Years Of Curriculum Research Articles

Making family medicine work: Rural community-based and interprofessional medical education.

At the University of the Free State, the 5-year MBChB curriculum had to be complemented with community-based education exposure to meet the requirements of the Health Professions Council of South Africa. Following the faculty leadership's vision, an interprofessional training experience was conceptualised and implemented by a project team from the three schools in the Faculty of Health Sciences (Medicine, Nursing, and Health and Rehabilitation Sciences). For the past decade, 4th-year medical students participated in the 2-week rotation in the rural southern Free State province, of which 1 week is spent with students from other health professions programmes in a structured interprofessional learning experience. The other week focuses on the realities of nurse-driven primary healthcare services in a resource-deprived area, including exposure to the programme-guided care for patients with tuberculosis (TB) or chronic diseases, care for pregnant women and for babies, including vaccinations.

Four-year longitudinal culinary and lifestyle medicine track for undergraduate medical students: development and implementation

ABSTRACT The importance of culinary and lifestyle medicine education to combat the growing burden of chronic disease is gaining recognition in the United States. However, few medical schools offer in-depth training with a 4-year longitudinal track. The Culinary and Lifestyle Medicine Track (CLMT) is a 4-year curriculum thread created at West Virginia University School of Medicine to address the need for comprehensive culinary and lifestyle medicine education. CLMT teaches concepts of healthy nutrition, physical activity, stress management, and restorative sleep. CLMT students complete approximately 300 h of in-person and virtual culinary and lifestyle medicine education, including hands-on teaching kitchens, distributed over the preclinical and clinical years. Students are selected into the track prior to matriculation after an application and interview process. The students have exceeded expectations for scholarly and community activity. Track graduates have entered into primary care as well as specialty and surgical residencies, demonstrating that lifestyle education plays a role for students interested in a wide range of careers. Exit survey responses from learners reflected tangible and intangible benefits of participation and offered constructive feedback for improvement. Presented here are the components of the curricular design, implementation, and initial outcomes.

Teaching Antimicrobial Decision-Making in Medical Education: A Qualitative Study

Background: Inappropriate use of antimicrobials contributes to the growing threat of antibiotic resistance. While physicians encounter infections in virtually every facet of medical practice, research has shown that physicians have difficulty determining the need for antimicrobials and choosing the right drug. Physicians’ difficulties with antimicrobial prescribing likely begin early in medical education, yet little is known about how medical students learn to make antimicrobial choices. Our study sought to better understand how medical students learn antimicrobial decision-making, including the impact of a new learning tool introduced in the Infectious Diseases (ID) and Microbiology preclinical course. Method: From 2021-2023, we conducted 18 individual interviews with a purposive sample of medical students at the University of Michigan who had taken the preclinical ID/Microbiology course during the 2019-2021 curricular years. We asked participants how they learned to make antimicrobial decisions and how the course and clinical rotations influenced their understanding of antimicrobial choice. The six participants who took the 2021 course were additionally asked how an antimicrobial decision-making tool introduced that year impacted that process (Figure 1). The tool was adapted from prior work on antimicrobial reasoning (Abdoler et al, 2020). Participants were asked whether they remembered being introduced to the tool (approximately 18 months prior) and if they utilized it during their clinical rotations. Results were analyzed using Dedoose Software to facilitate thematic analysis. Result: Several themes emerged on analysis. Nearly all participants reflected that they learned elements of antimicrobial decision-making during clinical rotations, through observation or direct interaction with physician mentors and patients. Several participants described the preclinical period as content learning, with clinical rotations providing a space to consolidate and scaffold knowledge, as well as transfer knowledge to new situations or tasks. Of the 6 students interviewed regarding the antimicrobial decision-making tool, only one remembered it and could accurately describe its components prior to being shown the tool during the interview. Conclusion: Results suggest that participants view the preclinical ID/Microbiology course primarily as an opportunity to learn content, and perceive learning antimicrobial decision-making directly from practicing physicians in the clinical portion of medical school. An antimicrobial decision-making tool introduced during the preclinical ID/Microbiology course in 2021 did not impact students’ conceptualization of how they learned this skill. Given that practicing physicians often make antimicrobial prescribing errors, regular re-introduction of the tool during clinical rotations may help bridge preclinical antimicrobial educational content to the clinical phase of learning, counteract inappropriate antimicrobial lessons encountered clinically, and ground students' burgeoning antimicrobial prescribing skills in a logical reasoning model.

Successful Implementation of the AIUM Standardized 4-Year Residency Ultrasound Curriculum in Obstetrics and Gynecology: Lessons Learned and Way Forward.

Significant disparities in sonographic education exist in Obstetrics and Gynecology programs in the United States. To address the lack of standardization in ultrasound teaching, the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) assembled a multi-society task force in 2018 that resulted in the publication of a Consensus Report outlining a standardized ultrasound curriculum and competency assessment. The primary objective of the study was to implement the AUIM standardized curriculum within an Obstetrics and Gynecology residency program at a tertiary medical center, and report on the early implementation experience. The secondary objective was to assess current national practices in ultrasound training in Obstetrics and Gynecology residency programs. Study design was an effectiveness-implementation hybrid study of a structured ultrasound educational program based on the 2018 AIUM Consensus Report. The theoretical portion of the curriculum consisted of 26 hours of didactic lectures distributed over 4 years. For the practical component, residents received instruction from faculty and sonographers and independently acquired the required images as part of their regular clinical work. Simulator app access was also provided for additional opportunities to practice and acquire images. Deidentified images for the required competencies were uploaded to a WhatsApp group for review. Theoretical knowledge was assessed with a series of multiple-choice exams. Practical skills were assessed through grading of images submitted through WhatsApp as well as direct observations of resident scans. At the completion of 4 years, the assessment of both theoretical knowledge and practical skills was carried out using the ISUOG Basic Training Examination. National patterns in the area of ultrasound education were assessed with a four-question electronic survey of Obstetrics and Gynecology program directors in the United States. Analysis of both portions of the study was primarily descriptive. Four Obstetrics and Gynecology residents completed the curriculum spanning postgraduate years 1 through 4. The number of competencies completed ranged from 7 to 19 out of 41. All of the residents passed the theoretical and practical components of the ISUOG Basic Training Examination. For the residency program director survey portion of the study, response rate was 20% (59 of 290). Among the respondents, 55.9% reported having a structured curriculum and 34.4% reported implementing the AIUM curriculum. The two most commonly cited obstacles to implementation of structured ultrasound teaching were uncertainty with how to start the process (49.2%) and lack of faculty engagement (49.2%). Implementation of the AIUM Curriculum within the framework of an Obstetrics and Gynecology residency program at a tertiary medical center is feasible. In our experimental group, completion of the curriculum resulted in passing of an internationally recognized validated assessment. Obstacles to implementation in our program included a wide range of engagement and participation among residents, and limited opportunities to obtain some of the required competencies. Identification of obstacles to implementation from the perspective of residency program directors is critical for developing targeted approaches to ensure widespread implementation. Successful standardized validated sonographic training of graduating Obstetrics and Gynecology residents is crucial for this operator-dependent modality that has tremendous implications on patient safety and clinical care.

Evaluating Curriculum Differences in US PharmD Programs: A Peer Evaluation

ObjectiveTo evaluate the differences in curriculum structure and content and observe commonalities across various Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs in the United States. MethodsThis research involves the collection of course content and credit hour data from the curricula and course descriptions, course catalogs, and student handbooks of all the PharmD programs available on their websites and categorization based on the content areas outlined in the Accreditation Council of Pharmacy Education. The core courses, elective offerings, and experiential education (eg, Introductory and Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience) were evaluated using Excel® for credit hours, integration, non-integration, program duration (3-year vs 4-year), and online offerings. ResultsOf 142 accredited schools/colleges, 135 were included in the study, which met the inclusion criteria. In total, 85 of these schools have an integrated curriculum, 19 have a 3-year curriculum, and 15 offer a distance learning pathway for a PharmD degree. Fourteen of the 37 required content areas from the Accreditation Council of Pharmacy Education Appendix 1 were identified, with more than 50% of schools listing no credit hours allocated. Only 9 areas had 90% or more of pharmacy schools allocating credit hours. On average, biomedical, pharmaceutical, social/administrative/behavioral, clinical sciences, experiential education, and electives allocate 10.6, 25.3, 17.1, 40.5, 45.5, and 7.0 credit hours, respectively. ConclusionEach school’s curriculum has a significant variation in credit hours, and there is an opportunity to simplify the curricular structure and content by reducing redundancy and increasing flexibility based on health care needs.

Changes in the Science Subject Curriculum for Year 1: Analysis of Teachers’ Readiness, Challeges and Strategies

Changes in the Science Subject Curriculum for Year 1: Analysis of Teachers’ Readiness, Challeges and Strategies

Academic performance of students in an accelerated medical pathway

ABSTRACT Accelerated medical school curricula, such as three-year programs, have gained attention in recent years but studies evaluating their impact are still scarce. This study examines the Fully Integrated Readiness for Service Training (FIRST) program, a three-year accelerated pathway, to assess its impact on students’ academic performance preparedness for residency. In this observational study, we compared the academic outcomes of FIRST program students to traditional four-year curriculum students from 2018 to 2023. We analyzed multiple metrics, including exam performance (United States Medical Licensing Examination Step scores, shelf exam scores, and pre-clinical course scores) and clinical performance scores during the application and individualization phases. Analysis of Variance was used to examine the effect of accelerated pathway program experience relative to traditional 4-year medical school curriculum on the learning outcomes. FIRST program students were on average 1.5 years younger upon graduation than their traditional peers. While FIRST program students scored slightly lower on Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK), they exhibited no significant differences in other exam scores or clinical performance relative to the traditional students. Notably, FIRST students achieved equivalent clinical performance ratings during critical clerkships and rotations. Our findings suggest that a three-year medical school curriculum can effectively prepare students for residency and produce graduates with comparable medical knowledge and clinical skills, offering potential benefits in terms of financial relief and personal well-being for medical students.

Design, implementation and evaluation of a spiral module combining data science, digital health and evidence-based medicine in the undergraduate medical curriculum: A mixed methods study

BackgroundDigital health, data science and health informatics are increasingly important in health and healthcare, but largely ignored in undergraduate medical training. MethodsIn a large UK medical school, with staff and students, we co-designed a new, ‘spiral’ module (with iterative revisiting of content), covering data science, digital health and evidence-based medicine, implementing in September 2019 in all year groups with continuous evaluation and improvement until 2022. ResultsIn 2018/19, a new module, ‘Doctor as Data Scientist’, was co-designed by academic staff (n = 14), students (n = 23), and doctors (n = 7). The module involves 22 staff, 120 h (43 sessions: 22 lectures, 15 group and six other) over a 5-year curriculum. Since September 2019, 5,200 students have been taught with good attendance. Module student satisfaction ratings were 92%, 84%, 84% and 81% in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 respectively, compared to the overall course (81%). ConclusionsWe designed, implemented and evaluated a new undergraduate medical curriculum that combined data science and digital health with high student satisfaction ratings.

Development of Malaysian Science Standard Document for Teaching Year Four Student according to Neoteric Approach Curriculum: A Concept Paper

Purpose: This paper discussed about the development of Neoteric Approach Curriculum concept and the mapping of the Science Standard Document. The objectives of study are to examine the benefits of integrated curriculum, to outline the mapping of the concept of Neoteric Approach Curriculum for Year Four and to discuss the significant of integrating Science, Health Education and Visual Art.
 Methodology: The development of the Neoteric Approach Curriculum for Year 4 Science Standard Document was generated from the idea of subject-integration. The mapping of the integration of Science, Health Education and Visual Art are needed to originate an integrated discipline that named as Learning Cluster of Human Development for Year Four. This learning cluster is grouped based on the intention to improve human personal development in terms of skills development and academic knowledge. 
 Findings: The Neoteric Approach is a new and modern approach for delivering the teaching and learning process that helps to strengthen the existing Malaysian National Curriculum. Neoteric Approach Curriculum acts as a solution to the modernization of education and pedagogy to produce a holistic student in terms of balanced physically, emotionally, spiritually and intellectually, as well as to be competitive to fulfil the needs of 21st century. The theories that supported the concept of Neoteric Approach curriculum are constructivism theory by Jean Piaget and progressivism theory by John Dewey. Based on the theories, the elements that emphasized are active learning and learning by doing which allows the students to learn by actively engage in the learning process and enhanced their learning experience.
 Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: By having this approach, it could help to enhance the students-centred learning with integrated strategy and support active learning in classroom, cultivating students’ knowledge and skills development which will benefit them in the future.

Competency-based and less time-bound: a new approach to the macro-structure of a medical school curriculum

ABSTRACT Shifting to a competency-based (CBME) and not time-bound curricular structure is challenging in the undergraduate medical education (UME) setting for a number of reasons. There are few examples of broad scale CBME-driven interventions that make the UME program less time-bound. However, given the range of student ability and varying speed of acquisition of competencies, this is an area in need of focus. This paper describes a model that uses the macro structure of a UME program to make UME curricula less time-bound, and driven more by student competency acquisition and individual student goals. The 3 + 1 curricular model was derived from the mission of the school, and includes a 3-year core curriculum that all students complete and an individualized phase. Students have an 18 month individualized educational program that meets their developmental needs and their educational and professional goals. This is achieved through a highly structured advising system, including the creation of an Individualized Learning Plan, driven by specific goals and targeted Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA). Students who struggle in achieving core competencies can use individualized time to support competency development and EPA acquisition. For students who have mastered core competencies, options include obtaining a masters degree, clinical immersion, research, and community-based experiences. Students can also graduate after the 3-year core curriculum, and enter residency one year early. Structural approaches such as this may contribute to the norming of the developmental nature of medical education, and can advance culture and systems that support CBME implementation at the UME level.

의과대학 통합 6년제 학제 개편에 대한 인식 연구

The study aims to examine the necessity and effectiveness of integrating medical education system into a 6-year curriculum combing premedical and medical education. To this end, focus group interview questions were developed based on the review of literature on medical education system. Interviews were then conducted with 10 faculty members and 4 medical students. The findings are as follows. The participants held a positive perception of the 6-year integrated medical education curriculum. The 6-year integrated curriculum are anticipated to address issues inherent in the 2+4 medical education system, including a fragmented curriculum, diminished learning motivation, heightened learning burden, and biased career choices. Also, the education of transfer students, the development of a physician-scientist system, and the suitability of the new curriculum were suggested as discussion issues. Based on the results, practical implications are proposed for the 6-year integrated medical education system.

Revitalizing Dental Education: Aligning Curriculum with Contemporary Dentistry

A 4-year BDS curriculum is followed in dental colleges since inception of Pakistan. Modern dentistry has gone far ahead and many contemporary core subjects are found missing from it due to shorter length of time. In many countries, our dental graduates are not accepted for employment for this reason. It is need of the hour to look into the matter with some serious outlook and modify it as per the requirement of time. A 5-year education plan will best suit to accommodate the contemporary missing subjects.

Where are we now? Evaluating the one year impact of an anti-racism curriculum review

Purpose Undergraduate medical education has had a call to action to acknowledge racist practices that are impacting learners throughout their training. In 2020, our school performed a detailed curricular review and provided recommendations to address racism in the curriculum. Many schools have now undergone a similar curricular review process, but little is known about whether suggested antiracist curricular changes impact faculty teaching behavior or the overall curriculum. Material and Methods In 2021, as part of the medical school’s annual educational quality improvement process, course directors were required to answer a question about the changes they made to address racism in their courses based on recommendations provided the year prior from an antiracism curricular review. The documented changes were analyzed for themes and then organized by course and curricular year. These changes were compared with the suggested recommendations to analyze the number and types of changes implemented after one year. To evaluate student perceptions of change the general comments from academic years 2019–2021 were reviewed. Results After 1 year, approximately, 74% of our school’s 328 anti-racism curricular review recommendations were implemented in courses. Over 80% were implemented in curricular year 1. The greatest number of recommendations implemented were related to the theme of critiquing the strength of evidence in race-based medical practices. The least amount change was made around the theme of challenging the biologic notion of race. Conclusions An antiracism curricular review followed by an embedded continuous quality improvement process can be an effective approach to address racism in medical school curricula. Addressing racism in medical education requires medical schools to regularly identify curricular gaps, faculty needs and monitor their progress.

"A Rare Vocabulary Dictionary based on school curriculum literature": theoretical issues of creation and methodological prospects for use

The article describes the principles of compiling the Rare Vocabulary Dictionary based on school curriculum literature (hereinafter referred to as the Dictionary) and its methodological potential for being used as an electronic educational resource in teaching schoolchildren. Moreover, the study examines the specific features of the Dictionary in comparison with similar existing lexicographic publications. The Dictionary creation is relevant as there is a need to make Russian classical literature texts more understandable for the modern reader. As a result, the resource can promote the culture of reading literary texts and the formation of students’ linguistic personality, as well as enhance learning efficiency. The Dictionary materials were comprised of Russian authors’ works included in the school literature curriculum for years 5 to 11. The paper pays particular attention to the innovative solutions concerning the principles of glossary compilation and dictionary entry creation. The research relied on corpus linguistics methodology and its tools for working with text, which enabled us to select vocabulary based on objective criteria (low frequency in modern Russian) and describe the meaning of a particular word relying on the entire set of contexts of its use in the literature under study. The focus of lexicographic interpretation was an extensive layer of rare vocabulary of various semantic groups (including proper names and occasionalisms) and different parts of speech. Semantic description demonstrates the history of word meanings in the language in conjunction with contextual interpretation of a lexical unit. The entries contain encyclopedic information and a detailed cultural and/or philological commentary. Maximal attention is given to authorial neologisms. Some entries are accompanied by images of the item being described. The Dictionary is implemented as a module of the new Russian Classics cross platform mobile application. The article also describes the operating principles and capabilities of the application.

Are Medical School Curricula Adapting With Their Students? A Survey on How Medical Students Study and How it Relates to USMLE Step 1 Scores.

Over the years, medical schools have evolved their curricula in response to the medical field, faculty, and students. The current study aims to examine how medical students study, what resources they most commonly use, and how it relates to United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 scores. A cross-sectional survey study of United States medical students was distributed via social media, GroupMe school chats, and school listservs from September 8, 2020, to December 12, 2020. The survey gathered data including, demographic and school information, resources students, time spent using each resource, and USMLE Step 1 scores. The survey was completed by 560 students from 102 different United States medical schools. Study guides as online resources (83.2%) were mostly used, lecture (82.5%), Anki (spaced repetition flashcards, 68.3%), and school-organized sessions (workshops, labs, and small groups) (60.7%). Of the students surveyed, 90% attended schools with a recorded lecture option. Only 54% of these students watched their lectures live. When watched online, the average watching speed was 1.75 ± 0.4× with a mode of 2× speed. In examining different medical school styles, schools with a 1.5-year preclinical curriculum had higher USMLE Step 1 scores (244.5 ± 15.6 vs 236.9 ± 16.2, P-score = .024) compared to schools that did not (1- or 2-year preclinical curriculum). Medical students seem to be using third-party resources in addition to their medical school curriculums. Because students are already broadly using these, medical schools could allow their curriculums to reference, require, or complement third-party online resources. Additionally, because of their increased cost, medical schools could consider ways to alleviate the cost on medical students as a means of equitable support. Lastly, Step 1 scores significantly correlated with schools with a 1.5-year preclinical curriculum, although the exact reasoning for this remains uncertain.

Assessing the Effect of a 2-Year Mindfulness-Based Training Programme on Personal and Professional Functioning: A Mixed-Methods Study

ObjectivesMindfulness-based interventions are increasingly a part of mainstream society. The training of professionals to teach these programmes is an important element in maintaining the quality and integrity of this approach. The objective of this study was to examine the experience of trainees undertaking a 2-year training curriculum and how this supported adaptation when they began teaching.MethodThe study was a convergent mixed-methods design, including a descriptive survey of trainees using a questionnaire and a descriptive phenomenological exploration of trainees’ experiences using focus group interviews.ResultsA significant majority of graduates were women and either health professionals or coaches. Most graduates continued to teach after completion of the training, predominantly Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) or an adapted MBSR. Qualitative analysis revealed themes related to the structure and content of the curriculum, changing identity, sensitivity to local context, the importance of learning this approach in a community, and embodied experience. The latter two themes were particularly significant when navigating challenging emotional and somatic experiences.ConclusionsTeachers-in-training internalised the essential qualities of mindfulness as an awareness practice. This capacity required the effort of personal practice alongside theoretical understanding, the support of community and a willingness to be present with a wider range of experience. These factors combined to support the embodiment of the essential qualities of mindfulness. A majority of graduates actively explored teaching MBIs in their professional contexts after completion, and the personal shifts that they experienced through the cultivation of mindful living during the training provided a robust foundation on which to begin teaching a contemporary mindfulness approach to others in a context sensitive way.PreregistrationThis study is not preregistered.

2003. Igniting the Spark: An Exploratory Qualitative Study of Medical Student Preclinical Infectious Diseases Learning

Abstract Background Major educational goals of Infectious Diseases (ID) are to recruit more trainees into ID and promote good antimicrobial decision-making. National survey research (Bonura et al, 2016) revealed that ID curricula that deemphasize memorization are associated with greater odds of trainees entering the field of ID. As ID electives are not required during medical school, preclinical ID courses could represent the last dedicated opportunity for students to gain exposure to the field and acquire key clinical skills for antimicrobial selection. Yet little is known about how students experience preclinical ID courses. We aimed to explore how students experience and engage with these courses to better understand how best to augment their learning and interest in ID. Methods We conducted individual interviews with a purposeful sample of medical students who took the preclinical ID course during three curricular years (2019-2021). Our semi-structured interviews explored students' challenges in learning ID, as well as the motivations, learning principles, and strategies guiding that learning. We generated a codebook through an iterative, inductive process using Dedoose to code interviews and facilitate analysis. We confirmed and refined major themes over 19 interviews. Results Students face unique challenges learning ID but are motivated to succeed by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors (Table 1). We identified six core learning principles (Establishing Relevance, Organized Study, Relating Ideas, Multi-Modal Learning, Socially Constructed Learning, and Active Engagement with Material) that support student learning, deployed through four main strategies (Peer Advice, Writing it Out, Talking it Out, and Use of External Resources) (Table 2; Figure 1).Table 1.Challenges and Motivations in Learning Infectious Diseases (ID)Table 2.Infectious Diseases (ID) Learning Principles and StrategiesFigure 1.Infectious Diseases (ID) Learning Principles with Supportive Strategies Conclusion Our results build on prior research indicating that students learning ID benefit from incorporation of educational principles and strategies that move beyond rote memorization to encourage active engagement and self-reflection. We found that students preference deep, strategic learning methods propelled by intrinsic motivation, despite external pressures. Our findings have implications for optimizing ID education and ultimately increasing interest in the field. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Measuring the development of a medical professional identity through medical school

Purpose The Professional Identity Essay (PIE) is a theory and evidence-based Medical Professional Identity Formation (MPIF) measure. We describe trajectories of PIE-measured MPIF over a 4-year US medical school curriculum. Methods Students write PIEs at medical school orientation, clinical clerkships orientation, and post-advanced (near graduation) clerkship. A trained evaluator assigns an overall stage score to narrative responses to nine PIE prompts (inter-rater ICC 0.83, 95% CI [0.57 − 0.96], intra-rater ICC 0.85). Distribution of PIE stage scores across time points were analyzed in the aggregate and individual students were classified as Increase, Stable (no score change) or Decrease based on the trajectories of PIE stage scores over time. Results 202 students completed 592 PIEs from 2018-2023. There was a significant change in the proportion of PIEs in stages over time (X2 84.40, p < 0.001), 47% (n = 95) students were categorized in the Increase trajectory, 45.5% (n = 92) as Stable and 7.4% (n = 15) as Decrease. Older age and time-predicted stage scores change within trajectories (p < 0.05). Conclusions Medical students’ PIE stage scores increase over time with three distinctive trajectories. Further study is needed to explore the utility of this method for formative assessment, program evaluation, and MPIF research.

UK-wide survey of gastroenterology and hepatology trainees in 2022: endoscopy, workforce planning and the Shape of things to come

ObjectiveShape of Training has shortened the gastroenterology curriculum in the UK from a 5 to 4-year programme. There are ongoing concerns that this will negatively impact training and the attainment...

ASSESSMENT OF ESTHETIC SMILE COMPONENTS BY DENTAL STUDENTS

Background: The present information indicates that most students utilized the technology-based system well, but they missed some practical activities. Assessment of students’ satisfaction with the e-learning activities and asking for feedback can help institutions to improve the know-how about e-learning practices. Hopefully, the sudden pandemic-related shift through modes of education will not be considered an unfavorable impact on education but an evolving experience to pave a comprehensive way to technology-based educational activities.Material and methods: The study was performed on 580 dental students. Among the eight components of the balanced smile, six factors (the smile arc, smile line, dark buccal corridors, gingival margin and incisal edge asymmetries, tooth axis, and dental midline inclinations) apart from those related to dental and gingival ones, were examined on photographs. Manipulations were made on the photo of a female patient with the ideal smile.Results: Statistically significant differences were observed between the preclinical and clinical groups and, in binary comparisons, between curricular years at pre-clinical and clinical levels (P &lt; 0.05).Conclusions: Our findings confirm the reports from previous investigations considering the impact of dental education on dental students’ perception of dentofacial esthetics.