Medical Students’ Confidence in Their Abilities and Barriers to Conducting Research: A Mixed-Methods Study

Abstract This mixed-methods study investigated the English medical vocabulary strategies, needs, and difficulties of Taiwanese medical school students via an open- and closed-ended questionnaire (n = 17), a test measuring vocabulary size (n = 17), student interviews (n = 5), and teacher interviews (n = 3). Students reported using some vocabulary strategies more than others. A statistically significant negative relationship between students’ English vocabulary size and their use of word cards for vocabulary learning was also revealed. Through analysis of the interview data gathered from the medical students and their English teachers, five vocabulary learning difficulties faced by the medical students were uncovered: (1) nonexistent intentional English vocabulary learning, (2) stagnant specialized medical English vocabulary acquisition, (3) lack of sufficient contextualized academic English writing practice with newly encountered specialized medical vocabulary; (4) lack of teacher feedback on the students’ vocabulary use; and (5) lack of pedagogical communication among faculty. The pedagogical implications of these results were discussed with a focus on improving students’ vocabulary learning efficiency in light of their specialized English medical vocabulary needs.

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A mixed-methods study identifying and exploring medical students’ views of the UKCAT

Medical Teacher ◽

10.3109/0142159x.2011.557753 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 33 (3) ◽

pp. 244-249 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

J.A. Cleland ◽

F.H. French ◽

P.W. Johnston ◽

on behalf of the Scottish Medical C

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

Medical Students ◽

Mixed Methods Study

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Junior medical students' notions of a ‘good doctor’ and related expectations: a mixed methods study

Medical Education ◽

10.1111/j.1365-2929.2007.02729.x ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 41 (5) ◽

pp. 476-486 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Gillian Maudsley ◽

Evelyn M I Williams ◽

David C M Taylor

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

Medical Students ◽

Mixed Methods Study ◽

Good Doctor

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Peers as OSCE assessors for junior medical students – a review of routine use: a mixed methods study

BMC Medical Education ◽

10.1186/s12909-019-1898-y ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Simon Schwill ◽

Johanna Fahrbach-Veeser ◽

Andreas Moeltner ◽

Christiane Eicher ◽

Sonia Kurczyk ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

Medical Students ◽

Mixed Methods Study

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Changing medical students’ attitudes to and knowledge of deafness: a mixed methods study

BMC Medical Education ◽

10.1186/s12909-019-1666-z ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Michelle Gilmore ◽

Anna Sturgeon ◽

Clare Thomson ◽

David Bell ◽

Sophie Ryan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

Medical Students ◽

Mixed Methods Study ◽

Students Attitudes

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Medical Students’ Experiences and Outcomes Using a Virtual Human Simulation to Improve Communication Skills: Mixed Methods Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.15459 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Timothy C Guetterman ◽

Rae Sakakibara ◽

Srikar Baireddy ◽

Frederick W Kron ◽

Mark W Scerbo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Mixed Methods ◽

Medical Students ◽

Communication Skills ◽

Health Care Providers ◽

Mixed Methods Study ◽

Virtual Human ◽

Care Providers ◽

Empathic Communication ◽

Nonverbal Skills

BACKGROUND Attending to the wide range of communication behaviors that convey empathy is an important but often underemphasized concept to reduce errors in care, improve patient satisfaction, and improve cancer patient outcomes. A virtual human (VH)–based simulation, MPathic-VR, was developed to train health care providers in empathic communication with patients and in interprofessional settings and evaluated through a randomized controlled trial. OBJECTIVE This mixed methods study aimed to investigate the differential effects of a VH-based simulation developed to train health care providers in empathic patient-provider and interprofessional communication. METHODS We employed a mixed methods intervention design, involving a comparison of 2 quantitative measures—MPathic-VR–calculated scores and the objective structured clinical exam (OSCE) scores—with qualitative reflections by medical students about their experiences. This paper is a secondary, focused analysis of intervention arm data from the larger trial. Students at 3 medical schools in the United States (n=206) received simulation to improve empathic communication skills. We conducted analysis of variance, thematic text analysis, and merging mixed methods analysis. RESULTS OSCE scores were significantly improved for learners in the intervention group (mean 0.806, SD 0.201) compared with the control group (mean 0.752, SD 0.198; <italic>F</italic><sub>1,414</sub>=6.09; <italic>P</italic>=.01). Qualitative analysis revealed 3 major positive themes for the MPathic-VR group learners: gaining useful communication skills, learning awareness of nonverbal skills in addition to verbal skills, and feeling motivated to learn more about communication. Finally, the results of the mixed methods analysis indicated that most of the variation between high, middle, and lower performers was noted about nonverbal behaviors. Medium and high OSCE scorers most often commented on the importance of nonverbal communication. Themes of motivation to learn about communication were only present in middle and high scorers. CONCLUSIONS VHs are a promising strategy for improving empathic communication in health care. Higher performers seemed most engaged to learn, particularly nonverbal skills.

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