Joint Curriculum Development of the Training Program for Five-Year, Rural-Oriented, Tuition-Waived Medical Students

Abstract Background Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, clinical rotations at the University of Michigan Medical School (UMMS) were suspended on March 17, 2020, per the Association of American Medical Colleges’ recommendations. No alternative curriculum existed to fill the educational void for clinical students. The traditional approach to curriculum development was not feasible during the pandemic as faculty were redeployed to clinical care, and the immediate need for continued learning necessitated a new model. Approach One student developed an outline for an online course on pandemics based on peer-to-peer conversations regarding learners’ interests and needs, and she proposed that students author the content given the immediate need for a curriculum. Fifteen student volunteers developed content to fill knowledge gaps, and expert faculty reviewers confirmed that the student authors had successfully curated a comprehensive curriculum. Evaluation The crowdsourced student content coalesced into a 40-hour curriculum required for all 371 clinical-level students at UMMS. This student-driven effort took just 17 days from outline to implementation, and the final product is a full course comprising five modules, multiple choice questions, discussion boards, and assignments. Learners were surveyed to gauge success, and 93% rated this content as relevant to all medical students. Reflection The successful implementation of this model for curriculum development, grounded in the Master Adaptive Learner framework, suggests that medical students can be entrusted as stewards of their own education. As we return to a post-pandemic “normal,” this approach could be applied to the maintenance and de novo development of future curricula.

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The Value of Clinical Teachers for EMR Implementations and Conversions

Applied Clinical Informatics ◽

10.4338/aci-2014-09-ie-0075 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 06 (01) ◽

pp. 75-79 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

J.L. Pantaleoni ◽

C.A. Longhurst ◽

L.A. Stevens

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Training Program ◽

Cost Savings ◽

Learner Satisfaction ◽

Physician Training ◽

Significant Cost ◽

Clinical Teachers ◽

Essential Aspect ◽

Satisfaction Rates ◽

High Learner

SummaryEffective physician training is an essential aspect of EMR implementation. However, it can be challenging to find instructors who can present the material in a clinically relevant manner. The authors describe a unique physician-training program, utilizing medical students as course instructors. This approach resulted in high learner satisfaction rates and provided significant cost-savings compared to alternative options.Citation: Stevens LA, Pantaleoni JL, Longhurst CA. The value of clinical teachers for EMR implementations and conversions. Appl Clin Inf 2015; 6: 75–79http://dx.doi.org/10.4338/ACI-2014-09-IE-0075

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Evaluation of Medical Students’ Attitudes and Performance of Basic Surgery Skills in a Training Program Using Fresh Human skin, Excised During Body Contouring Surgeries

Journal of Surgical Education ◽

10.1016/j.jsurg.2015.03.004 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 72 (5) ◽

pp. 868-874 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Jens Rothenberger ◽

Seyed Morteza Seyed Jafari ◽

Kai P. Schnabel ◽

Christian Tschumi ◽

Sarina Angermeier ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Training Program ◽

Human Skin ◽

Body Contouring ◽

Students Attitudes ◽

And Performance

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Brief online mindfulness training for medical students: a randomized control study

International Journal of Whole Person Care ◽

10.26443/ijwpc.v9i1.337 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 40-41

Author(s):

Sarah Moore ◽

Denese Playford ◽

Hanh Ngo ◽

Rita Barbour ◽

Kirsten Auret ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Training Program ◽

Mindfulness Meditation ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Mindfulness Training ◽

Randomised Control Trial ◽

Meditation Practice ◽

Self Compassion ◽

Study Engagement

BACKGROUNDMedical students experience high levels of stress during their training. Literature suggests that mindfulness can reduce stress and increase self-compassion levels in medical students. However, most mindfulness training programs are delivered face-to-face and require significant time commitments, which can be challenging for rurally-based students with heavy academic workloads and limited support networks. PURPOSETo evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of a brief online Mindfulness training program for medical students based in rural areas, with regards to reducing stress, increasing self-compassion, mindfulness and study engagement. METHODSThis is a non-registered randomised control trial. Participants included both urban and rural medical students from UWA, University of Notre Dame and the RCSWA from 2018-2020. Participants were randomised to the intervention group, an 8-week online mindfulness training program, or the control group. Using quantitative-qualitative mixed-methods approach, we measured the frequency, duration and quality of the participants mindfulness meditation practice, and assessed changes in their perceived stress, self-compassion, mindfulness and study engagement levels. Further, the intervention group recorded a weekly reflective journal documenting their experience of the program. RESULTS114 participants were recruited to the study. 61 were randomised to the intervention, and 53 to the control. Quantitative analysis of the frequency, duration and quality of mindfulness meditation practice and changes in stress, self-compassion, mindfulness and study engagement is currently being conducted. Preliminary qualitative results reveal that participants experienced increased self-awareness, more mindfulness of their day-to-day activities, improved emotional regulation and increased productivity, while also facing difficulties with making time for their mindfulness practice. CONCLUSIONWe anticipate that this study will demonstrate that an online mindfulness training program tailored to reach rurally located medical students is feasible and effective in modifying their stress levels and psychological wellbeing.

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From vision to implementation: Building a national undergraduate paediatric curriculum

Paediatrics & Child Health ◽

10.1093/pch/pxab066 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Susan L Bannister ◽

Karen L Forbes ◽

Diane M Moddemann ◽

Melanie A Lewis

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Curriculum Development ◽

National Curriculum ◽

Family Physicians ◽

Undergraduate Curriculum ◽

Teachers And Students ◽

Intrinsic Roles ◽

Clinical Environments ◽

Health Advocate ◽

Competency Based

Abstract Objective There are many challenges in ensuring medical students learn paediatrics. Medical educators must develop and maintain curricula that meet learners’ needs and accreditation requirements. Paediatricians and family physicians, practicing and teaching in busy clinical environments, require Canadian-relevant curricular guidance and resources to teach and assess learners. Students struggle with curricular cohesion, clear expectations, and resources. Recognizing these challenges and acknowledging the need to address them, the Paediatric Undergraduate Program Directors of Canada (PUPDOC) created canuc-paeds, a comprehensive competency-based undergraduate curriculum that teachers and students would actually use. Methods Curriculum development included the following: utilization of best practices in curriculum development, an environmental scan, development of guiding principles, Delphi surveys, in-person meetings, and quality improvement. All Canadian paediatric undergraduate educator leaders and other stakeholders were invited to participate. Results The curriculum, based on the RCPSC CanMEDS Framework, includes 29 clinical presentations, each with key conditions, foundational knowledge objectives, and learning resources. Essential paediatric-specific physical examination and procedural skills that graduating medical students are expected to perform are identified. Objectives specific to Intrinsic Roles of Collaborator, Communicator, Professional, Leader, Health Advocate and Scholar that can be assessed in the field of paediatrics at the undergraduate level are articulated. The national curriculum has been implemented widely at Canadian medical schools. Online, open-access clinical resources have been developed and are being used world-wide. Conclusion This curriculum provides overarching Canadian-specific curricular guidance and resources for students and for the paediatricians and family physicians who are responsible for teaching and assessing undergraduate learners.

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S244. RELIABILITY OF CORE SCHIZOPHRENIA SYMPTOMS RATINGS USING THE SIX-ITEM POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE SYNDROME SCALE (PANSS-6) PERFORMED BY MEDICAL STUDENTS

Schizophrenia Bulletin ◽

10.1093/schbul/sbaa031.310 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 46 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S131-S132

Author(s):

Johanna Hansen ◽

David Dines ◽

Mark Opler ◽

Ole Mors ◽

Søren D Østergaard ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Training Program ◽

Clinical Experience ◽

Gold Standard ◽

Rating Scales ◽

Sufficient Information ◽

Percent Agreement ◽

Syndrome Scale ◽

Measurement Based Care ◽

Negative Syndrome

Abstract Background Assessing and monitoring the severity of illness is an essential component of the measurement-based treatment of schizophrenia. The six-item Positive And Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS-6) is a psychometrically valid scale, which allows for a brief and valid assessment of the severity of core symptoms of schizophrenia via the Simplified positive And Negative Symptoms interview (SNAPSI). The use of the PANSS-6 in a clinical setting requires raters to obtain reliable and valid ratings. The aim of the study was to determine the amount of training needed for raters with no or very little clinical experience to perform reliable PANSS-6 ratings. Methods A total of 89 5th year medical students, divided in 4 groups, which were enrolled in a 4-week mandatory internship in the psychiatric unit of Aarhus University Hospital were invited to participate in the training program. Out of 89 students 58% (n=52) participated. The training program contained 9 hours of standardized training. All participants performed a baseline rating of a SNAPSI patient interview before the display of a theoretical introduction video to SNAPSI and the principles of PANSS-6 rating. Following the theoretical introduction, the students individually rated another 5 SNAPSI patient videos. After each SNAPSI video, an expert consensus-video was displayed. The order of the SNAPSI and corresponding consensus videos was randomized between the 4 different groups of students. The PANSS-6 ratings performed by the students were compared to gold standard ratings performed by a certified PANSS-rater and psychiatrist at different time-points during the training. Agreements were calculated by using percent agreement. Results The percent agreement between the students and the gold standard on the PANSS-6 total score improved from time 1 (baseline) to time 4 (after the theoretical introduction video and 3 SNAPSIs) from 88% to 100%. Discussion In conclusion, medical students with very limited clinical experience were able to perform reliable PANSS-6 ratings of SNAPSI patient interviews after participating in a brief standardized training program. Future studies should assess whether raters with very limited clinical experience are able to conduct the SNAPSI and extract sufficient information for PANSS-6 rating. This would render the possibility of using medical students as PANSS-6 raters in clinical practice to remedy the shortage of psychiatrists and to allow for measurement-based care, which requires systematic administration of symptom rating scales to drive clinical decision making.

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