scholarly journals A Survey on the Impact of COVID 19 on Undergraduate and Postgraduate Medical Education in Qatar

Author(s):  
M Thomas ◽  
S Suleiman ◽  
M Allen ◽  
M Hameed ◽  
A Ghaffar ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundCOVID-19 pandemic has affected all dimensions of day to day life across the world and medical education was no exception. In Qatar, two institutions provide undergraduate medical education; Qatar University - College of medicine and Weill Cornell Medical College, Qatar and post graduate medical education is provided by tertiary care public hospitals under Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) through Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education -International (ACGME-I) accredited residency and fellowship programs. With this study we aimed to understand the impact of nationwide restrictions on medical education in Qatar.MethodsWe conducted a cross sectional study utilising an online questionnaire between April and October 2020. Two questionnaires for the faculty and trainees each were designed to address the objectives. The questionnaires addressed barriers to delivery of medical education and perceptions on the models of education used.ResultsMajority of trainees (58.5%) responded that the pandemic has adversely affected medical education at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Trainees (58.5%) and faculty (35.7%) reported an increased reliance on e-learning. Trainees preferred face to face education (33.5%) while the faculty (37.1%) preferred a combination of different models of education delivery. Although 52.5% of the faculty had no previous experience of delivering education using e-learning modalities, but 58.9% felt confident in using e-learning software.ConclusionsFaculty and trainees agree that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the provision of medical education and training in Qatar, with an increased dependence on e-learning. As trainee’s prefer face-to-face models of education, we may have to consider restructuring of medical curricula in order to ensure that optimum learning is achieved via e-learning, while at the same time enhancing our use, knowledge and understanding of the e -learning methods as they may be an essential way of delivering education in the future.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jackson Massanelli ◽  
Kevin W Sexton ◽  
Chris T Lesher ◽  
Hanna K Jensen ◽  
Mary K Kimbrough ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Web analytics is the measurement, collection, analysis, and reporting of websites’ and web applications’ usage data. While common in the e-commerce arena, web analytics are underutilized in graduate medical education. OBJECTIVE The UAMS Department of Surgery website was revamped with input from in-house surgeons in August 2017. This study investigated the use of web analytics to gauge the impact of our department’s website redesign project. METHODS Google Analytics software was used to measure website performance before and after implementation of the new website. Eight-month matched periods were compared. Factors tracked included total users, new users, total sessions, sessions per user, pages per session, average session duration, total page views, and bounce rate (the percentage of visitors who visit a site then leave [i.e. bounce] without continuing to another page on the same site). RESULTS Analysis using a non-paired Student’s t-test demonstrated a statistically significant increase for total page views (33,065 vs 81,852; p<0.0001) and decrease for bounce rate (50.70% vs 0.23%; p<0.0001). Total users, new users, total sessions, sessions per user, and pages per sessions showed improvement; average session duration was unchanged. Sub-group analysis showed that after the main page, the next three most frequently visited pages relate to GME programs in our department. CONCLUSIONS Web analytics are practical measures of a website’s efficacy. Our data suggest that a modern website significantly improves user engagement. An up-to-date website is essential for contemporary GME recruitment, will likely enhance engagement of residency applicants with our GME programs, and warrants further investigation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 11042-11042
Author(s):  
Erica C. Nakajima ◽  
Marcus Messmer ◽  
Jennifer Marie Jones ◽  
Luckson Mathieu ◽  
Tanyanika Phillips ◽  
...  

11042 Background: While the American Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) set up a Planning Committee for Diversity in GME in 2018, no formalized milestones or training mandates have been announced. The nation-wide protests for racial justice following the senseless killings of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd further brought to the forefront the need for immediate action to address widespread inequities across graduate medical education, our healthcare system and society as a whole. Therefore, the Johns Hopkins Hematology/Medical Oncology Fellowship Program focused on creating an anti-racism curriculum to foster dialogue on systemic racism and discrimination, grounded in the institutional and geographic context of our training program. Methods: Using the Kern six step curriculum development method, we created a comprehensive anti-racism initiative, which included virtual townhalls with Black alumni of the fellowship, book clubs, readings, and lectures. We sought to deepen the fellowship’s awareness of the impact of racism and inequity upon trainees, underrepresented minority oncologists and hematologists, and patients in order to develop initiatives to confront them productively. Trainees received a survey 6 months after the start of the curriculum to assess the impact of the initiatives upon trainees, and inform iterative changes to the curriculum. Results: 25 of 34 fellows across all post-graduate years (PGY) completed the survey. Fellows agreed that the curriculum was helpful (68%) and encouraging (60%). Collectively, fellows reported that the curriculum increased their awareness of instances of racism in medicine, caused them to think about next steps that the fellowship could take to address racism, and enabled them to identify available resources for support and further education. Respondents selected community engagement and recruitment of diverse fellowship classes as the most pressing priorities for the program. Conclusions: Social justice and anti-racism education belong in the formalized training of our hematology/medical oncology fellows. To this end, our ongoing curricular expansion is focusing on anti-racism training, diverse recruitment and youth mentorship. Collectively, a comprehensive yet program-specific approach facilitates opportunities for learning, engagement and development of the skills necessary to engage in this life-long work for ourselves, our communities and our patients.


2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelique Wong ◽  
Akhila Reddy ◽  
Janet L. Williams ◽  
Jimin Wu ◽  
Diane Liu ◽  
...  

QUESTION ASKED: What are graduate medical education trainees’ attitudes and beliefs regarding palliative care, what is their awareness of the availability and role of palliative care services, and does previous exposure to a palliative care rotation facilitate a better awareness of palliative care? SUMMARY ANSWER: A vast majority of oncology trainees perceived palliative care services to be beneficial for patient care (92%) and were supportive of mandatory palliative care training (74%). Surgical oncology trainees and trainees with no previous palliative care exposure were significantly less likely to consult palliative care and had significantly less awareness of palliative care. METHODS: We conducted an institutional review board–approved online survey to determine awareness of palliative care among graduate medical trainees at MD Anderson. One hundred seventy oncology trainees who completed at least 9 months of training in medical, surgical, gynecologic, and radiation oncology fellowship and residency program during the 2013 academic year completed an online questionnaire. Descriptive, univariate, and multivariate analyses were performed. BIAS, CONFOUNDING FACTOR(S), DRAWBACKS: Although there was a substantial response rate (78%), the results may not be generalizable as the survey was conducted at a single institution. Also, the frequency of palliative care referrals is self-reported. REAL-LIFE IMPLICATIONS: Our findings suggest that exposure to palliative care training may lead to increased awareness of palliative care among oncologists, and thus, increased overall and early referrals to palliative care. Surgical oncology trainees may benefit from increased exposure to palliative care rotations. More research is needed to characterize the impact of training on referral patterns to palliative care. In the meantime, efforts should be made to include formal palliative care rotations in oncology training. [Table: see text]


2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 399-403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen D. Holt ◽  
Rebecca S. Miller ◽  
Ingrid Philibert ◽  
Thomas J. Nasca

Abstract Background Recent studies suggest that the supply of primary care physicians and generalist physicians in other specialties may be inadequate to meet the needs of the US population. Data on the numbers and types of physicians-in-training, such as those collected by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), can be used to help understand variables affecting this supply. Objective We assessed trends in the number and type of medical school graduates entering accredited residencies, and the impact those trends could have on the future physician workforce. Methods Since 2004, the ACGME has published annually its data on accredited institutions, programs, and residents to help the graduate medical education community understand major trends in residency education, and to help guide graduate medical education policy. We present key results and trends for the period between academic years 2003–2004 and 2012–2013. Results The data show that increases in trainees in accredited programs are not uniform across specialties, or the types of medical school from which trainees graduated. In the past 10 years, the growth in residents entering training that culminates in initial board certification (“pipeline” specialties) was 13.0%, the number of trainees entering subspecialty education increased 39.9%. In the past 5 years, there has been a 25.8% increase in the number of osteopathic physicians entering allopathic programs. Conclusions These trends portend challenges in absorbing the increasing numbers of allopathic and osteopathic graduates, and US international graduates in accredited programs. The increasing trend in subspecialization appears at odds with the current understanding of the need for generalist physicians.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 471-489
Author(s):  
Taylor S. Vasquez ◽  
Julia Close ◽  
Carma L. Bylund

ABSTRACT Background Physician burnout is pervasive within graduate medical education (GME), yet programs designed to reduce it have not been systematically evaluated. Effective approaches to burnout, aimed at addressing the impact of prolonged stress, may differ from those needed to improve wellness. Objective We systematically reviewed the literature of existing educational programs aimed to reduce burnout in GME. Methods Following the PRISMA guidelines, we identified peer-reviewed publications on GME burnout reduction programs through October 2019. Titles and abstracts were reviewed for relevance, and full-text studies were acquired for analysis. Article quality was assessed using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI). Results A total of 3534 articles met the search criteria, and 24 studies were included in the final analysis. Article quality varied, with MERSQI assessment scores varying between 8.5 and 14. Evaluation was based on participant scores on burnout reduction scales. Eleven produced significant results pertaining to burnout, 10 of which yielded a decrease in burnout. Curricula to reduce burnout among GME trainees varies. Content taught most frequently included stress management (n = 8), burnout reduction (n = 7), resilience (n = 7), and general wellness (n = 7). The most frequent pedagogical methods were discussion groups (n = 14), didactic sessions (n = 13), and small groups (n = 11). Most programs occurred during residents' protected education time. Conclusions There is not a consistent pattern of successful or unsuccessful programs. Further randomized controlled trials within GME are necessary to draw conclusions on which components most effectively reduce burnout.


2017 ◽  
Vol 140 (2) ◽  
pp. 412-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsay Janes ◽  
Steven T. Lanier ◽  
Gregory R. D. Evans ◽  
Steven J. Kasten ◽  
Keith M. Hume ◽  
...  

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