real or apparent crisis in anatomy teaching.

Download Full-text

Teaching psychiatrists to teach: qualifications in clinical education for psychiatrists

Psychiatric Bulletin ◽

10.1192/pb.bp.106.010827 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 31 (3) ◽

pp. 107-109 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Stephen Dinniss ◽

Richard Bowers ◽

Antony Christopher

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Royal College ◽

Clinical Education ◽

Teaching Methods ◽

Core Competency ◽

General Medical Council ◽

Medical Council ◽

Attitudes And Practices ◽

And Training

The education and training of medical students and trainees is a key role of senior clinicians, and the General Medical Council states we ‘must develop the skills, attitudes and practices of a competent teacher’ (General Medical Council, 2005). The Royal College of Psychiatrists places the role of educator as a core competency for psychiatrists (Bhugra, 2005) and believes we should understand ‘the principles of education and use teaching methods appropriate to educational objectives' (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2004).

Download Full-text

Assessment of Attitude towards two selected areas of professionalism like honesty and confidentiality among undergraduate medical students of Bangladesh

Bangladesh Journal of Medical Education ◽

10.3329/bjme.v11i1.49237 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 3-11

Author(s):

Sadia Jabeen Khan ◽

Md Humayun Kabir Talukder ◽

Kazi Khairul Alam ◽

Farhana Haque ◽

Md Rezaul Karim

Keyword(s):

Medical Education ◽

Medical Students ◽

Medical Curriculum ◽

Sampling Technique ◽

General Medical Council ◽

Female Students ◽

Medical Graduate ◽

Medical Council ◽

Undergraduate Medical Students ◽

Cross Sectional

This descriptive type of cross sectional study was carried out to evaluate the attitude of undergraduate medical students of Bangladesh regarding selected areas of professionalism like honesty and confidentiality. Study period was from July 2017 to June 2018. Sample size was 837 undergraduates medical students of 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th phase of MBBS course from four public and four non government medical colleges of Bangladesh. Convenience sampling technique was adopted in this study. Data collection was done by a modified structured situational judgment test (SJT) self-administered questionnaire which was adopted from general medical council (GMC) and by in-depth interview schedule of students. The data were then compiled and analyzed using SPSS Version 19.Among the study participants, 37.20% (310) and 62 .80% (537) were males and females respectively. Attitude towards the two most major issues of professionalism were good, mean score were above three in honesty. Mean score was below three in maintaining confidentiality. Result of the present study shows that female students had higher mean professionalism than male. Female students were better than the male students in regards to all two different professional issues and this difference is statistically highly significant (P=0.00). Mean score of professionalism of 1st phase students in all two issues were greater than the respondents of other three phases and this findings was also statistically significant. Medical undergraduates of Bangladesh have a good understanding of acceptable professional honesty but there is scope of improvement. Study recommended that these two issues of professionalism must be taught in the course of undergraduate medical education and should be incorporated in undergraduate medical curriculum with the details of learning outcome what we craving from a registered medical graduate so that learning can be turned into practice. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Education Vol.11(1) 2020: 3-11

Download Full-text

Psychiatry: a core curriculum for undergraduate medical students

Psychiatric Bulletin ◽

10.1192/pb.20.4.230 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 20 (4) ◽

pp. 230-233 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Mervat Nasser

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Medical Practice ◽

Core Curriculum ◽

General Medical Council ◽

Medical Council ◽

Undergraduate Medical Students ◽

Education Committee ◽

Medical Discipline ◽

The Subject

There is a growing pressure on universities to review their curriculum for undergraduate medical students in the light of the new General Medical Council (GMC) Education Committee recommendations (1993). One major recommendation was for universities to develop a ‘core curriculum’ for every medical discipline. In psychiatry, the curriculum for undergraduate medical students has always varied between universities. We propose a broad design of a core curriculum that consists of eight modules covering what is considered vital to the subject and relevant to the student's future medical practice. The curriculum is designed to be taught in pre-clinical as well as clinical years in an attempt to achieve full integration and aspires to succeed in eliminating this traditional divide.

Download Full-text

The Duties of Doctors In Medical Education: A Letter To The Editor (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.16418 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Sneha Barai

Keyword(s):

Medical Education ◽

Medical Students ◽

Role Models ◽

Role Model ◽

General Medical Council ◽

Future Generations ◽

Medical Council ◽

Positive Role ◽

The Uk ◽

And Training

UNSTRUCTURED The UK General Medical Council (GMC) explicitly states doctors have a duty to ‘contribute to teaching and training…by acting as a positive role model’. However, recent studies suggest some are not fulfilling this, which is impacting medical students' experiences and attitudes during their training. As such, doctors have a duty to act as role models and teachers, as specified by the GMC, which it seems are not currently being fulfilled. This would improve the medical students’ learning experiences and demonstrate good professional values for them to emulate. Therefore, these duties should be as important as patient care, since this will influence future generations.

Download Full-text

Medical Students’ Experience of Mindfulness Training in the UK: Well-Being, Coping Reserve, and Professional Development

Education Research International ◽

10.1155/2019/4021729 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2019 ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Alice Malpass ◽

Kate Binnie ◽

Lauren Robson

Keyword(s):

Medical Education ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Qualitative Interviews ◽

General Medical Council ◽

Well Being ◽

Mindfulness Training ◽

The Body ◽

Free Text ◽

Medical Council ◽

The Uk

Medical school can be a stressful experience for students, resulting in stress-related mental health problems. Policy recommendations from the General Medical Council (GMC), the body responsible for improving medical education in the UK, recommend the use of mindfulness training to increase well-being and resilience to stress. Students participating in an eight-week mindfulness training between Autumn 2011 and Spring 2015 were invited to complete a free text survey at the end of their mindfulness course. In addition, six qualitative interviews were conducted lasting between 60 and 90 minutes. Interviews used a topic guide and were recorded and transcribed verbatim. We used the framework approach to analyse the data. Students reported a new relationship to their thoughts and feelings which gave a greater sense of control and resiliency, an ability to manage their workload better, and more acceptance of their limitations as learners. The small group context was important. Students described improved empathy and communication skills through building inner awareness of thoughts and feelings, noticing judgments, and developing attentive observation. The findings show how resiliency and coping reserve can be developed within medical education and the role of mindfulness in this process. We present a conceptual model of a learnt cycle of specific vulnerability and describe how MBCT intercepts at various junctures in this self-reinforcing cycle through the development of new coping strategies that embrace an “allowed vulnerability.”

Download Full-text

Communication behaviours of undergraduate medical students before and after training

British Journal of Medical Psychology ◽

10.1111/j.2044-8341.1984.tb01587.x ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 57 (1) ◽

pp. 97-100 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

C. B. Omololu

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Undergraduate Medical Students ◽

Before And After ◽

Communication Behaviours

Download Full-text

Medical students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of integrated clinical skills sessions using different simulation adjuncts

AJP Advances in Physiology Education ◽

10.1152/advan.00097.2016 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 40 (4) ◽

pp. 514-521 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Muhammad Zafar

Keyword(s):

Factor Analysis ◽

Medical Students ◽

Response Rate ◽

Clinical Skills ◽

Medical Curricula ◽

Effective Implementation ◽

Simulation Based

Simulation-based integrated clinical skills sessions have great potential for use in medical curricula. Integration is central to simulation efficacy. The aim of this study was to obtain medical students' perceptions toward effectiveness of integrated clinical skills sessions by using different simulation adjuncts and to know the challenges/obstacles encountered toward the implementation of such sessions. A study was conducted to obtain anonymous feedback from male ( n = 156) and female ( n = 179) medical students in years 2 and 3 during the 2014–2015 academic sessions at Alfaisal University about their perceptions of the effectiveness of integrated clinical skills sessions, uses of simulation adjuncts, and obstacles encountered toward the effective implementation of such sessions. The response rate was 93.4. Factor analysis showed data being valid and reliable. Cronbach’s α-values for effectiveness of sessions, use of simulation adjunct, and obstacles encountered were 0.97, 0.95, and 0.95, respectively. We conclude that students perceived positively the effectiveness of integrated clinical skills sessions as well as the use of simulation adjuncts, especially SPs. They suggested overcoming the obstacles and limitations of simulation. They highly valued the role of the facilitators in achieving effective sessions.

Download Full-text