scholarly journals German-speaking medical students on international electives: an analysis of popular elective destinations and disciplines

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maximilian Andreas Storz ◽  
Ann-Kathrin Lederer ◽  
Eric Pieter Heymann
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Analytical Data ◽  
Medical Schools ◽  
The United States ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Online Databases ◽  
German Speaking ◽  
Framework Development

Abstract Background International medical electives are a well-established part of the curriculum of many western medical schools. It is widely accepted that these electives contribute to improved clinical examination and communication skills. Overseas electives also exert a strong influence over future career decisions and often pave the way for later international work. Whilst the positive outcomes are known, little information exists regarding elective preferences and destinations overall, information that could help optimise a safe learning experience and maximise the potential for one of the highlights of medical education. In order to obtain analytical data that could assist medical elective framework development, we systematically reviewed the two largest German online databases cataloguing abroad elective testimonies. Results We identified 856 overseas elective reports uploaded within the last five years. European destinations were the most sought-after choice among German-speaking medical students. Interest in abroad electives in the United States (U.S.), a traditionally popular destination, was much lower than expected. U.S. elective reports accounted for only 3 % of long-term electives. Electives in low- and middle-income countries were generally less popular than electives in high-income countries. General surgery was the most popular elective discipline, followed by Emergency Medicine and Gynaecology and Obstetrics. Conclusions We observed a large inhomogeneity in German-speaking medical students’ elective choices, potentially influenced by financial and organizational aspects as well as geopolitical developments. This highlights a crucial challenge for medical schools and other organizations involved in elective planning. In light of regional differences, our data suggest that a “one size fits all” preparation is not pertinent to optimize students’ elective experience. Country- or region-specific pre-departure trainings and more individualized elective frameworks might be necessary to address these differences and to ensure a safe learning experience for students.

scholarly journals Viewership footprint for a low-resource, student-centred collaborative video platform to teach Orthopaedics in Southern Africa

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gideon Stephanus Wever ◽  
Ian Elliott ◽  
Jeannie McCaul ◽  
Maritz Laubscher ◽  
Robert N Dunn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
The United States ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Production Methods ◽  
Local Content ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Collaborative Video

Abstract Introduction Institutions are increasingly using technology to augment the class learning experience of medical students. Especially in Africa, local content is key to allow insights and knowledge to emerge and build transformative capacity for students and patients. There is currently no peer-reviewed video content produced to provide insight into Orthopaedic conditions for medical students and patients in this region. Our goal was to evaluate the demographic and geographic viewership as well as video-specific statistics of orthopaedic teaching videos for medical students on a YouTube channel, with the expressed aim of informing future content production. Methods Videos were produced by local medical students for their in problem-based collaborative projects. Student-owned smartphones and various free video editing software were used to produce these videos, which were then assessed by a group of orthopaedic specialists and uploaded onto a Youtube channel (UCTeach). The analytic reports of this channel generated by Google and YouTube were analysed regarding watch time per day (minutes), average view duration (minutes), most watched videos, top geographies, age, and gender. Results A total of 83 videos of the UCTeachOrtho Channel where uploaded in a two year period with a total watch time of 857 062 minutes and 337 983 views. The majority of viewers where between the ages 18 and 34 years (85%). India had the most views (n=69,089) followed by the United States (n=66,257) and South Africa (n=21,882). Most of the videos where watched on mobile phones (n= 183,299) and computers (n=128,228). The most watched video was produced in April 2016 on physiological and pathological gait with 51,314 views. Conclusion Our study highlights that a low-cost collaborative video project can lead to high view counts and watch time on YouTube, and is accessible to an audience in low and middle income countries. Student-centred local content in orthopaedic surgery also reached a global audience consistently over a two-year period.

scholarly journals Global neurosurgery: a scoping review detailing the current state of international neurosurgical outreach

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Anthony T. Fuller ◽  
Ariana Barkley ◽  
Robin Du ◽  
Cyrus Elahi ◽  
Ali R. Tafreshi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Scoping Review ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Medical Personnel ◽  
The United States ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Gray Literature ◽  
Current State ◽  
Study Selection ◽  
Research And Education

OBJECTIVEGlobal neurosurgery is a rapidly emerging field that aims to address the worldwide shortages in neurosurgical care. Many published outreach efforts and initiatives exist to address the global disparity in neurosurgical care; however, there is no centralized report detailing these efforts. This scoping review aims to characterize the field of global neurosurgery by identifying partnerships between high-income countries (HICs) and low- and/or middle-income countries (LMICs) that seek to increase neurosurgical capacity.METHODSA scoping review was conducted using the Arksey and O’Malley framework. A search was conducted in five electronic databases and the gray literature, defined as literature not published through traditional commercial or academic means, to identify studies describing global neurosurgery partnerships. Study selection and data extraction were performed by four independent reviewers, and any disagreements were settled by the team and ultimately the team lead.RESULTSThe original database search produced 2221 articles, which was reduced to 183 final articles after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. These final articles, along with 9 additional gray literature references, captured 169 unique global neurosurgery collaborations between HICs and LMICs. Of this total, 103 (61%) collaborations involved surgical intervention, while local training of medical personnel, research, and education were done in 48%, 38%, and 30% of efforts, respectively. Many of the collaborations (100 [59%]) are ongoing, and 93 (55%) of them resulted in an increase in capacity within the LMIC involved. The largest proportion of efforts began between 2005–2009 (28%) and 2010–2014 (17%). The most frequently involved HICs were the United States, Canada, and France, whereas the most frequently involved LMICs were Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya.CONCLUSIONSThis review provides a detailed overview of current global neurosurgery efforts, elucidates gaps in the existing literature, and identifies the LMICs that may benefit from further efforts to improve accessibility to essential neurosurgical care worldwide.

The Effectiveness of Social Media Use as a Supplement Media of Clinical Skills Lab Learning for Undergraduate Medical Students in Low- and Middle-Income Countries during COVID-19 (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahira Noor Fathiyya ◽  
Muhammad Reza Utama ◽  
Yelvi Levani ◽  
Yuli Wahyu Rahmawati
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Medical Education ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Clinical Skills ◽  
Learning Method ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Students ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Skills Lab

BACKGROUND Before COVID-19, it was recommended that medical education be conducted using the blended learning method in order to achieve an effective learning experience. However, it seems that distance learning is currently the best alternative to the previous learning method. Clinical skills lab activities, which are one of the learning methods in medical education, must adapt because they cannot be administered in-person. Social media has been proven giving a potential to supplement formal medical education for undergraduate student. OBJECTIVE This systematic review aims to examine the effectiveness of media social use as a supplement for clinical skills lab learning on undergraduate medical students in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS We designed a protocol for creating a systematic review on the effectiveness of social media as a supplement media in clinical skills lab learning for undergraduate medical students in LMIC during COVID-19. We will be extracting information from appropriate sources online obtained from journal websites’ databases guided by the PRISMA-S checklist in accordance with the research problem. The included sources include randomized controlled trials, systematic review, and meta-analysis published between 2020-2021. RESULTS This manuscript is still a protocol and has not been implemented. CONCLUSIONS In this systematic review, we will discuss the effectiveness of social media as a clinical skills lab learning for undergraduate medical students in LMIC during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Trump's Declaration of the Global Gag Rule

2021 ◽  
pp. 277-294
Author(s):  
Sudeep Uprety ◽  
Obindra B. Chand
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Health Research ◽  
The United States ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Government Organization ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Us Government ◽  
Securitization Theory ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Impact

The current expanded policy on the Global Gag Rule by the United States (US) government and President Donald Trump has led to wider debate and discussions among the non-government organization (NGO) sector, especially in low and middle income countries (LMICs) such as Nepal that are heavily reliant on US funding for health research and intervention projects. Debates and discussions are also shaped by how the media shapes the narrative. Using the securitization theory, this chapter attempts to unfold the trend and the nature of stories reported in Nepali media on the Global Gag Rule declaration, meticulously unfolding the impact it has had in Nepal.

scholarly journals Tracheostomy During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Comparison of International Perioperative Care Protocols and Practices in 26 Countries

2020 ◽  
pp. 019459982096198
Author(s):  
Carol Bier-Laning ◽  
John D. Cramer ◽  
Soham Roy ◽  
Patrick A. Palmieri ◽  
Ayman Amin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Resource Constraints ◽  
Invasive Mechanical Ventilation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Postoperative Management ◽  
Reference Points ◽  
Data Sources ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Evidence Based Care

Objective The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to a global surge in critically ill patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation, some of whom may benefit from tracheostomy. Decisions on if, when, and how to perform tracheostomy in patients with COVID-19 have major implications for patients, clinicians, and hospitals. We investigated the tracheostomy protocols and practices that institutions around the world have put into place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Data Sources Protocols for tracheostomy in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection from individual institutions (n = 59) were obtained from the United States and 25 other countries, including data from several low- and middle-income countries, 23 published or society-endorsed protocols, and 36 institutional protocols. Review Methods The comparative document analysis involved cross-sectional review of institutional protocols and practices. Data sources were analyzed for timing of tracheostomy, contraindications, preoperative testing, personal protective equipment (PPE), surgical technique, and postoperative management. Conclusions Timing of tracheostomy varied from 3 to >21 days, with over 90% of protocols recommending 14 days of intubation prior to tracheostomy. Most protocols advocate delaying tracheostomy until COVID-19 testing was negative. All protocols involved use of N95 or higher PPE. Both open and percutaneous techniques were reported. Timing of tracheostomy changes ranged from 5 to >30 days postoperatively, sometimes contingent on negative COVID-19 test results. Implications for Practice Wide variation exists in tracheostomy protocols, reflecting geographical variation, different resource constraints, and limited data to drive evidence-based care standards. Findings presented herein may provide reference points and a framework for evolving care standards.

scholarly journals Implementation of Multicolor Melt Curve Analysis for High-Risk Human Papilloma Virus Detection in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Pilot Study for Expanded Cervical Cancer Screening in Honduras

2018 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott A. Turner ◽  
Sophie J. Deharvengt ◽  
Kathleen Doyle Lyons ◽  
Jorge Arturo Plata Espinal ◽  
Ethan P.M. LaRochelle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cervical Cancer ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Virus Detection ◽  
The United States ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Rural Village ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Purpose Cervical cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and screening in LMICs is extremely limited. We aimed to implement on-site high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) DNA testing in cohorts of women from an urban factory and from a rural village. Methods A total of 802 women were recruited for this study in partnership with La Liga Contra el Cancer through the establishment of women’s health resource fairs at two locations in Honduras: a textile factory (n = 401) in the city of San Pedro Sula and the rural village of El Rosario (n = 401) in Yoro. Participants received a routine cervical examination during which three sterile cytobrushes were used to collect cervical samples for testing. hrHPV genotyping was performed using a hrHPV genotyping assay and a real-time polymerase chain reaction instrument. Results hrHPV status across all participants at both sites was 13% hrHPV positive and 67% hrHPV negative. When hrHPV status was compared across all three testing sites, hrHPV-positive rates were approximately equal among the factory (13%), village (12%), and confirmatory testing at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (Lebanon, NH; 14%). hrHPV genotype was compared across sites, with HPV16 showing the highest infection rate (15%), followed by HPV59 (12%), and HPV68 (11%). There was a low prevalence of HPV18 observed in both populations compared with the hrHPV-positive population in the United States. Conclusion In collaboration with oncologists and pathologists from La Liga Contra el Cancer, we were able to provide a continuum of care once health-fair testing was performed. We established a method and implementation plan for hrHPV testing that is sustainable in LMICs.

scholarly journals Medical Students in Russia evaluate the training during the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arina Ziganshina
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Clinical Training ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Medical Schools ◽  
Knowledge Assessment ◽  
Instruction Time ◽  
Medical Undergraduates ◽  
Level Of Knowledge ◽  
Self Instruction

Introduction: The aim of the study was to obtain feedback from medical students in Russia regarding online learning experience during COVID-19 Pandemic. Methods: 130 040 students from 46 Medical Schools of Russia have completed an original evaluation form validated by 6 experts. Criterion and construct validity were determined in a pilot study (n = 46). The study design was based on the use of Google forms. Visual Analog Scale from 1 to 10 was used by the participants to assess the level of knowledge acquired. Results: 95.31% of the medical schools in Russia switched to online learning during the Pandemic. 39.8% of the students stated that the time to prepare for the class has doubled. For 19.9% of them it increased by one third, 26.6% - did not report on changes. 38,4% of the participants were happy with particular elements of online learning, 27.5% - like such a format, 22.9% - do not like it, and 11.2% - could not answer the question. The average scores for the knowledge assessment were 5.9 for the humanities, 6.1 for fundamental science, and 6.0 for clinical training. Discussion: Remote learning was described by the medical undergraduates in Russia as the increased self-instruction time and perception of decreased level of knowledge gained. Only particular components of the “new normal” can be considered for use beyond the pandemic.

scholarly journals COVID-19 Therapeutics for Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Review of Candidate Agents with Potential for Near-Term Use and Impact

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Maxwell ◽  
Kelly C. Sanders ◽  
Oliver Sabot ◽  
Ahmad Hachem ◽  
Alejandro Llanos-Cuentas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
European Union ◽  
The United States ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Negative Results ◽  
Clinical Trial Registries ◽  
Oral Agents ◽  
Near Term ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face significant challenges in the control of COVID-19, given limited resources, especially for inpatient care. In a parallel effort to that for vaccines, the identification of therapeutics that have near-term potential to be available and easily administered is critical. Using the United States, European Union, and WHO clinical trial registries, we reviewed COVID-19 therapeutic agents currently under investigation. The search was limited to oral or potentially oral agents, with at least a putative anti-SARS-CoV-2 virus mechanism and with at least five registered trials. The search yielded 1,001, 203, and 1,128 trials, in the United States, European Union, and WHO trial registers, respectively. These trials covered 13 oral or potentially oral repurposed agents that are currently used as antimicrobials and immunomodulatory therapeutics with established safety profiles. The available evidence regarding proposed mechanism of actions, potential limitations, and trial status is summarized. The results of the search demonstrate few published studies of high quality, a low proportion of trials completed, and the vast majority with negative results. These findings reflect limited investment in COVID-19 therapeutics development compared with vaccines. We also identified the need for better coordination of trials of accessible agents and their combinations in LMICs. To prevent COVID-19 from becoming a neglected tropical disease, there is critical need for rapid and coordinated effort in the evaluation and deployment of those agents found to be efficacious.

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