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 The Impact of Integrating Environmental Health into Medical School Curricula: A Survey-Based Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Kligler ◽  
Genevieve Pinto Zipp ◽  
Carmela Rocchetti ◽  
Erin Speiser Ihde ◽  
Michelle Secic
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 complex issues 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 The Impact of Integrating Environmental Health into Medical School Curricula: A Survey-Based Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Ihde ◽  
Benjamin Kligler ◽  
Genevieve Pinto Zipp ◽  
Carmela Rocchetti
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Medical Education ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Environmental Health ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Lead Contamination ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
The Impact ◽  
School Curricula

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 necessary to address patients' environmental illnesses, nor speak to prevention. Environmental health disparities fit well under the larger umbrella of social determinants of health, which still remain largely omitted from medical school curricula. Methods Environmental health (EH) knowledge and skills were incorporated into the first-year medical school curriculum at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, via a thread of two-hour interactive large group learning sessions with follow up activities. In year 1, students took the Environmental Health in Med School (EHMS) survey before and after the EH thread. This survey was designed to evaluate medical students’ attitudes, awareness and professionalism regarding environmental health. Results suggested a dramatic ceiling effect on students’ responses to the EHMS survey, making it difficult to detect any change from before to after the intervention. Our conclusion 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. Based on the outcomes of the EHMS survey, a new Environmental Health Survey II (EHS II) was created for Year 2, to measure students' perceptions of preparedness to discuss EH with future patients. The two surveys were both created by the research team and designed to help inform subsequent content revisions to ensure learning objectives were met. ResultsResults for the four questions on the EHS II pre-survey (84 respondents) and on the post-survey (79 respondents) showed a statistically significant positive change in students’ self-reported sense of preparedness to discuss environmental health with their patients following the curriculum intervention. ConclusionsA relatively brief six-week environmental health module combining didactic and experiential elements can significantly increase medical students’ self-reported sense of preparedness to discuss environmental health issues, including climate change, with their patients.

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.

scholarly journals The Unique Role of Medical Students in Catalyzing Climate Change Education

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 238212052095765
Author(s):  
Benjamin M Rabin ◽  
Emaline B Laney ◽  
Rebecca P Philipsborn
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Medical Education ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Curricular Integration ◽  
Climate Change Education ◽  
Unique Role ◽  
Climate And Health

Climate change is a well-recognized threat to human health with impacts on every organ system and with implications for disease processes across subspecialties. Climate-driven environmental exposures influence the pathophysiologic underpinnings of disease emphasized in the pre-clinical years of medical school. While medical schools are beginning to offer climate change and health electives, medical education is lagging in providing fundamental climate-and-health content to adequately prepare the next generation of physicians for the challenges that they will face in the provision of healthcare and the prevention and treatment of disease. This perspective piece highlights the unique role of medical students in catalyzing the incorporation of climate content into the pre-clinical medical school curriculum and provides topics for disseminated curricular integration with the concepts emphasized in the pre-clinical years of medical education.

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 Telling lives in medicine: the impact of biography collections in medical education

2021 ◽  
Vol 109 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofia Fagiolo
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Medical School ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Medical School Curriculum ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Academic Medical ◽  
History Of ◽  
Medical Libraries ◽  
University Of Rome ◽  
The Impact

This article briefly discusses the value and impact of biography collections in medical education by illustrating the case of the Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome (UCBM) Library. The UCBM Library collects, curates, and provides access to a special biography collection with the purpose of documenting the history of men and women who contributed in the field of medicine and related sciences. This article highlights the importance of academic medical libraries collecting biographical works in order to transmit knowledge and values in medical school curriculum.

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.

scholarly journals Comparison of OSCE Performance Between 6- and 7-Year Medical School Curricula in Taiwan

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jr-Wei Wu ◽  
Hao-Min Cheng ◽  
Shiau-Shian Huang ◽  
Jen-Feng Liang ◽  
Chia-Chang Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Curriculum Reform ◽  
Clinical Skills ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Medical School Curriculum ◽  
Eligibility Criteria ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Clinical Internship ◽  
Internship Training

Abstract BackgroundThe year 2013 marks a watershed in the history of medical education in Taiwan. Following Taiwan's Taskforce of Medical School Curriculum Reform recommendations, the medical school curriculum was reduced from 7 to 6 years. This study aimed to analyze the impact of medical school curriculum reform on medical students' performance in objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs). MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the OSCE records at Taipei Veterans General Hospital (Taipei VGH), one of Taiwan's largest tertiary medical centers, between November 2016 and July 2020. The eligibility criteria were medical students receiving a full one-year clinical internship training at Taipei VGH and in their last year of medical school. All medical students received a mock OSCE-1 at the beginning of their internship, a mock OSCE-2 after six months of training, and a national OSCE at the end of their internship. The parameters for performance in OSCEs included “percentage of scores above the qualification standard” and “percentage of qualified stations.” ResultsBetween November 2016 and July 2020, 361 undergraduates underwent clinical internship training at Taipei VGH. Among them, 218 were taught under the 7-year curriculum, and 143 were instructed under the 6-year curriculum. Based on baseline-adjusted ANCOVA results, medical students under the 7-year curriculum had a higher percentage of scores above the qualification standard than those under the 6-year curriculum at the mock OSCE-1 (7-year curriculum vs. 6-year curriculum: 33.8% [95% CI 32.0–35.7] vs. 28.2% [95% CI 25.9–30.4], p<0.001), and mock OSCE-2 (7-year curriculum vs. 6-year curriculum: 89.4% [95% CI 87.4–91.4] vs. 84.0% [95% CI 81.5–86.4], p=0.001). Moreover, medical students in the 7-year curriculum had a higher percentage of qualified stations in mock OSCE-1 (7-year curriculum vs. 6-year curriculum: 89.4% [95% CI 87.4–91.4] vs. 84.0% [95% CI 81.5–86.4], p=0.001) and mock OSCE-2 (7-year curriculum vs. 6-year curriculum: 91.9% [95% CI 90.1–93.8] vs. 86.1% [95% CI 83.8–88.3], p=0.001). After clinical internship training, there were no differences in the percentage of scores above the qualification standard (7-year curriculum vs. 6-year curriculum: 33.5% [95% CI 32.2–34.9] vs. 34.6 [95% CI 32.9–36.3], p=0.328) and percentage of qualified stations (7-year curriculum vs. 6-year curriculum: 89.4% [95% CI 88.1–90.7] vs. 90.2% [95% CI 88.6–91.8], p=0.492). ConclusionsAt the beginning of the internship, medical students under the 7-year curriculum had better OSCE performance than those under the 6-year curriculum. After the clinical internship training in Taipei VGH, there was no difference in the national OSCE score between the 6- and 7-year curricula. Our study suggests that clinical internship is crucial for the development of clinical skills and performance in the national OSCE.

scholarly journals 1128. Online Spaced Education to Teach Microbiology to Medical Students in a Threaded Medical School Curriculum

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S593-S593
Author(s):  
Nishad Sathe ◽  
Erin Bonura
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Student Performance ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Medical Examiner ◽  
Categorical Variables ◽  
Microbiology Education ◽  
Spaced Practice ◽  
Spaced Education

Abstract Background A strong foundation in microbiology continues to be essential for physicians-in-training. Little research exists examining pre-clinical microbiology education in undergraduate medical education (UME) curricular structures. Further, no study has evaluated the use of a spaced repetition model for pre-clinical UME students studying microbiology in a threaded curriculum. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort design study and enrolled 81 out of 154 (53%) first-year medical students at Oregon Health & Science University from August 2018 through December 2019. The first 18 months of the UME curriculum is organized by organ system blocks with end-of-block exams including retired National Board of Medical Examiner (NBME) questions. Participants were invited to complete 10 microbiology questions using the spaced practice online platform QSTREAM weekly. Performance between participants and non-participants on end of block NBME exams were compared using t-tests for categorical variables. Results At the conclusion of the study, 42.5% of participants were “very active” (questions in &lt; 2 days), 7.5% of participants were “active” (questions in 3-7 days), and 50.0% of participants were “inactive” (questions in &gt;7 days). Student performance on second-pass questions improved by 41%, and NBME end-of-block exams demonstrated improved performance in each block compared to non-participants. Specifically, performance in the Skin, Bones, and Musculature end-of-block exam and Developing Human end-of-block exam was significantly (p=0.0001, 0.008, respectively) improved, and study participants outperformed non-participants on topics practiced in the study. Conclusion As more medical schools move to a threaded curriculum, with many of these programs proposing fewer contact hours, innovative methods targeting microbiology education should be explored for pre-clinical medical students. Online spaced practice in a threaded curriculum could provide a feasible and acceptable pedagogical technique for UME and add to the discourse around microbiology curriculum development. With initial start-up costs, sustaining such a program across medical school curricula is an inexpensive, innovative, technologically-savvy approach to medical education. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

The addition of an upper-extremity curriculum in medical school education and its assessment

2009 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 797-799 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. S DAY ◽  
C. S AHN ◽  
Y. YU
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Upper Extremity ◽  
Curriculum Reform ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Medical School Education ◽  
National Examination ◽  
Clinical Confidence ◽  
Second Year ◽  
The Impact

This study assessed the impact of changes made to address the inadequate upper-extremity education through preclinical medical school curriculum reform. After the administration of a new upper-extremity curriculum, which also increased the time devoted to three preclinical medical school courses from 7.25 to 21.25 hours, second-year medical students were evaluated for mastery of these concepts through a national validated objective examination, and attitude and skill through clinical confidence and subjective surveys. After implementation of the new upper-extremity curriculum, students had significantly greater confidence in their ability to perform a physical examination but not in identifying differential diagnoses of the upper-extremity. Students were more satisfied with the amount of time spent on the musculoskeletal system but their performance in the national examination did not change.

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