scholarly journals Guest EditorialTraining undergraduate medical students in 'soft skills' - a qualitative research project at the University of Pretoria

2006 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A-M Bergh ◽  
C Krüger ◽  
WJ Schurink ◽  
PM Joubert ◽  
JL Roos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Guest Editorial ◽  
Soft Skills ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Students ◽  
Research Project ◽  
University Of Pretoria ◽  
The University

scholarly journals THE RELATIONSHIP between COURSE MANAGEMENT and EXAMINATION ATTRITION RATES among UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL STUDENTS at the UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Harrison Daka ◽  
Sekelani S. Banda ◽  
Charles M. Namafe
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Comparative Method ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
Course Management ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Students ◽  
Attrition Rates ◽  
Training Programmes ◽  
The University ◽  
The Relationship

This study investigated the relationship between course management and examination attrition rates among undergraduate medical students at the University of Zambia, School of Medicine between the years 2008 to 2016. An explanatory sequential research design was used for data collection. Data were captured using an evaluation survey instrument, students’ Focus Group Discussion schedule and an interview schedule for key informants. Quantitative data from the first set were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics while qualitative data from the second set were analysed using constant comparative method. The findings indicate that there was significant statistical difference in the course workloads in all programmes (p = 0.000, F = 4, 596, d f = 8.53). The course loads were heavy, had little time allocated to them. Course concepts were not taught in depth and led to students’ perceptions that the courses were difficult. As such, there is urgent need to revise or review course contents (i. e. curricular) of several programmes to be in accordance with the time allocated to them and that the Department of Medical Education and Development (DMED) should consider organizing specific pedagogical training programmes for existing and newly employed academic staff.

scholarly journals Quality of sleep and burnout among undergraduate medical students at the university of Nairobi, Kenya

BJPsych Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (S1) ◽  
pp. S279-S279
Author(s):  
Linda Nyamute ◽  
Muthoni Mathai ◽  
Anne Mbwayo
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Quality Of Sleep ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Students ◽  
Poor Sleep Quality ◽  
Significant Positive Association ◽  
The University

AimsThe main objective was to determine whether quality of sleep is associated with burnout among undergraduate medical students at the University of Nairobi.The null hypothesis in our study population was; 'There is no significant association between poor sleep quality and burnout'.BackgroundIn a pressure prevailing environment, medical students find themselves in a vicious cycle of cutting down on sleep in attempts to cope and adjust to increasing workloads. Students with poor sleep quality have been found to perform worse in their board exam and have strained social engagements. Ultimately, this chronic sleep deprivation may lead to burnout which may cause diminished sense of accomplishment and impaired professional conduct, that may be carried on to the career as a physician. High levels of burnout have been associated with suicides.MethodThe sample size obtained was 384 and participants were selected by a mixed sampling method. Data collection was through self-administered questionnaires. Scales used for this study were the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index(PSQI) and the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory(OLBI).Ethical considerations were adhered to and approval obtained from the Kenyatta National Hospital-University of Nairobi(KNH-UON) Ethics Board. Data entry and analysis was by SPSS v23. Data from 336 questionnaires were deemed fit for analysis.ResultWith a response rate of 87.5%, the prevalence of poor sleep quality and burnout were 69.9% and 74.7% respectively. There was a significant positive association between poor sleep quality and female gender, clinical years of study, living with family, poorly perceived socio-economic state and poor subjective academic performance. In addition, being female, younger, pre-clinical years, living independently off-campus and poor subjective academic performance were significantly associated with higher levels of burnout.Burnout had a significant correlation with poor sleep quality. Daytime functioning, a component of sleep quality had the highest correlation with components of burnout, disengagement and exhaustion. Overall, 57% of the respondents had both poor sleep quality &burnout, while only 12% were good sleepers with no burnout. Furthermore, having poor sleep increased the risk of having burnout by 2.8times. It is crucial that students adopt better sleeping habits to reduce the risk of burnout.ConclusionWith the high prevalence of poor sleep quality and burnout, peer-support groups and peer-led mentorship programs are recommended within this population to help deal with expectations, challenges and difficulties encountered within the course of medical education, in addition to preparing for the early future careers.

scholarly journals Subjective experience of depressed mood among medical students at the University of Pretoria

2008 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
L Van Niekerk ◽  
A J Viljoen ◽  
P Rischbieter ◽  
Lindi Scribante
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Subjective Experience ◽  
Suicide Ideation ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Font Size ◽  
Prevalence Data ◽  
University Of Pretoria ◽  
Willingness To Use ◽  
The University ◽  
Student Questions

<div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 489.471px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.887133);" data-canvas-width="75.49499999999999"><strong>Introduction.</strong></div><div style="left: 157.351px; top: 489.471px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.932734);" data-canvas-width="308.59499999999997"> Following the suicide of a 4th-year medical</div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 512.801px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.895698);" data-canvas-width="384.12000000000006">student, questions were raised as to whether medical</div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 536.13px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.91774);" data-canvas-width="384.12">students are more vulnerable to depression and suicide than</div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 559.46px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.851258);" data-canvas-width="384.04499999999985">their counterparts studying other courses at the University of</div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 582.789px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.879866);" data-canvas-width="384.12">Pretoria. A literature search revealed that medical students and</div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 606.119px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.844773);" data-canvas-width="384.0900000000001">doctors run a higher risk for suicide than other students and</div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 629.448px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.87138);" data-canvas-width="72.61500000000001">professions.</div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 629.448px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.87138);" data-canvas-width="72.61500000000001"> </div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 666.961px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.945913);" data-canvas-width="52.845000000000006"><strong>Method.</strong></div><div style="left: 134.701px; top: 666.961px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.924275);" data-canvas-width="331.26"> A questionnaire was devised and distributed to</div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 690.291px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.891883);" data-canvas-width="384.0299999999999">medical students and a control group of other students, asking</div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 713.62px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.921447);" data-canvas-width="384.1049999999999">about feelings of despair/hopelessness, suicide ideation and</div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 736.95px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.897581);" data-canvas-width="384.12000000000006">previous attempts, knowledge regarding support structures</div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 760.279px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.925892);" data-canvas-width="384.06">provided by the university, and willingness to use these</div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 783.609px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.824324);" data-canvas-width="59.475">structures.</div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 783.609px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.824324);" data-canvas-width="59.475"> </div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 821.121px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.789549);" data-canvas-width="44.06999999999999"><strong>Results.</strong></div><div style="left: 125.926px; top: 821.121px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.893066);" data-canvas-width="340.0050000000001"> Both groups of students responded similarly to all</div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 844.451px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.914102);" data-canvas-width="384.075">questions. Frequency of diagnosed psychiatric illness, use of</div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 867.78px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.923959);" data-canvas-width="384.1049999999999">medication, and suicidal thoughts and attempts did not differ</div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 891.11px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.894306);" data-canvas-width="384.0300000000001">significantly. Both groups of students were unaware of support</div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 914.439px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.924774);" data-canvas-width="384.1050000000001">services offered by the university, and both were unwilling to</div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 937.769px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.901162);" data-canvas-width="384.04499999999996">utilise such services. The students seemed to have high rates</div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 961.098px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.917634);" data-canvas-width="384.0300000000001">of depression in comparison with prevalence data from other</div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 984.428px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.873365);" data-canvas-width="58.52999999999999">countries.</div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 984.428px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.873365);" data-canvas-width="58.52999999999999"> </div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 1021.94px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.906502);" data-canvas-width="73.2"><strong>Conclusion.</strong></div><div style="left: 155.056px; top: 1021.94px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.902351);" data-canvas-width="310.90500000000003"> Attempts to improve support for medical students</div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 1045.27px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.917705);" data-canvas-width="384.07499999999993">should address students’ awareness of available support</div><div style="left: 81.8563px; top: 1068.6px; font-size: 15.45px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.875645);" data-canvas-width="276.11999999999995">structures and their willingness to utilise them.</div>

Diagnostic Reasoning and Treatment Planning: I. Diagnosis

1987 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 477-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barry Nurcombe ◽  
Ina Fitzhenry-Coor
Keyword(s):  
Information Processing ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Treatment Planning ◽  
Clinical Reasoning ◽  
Diagnostic Reasoning ◽  
Natural Process ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Deductive Logic ◽  
The University ◽  
University Of Vermont

Information-processing research into the natural process of clinical reasoning is reviewed and the University of Vermont diagnostic reasoning research project is described. Experienced psychiatric diagnosticians use a hypothetico-deductive logic. The development of a profile of diagnostic competencies is outlined and a course in diagnostic reasoning for medical students, which specifically objectified the tactics and strategy of reasoning and resulted in a significant improvement in the profile of competencies, is described. Finally, the organisation of a diagnostic formulation is discussed.

scholarly journals Non-medical use of methylphenidate among medical students of the University of the Free State

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roshini Jain ◽  
Ch Chiech Chang ◽  
Mpho Koto ◽  
Alden Geldenhuys ◽  
Richard Nichol ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical Curriculum ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Free State ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Students ◽  
Questionnaire Response ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Training Programmes ◽  
The University

<p><strong>Background:</strong> Faced with demanding training programmes, medical students may be more prone to use methylphenidate for non-medical purposes in order to improve concentration, alertness and academic performance.</p><p><strong>Aim:</strong> The study aimed to investigate the prevalence of the non-medical use of methylphenidate and knowledge of this drug among undergraduate medical students of the University of the Free State.</p><p><strong>Methods:</strong> This was a cross-sectional study. A self-administered, anonymous questionnaire was distributed during lectures to all students in the five year groups of the undergraduate medical programme.</p><p><strong>Results:</strong> Of the 643 undergraduate medical students, 541 completed the questionnaire (response rate: 84.1%). Approximately 11.0% of surveyed students were using methylphenidate at the time of the study, of which the majority (67.9%) used it for academic purposes and 70.6% received it from a medical health professional. Less than a third of users had been diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Methylphenidate users’ median knowledge was greater than non-users, and methylphenidate knowledge increased from first-year and second-year students to third-year to fifth-year students. Median knowledge scores per year group ranged from 52.0% to 60.0%.</p><p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Methylphenidate is mainly used for non-medical purposes by medical students. Students generally have a low level of knowledge on methylphenidate. Specific information on methylphenidate should be included in lectures on stress management and study methods during the course of the medical curriculum.</p>

scholarly journals Workshops in Healing for Senior Medical Students: A 5 Year Experience

2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
John Henry Kearsley ◽  
Elizabeth Lobb
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical Curriculum ◽  
Repeated Reading ◽  
Contemporary Literature ◽  
Art Music ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Students ◽  
Music And Literature ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Open Coding ◽  
The University

Objectives:  To provide a 5-year (2008-2012) overview and appraisal of a novel course for senior undergraduate medical students (Workshops in Healing) at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia within the context of a traditional 6-year curriculum.  In these innovative workshops, 8-12 self-selected students per year participate over 6 hours in two sessions, several days apart.  The sessions use artwork and other evocative images, poetry, music, statues and classic/contemporary literature to illustrate points of discussion relating to suffering, healing and the doctor-patient relationship. Methods: A written open-ended reflection was requested from 48 students in the final year of their 6-year medical course within a few weeks of the second workshop.  The study employed an emergent qualitative design.  Open coding involved repeated reading of the sections of the student’s feedback and a line-by-line analysis of this data.  Selective coding was then used to link data together and develop the themes.Results:  Students identified the following benefits from the workshops:  1)  the opportunity to re-affirm their commitment to their chosen career path;  2)  the value of listening to other students share their stories;  3)  the importance of the timing of the Workshops to occur after exams;  4)  the use of various mediums such as art,  music and literature to present concepts of suffering and healing;  and 5) the creation of a safe and confidential space.Conclusions:  Students reported that the workshops gave them a renewed sense of drive and enthusiasm for their chosen career.  They highlighted the importance of addressing an aspect of Medicine (healing) not covered in the traditional medical curriculum.  For many students the workshops provided a broader understanding of the meaning of concepts such as suffering and healing, and helped them to rediscover a deeper meaning to Medicine, and their roles as healthcare professionals.

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