4th-year Medical Students Research Articles

Integrating Practice-Changing Studies in Gynaecologic Oncology Through Clinical Illustrations.

Advances in gynaecologic oncology research lead to continuous updates in clinical guidelines. However, undergraduate medical education often lacks in-depth coverage of recent developments, limiting students' preparedness for evidence-based management of gynaecological cancers. This study aimed to bridge the educational gap by integrating case-based analyses of practice-changing studies into the undergraduate obstetrics and gynaecology course. We aimed to enhance students' understanding of relevant gynaecologic oncology concepts and improve their skills in analysing scientific literature related to cancer management. An educational method was introduced to 5th-year medical students (n = 46) over a 2-week course. Using clinical case scenarios, students were presented with examples of practice-changing trials along with research findings incorporated into clinical practice. Following the course, 36 students completed a feedback survey evaluating their knowledge and research interpretation skills before and after the course. Descriptive statistical methods and Fisher's exact test were used to assess students' self-reported knowledge improvement. There were significant increases in students' self-reported knowledge level on the covered topics, including a distinction between chemotherapy types (p < 0.0001), surgical treatment (p < 0.0001), maintenance therapy in ovarian cancer (p < 0.0001), molecular classification (p < 0.0001) and immunotherapy in endometrial cancer (p < 0.0001). Understanding of inclusion criteria and endpoints in scientific articles also improved, rising from 22 to 86% (p < 0.0001, OR 21, 95% CI 5.62-78.48). Incorporating practice-changing studies into clinical teaching significantly enhances students' perceived comprehension of gynaecologic oncology and strengthens their self-reported research interpretation skills. This methodological approach highlights the value of connecting case-based learning with current research.

OSCE RELATED ANXIETY IN ASSOCIATION WITH PERCEIVED VS ACTUAL PERFORMANCE

Objectives: The study investigates the impact of anxiety on medical students performance in Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), focusing on the relationship between self-perceived and actual performance. Methods: Conducted among 5th-year medical students at Taif University, the study used an online questionnaire with the PHQ-4 scale to measure anxiety and depression. The aim was to correlate these levels with students self-assessment and actual performance in OSCEs. Results: The study analyzed responses from 62 students. The average self-reported anxiety level was 8.95 ± 1.348 on a 10-point scale, with 64.5% of students reporting severe anxiety and depression. No significant gender differences in anxiety and depression severity were noted (p=0.308). Higher levels of anxiety and depression were reported by students who perceived their grades as lower, although this was not statistically significant (p=0.431). There was no statistically significant correlation between anxiety/depression severity and actual grades (p=0.280). Conclusions: The study underscores the prevalent issue of anxiety among medical students and its potential influence on their self-perceived performance in critical evaluations like OSCEs. It suggests the necessity for targeted interventions to manage student anxiety, which could enhance self-assessment accuracy and overall performance.

Addressing a community need: assessing the confidence and attitude of senior medical students in responding to in-flight emergencies

Traveling physicians will likely be called for medical assistance on board. In-flight medical emergencies (IMEs) are common and occur in a complex environment with limited medical resources. This study evaluated senior medical students’ willingness, understanding, confidence, and attitudes toward IMEs and their willingness to respond to them. This cross-sectional study was conducted among senior medical students in the College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. These medical students were sent a self-administered online questionnaire, which consisted of basic demographic data, a survey to evaluate IME experiences, and a 10-item questionnaire to assess the attitude of students. Among 302 medical students, 52.3% were males, while 66.9% were over 22 years old. The prevalence of students who attended life support training was 62.6%, which was highly significant among the 5th-year level (p = 0.001). Neutral attitudes were found in most students (87.7%); 4.6% had positive attitudes, while 7.6% had negative ones. Being at the 5th-year level and having previous participation in life support training were associated with an increased attitude toward in-flight medical emergencies. The attitude of senior medical students toward IMEs was less than desired. However, the attitude was better among 5th-year medical students who attended training courses on managing IMEs. Thus, participation in training courses influenced the willingness to manage such cases. Subsequently, longitudinal studies are needed to extract more data on the knowledge and confidence of medical students toward IMEs.

Automatic external defibrillator (AED) location – seconds that save lifes

Introduction and objectiveSudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is a significant cause of adult mortality, categorized into in-hospital (IHCA) and out-of-hospital (OHCA). Survival in OHCA depends on early diagnosis, alerting Emergency Medical Service (EMS), high-quality bystander resuscitation, and prompt Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) use. Accelerating technological progress supports faster AED retrieval and use, but there are barriers in real-life OHCA situations. The study assesses 6th-year medical students’ ability to locate AEDs using smartphones, revealing challenges and proposing solutions.Material & MethodsThe study was conducted in 2022–2023 at the Medical University of Lodz, Poland. Respondents completed a survey on AED knowledge and characteristics, followed by a task to find the nearest AED using their own smartphones. As common sources did not list the University AEDs, respondents were instructed to locate the nearest AED outside the research site.ResultsA total of 300 6th-year medical students took part in the study. Only 3.3% had an AED locating app. Only 32% of students claimed to know where the AED nearest to their home is. All 300 had received AED training, and almost half had been witness to a resuscitation. Out of the 291 medical students who completed the AED location task, the median time to locate the nearest AED was 58 s. Most participants (86.6%) found the AED within 100 s, and over half (53%) did so in under 1 min.ConclusionsNational registration of AEDs should be mandatory. A unified source of all AEDs mapped should be created or added to existing ones. With a median of under one minute, searching for AED by a bystander should be considered as a point in the chain of survival.

Zoom fatigue related to online learning among medical students in Thailand: Prevalence, predictors, and association with depression.

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the learning pattern of medical students shifted from onsite to online. This transition may contribute to what has been called "Zoom fatigue." This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of Zoom fatigue related to online learning, identify associated factors of Zoom fatigue, and explore its correlation with depression among medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 1st to 6th-year Thai medical students. The online survey was administered using a demographic and health behavior questionnaire, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and the Thai version of the Zoom Exhaustion & Fatigue Scale (ZEF-T). Among the 386 participating students, 221 (57%) were female, with a mean age of 20.6 years. The prevalence of high Zoom fatigue was 9.6%. In the multivariable regression analysis, a lower academic year and a higher number of online learning sessions were significant predictors of Zoom fatigue (p < 0.001), while regular exercise emerged as a protective factor (p = 0.009). The prevalence of depressive disorder was 61.9%, and a significant correlation was found between having a depressive disorder and experiencing Zoom fatigue (p = 0.004). Zoom fatigue among medical students was correlated with depression. Consequently, medical students experiencing Zoom fatigue should undergo further assessment for depression. It is crucial to closely monitor medical students in lower academic years with a high number of online sessions for signs of Zoom fatigue. Additionally, implementing strategies, such as reducing the frequency of online sessions and promoting regular exercise, may help alleviate the symptoms.

The impact of study habits and personal factors on the academic achievement performances of medical students

BackgroundAcademic achievement is essential for all students seeking a successful career. Studying habits and routines is crucial in achieving such an ultimate goal.ObjectivesThis study investigates the association between study habits, personal factors, and academic achievement, aiming to identify factors that distinguish academically successful medical students.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at the College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The participants consisted of 1st through 5th-year medical students, with a sample size of 336. The research team collected study data using an electronic questionnaire containing three sections: socio-demographic data, personal characteristics, and study habits.ResultsThe study results indicated a statistically significant association between self-fulfillment as a motivation toward studying and academic achievement (p = 0.04). The results also showed a statistically significant correlation between recalling recently memorized information and academic achievement (p = 0.05). Furthermore, a statistically significant association between preferring the information to be presented in a graphical form rather than a written one and academic achievement was also found (p = 0.03). Students who were satisfied with their academic performance had 1.6 times greater chances of having a high-grade point average (OR = 1.6, p = 0.08).ConclusionThe results of this study support the available literature, indicating a correlation between study habits and high academic performance. Further multicenter studies are warranted to differentiate between high-achieving students and their peers using qualitative, semi-structured interviews. Educating the students about healthy study habits and enhancing their learning skills would also be of value.

Students' clinical management decisions: use of a tool to increase awareness of cost

Background: The overuse of medical resources is a global issue, often resulting in more harm than good. Within the United States, almost one-third of medical spending is unnecessary, with physicians being responsible for an estimated 10% of this waste, primarily through lack of care coordination and overtreatment. Identifying opportunities for cost savings while delivering quality care is a core competency requirement for all medical specialties. We took a pragmatic approach to improve medical students' decision-making in different contexts to assist them in understanding contextual factors when ordering care. Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed 193 high-value care prescriptions. Prescriptions were completed by 4th-year medical students completing a rotation in an outpatient, inpatient, or emergency room settingduring the 2020 and 2021 academic years. Indicators of interest included underlying reasons for testing, whether non-clinical effects of tests were considered, who the students discussed costs with, and whether students believed the course changed the management of the patient. Results: A majority of students described downstream effects on the healthcare system and effects related to patients, such as cost, time, transportation, stress or anxiety, missed work, and childcare. The financial cost was one of the primary considerations for patients, yet it was not routinely discussed with patients. Most students felt that the prescription tool did not change the management of the current patient. However, they did feel that the tool changed their approach to future patients with the same problem, which was the goal of this project. Conclusion: There is a need to consider the valuefor patients and the cost to the health care system when ordering tests and procedures. More workmust be done to encourage consideration and conversations about finances and socialdeterminants of health amongst all team members, including patients.

Measuring and correcting staff variability in large-scale OSCEs

ContextObjective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) are an increasingly popular evaluation modality for medical students. While the face-to-face interaction allows for more in-depth assessment, it may cause standardization problems. Methods to quantify, limit or adjust for examiner effects are needed.MethodsData originated from 3 OSCEs undergone by 900-student classes of 5th- and 6th-year medical students at Université Paris Cité in the 2022-2023 academic year. Sessions had five stations each, and one of the three sessions was scored by consensus by two raters (rather than one). We report OSCEs' longitudinal consistency for one of the classes and staff-related and student variability by session. We also propose a statistical method to adjust for inter-rater variability by deriving a statistical random student effect that accounts for staff-related and station random effects.ResultsFrom the four sessions, a total of 16,910 station scores were collected from 2615 student sessions, with two of the sessions undergone by the same students, and 36, 36, 35 and 20 distinct staff teams in each station for each session. Scores had staff-related heterogeneity (p<10-15), with staff-level standard errors approximately doubled compared to chance. With mixed models, staff-related heterogeneity explained respectively 11.4%, 11.6%, and 4.7% of station score variance (95% confidence intervals, 9.5-13.8, 9.7-14.1, and 3.9-5.8, respectively) with 1, 1 and 2 raters, suggesting a moderating effect of consensus grading. Student random effects explained a small proportion of variance, respectively 8.8%, 11.3%, and 9.6% (8.0-9.7, 10.3-12.4, and 8.7-10.5), and this low amount of signal resulted in student rankings being no more consistent over time with this metric, rather than with average scores (p=0.45).ConclusionStaff variability impacts OSCE scores as much as student variability, and the former can be reduced with dual assessment or adjusted for with mixed models. Both are small compared to unmeasured sources of variability, making them difficult to capture consistently.

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.

Promoting clinical reasoning in undergraduate Family Medicine curricula through concept mapping: a qualitative approach.

Clinical reasoning is a crucial skill for physicians, enabling them to bridge theoretical knowledge with practical application. The gap between basic sciences and clinical practice persists as a challenge, with traditional teaching methods yet to effectively bridge it. Concept maps (CMs), visual tools for organizing and connecting knowledge, hold promise for enhancing clinical reasoning in the undergraduate medical curriculum. However, further research is required to ascertain if CMs facilitate clinical reasoning development in medical students transitioning from basic sciences to clinical practice. This study aims to delineate how CMs can facilitate clinical reasoning in patients with multimorbidity within undergraduate Family Medicine curricula, as perceived by students and tutors, and to understand the implementation process and resources required. This exploratory qualitative study formed a part of an action research project. While introducing an educational intervention to 5th-year medical students, we conducted a qualitative evaluation. Subsequently, semi-structured group interviews were conducted with students, and a focus group was conducted with tutors. Three main educational impacts were identified: integration of clinical information, support for patient management and care plan, and collaborative learning. Key aspects for successful CM implementation included clear instructions for map construction, using user-friendly software, allocating sufficient time for the task, encouraging group discussion of CMs, and incorporating tutor feedback. CMs are pedagogical tools that facilitate clinical information integration and support management and treatment plans, helping students better understand multimorbidity patients and promoting some components of clinical reasoning in undergraduate medical education.

Zoom fatigue related to online learning among medical students in Thailand: Prevalence, predictors, and association with depression

Background Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the learning pattern of medical students shifted from onsite to online. This transition may contribute to what has been called “Zoom fatigue.” This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of Zoom fatigue related to online learning, identify associated factors of Zoom fatigue, and explore its correlation with depression among medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among 1st to 6th-year Thai medical students. The online survey was administered using a demographic and health behavior questionnaire, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and the Thai version of the Zoom Exhaustion &amp; Fatigue Scale (ZEF-T). Results Among the 386 participating students, 221 (57%) were female, with a mean age of 20.6 years. The prevalence of high Zoom fatigue was 9.6%. In the multivariable regression analysis, a lower academic year and a higher number of online learning sessions were significant predictors of Zoom fatigue (p &lt; 0.001), while regular exercise emerged as a protective factor (p = 0.009). The prevalence of depressive disorder was 61.9%, and a significant correlation was found between having a depressive disorder and experiencing Zoom fatigue (p = 0.004). Conclusion Zoom fatigue among medical students was correlated with depression. Consequently, medical students experiencing Zoom fatigue should undergo further assessment for depression. It is crucial to closely monitor medical students in lower academic years with a high number of online sessions for signs of Zoom fatigue. Additionally, implementing strategies, such as reducing the frequency of online sessions and promoting regular exercise, may help alleviate the symptoms.

Exploring medical humanities from heterogeneous focus groups: A thematic analysis.

Medical humanities has evolved to encompass a multidisciplinary approach, integrating humanities, social sciences, and arts into medical education and practice. Despite its flourishing development, the definition of medical humanities still requires refinement to be inclusive of various cultures and regions. This study aimed to explore perceptions among students, physicians, and nurses, with a focus on the definition, learning, and implementation of medical humanities. We conducted four heterogeneous focus groups, comprising 4th-year and 6th-year medical students, physicians (including three medical humanities educators), and nurses. Data collection utilized semi-structured guiding questions, followed by thematic analysis. The transcripts were manually analyzed in their original Mandarin, and participant names were anonymized to ensure that the authors remained unaware of the participants' identities throughout the study. The analysis identified three themes and 16 subthemes. Theme 1, "Medical Humanities Properties," included four subthemes: variety, evolvement, clinical relevancy, and the value of humaneness. Theme 2, "Medical Humanities Contents," comprised seven subthemes: self-cultivation, communication, empathy, cultural competence, medical ethics and law, embodiment, and one subtheme open for interpretation in varying circumstances. Theme 3, "Medical Humanities Cultivation," included five subthemes: personal growth, curriculum, multimedia, clinical experience, and metacognition. Our study introduces a three-layered framework of medical humanities, emphasizing the field's dynamic nature and the critical role of experiential learning in developing key competencies such as empathy, awareness, and communication. This framework incorporates the concept of "self-cultivation" from Eastern philosophy, accentuating the significance of well-being for health-care professionals. The research not only enriches medical humanities education and practice by incorporating Eastern perspectives but also deepens the overall understanding of humanity in health care.

Survey of the satisfaction of medical students on innovative clinical assessment methods at Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy

Background: Since the academic year 2018-2019, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy has implemented a renewed competency-based medical program, with comprehensive changes in clinical assessment methods such as Mini-CEX, EPAs, OSCE… The evaluating students’ satisfaction with these methods onwards is a critical issue in enhancing the quality of medical education. This study focuses on describing and analyzing the factors influencing the satisfaction of 4th to 6th-year medical students with the new clinical assessment methods, aiming to provide a foundation for adjusting and improving these methods to better meet the needs and preferences of the students. Objectives: Surveying the satisfaction of medical students and factors related to their satisfaction with innovative clinical assessment methods at Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy. Materials and Method: The study involved 464 medical students in years 4-6 enrolled in the competency-based integrated renewal program. A web-based survey method was utilized to assess the level of satisfaction of medical students with the training program. Linear regression analysis was employed to evaluate the correlation between various components of the training quality and student satisfaction. Results: The overall satisfaction level of students with the training program was as follows: Satisfied: 91.6%; Dissatisfied: 8.4%. The study revealed that three factors significantly contributed to student satisfaction with the innovative clinical assessment methods: Appropriateness, Organizational arrangement, and Quality of assessment. Conclusion: The majority of students (91.6%) were satisfied with the appropriateness of the innovative clinical assessment methods. The influence of factors on student satisfaction with the innovative clinical assessment methods were ranked as follows: Appropriateness, Organizational arrangement, and Quality of assessment. Key words: satisfaction, medical students, innovative clinical assessment methods.

Evaluation of the knowledge levels of 6th-year medical faculty students regarding routine vaccines recommended for healthcare workers

Evaluation of the knowledge levels of 6th-year medical faculty students regarding routine vaccines recommended for healthcare workers

Medical Students' General Beliefs and Specific Perceptions about Patient Feedback Before and after Training in a Clinical Context.

Despite its high potential, patient feedback does not always result in learning. For feedback to be effective students must engage with it, which partly depends on their perceptions of feedback. To better understand student engagement with patient feedback in a clinical context, this study explored the following research questions: 1) What are medical students' general beliefs about patient feedback and what are their specific perceptions of feedback messages? 2) What is the difference between these general beliefs and feedback message perceptions before and after patient feedback training? The study context was a 12-week clerkship combining Pediatrics and Gynecology, which included feedback training for students and asking for patient feedback. Ninety 4th-year medical students completed pre- and post-clerkship questionnaires. The questionnaires (Beliefs about Patient Feedback Questionnaire, Feedback Perception Questionnaire) were adapted from validated peer-feedback questionnaires. Questionnaires were quantitatively analyzed. Both pre- and post-clerkship, students had positive general beliefs about patient feedback and positive perceptions of the feedback messages they received. However, paired t-tests showed that students' general beliefs and feedback message perceptions became less positive after feedback training and experience. Patient feedback is not an easy means to learn and students do not become feedback literate in terms of patient feedback overnight. We suggest that future researchers further explore reasons for the decline in positive perceptions of patient feedback. We suggest implementing longitudinal feedback training in medical curricula, where students are guided and supported in the complex task of learning from patients through feedback.

Comparison of three supraglottic airway devices for blind tracheal intubation by novice practitioners: A randomized manikin study.

Supraglottic airway (SGA) devices are good alternatives for failed intubations or difficult airways. The aim of our study was to compare the success of intubation with SGA devices such as LMA Fastrach® (LMA Fastrach), Ambu Aura-i® (Aura-i), and Cookgas Air-Q® (Air-Q) in an airway manikin by novice practitioners. This study was conducted in a randomized crossover design using a manikin model. Following training on the equipment used, 36 6th-year medical students were randomized into six groups. Participants performed three stages of intubation as follows: the first stage (1S) as SGA insertion, the second stage (2S) as intubation through the SGA, and the third stage (3S) as the removal of the SGA over the intubation tube. The primary outcomes were intubation success and duration. The successful intubation rate (Stage 1S + 2S + 3S) was 100% for LMA Fastrach and Air-Q and 83.3% for Aura-i (P = 0.002). The median time to intubation was 54.4 s, 55.8 s, and 58.7 s for LMA Fastrach, Aura-i, and Air-Q, respectively (P = 0.794). Our study shows that novice practitioners can proficiently utilize LMA Fastrach, Air-Q, and Aura-i as SGAs in airway management. LMA Fastrach and Air-Q are more successful for endotracheal intubation than Aura-i. While the successful intubation time with SGA is similar for all three devices, the successful SGA insertion time is shorter with LMA Fastrach and Aura-i compared to Air-Q. Practitioners preferred LMA Fastrach and Air-Q more than Aura-i.

The effect of real-time EF automatic tool on cardiac ultrasound performance among medical students.

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a sensitive, safe, and efficient tool used in many clinical settings and is an essential part of medical education in the United States. Numerous studies present improved diagnostic performances and positive clinical outcomes among POCUS users. However, others stress the degree to which the modality is user-dependent, rendering high-quality POCUS training necessary in medical education. In this study, the authors aimed to investigate the potential of an artificial intelligence (AI) based quality indicator tool as a teaching device for cardiac POCUS performance. The authors integrated the quality indicator tool into the pre-clinical cardiac ultrasound course for 4th-year medical students and analyzed their performances. The analysis included 60 students who were assigned to one of two groups as follows: the intervention group using the AI-based quality indicator tool and the control group. Quality indicator users utilized the tool during both the course and the final test. At the end of the course, the authors tested the standard echocardiographic views, and an experienced clinician blindly graded the recorded clips. Results were analyzed and compared between the groups. The results showed an advantage in quality indictor users' median overall scores (P = 0.002) with a relative risk of 2.3 (95% CI: 1.10, 4.93, P = 0.03) for obtaining correct cardiac views. In addition, quality indicator users also had a statistically significant advantage in the overall image quality in various cardiac views. The AI-based quality indicator improved cardiac ultrasound performances among medical students who were trained with it compared to the control group, even in cardiac views in which the indicator was inactive. Performance scores, as well as image quality, were better in the AI-based group. Such tools can potentially enhance ultrasound training, warranting the expansion of the application to more views and prompting further studies on long-term learning effects.

Concordancia y calidad de las historias clínicas en los alumnos de Medicina: ¿reflejan la realidad de la consulta?

IntroductionWriting medical histories (MH) is a basic competence in the physician's training. It is the cornerstone for constructing diagnostic hypotheses and guaranteeing adequate, safe and effective care. In addition, MH has legal, epidemiological and quality of care implications. The aim of this study was to determine the concordance between the information collected from the patient in the consultation room and that recorded in the MH by medical students. MethodsThis is a cross-sectional descriptive observational study on a consultation with simulated patients and the subsequently written MH. A total of 112 5th-year medical students participated. The evaluators checked 59 items of anamnesis, anamnesis by organs and apparatus, physical examination and clinical judgment in the MH, contrasting them with the video recordings of the consultations, and classifying the concordance between both. ResultsFinal population was 109 students (97.3%). The competency area with the highest concordance was clinical judgment (94.1%). All items exceeded 65% agreement. More than 20% of the students had not recorded some items in their MH, although they had collected them in the consultation. Anamnesis by organs and apparatus was the competency area with the most omitted or incorrect items. The only item that no student forgot to collect and record was “personal history of dyslipidemia”. Physical examination was the area where most students recorded findings in the MH without having made them in the interview. ConclusionThe study demonstrates high concordance in the MH with the information collected in the consultation and shows aspects that will allow us to improve the medical semiology training of students.

Impact of familiarity with the format of the exam on performance in the OSCE of undergraduate medical students – an interventional study

BackgroundAssessments, such as summative structured examinations, aim to verify whether students have acquired the necessary competencies. It is important to familiarize students with the examination format prior to the assessment to ensure that true competency is measured. However, it is unclear whether students can demonstrate their true potential or possibly perform less effectively due to the unfamiliar examination format. Hence, we questioned whether a 10-min active familiarization in the form of simulation improved medical students´ OSCE performance. Next, we wanted to elucidate whether the effect depends on whether the familiarization procedure is active or passive.MethodsWe implemented an intervention consisting of a 10-min active simulation to prepare the students for the OSCE setting. We compared the impact of this intervention on performance to no intervention in 5th-year medical students (n = 1284) from 2018 until 2022. Recently, a passive lecture, in which the OSCE setting is explained without active participation of the students, was introduced as a comparator group. Students who participated in neither the intervention nor the passive lecture group formed the control group. The OSCE performance between the groups and the impact of gender was assessed using X2, nonparametric tests and regression analysis (total n = 362).ResultsWe found that active familiarization of students (n = 188) yields significantly better performance compared to the passive comparator (Cohen´s d = 0.857, p < 0.001, n = 52) and control group (Cohen´s d = 0.473, p < 0.001, n = 122). In multivariate regression analysis, active intervention remained the only significant variable with a 2.945-fold increase in the probability of passing the exam (p = 0.018).ConclusionsA short 10-min active intervention to familiarize students with the OSCE setting significantly improved student performance. We suggest that curricula should include simulations on the exam setting in addition to courses that increase knowledge or skills to mitigate the negative effect of nonfamiliarity with the OSCE exam setting on the students.

Improved Learning Gain in Medical Students by Using Animated Whiteboard-Videos in Comparison to Textbooks in Surgery.

Animated videos have become popular in teaching medical students, although there is a certain lack of evidence concerning its efficacy. Surgery seems to be an ideal field for its application, since animations are very helpful to understand anatomic structures and complex procedures. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of animated videos compared to textbooks on learning gain. A prospective 2-arm cohort study with 5th-year medical students was conducted during their 2-week surgical training module. The initial cohort of students received textbook sections on 3 major topics in visceral surgery as learning medium (text cohort). During the following semester, the second cohort of students received 3 animated whiteboard videos (animated videos) containing equivalent content (video cohort). All participants completed a multiple-choice test consisting of 15 questions on the learning content at baseline (pre-test) and after the learning period (post-test) and answered an additional evaluation questionnaire. Both cohorts were similar in their descriptive data and demonstrated significant learning gain during the 2-week learning period. The video cohort achieved better results (80% vs 73% correct answers; P = .028) and a higher learning gain (17% vs 11%; P = .034) in the post-test compared to the text cohort. The estimated learning time was longer in the video cohort (62 min vs 37 min; P < .001) and watching the videos resulted in higher learning gain (21% vs 6%; P < .001). Subgroups with higher learning gain by video learning were female gender (20% vs 11%; P = .040), native German speakers (18% vs 11%; P = .009), students without prior surgical experience (19% vs 12%; P = .033) and those undecided concerning a surgical career (22% vs 9%; P = .020). Interestingly, "low digital orientation" students benefited from videos (22% vs 13%; P = .021), whereas "high digital orientation" students did not. Animated videos increase medical students' learning gain and interest in surgery.