Graduate entry medicine: the right way forward?

AimsAgility in educational delivery has been catalyzed in response to national restrictions mandated by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Increased use of assistive technologies further aligns with the General Medical Council's aims that medical educators provide an 'accessible training experience'. The study examined medical students' receptiveness to different types of interactive teaching. Two undergraduate cohorts received teaching on the Mental State Examination, either socially-distanced delivered by traditional powerpoint or remotely by mind-mapping software on a tablet hand-held digital device. We required an effective program which would retain the popular interactive elements of Psychiatry teaching and promote inclusivity across students' diverse learning styles.MethodTwo cohorts of Year 2 students from the Universities of Dundee and St Andrew's Scottish Graduate-Entry Medicine (scotGEM) course took part in an Introduction to Psychiatry seminar which involved a presentation of the Mental State Examination. One was conducted in a face-to-face setting via traditional PowerPoint. The second was conducted via remote-conferencing with mindmaps of key concepts drawn and screen-shared live to students as teaching progressed.This was a qualitative study, with online links to questionnaires for 24 student participants across 5 domains. (1. The tutorial met my learning objectives, 2. The format was suitable for me, 3. The balance of theory and cases was suitable for me, 4. The tutorial was of appropriate length, 5. I was satisfied with the performance) Response options included: strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree, strongly agree. A section was also included with open-ended questions pooled for thematic analysis.ResultResponse rate reached >60% with >80% respondents answering strongly agree across all domains. Thematic results demonstrated positive responses across both teaching sessions, with the interactive elements valued by students. Comments included: “great job was done with the delivery of the session considering it was online rather than in person”; “drawing element was fantastic”; “Good: interactivity of the session drawing and creativity element”.ConclusionThe Mental State Examination (MSE) via live-drawn mind-maps allows salient clinical information to be conceptualised in non-linear diagramatic format. This paediological approach can offer further access points across wide range of learning styles. This pilot study demonstrated such interactive components of Psychiatry teaching continue to be well received and can be effectively delivered remotely. Such sessions also serve to promote inclusivity, linking those who are geographically distant in addition to the visual learner and the neurodiverse. We aim to incorporate these dynamic teaching sessions into our online induction programs and disseminate Intelligent Tutorials to our remote and rural learners throughout Scotland.

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Approaches to Learning: Does Medical School Attract Students with the Motivation to Go Deeper?

Education Sciences ◽

10.3390/educsci10110302 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 302

Author(s):

Kylie J. Mansfield ◽

Gregory E. Peoples ◽

Lyndal Parker-Newlyn ◽

Danielle Skropeta

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Goal Orientation ◽

Approaches To Learning ◽

First Year ◽

Learning Approaches ◽

Science Students ◽

Graduate Entry ◽

Learning Goal ◽

Learning Goal Orientation ◽

Graduate Entry Medicine

Graduate-entry, following a science degree, is the preferred pathway into many medical schools, however little is known about how the learning approaches of medical students compare to those of science students. This study compared the learning approaches and achievement orientations of science students with those aiming to enter graduate-entry medicine programs. The two factor study process questionnaire and the achievement goal orientation survey were used to compare students in; stage one: third year science students (n = 86) to graduate-entry medicine students (n = 158); stage two: applicants to graduate medicine (n = 84); stage three: first year science students (n = 363) to first year pre-medicine students (n = 68). Medical students and applicants to medicine demonstrated a greater preference for deep learning than third year science students (p < 0.0001). Pre-medicine students were similar to medical students. Medical students, applicants to medicine and pre-medicine students also all had a greater preference for a learning goal orientation. The preference for a deeper approach to learning and stronger learning goal orientation in students enrolled in medicine or aiming to gain entry to graduate medicine indicates a motivation towards the acquisition of knowledge. Medical educators need to ensure that students continue to develop positive and beneficial styles of learning to assist them to develop into life-long learners.

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