The impact of virtual medical student surgical conferences

Background In recent years, the number of people pursuing a surgical career in the UK has decreased. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the cancellation of surgical placements for medical students and has affected surgical education. This study evaluates the perceptions and impact of a 1-day virtual surgical conference for medical students considering pursuing a surgical career. Methods All delegates of the 2021 Barts and The London International Surgical Conference were invited to participate in two online surveys pre- and post-conference. Data were collected and analysed to evaluate delegates' reasons for attending the conference, and attitudes towards virtual conferences and a surgical career before and after the conference. Results Out of 132 participants, 106 (80.3%) completed both the pre- and post-conference surveys. Clinical students showed a statistically significant difference in interest in pursuing a surgical career after the conference than before (P=0.03), unlike pre-clinical students (P=0.12). Post-conference, 43 (40.6%) preferred a virtual to a face-to-face conference, which was a slight increase from 40 (37.7%) pre-conference, while 73 (68.9%) and 80 (75.5%) participants favoured virtual talks and presentations respectively. In contrast, only 12 (11.3%) and 21 (19.8%) students preferred workshops and networking virtually. Furthermore, delegates liked the global accessibility and environmentally-friendly nature of virtual conferences but found they can be less engaging and be disrupted by a poor internet connection. Conclusions Virtual surgical conferences have many benefits and can help encourage medical students towards a surgical career. They could help bridge the surgical educational gap in medical school during these unprecedented times. Virtual conferences, which have a broader and more inclusive reach, could be an important complement to conventional conferences after the pandemic.

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The NHS reforms: good, bad or neutral? Medical students debate at the College

Bulletin of The Royal College of Surgeons of England ◽

10.1308/147363512x13189526440113 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 94 (3) ◽

pp. 88-89

Author(s):

Fiona McClenaghan ◽

Finn Stevenson

Keyword(s):

Medical Student ◽

Medical Students ◽

Medical Schools ◽

Positive Change ◽

Undergraduate Medical Students ◽

The Future ◽

Surgical Career ◽

The Uk

The Professor Harold Ellis Medical Student Prize for Surgery, held at the close of 2011, threw open to debate the question of whether the reforms currently under way in the NHS are 'good, bad or neutral'. Sixteen undergraduate medical students with hopes of a surgical career were invited to the College from medical schools all across the UK to present their case either for or against Andrew Lansley's proposed reforms. After giving a five-minute presentation to fellow students, participants were questioned by fellows of the College and Professor Ellis himself. The conclusions reached represented a complete range of opinion from great anticipation of positive change to great concern over the future of the NHS. Both authors were highly commended for their presentations and here we aim briefly to set out our differing opinions on the reforms of the NHS.

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Establishing and evaluating a Balint group for fourth-year medical students at an Irish University

Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/ipm.2019.28 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 37 (2) ◽

pp. 99-105 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sorcha McManus ◽

David Killeen ◽

Yvonne Hartnett ◽

Gearoid Fitzgerald ◽

Kieran C. Murphy

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Qualitative Assessment ◽

Self Reflection ◽

Balint Groups ◽

Resilience Scale ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Before And After ◽

Fourth Year Medical Students ◽

Balint Group ◽

The Impact

ObjectiveThe study was designed to establish and evaluate the impact of a 6-week Balint group on empathy and resilience in fourth-year medical students during their psychiatry rotation.MethodologyThis prospective study used the Jefferson Scale of Empathy – Student Version and the Brief Resilience Scale before and after 6-week Balint groups. Participating students also completed a qualitative assessment of their experience.ResultsStudents who participated were enthusiastic regarding the value of Balint groups in promoting self-reflection and gaining insight into self- and patient-care dynamics. There was a significant difference in empathy scores pre- and post-Balint intervention. There was no significant difference in resilience scores.ConclusionThe establishment of a 6-week Balint group for fourth-year medical students was successful in increasing empathy. Students reported a positive view of Balint and its beneficial role in this study group.

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Exploring attitudes of medical students towards intellectual disabilities

Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities ◽

10.1108/amhid-01-2020-0002 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (5) ◽

pp. 125-136

Author(s):

Rubab Abdi ◽

Elizabeth Metcalf

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Intellectual Disabilities ◽

Student Attitudes ◽

Patient Contact ◽

Teaching Session ◽

Content Type ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Before And After ◽

Inclusive Teaching ◽

The Impact

Purpose This paper aims to determine whether an inclusive teaching session changes student attitudes towards people with intellectual disabilities (ID). To investigate the impact of an inclusive teaching session in terms of student perceptions. Design/methodology/approach 66 years 4 students at Cardiff University completed the attitudes towards disabled people form B questionnaire (ATDP-B) before and after a communication skills session on ID. Before and after scores were collated and compared using a paired t-test analysis. Common perceptions were identified using anonymised ATDP-B results to conduct five semi-structured interviews and one focus group with nine students. The common perceptions were discussed, alongside how the teaching session tackled them and suggestions for further improvements. Findings Mean ATDP-B score before the teaching session was 115 (SD = 14.5). Mean ATDP-B score after the teaching session was 122 (SD = 17.2). The teaching session improved scores in the ATDP-B by a mean of 6.92 (4.69, 9.16). A paired t-test found this to be a statistically significant difference, t(65) = 6.20, p < 0.001. Qualitative data was thematically analysed and three main themes were identified: Student identity, patient contact and curriculum content. Originality/value This is the first study to investigate the origin of the negative attitudes of medical students, and found they stem from a lack of confidence in their abilities and failure to develop a professional identity. The impact of the teaching session stems from its focus on meaningful patient contact and identifying and overcoming communication barriers.

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The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Final Year Medical Students in the United Kingdom: A National Survey

10.21203/rs.3.rs-24792/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Byung Choi ◽

Lavandan Jegatheeswaran ◽

Amal Minocha ◽

Michel Alhilani ◽

Ernest Mutengesa

Keyword(s):

Medical Student ◽

Medical Students ◽

Medical Student Education ◽

Medical Schools ◽

Training Methods ◽

Health Measures ◽

The United Kingdom ◽

Global Pandemic ◽

The Uk ◽

The Impact

Abstract BACKGROUND The COVID-19 global pandemic has resulted in unprecedented public health measures. This has impacted the UK education sector with many universities halting campus-based teaching and examinations. The aim of this study is to identify the impact of COVID-19 on final year medical student examinations and placements and how it might impact on confidence going into foundation training. METHODS An anonymous, self-administered survey of final year medical students from 33 UK medical schools. RESULTS 441 students from 32 out of the 33 UK medical schools responded. 38% of respondents had their final OSCEs cancelled while 47% had already completed their final OSCEs before restrictions. 50% of assistantship placements were postponed while 77% of electives were cancelled. Respondents feel less confident entering FY1 as a result, but the majority agree that the measures taken to amend their curricula were necessary. Respondents also agree that assisting in hospital during the outbreak would be a valuable learning opportunity. CONCLUSIONS The impact on medical student education has been significant. The majority feel less prepared for FY1 but understand the necessity of these measures. Despite this, many are willing to assist in hospitals earlier than expected.

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Impact of the first COVID-19 lockdown on study satisfaction and burnout in medical students in Split, Croatia: a cross-sectional presurvey and postsurvey

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2021-049590 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. e049590

Author(s):

Marija Franka Žuljević ◽

Karlo Jeličić ◽

Marin Viđak ◽

Varja Đogaš ◽

Ivan Buljan

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Bayes Factor ◽

Clinical Teaching ◽

Response Rate ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Before And After ◽

E Learning ◽

The Impact

ObjectivesTo evaluate the impact of the first COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 on the burnout and study satisfaction of medical students.DesignA cross-sectional study with a presurvey and postsurvey.SettingUniversity of Split School of Medicine (USSM), Split, Croatia. The lockdown in the COVID-19 pandemic lasted from late March to mid-May 2020. There was a full switch to e-learning at the USSM during this period, and all clinical teaching was stopped.ParticipantsStudents enrolled in the 2019/2020 academic year. Data were collected before lockdown in December 2019 and January 2020 and again after the end of lockdown in June 2020.Primary and secondary outcome measuresStudy satisfaction was assessed using the study satisfaction survey. Burnout was assessed using two instruments: Oldenburg Burnout Inventory and Copenhagen Burnout Inventory. We used Bayesian statistics to compare before-and-after differences.Results437 independent responses (77.2% response rate) were collected before and 235 after lockdown (41.5% response rate). 160 participant responses were eligible for pairing. There was no significant difference for both paired and unpaired participants in study satisfaction before (3.38 on a 1–5 scale; 95% credible interval (95% CrI) 3.32 to 3.44) and after (3.49, 95% CrI 3.41 to 3.57) lockdown. We found no evidence (Bayes factor (BF10) >3.00 as a cut-off value) for an increase in the level of burnout before and after lockdown, both in independent and paired samples.ConclusionsIt seems that the first pandemic-related lockdown and a switch to e-learning did not affect burnout levels among medical students or their perception of their study programme. More insight is needed on the short-term and long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical students and their education. Well-structured longitudinal studies on medical student burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic are needed.

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Medical Students and Acupuncture: A Short Sharp Placement Experience!

Acupuncture in Medicine ◽

10.1136/aim.2009.001602 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 28 (1) ◽

pp. 12-15 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Graeme K Donald ◽

Peter Mackereth ◽

Irene Tobin

Keyword(s):

Medical Student ◽

Medical Students ◽

Exploratory Study ◽

Complementary Therapies ◽

Acute Hospital ◽

Future Research ◽

Before And After ◽

Area Of Concern ◽

The Uk ◽

Future Practice

Background Acupuncture and other complementary therapies (CTs) have become increasingly popular, with patients calling for more integrated care. It is questionable whether doctors know enough about these therapies to provide balanced and informed advice to patients and, given that most will come across patients accessing CTs, this is an area of concern. Method This was an exploratory study of 40 students attending a placement at a CT service within an acute hospital trust in the UK. A questionnaire was given at the start of placement to record their scepticism towards CTs on a 0–10 scale and again, on placement completion. Result Of the students attending, 73% (n=29) completed the questionnaire. There was a statistically significant reduction in scepticism scores assessed before and after placement (p<0.001). Of the respondents, 90% (n=26) were shown or attempted acupuncture. 76% of students reported that the placement would definitely influence the rate of CT referrals in their future practice. Conclusion The placement experience provided students an opportunity to reconsider their attitudes towards CTs. The study was limited to one site and students independently elected to participate in the experience. Similar exposure could be of value to the wider medical student population, ultimately leading to more informed advice available to patients. Future research should include greater numbers, which could include a multi-site study.

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Involvement of medical students in a surgery congress: impact on learning motivation, decision-making for a career in surgery, and educational curriculum

Wiener Medizinische Wochenschrift ◽

10.1007/s10354-020-00802-w ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Ibrahim Alkatout ◽

Veronika Günther ◽

Sandra Brügge ◽

Johannes Ackermann ◽

Magret Krüger ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Medical Students ◽

Medical Curriculum ◽

Learning Motivation ◽

Educational Curriculum ◽

Active Involvement ◽

Surgical Career ◽

Second Year ◽

Digital Surgery ◽

The Impact

SummaryDuring the preclinical period of medical school, the clinical relevance of theoretical knowledge is given little attention. Medical students of the second year were invited to participate in an interdisciplinary congress for robot-assisted and digital surgery. The students had to evaluate the impact of the congress on their learning motivation, decision-making for a career in surgery, and relevance for their educational curriculum. Participation in the congress increased their learning motivation for preclinical subjects, and significantly increased their interest in a surgical career. Most students considered active involvement in medical congresses a valuable supplement to the medical curriculum. Congress participation during the preclinical period was ranked positively by medical students. Greater learning motivation and enthusiasm for the pilot teaching project as well as for surgical disciplines were registered. Thus, early involvement of medical students in scientific congresses should be an integral part of their educational curriculum.

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The Effectiveness of a Foundation Year 1 Doctor Preparation Course for Final Year Medical Students

Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development ◽

10.1177/2382120520984184 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

pp. 238212052098418

Author(s):

William Beedham ◽

Kasun Wanigasooriya ◽

Georgia R Layton ◽

Ley Taing Chan ◽

Adnan Darr ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Student ◽

Medical Students ◽

Core Curriculum ◽

Junior Doctor ◽

Hidden Curriculum ◽

Medical Curriculum ◽

Primary Objective ◽

Rank Test ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Curriculum Topics

Background: Starting work as a junior doctor can be daunting for any medical student. There are numerous aspects of the hidden curriculum which many students fail to acquire during their training. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of a novel foundation year one (FY1) doctor preparation course focusing on certain core topics, practical tips and components of the hidden curriculum. The primary objective was to improve the confidence level and knowledge of final year medical students transitioning to FY1 doctors. Method: A 2-day, practical course titled ‘Preparation 2 Practice’ delivering hands-on, small-group and lecture-based teaching, covering core medical student undergraduate curriculum topics in medicine and surgery. The course content spanned therapeutics, documentation skills and managing acute clinical tasks encountered by FY1 doctors during an on-call shift. A pre- and post-course survey and knowledge assessment were carried out to assess the effectiveness of the course. The assessment was MCQ-based, derived from topics covered within our course. The 20-question test and a short survey were administered electronically. Results: Twenty students from a single UK medical school attended the course. 100% participation was observed in the pre- and post-course test and survey. The median post-course test result was 22 (IQR 20.25-23.75) which was higher than the median pre-course test score of 18.75 (IQR 17-21.75). A Wilcoxon sign rank test revealed a statistically significant difference between the pre- and post-course test results ( P = .0003). The self-reported confidence score of delegates on starting work as a junior doctor was also significantly higher following the course ( P = .004). Conclusion: The results show a significant improvement in perceived confidence and knowledge on core curriculum topics amongst final year medical students having attended our FY1 doctor preparation course. We conclude that there is scope for similar supplementary courses as an adjunct to the undergraduate medical curriculum.

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The Impact of an Educational Program on Medical Students’ Knowledge and Awareness of Elder Abuse

Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development ◽

10.1177/23821205211016487 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

pp. 238212052110164

Author(s):

Abbie West ◽

Cara Cawley ◽

Elizabeth Crow ◽

Alexis M. Stoner ◽

Natalie M. Fadel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Educational Program ◽

Survey Methodology ◽

Elder Abuse ◽

P Value ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Survey Results ◽

Second Year ◽

College Of Osteopathic Medicine ◽

The Impact

Objective: Approximately 1 in 6 adults 60 and older have experienced a form of abuse in the past year. Many cases remain under-reported due to lack of knowledge and awareness. This study created an educational program on elder abuse for medical students to determine if participation would increase knowledge and awareness of elder abuse. Methods: This study used a pre and post survey methodology to evaluate students’ knowledge and awareness of elder abuse before and after participating in this educational program. Sixty first and second year osteopathic medical students at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, Carolinas Campus participated in this study. Students were emailed a pre-survey to evaluate their pre-existing knowledge and awareness. The survey was, previously created by the Student Training on Preventing Domestic Violence (STOP-DV) team using validated measures. Participants then attended educational events about various forms of elder abuse and recognizing its associated signs, and afterward completed the post-survey. The results were compared using t-tests to determine if there was a significant difference. Results: First and second year students differed significantly in pre-survey results of knowledge but not post-survey results. The results showed a significant difference in overall mean knowledge ( P-value < .001) and awareness scores ( P-value < .001) in all students. Conclusion: These results suggest education on elder abuse can enable future physicians to better recognize, understand, and support older adults regarding elder maltreatment.

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