scholarly journals Survey of Medical Student Empathy at a Canadian Medical School

Author(s):  
Safina Adatia ◽  
Pierre-Paul Tellier

Abstract Purpose: Within a medical context, empathy is defined as "an appropriate understanding and communication of a patient's experience." While it has been established that empathy is an important quality to have as a future doctor, studies have shown that empathy in medical students declines during their clinical years. However, there are no studies to date that evaluate medical student empathy in Canada. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate medical student empathy at McGill University Medical School using the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE). Methods: We used a cross-sectional study design and invited medical students across all 4 years, in October 2019, to complete the JSE. The JSE is a validated psychometric tool that measures empathy at one point in time. The survey was distributed via email and on social media. We offered the chance for participants to win a prize if they completed the survey. Results: A total of 133 students from all 4 years responded, proportionate across each year. Differences in mean questionnaire were not statistically significant for gender (p=0.364), age (p=0.2746) or specialty interest (p=0.436). The ANOVA for differences in year of medical school was significant (p=0.0104). Between groups analysis revealed a statistically significant decrease between Med-2 empathy scores (average score 117.6) and Med-3 (107.5), p<0.01. Conclusion: Our statistical analysis determined that medical students’ empathy declines between the second and third year of medical school in a Canadian context, consistent with global results. This information can help us target changes in the medical curriculum to preserve empathy in students, and prevent this decline, which could then be applied to other medical schools internationally.

BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
pp. e016076 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donnchadh M O’Sullivan ◽  
Joseph Moran ◽  
Paul Corcoran ◽  
Siun O’Flynn ◽  
Colm O’Tuathaigh ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edmund Ndudi Ossai ◽  
Irene Ifeyinwa Eze ◽  
Rejoice Chinecherem Onyenakazi ◽  
Elias Ifeyinwa Ugebe ◽  
Basil C Eze ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Mental health of students deteriorate when they begin studies in a medical school and remains poor throughout the period of training. Notwithstanding that medical students of today are the physicians of tomorrow who need to have stable mental health for effective performance, mental status of this group have not been adequately explored in the Nigeria context. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of depression and associated factors among medical students in Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on all matriculated medical students of Ebonyi state University Abakaliki, Nigeria. Information was obtained from 522 medical students that were eligible to participate in the study using self-administered structured questionnaire. Becks Depression Inventory was used to determine the prevalence of depression. Chi square test was used in the analysis to ascertain association between variables. Level of statistical significance was determined by a p value of <0.05.Results: Mean age of the students was 23.2±3.3 years and majority, 60.2% were males. Prevalence of depression was 17.4%. Third-year class (major examination class) had the highest proportion of students who were depressed, 24.2% while final year class had the least, 8.8%. Coping mechanisms for low moods included sleeping, 50.4% and having interactions with colleagues, 46.9%. Factors associated with depression included being <25 years, (p=0.008), being in clinical school, (p=0.023) and being afraid some students may not graduate from medical school, (p=0.030).Conclusions: Burden of depression was high among the students and most pronounced among third year students. There is need for proper orientation of newly admitted medical students on the medical curriculum by authorities of the university. Medical students preparing for major examinations should be well supported and encouraged by their colleagues and efforts should be made to decrease undue anxiety among the students. Adequate measures should be put in place for early detection and prompt management of cases of depression among the students.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 238212051985204
Author(s):  
Erik Langenau ◽  
Sarah B Frank ◽  
Sarah J Calardo ◽  
Michael B Roberts

Introduction: Shadowing a physician is an observational experience which includes a student observing a licensed healthcare provider caring for patients. Shadowing is commonly done by students before and during medical school, but little is known about the nature or extent of these extra-curricular observational experiences. Objective: We hypothesized that shadowing experiences were common yet variable. We investigated the prevalence, nature, and perceived value of medical student experiences with shadowing physicians (both before and during medical school). Methods: This survey-based study was non-experimental with a cross-sectional convenience sample of osteopathic medical students about their shadowing experiences before and during medical school. The survey was sent to all matriculated osteopathic medical students (OMS1-4) for the 2017 to 2018 academic year from two medical schools: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) (1084 total students) and PCOM-Georgia (554 total students). The final survey instrument included three sections: demographics (6 questions), pre-medical shadowing experiences (21 questions), and medical student shadowing experiences (24 questions). Results: Respondents (357) identified themselves as OMS1 (96), OMS2 (89), OMS3 (73), OMS4 (95) and other (2, OMS5) with enrollment at PCOM-Philadelphia (242) and PCOM-Georgia (115). Among survey respondents, 339 (95.5%) reported shadowing a physician as a pre-medical student, and 110 (30.8%) reported shadowing (outside of their required clinical rotations) a physician during medical school. Requirements to participate were inconsistent; fewer than 50% of shadowing experiences required Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) training, proof of vaccination, or purified protein derivative (PPD) documentation. In addition to observation, pre-medical and medical students, respectively, participated in history taking (44 [13%], 47 [42.7%]), physical examinations (45 [13.3%], 44 [40%]) and procedures (13, [3.8%], 20 [18.2%]) during their shadowing experiences. Motivations to participate in shadowing varied between pre-medical and medical student experiences, but both groups mentioned their desire to learn more about a particular discipline, obtain letters of recommendation, and gain patient care experience. Students recommended both pre-medical (273 [80.5%]) and medical school (93 [84.5%]) shadowing to future students. Conclusion: Shadowing remains a common and important tool for students to learn about patient care, medicine and careers. The nature of each shadowing experience and participation requirements are quite variable. Measures to ensure patient safety, confidentiality, liability and supervision are inconsistently applied. Promoting guidelines, as well as codes of conduct, for shadowing could serve as a helpful resource for students, academic advisors and supervising clinicians.


Author(s):  
Muhammad Bilal Mirza ◽  
Anjiya Sulaiman ◽  
Satwat Hashmi ◽  
Samar Zaki ◽  
Rehana Rehman ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective: To determine perception of medical students about learning from integrated simulated clinical skills sessions in Respiration and Circulation module of Year 1 undergraduate medical curriculum at Aga Khan University. Subjects & Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Centre for Innovation in Medical Education, Aga Khan University (AKU) from July 2018 to February 2019. Integrated clinical skills session involves use of a combination of live simulated patient and mechanical simulator to teach clinical skills.  These sessions were conducted in Respiration and Circulation Module of MBBS Year I curriculum after which quantitative data was collected by a questionnaire that assessed usefulness of integrated clinical skills teaching method and confidence gained by students. The responses acquired were assessed on a Likert scale ranging from 1-5, (strongly agree -strongly disagree).  Descriptive analysis was performed. A focused group discussion (FGD) with students and an in-depth interview with a facilitator conducting the clinical skills sessions was arranged. Simple verbatim transcription of FGD recordings and thematic analyses was executed. Results: Quantitative analysis showed that more than 90% of the students believed integrated sessions were effective in acquiring the learning objectives and found them enjoyable and motivating. 80% expressed confidence that they had accomplished learning objectives and felt they have learned practical clinical skills. Qualitative analysis revealed that these sessions enhanced understanding of subject matter and student engagement during sessions. Conclusion: Integrated clinical skills sessions improved student interest, engagement and promoted student confidence. It should be implemented in undergraduate medical teaching curriculum. Continuous...


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 132
Author(s):  
Maria Yaseen ◽  
Misbah Bano ◽  
Masood Jawaid

Background: E-learning refers to the use of Internet technologies to deliver a broad range of solutions that enhance knowledge and per-formance of learners. This mode of learning can be used by institutions to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of educational inter-ventions in the face of the social, scientific, and pedagogical challenges. Worldwide, it has gained popularity in the past few decades; however, its use is highly variable among the medical schools of Pakistan. Currently, a very few number of institutions have adopted it officially in their curriculum. Despite this, many students use different E Learning resources to enhance their learning.Objective: To find out about the online resources utilized by the medical students in addition to their traditional medical curriculum to enhance their learning.Method: In this cross-sectional study, 300 participants from Dow Medical College and Jinnah Sindh Medical Universities were included after taking informed consent. A self-administered questionnaire which consists of demographic information, years of study and online resources with their usage details by the students for different subjects of basic and clinical sciences were documented.Results: Almost all the students reported to use some form of eLearning to enhance their medical understanding. The most frequently used electronic resources were Google images (61.7%) and Wikipedia (50.3%). Mostly, the students used YouTube (25.7%) for animations; Kaplan (27%) and Dr. Najeeb (15.6%) for video lectures. However, Audio lecture by Goljan (17.7%) was the only resource for podcast learning. Among discussion forums, Facebook groups (16.3%) were most popular and among static websites, Medscape (4.3%), PubMed (2.5%), WebMD (1.3%) were the most commonly used ones.Conclusion: All of the medical students used some form of eLearning in medical education in addition to their formal curriculum. This way of learning should be further implemented in the form of formal curriculum as e-learning modules for basic and clinical sciences to make learning easier, engaging and innovative for the 21st century learners.


2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 120-123
Author(s):  
Alfred Kamoto

BackgroundMedical curricula need to provide adequate knowledge on antimicrobial medicine use and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Such knowledge is critical in shaping correct attitudes and perceptions among future prescribers. However, the extent of preparation provided by medical curricula remains unknown.AimThe current study sought to determine knowledge, attitude and perception on antimicrobial use and AMR among final year medical students in Malawi.MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken among all final year medical students at the College of Medicine, University of Malawi in 2016. Total population sampling and self-administered questionnaires were used. Data were entered using Microsoft Excel and analysed with Epi info. Descriptive analysis for categorical data was done using frequencies and proportions, and for continuous data using measures of central tendency.ResultsThe response rate in this study was 95%. The mean and median aggregated scores were 7.2 and 7, respectively, for the 11 knowledge questions. Over 88% of the respondents answered more than half of the knowledge questions correctly. Respondents agreed that antimicrobials are overused both at national (50; 69%) and at hospital (52; 72%) levels.ConclusionThis study reports high aggregated knowledge scores on antimicrobial use and resistance with wide variations on correct knowledge scores per question. The study further shows varying level in attitudes and perceptions among medical students. Overall, there were gaps on antimicrobial use and knowledge of AMR which the medical curriculum should addresses.


Author(s):  
Dinda Carissa ◽  
Yunia Hastami ◽  
Eti Poncorini Pamungkasari

Background: The reading interest rate of Indonesian society is relatively low (approximately 0,001). Meanwhile, during their study, medical students have to read numerous English literatures. Previous research showed that reading activity can be improved by reading motivation. However, studies about Indonesian medical students reading motivation on English literature are still limited. This study aims to assess the effect of students’ English literature reading motivation to the block exam average score.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in January 2018. We used stratified random sampling, and we found 274 samples that fit with inclusion and exclusion criterias selected. The motivation was assessed using the English literature reading motivation scale, block exam test results were obtained through the academic database. Data were analyzed with multiple linier regression test.Result: Students’ English reading motivation increased the block exam average score of Medical Students. Every increase of one score of motivation significantly increase 0,10 score block exam average (p<0,001). Furthermore, every increase of one year of study can significantly increase 3,53 of block exam average score (p<0,001); R2=18,3 %. English literature reading motivation of medical students UNS is in middle category.Conclusion: English literature reading motivation increase the block exam average score of Medical Students in UNS.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 116-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aldrin Musiun ◽  
Khamisah Awang Lukman ◽  
Mohammad Saffree Jeffree ◽  
Fredie Robinson ◽  
Mohd Rohaizat Hassan ◽  
...  

Stress is accepted as the accumulation of unpleasant state of physical, mental and emotion on a person. Medical education has been known as one of the most stressful academic curriculum.  Hence, medical students may subjected to multiple psychological changes and challenges throughout the years of medical education.  The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of stress and its associated factors among medical students. This cross sectional study was conducted from April to May 2018 in medical school in Sabah. It involved 396 medical students through universal sampling.  Self-administered questionnaires were used as an instrument for data collection. The questionnaires included were Sociodemographic Questionnaire, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales 21 (DASS-21) and Medical Student Stressors Questionnaire (MSSQ). Bivariate analysis (Chi Square test, Fisher’s Exact Test, Independent T test and Man-Whitney U test) were used to analyse the association. The response rate was 90.2%. The prevalence of stress among medical students were 33.3%.  Significant associated factors include financial support inadequacy (p=0.010) and all categories of medical student stressors. The mean score of the academic related stressors was found to be at 2.117 (±0.758) which was the highest mean score among medical student stressors assessed by MSSQ. The result of this study can be used as a basis for implementation of preventive measures such as provision of comprehensive, integrated and responsive mental health care services in university-based settings.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix Bongomin ◽  
Bernard Erima ◽  
Richard Kwizera ◽  
Emmanuel I. Odongo-Aginya

Background. The burden of serious fungal diseases has significantly increased in the past few decades; however, the number of health-care workers with expertise in the management of fungal diseases remains low, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aimed to evaluate the use of freely available online teaching material to enhance teaching and learning of medical mycology among medical students in Gulu University Medical School, Uganda. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional study among second year medical students undertaking Medical Mycology course on antifungal agents in the department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology in the academic year 2017-2018. The materials were synthesized and peer-reviewed by experts in fungal diseases and were made freely available on the Leading International Fungal Education website (http://www.LIFE-Worldwide.org). A local faculty in the department delivered the lectures, and pre- and posttest scores were evaluated statistically. Results. Sixty medical students participated in the study of which 78% were male. The average score was 41% for the pretest and 52% for the posttest (p<0.0001). There was no significant difference in the scores of males and females. Majority of the students gave an above-average rating for the course material; however, 54% preferred prerecorded videos. Conclusion. Using freely available online materials on medical mycology can enhance teaching and learning of medical mycology. Because of this, there is need to incorporate up-to-date information about the subject into the curriculums of medical schools especially in LMICs.


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