COMPARISON OF FIRST YEAR MEDICAL UNDERGRADUATES’ PERCEPTIONS REGARDING THEIR RESPECTIVE INSTITUTIONAL EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT IN INTEGRATED VS TRADITIONAL MEDICAL CURRICULUM BY USING DREEM INVENTORY

A series of three annual surveys of David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM) at UCLA students and UCR/UCLA Thomas Haider Program in Biomedical Sciences students were administered from 2010 to 2012 to ascertain student perceptions of which anatomy pedagogy—prosection or dissection—was most valuable to them during the first year of preclinical medical education and for the entire medical school experience in general. Students were asked, “What value does gross anatomy education have in preclinical medical education?” We further asked the students who participated in both prosection and dissection pedagogies, “Would you have preferred an anatomy curriculum like the Summer Anatomy Dissection during your first year in medical school instead of prosection?” All students who responded to the survey viewed anatomy as a highly valued part of the medical curriculum, specifically referring to four major themes: Anatomy is (1) the basis for medical understanding, (2) part of the overall medical school experience, (3) a bridge to understanding pathology and physiology, and (4) the foundation for clinical skills. Students who participated in both prosection and dissection pedagogies surprisingly and overwhelmingly advocated for a prosection curriculum for the first year of medical school, not a dissection curriculum. Time efficiency was the dominant theme in survey responses from students who learned anatomy through prosection and then dissection. Students, regardless of whether interested in surgery/radiology or not, appreciated both pedagogies but commented that prosection was sufficient for learning basic anatomy, while dissection was a necessary experience in preparation for the anatomical medical specialties. This suggests that anatomy instruction should be integrated into the clinical years of medical education.

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

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-039357 ◽

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.

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A Five Year Longitudinal Study of the Educational Environment in a Newly Integrated Medical Curriculum

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal [SQUMJ] ◽

10.18295/squmj.2019.19.04.009 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (4) ◽

pp. 335

Author(s):

Syed I. Shehnaz

Keyword(s):

Longitudinal Study ◽

United Arab Emirates ◽

Medical Curriculum ◽

Educational Environment ◽

Traditional Curriculum ◽

Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽

Significant Difference ◽

The Mean ◽

Prospective Longitudinal ◽

Course Of Study

Objectives: The College of Medicine at Gulf Medical University (GMU), Ajman, United Arab Emirates, was subjected to a curricular reform, which shifted the institution from a traditional curriculum to a hybrid, studentcentred, integrated curriculum. There are no previous studies analysing the consequences of such a curricular modification on the educational environment (EE). Therefore, this study aimed to analyse the EE of a pioneer cohort of the innovative curriculum over their five-year course of study. Methods: This prospective longitudinal study was conducted between September 2009 and September 2013 at the College of Medicine. The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure questionnaire was completed by a pioneer cohort of students at the start of each academic session for five consecutive years. The mean overall, subscale and individual statement scores were evaluated using the Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon-rank sum tests. Results: A total of 178 responses were collected (response rate: 90.4%). The mean overall score throughout the five years of study was 130/200. A significant difference in the scores (P <0.05) was observed as the students proceeded through the course. The overall and subscale scores were significantly higher in the first and final years of study. Analysis of the statements recognised the medical knowledge of the teachers’ and students’ awareness of empathy and social interactions as persistent strengths of the college over the entire course of study. A curricular overload, a want for support systems for stressed students, students’ waning interest levels and assessment strategies emerged as areas that warranted further attention. Conclusion: The pioneer cohort of the new curriculum rated their EE as positive throughout their five years of study at GMU. An examination of individual statements revealed the programme’s strengths and areas for improvement for the institution.Keywords: Curriculum; Environment; Longitudinal Study; Medical Students; Perception; Undergraduate Medical Education; United Arab Emirates.

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Academic deceleration in a gross anatomy centered first‐year integrated medical curriculum (532.2)

The FASEB Journal ◽

10.1096/fasebj.28.1_supplement.532.2 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 28 (S1) ◽

Author(s):

Amy Lovejoy Mork ◽

Brenda Klement ◽

Douglas Paulsen ◽

Lawrence Wineski

Keyword(s):

Medical Curriculum ◽

Gross Anatomy ◽

First Year

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Using an integrated teaching approach to facilitate student achievement of the learning outcomes in a preclinical medical curriculum in India

AJP Advances in Physiology Education ◽

10.1152/advan.00067.2019 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 43 (4) ◽

pp. 522-528

Author(s):

Asha Vashe ◽

Vasudha Devi ◽

Raghavendra Rao ◽

Reem Rachel Abraham ◽

Vinod Pallath ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Curriculum ◽

Student Assessment ◽

Educational Environment ◽

Average Score ◽

Learning Approaches ◽

Multiple Choice Questions ◽

Self Directed Learning ◽

Learning Readiness ◽

Outcome Based Education ◽

Directed Learning

Today most education institutions around the world have adopted the philosophy of outcome-based education. The emphasis in outcome-based education is achievement of outcomes; hence the curriculum should be designed in a way that it includes the components targeted specifically at achieving these outcomes. A discipline-based approach results in fragmentation of learning and lack of clinical applicability. Integrated teaching could be a solution to achieve required outcomes in a holistic way. Hence, the aim of this study was to develop, implement, and evaluate an integrated teaching module. Temporal coordination of the basic sciences, along with correlation of learned topics to clinical settings, was done in the first year of the undergraduate medical program. The module was evaluated by obtaining qualitative and quantitative feedback from students. Student assessment was conducted with a test that had case vignettes and multiple-choice questions. In addition, students’ change in learning approaches and self-directed learning readiness were collected. Students’ perception regarding the educational environment was also obtained. Analysis of the data showed positive feedback from the students regarding the integrated teaching. Students’ average score in the test was 86%. There was a significant increase in the scores for the deep approach and self-directed learning readiness in the posttest compared with the pretest. Moreover, students were found to be satisfied with the educational environment. Evaluation of integrated teaching revealed that it was well accepted by the students. Moreover, it facilitated the achievement of the students’ outcomes.

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Motivation of Medical Students to Study Sciences

New Trends and Issues Proceedings on Humanities and Social Sciences ◽

10.18844/prosoc.v4i8.2983 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4 (8) ◽

pp. 103-108

Author(s):

Eva Kralova

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Science Teachers ◽

Teaching And Learning ◽

Medical Curriculum ◽

Natural Sciences ◽

First Year ◽

First Year Students ◽

First Semester ◽

Positive Attitudes ◽

Medical Diagnostic

Natural sciences and their applications (medical biophysics, medical chemistry and medical biology) represent an inevitable part of medical curriculum. They are often negatively evaluated and a lack of motivation to their study is observed. The attitudes of medical students towards natural sciences are influenced by their negative experiences from the previous study. Nevertheless, knowledge from the natural sciences represents the necessary basis for better understanding of the basic principles of the medical diagnostic and therapeutic methods. Therefore, the indispensable role of natural science teachers is to achieve positive attitudes and motivate students to study them. Our research project is focused on the identification and subsequent application of motivating approaches in natural sciences teaching. Pedagogical investigation using anonymous questionnaires was done with the aim to specify respondents’ (first year students of Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Medicine) motivation and attitudes towards teaching and learning natural sciences before starting medicine study and after the first semester of medicine study. Keywords: University medical education, student’s motivation, natural sciences.

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Lessons learned from piloting mHealth informatics practice curriculum into a medical elective

Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association ◽

10.1093/jamia/ocx076 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 25 (4) ◽

pp. 380-384 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Juanita Fernando ◽

Jennifer Lindley

Keyword(s):

Medical Curriculum ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Field Analysis ◽

Independent Learning ◽

First Year ◽

Undergraduate Medical Students ◽

Group Discussions ◽

New Concepts ◽

Force Field Analysis ◽

Evaluative Research

Abstract Introduction This case study reports the development and delivery of an mHealth elective piloted for first-year undergraduate medical students at Monash University (Australia) and the lessons learned by designers. Results The students were not as adept at using mHealth devices as the literature had predicted. Expert speakers using mHealth for practice perceptibly engaged students. Force-field analysis was a useful basis for devising end-user evaluative research tools for practice. Combining small- and large-group discussions with eLearning discussions promoted student engagement with new concepts and associated jargon. Assessment by mHealth informatics champions supported the students’ independent learning. Lessons learned Promotion of mHealth curriculum must be transparent and clear. Our elective delivery was hampered by a lack of suitable mobile device ownership and limited availability of useful, free apps. Technological jargon required clarification. Educators require particular mHealth informatics and educational expertise to support mHealth pedagogies. This learning helps to prepare medical curriculum designers for addressing evolving mHealth practice horizons.

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Psychological Security and Values in Adolescents and Young People

Psychological Science and Education ◽

10.17759/pse.2020250601 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (6) ◽

pp. 5-18

Author(s):

I.A. Baeva ◽

L.A. Gayazova ◽

I.V. Kondakova ◽

E.B. Laktionova

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Social Behavior ◽

Young People ◽

Linear Growth ◽

Educational Environment ◽

Young Age ◽

First Year ◽

Second Year ◽

Different Levels ◽

Normative Ideals

The article analyses the relation between psychological security (PS) and values in adolescent and young age. The value-semantic sphere of an individual determines his or her social behavior, and the strategic task of the education system is to create such educational environment that would promote the development of personal potential in students. The aim of the study is to identify the features and characteristics of students’ personal values in adolescence and young age depending on the level of their PS. The hypothesis was tested that the values of adolescents and young people with different levels of PS have different significance. The sample of the study consisted of 2789 first- year and second-year college students, aged 15-21 years. Significant differences in values at the level of normative ideals were found in groups with different levels of PS. There are also significant differences in the significance of values at the level of individual priorities which, in contrast to normative ideals, have a non-linear growth depending on the level of PS – the lowest values are observed in the group with an average level of PS. Values at the level of individual priorities in the group with a low level of PS are more significant than values at the level of normative ideals.

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Course Remediation Within a First‐Year Integrated Medical Curriculum

The FASEB Journal ◽

10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.549.10 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 29 (S1) ◽

Author(s):

Amy Lovejoy Mork ◽

Brenda Klement ◽

Douglas Paulsen ◽

Lawrence Wineski

Keyword(s):

Medical Curriculum ◽

First Year

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