scholarly journals The meaning of humanization for first-year medical students - The use of narratives in medical school

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luciana Tavares ◽  
Sylvia Enns ◽  
José Ricardo Ayres ◽  
Patricia Tempski
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Role Models ◽  
First Year ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Human Being ◽  
Personal Experiences ◽  
Medical Program ◽  
First Year Medical Students ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Purpose To analyze the meaning of humanization by first-year medical students as well as to find out about their role models and what were their personal experiences of humanization and dehumanization before entering medical school. Methods The authors performed a qualitative study using narratives of first-year medical students. The data were analyzed through content analysis. The narratives were used as a strategy to stimulate students' reflection and to understand their perspectives and values at the beginning of the medical program. Results The study included 167 participants: 67 females (40.1%) and 100 males (59.9%). The participants' ages ranged from 16 to 38 years. The analysis of the narratives showed three main themes: socio-political and economic aspects of medicine, humanization of healthcare, and dimensions of humanization and dehumanization. In their narratives, the students expressed the desire to become doctors, to help and improve people's lives, and the intention to emulate good role models. Another desire was to contribute to the development of the Brazilian healthcare system. The students considered the humanization of healthcare as an integral vision of the human being that includes perceiving the context and personal history, as well as the complexity, of the human being. The students emphasized the importance of "going beyond the technical dimension" in the relationship between physician and his/her patient. Some students recognized the transdisciplinary aspect of medicine. Conclusions The students in the first-year of the medical program have a clear understanding of the meaning of humanization in medical practice, regardless of their social and economic conditions, age, sex, and religion. The students' narratives expressed their expectations for a more humane society with respect, solidarity, and compassion. The use of narrative is a strategy to develop critical thinking and to better get to know our students: who they are, what they think, and how they feel.

scholarly journals Humanism in the narratives of first-year medical students

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luciana Tavares ◽  
Sylvia Enns ◽  
José Ricardo Ayres ◽  
Patricia Tempski
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Medical Profession ◽  
Good Health ◽  
First Year ◽  
Clear Understanding ◽  
Medical Program ◽  
First Year Medical Students ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Background: The importance of the humanistic dimension in the medical profession and how socialization during medical programs can promote humanism or have dehumanizing effects are largely discussed in the medical education literature. Reflection exercises can facilitate student engagement in humanistic attitudes.Method: We performed a qualitative study using the narratives of first-year medical students. The data were analyzed through content analysis. The narratives were used as a strategy to stimulate students' reflection and to understand their perspectives and values at the beginning of the medical program. We asked to them tell us about their role models, professional ideals and previous dehumanizing experiences, in contrast to their experiences of good health care.Results: The study included 167 participants: 67 females (40.1%) and 100 males (59.9%). The participants' average age was 20 years. The analysis of the narratives showed three emergent categories: sociopolitical and economic aspects of medicine, medical humanities and experiences of humanism and dehumanization in health care. In their narratives, the students expressed the desire to become doctors, the desire to help people and improve their lives, and the intention to emulate good role models and contribute to the development of the Brazilian healthcare system. The students indicated that a way to promote humanism in healthcare was to cultivate an integral vision of the human being that includes perceiving his or her context, personal history and complexity. The students emphasized the importance of "going beyond the technical dimension" in the relationship between physician and patient. Some students recognized the transdisciplinary aspects of medicine.Conclusions: The students in their first year of the medical program have a clear understanding of humanism in medical practice, regardless of their social and economic conditions, age, gender, and religion. The students' narratives expressed their expectations for a more humane and fair society characterized by respect, solidarity, and compassion. The use of narratives is a strategy to help students develop critical thinking and to help us get to know our students better: who they are, what they think, and how they feel.

scholarly journals First year medical students’ perceptions of the impact of wearing scrubs on professional identity: a narrative analysis in the United Arab Emirates

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. e039357
Author(s):  
Sara Sorrell ◽  
Halah Ibrahim
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Professional Identity ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Medical Curriculum ◽  
First Year ◽  
Written Narratives ◽  
First Year Medical Students ◽  
The Impact

ObjectivesMedical school serves as a critical developmental period for future physicians, during which students begin to form a professional identity. Just as personal appearance, particularly clothing, is an important external expression of one’s personal identity, ‘uniforms’ in healthcare, including white coats and scrubs, symbolise status and a group identity. There are, however, limited studies on the impact of physician attire on medical students’ formation of professional identity. Accordingly, through qualitative analysis of written narratives, we sought to analyse medical students’ experiences of wearing professional physician attire, namely scrubs, and how the uniform impacted their confidence level, performance and behaviours, as well as their identity as future physicians.DesignQualitative analysis of medical student’s written narratives.SettingKhalifa University College of Medicine and Health Sciences (KU CMHS) is a new medical school in the United Arab Emirates, with an inaugural class of 30 students admitted in August 2019. It is the only medical school in the city of Abu Dhabi, and the only school in the country that follows a postgraduate medical curriculum.ParticipantsAll first year medical students at KU CMHS were purposively sampled.MethodsStudents completed a voluntary online anonymous questionnaire. We employed a social identity approach to data analysis. Thematic content analysis was conducted on their narratives to identify themes.ResultsWe identified three major themes, namely (1) emotions, (2) logistics and (3) interpersonal relationships.ConclusionsMedical students form early perceptions regarding physician attire and its impact on their professional identity. Engaging in conversations regarding professional attire with educators or mentors could provide an important opportunity for students to discuss and explore professional identity early in training.

scholarly journals A study skills course for First-Year Medical Students: Experience of a Private Medical School in Pakistan

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sobia Ali ◽  
Afifa Tabassum ◽  
Muhammad Suleman Sadiq Hashmi ◽  
Nighat Huda
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Study Skills ◽  
First Year ◽  
National Hospital ◽  
Study Skill ◽  
Study Skills Course ◽  
Medical College ◽  
Before And After ◽  
First Year Medical Students

Objectives: To share the experience of study skill module development and implementation for first year MBBS students at Liaquat National Hospital and Medical College (LNH&MC). To compare the change in students’ self- assessment of their knowledge of study skills before and after the course. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted from November 2019 to April 2020. A structured study skills course was offered to 100 first year MBBS students of Liaquat National Hospital & Medical College, Karachi. Steps involved in the development included identification of outcomes, instructional objectives, content and instructional strategies. Students were given two questionnaires. In the first questionnaire, students rated their interest in implementing the learning techniques learnt. In the second questionnaire, students rated their level of knowledge of effective study skills before and after the course. Analysis included computing percentages for students’ preferred study skill technique. Change in knowledge was assessed by comparing retrospective pre-post self-rating using Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test (two-tailed). Results: Analysis of survey forms showed that more than 50% of the students were willing to implement active listening techniques, metacognitive note taking and writing reflections in their future study practice.There was also a statistically significant change in students’ self-rating of their knowledge about study skills (pre-test median 3, post-test median 4, p0.00). Conclusion: This study provides an insight of structured study skills course development and implementation in early medical college studies that could help them in combating academic stress. In addition, students’ response about their preferred technique and their feedback comparison concluded their positive attitude towards the course. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.37.1.2772 How to cite this:Ali S, Tabassum A, Hashmi MSS, Huda N. A study skills course for First-Year Medical Students: Experience of a Private Medical School in Pakistan. Pak J Med Sci. 2021;37(1):65-70. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.37.1.2772 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

scholarly journals Effects of voluntary attendance patterns on first-year medical students’ wellness and academic performance during COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 634-643
Author(s):  
Joshua Salzman ◽  
Macy Williamson ◽  
Andrea Epsina-Rey ◽  
Jonathan Kibble ◽  
Christine Kauffman
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Observational Cohort Study ◽  
First Year ◽  
Student Wellness ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Observational Cohort ◽  
First Year Medical Students ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

There is increasing evidence that attendance is not a reliable predictor of academic performance, which invites the question of whether attendance may have alternative positive effects such as increased student wellness. While conducting an observational cohort study on the relationship of attendance to performance and wellness, the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown changed the ability of students to attend class. Matriculating medical students were recruited to participate at the beginning of their first year in August 2019. In-person attendance was collected prospectively until the lockdown began in March 2020. This was then correlated with performance on course final examinations and responses to two separate incidences of a survey on stress, burnout, social isolation, and loneliness. The first survey was deployed January through February 2020 (pre-COVID) and the second June 2020 (during COVID lockdown). Attendance declined across the year (76.0%–25.0%). There was a small positive correlation of attendance to performance in module 1 ( r = 0.235, P = 0.035) with none in the remaining two modules ( P = 0.870, P = 0.410). The high attenders at the time of the lockdown had no decline in their performance when attendance was no longer possible. Attendance negatively correlated with stress and loneliness but not with the remainder of the wellness metrics. There was no significant change in any of the wellness metrics between the pre-COVID and during COVID time points. While the data support the conclusion that attendance is not required to maintain performance in this population, these data suggest a small protective effect against stress and loneliness.

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