Background Medical Students Research Articles

Modification in Quality of Life and Health in Medical Students across Graduation

Abstract Background Medical students experience numerous demands during the education process, determining their quality of life (QoL) and health status. POLLEK study aims to identify and evaluate the quality of life by simultaneously assessing their determinants in Polish medical students during long-term observation. We have also examined the prevalence of chronic diseases, specifically focusing on overweight and obesity, and identified their risk factors. Methods The POLLEK is the follow-up cohort study conducted among medical students at the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice. Students were followed during two observation periods: in their first year of studies, the academic year 2021/2022 (T1), and in their second year, the academic year 2022/2023 (T2). Results The total number of participants in the first year of observation (T1) was 427 while in the second year (T2) was 335. We identified that the QoL score significantly decreased in their second year of studies mainly in the somatic and psychological domain. The determinants of QoL domains common to T1 and T2 remained self-declared health status, frequency of physical activity, and current financial situation. In the initial year of evaluation, 56 students (13.10%) were overweight or obese, and 52 (15.8%) in the second. Regardless of the academic year, the increased risk of being overweight or obese was significantly associated with dissatisfaction with personal health, financial deficiencies, and a diet abundant in animal products. Conclusions The QoL of medical students and selected indicators of their health status deteriorated during the observation period. Our findings suggest that medical schools should actively promote the activity needed to achieve a balance between schoolwork and the personal life of medical students from the beginning of university study. Key messages • Medical students experience numerous demands during the education process, determining their quality of life (QoL) and health status. • Medical schools should actively promote the activity needed to achieve a balance between schoolwork and the personal life of medical students from the beginning of university study.

Natural frequency tree- versus conditional probability formula-based training for medical students’ estimation of screening test predictive values: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundMedical students and professionals often struggle to understand medical test results, which can lead to poor medical decisions. Natural frequency tree-based training (NF-TT) has been suggested to help people correctly estimate the predictive value of medical tests. We aimed to compare the effectiveness of NF-TT with conventional conditional probability formula-based training (CP-FT) and investigate student variables that may influence NF-TT’s effectiveness.MethodsWe conducted a parallel group randomized controlled trial of NF-TT vs. CP-FT in two medical schools in South Korea (a 1:1 allocation ratio). Participants were randomly assigned to watch either NF-TT or CP-FT video at individual computer stations. NF-TT video showed how to translate relevant probabilistic information into natural frequencies using a tree structure to estimate the predictive values of screening tests. CP-FT video showed how to plug the same information into a mathematical formula to calculate predictive values. Both videos were 15 min long. The primary outcome was the accuracy in estimating the predictive value of screening tests assessed using multiple-choice questions at baseline, post-intervention (i.e., immediately after training), and one-month follow-up. The secondary outcome was the accuracy of conditional probabilistic reasoning in non-medical contexts, also assessed using multiple-choice questions, but only at follow-up as a measure of transfer of learning. 231 medical students completed their participation.ResultsOverall, NF-TT was not more effective than CP-FT in improving the predictive value estimation accuracy at post-intervention (NF-TT: 87.13%, CP-FT: 86.03%, p = .86) and follow-up (NF-TT: 72.39%, CP-FT: 68.10%, p = .40) and facilitating transfer of training (NF-TT: 75.54%, CP-FT: 71.43%, p = .41). However, for participants without relevant prior training, NF-TT was more effective than CP-FT in improving estimation accuracy at follow-up (NF-TT: 74.86%, CP-FT: 58.71%, p = .02) and facilitating transfer of learning (NF-TT: 82.86%, CP-FT: 66.13%, p = .04).ConclusionsIntroducing NF-TT early in the medical school curriculum, before students are exposed to a pervasive conditional probability formula-based approach, would offer the greatest benefit.Trial registrationKorea Disease Control and Prevention Agency Clinical Research Information Service KCT0004246 (the date of first trial registration: 27/08/2019). The full trial protocol can be accessed at https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/detailSearch.do?seq=15616&search_page=L.

Is it worth it? A comparison study of medical students’ aspirations for gaining the Health Care Certificate following employment as Healthcare Assistants

Background Medical students seek early patient contact but their curriculum starts with scientific knowledge. We integrated the Healthcare Assistant (HCA) course into semester one for early patient-facing clinical contact. This study compares students’ aspirations for this learning with the realities of employed work as HCAs. Methods This sequential mixed-methods study used pre-post-scored questionnaire data, followed by post-course focus groups, and interviews a year later. The quantitative data were analysed using SPSS and the qualitative data using thematic analysis. Results The learning was highly valued with early perceptions challenged. The learning both accelerated and advanced their medical skills. Their naivety of nurses’ work within team-based practice quickly eroded; they symbiotically linked their clinical and non-clinical learning; they acclimatised to the hospital environment while future gazing in preparation for clinical learning. Early anxieties for starting employment were overcome, building resilience. Conclusions HCA training offers a practical patient-facing set of competencies on which to build medical capability. Student text-book scientific knowledge was validated through their experiences with recognition of the importance of empathetic patient-centred care. They quickly learnt and absorbed ward function; experienced good and poor teamworking; highly valued the nursing role; and experienced the every-day stresses of being a front-line practitioner.

Relationships between self-efficacy beliefs and personal factors in final-year medical students

BackgroundMedical students entering postgraduate training often feel ill-prepared for clinical practice. This has implications for physician well-being and the quality of patient care. Self-efficacy represents an important contributing factor in the transition process. Identifying student characteristics associated with self-efficacy is important in order to design possible interventions to enhance self-efficacy. Therefore, we assessed the relationship between final-year medical students’ general self-efficacy with their personality traits, need for cognitive closure, and medical knowledge in order to identify factors contributing to the assessment and improvement of self-efficacy.MethodsSelf-assessed data regarding general self-efficacy was collected from 188 final-year medical students who participated in a first day of residency simulation between March and September 2023. We also assessed several personal factors including the HEXACO Personality Inventory Revised (HEXACO-PI-R), a short scale to measure Need for Cognitive Closure (16-NCCS), and students’ medical exam grades (M2). We ran multiple correlation and multiple linear regression analyses across all variables. We then added a second analysis each with general self-efficacy and HEXACO domains Emotionality and Extraversion on facet level, which both showed significant associations with self-efficacy in the respective first analysis.ResultsAcross all variables, self-efficacy correlated significantly negatively with Emotionality and positively with Extraversion. Both domains also significantly predicted self-efficacy accordingly in the regression model. On a facet analysis, Sentimentality (Emotionality) and Sociability (Extraversion) did not correlate significantly with self-efficacy. In the regression model only the facets Sociability (Extraversion) and Fearfulness (Emotionality) significantly predicted lower self-efficacy. Furthermore, self-efficacy correlated significantly and negatively with the Need for Cognitive Closure (NCC). Additionally, significant positive and negative correlations of the NCC with both Emotionality and Extraversion, respectively, as well as a significant positive correlation for exam grades (M2) and Extraversion were found.ConclusionsSelf-efficacy contributes to medial students’ preparedness for clinical practice and can be predicted by several personal factors. Students should learn and reflect about these factors and need to be supported in increasing their self-efficacy and its self-assessment towards their transition to postgraduate training. Construction of a specific instrument for self-efficacy assessment utilizing the insight provided by the findings is proposed as a next step.

The Effect of Implicit Bias on the OB/GYN Residency Application Process.

Background Medical students from racially minoritized backgrounds receive negative evaluations more frequently, possibly from implicit bias. Objective To determine if a preference for White applicants over Asian and Black applicants exists among resident and attending reviewers of obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) residency applications. Methods In 2021, we sampled academic OB/GYN physicians from 6 academic institutions to randomly receive questionnaire form A or B, each containing 4 contrived Electronic Residency Application Service profiles stratified by United States Medical Licensing Examination scores; institutions attended; and strength of recommendation letters into top-, mid-, and low-tiers. Form A applicants were White top-tier, White mid-tier without resilience, Asian mid-tier with resilience, and White low-tier. Form B applicants were Black top-tier, Asian mid-tier without resilience, White mid-tier with resilience, and White low-tier applicants. Both questionnaires' profiles were identical except for applicants' names and races. The primary outcome was participants' rankings of applicants from most to least desirable. Baseline characteristics of participants were compared with chi-square tests. Rankings were compared using generalized estimating equations to calculate the odds ratio (significance P<.05). Results One hundred and ninety-one were invited to participate; 109 participants started the questionnaire, and 103 ranked applicants (response rate 54%). Fifty-three participants completed form A, and 56 completed form B. No significant differences were found in participants' demographics. Participants frequently ranked White applicants significantly more highly than Black applicants (-3.3, 95% CI -3.5, -3.1) and Asian applicants (-3.3, 95% CI -3.5, -3.1). Conclusions Despite identical qualifications, a stronger preference for White applicants over Black or Asian applicants was found.

Academic difficulties, education-related problems, and discrimination among Thai gender-diverse medical students: a cross-sectional study of Thai medical schools

BackgroundMedical students with sexual and gender diversity (SGD) often face challenges in educational performance and encounter more education-related problems, potentially due to discrimination in medical schools. This study aimed to compare academic difficulties, education-related issues, and experiences of discrimination among medical students with SGD versus those identifying as non-SGD.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study. Participants included a convenient sample of medical students aged at least 18 from five Thai medical schools, all recruited during the 2021 academic year. General demographic data, academic difficulties, education-related problems, and both positive and negative aspects of medical education, encompassing physical aspects, supporting systems, and discrimination, were assessed. The descriptive data and comparison between SGD and non-SGD medical students were performed. Binary logistic regression was adopted to evaluate the association between characteristics of discrimination in each categorized type of gender diversity.ResultsAmong 1322 medical students, 412 (31.2%) described themselves as having SGD. There was no significant difference in academic performance between SGD and non-SGD students. However, SGD students reported higher dropout thoughts (39.8% vs. 23.1%, p < 0.001) and self-perceived burnouts (84.2% vs. 74.9%, p < 0.001). The SGD group perceived lower support from medical staff and higher inadequate financial support (30.3% vs. 22.1%, p < 0.01; 11.2% vs. 23.1%, p < 0.01, respectively). 64.44% of students reported witnessing at least one form of discrimination. Lesbian students were more likely to report witnessing discrimination (OR = 3.85, [1.05–14.16]). Gay students were significantly associated with experiencing sexist remarks (OR = 6.53 [3.93–10.84]) and lower selectively prohibited educational opportunities (OR = 0.36 [0.21–0.63]).ConclusionsWhile academic performance did not differ between medical students with SGD and their non-SGD peers, SGD students reported more academic difficulties and perceived less support from medical staff and financial support. They also reported a higher incidence of discrimination. The need for specific interventions to address these issues should be further explored.

Knowledge, attitudes and beliefs regarding HIV among medical students in Zagreb, Croatia

BackgroundMedical students, as future health-care providers (HCPs) play a significant role in shaping attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and should possess adequate knowledge of this infection. The study aim was to assess knowledge about HIV among medical students of the University of Zagreb School of Medicine, and to determine the level of discriminatory attitudes towards PLWHA.MethodsWe assessed knowledge about epidemiology, treatment, and prevention of HIV by using closed-ended and multiple-choice questions. Likert-scale questions were employed to determine attitudes towards PLWHA. Bivariate and multivariate ordinal logistic regression was used to assess correlates of certain discriminatory attitudes.Results561 medical students participated, with 46.7% attending preclinical courses. Overall, 42.1% of students think they received sufficient information on HIV/AIDS during elementary and high school education. Among clinical students, 42.6%, 20.8% and 11.8% estimated accurately transmission risk after a needle injury, unprotected vaginal, and anal intercourse, respectively. 66.8% of clinical students were aware that treatment can prevent AIDS, while 58.7% and 69.8% were familiar with the rationale of using pre-exposure (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). In the multivariate analysis, individuals lacking infectology course attendance (aOR = 1.45; CI: 1.00–2.09) and those unaware of transmission routes (aOR = 1.49; CI: 1.06–2.09) showed higher odds of advocating HIV status disclosure compared to those who did not yet attend an infectology course. Students supporting extra protection for handling PLWHA bodily fluids were more likely to support refusal to treat PLWHA (aOR = 1.80; CI: 1.22–2.69) compared to those who did not support that opinion. Males were more inclined to state that they would refuse to treat PLWHA (aOR = 1.66; CI: 1.11–2.50) and disclose their HIV status (aOR = 1.62; CI: 1.17–2.27) than females. Overestimating needle injury transmission risk raised treatment refusal likelihood (aOR = 2.22; CI = 1.29–3.92) compared to those accurately informed of this risk.ConclusionResults indicate lack of knowledge of HIV transmission risks after specific exposures and about PrEP, PEP and treatment effectiveness. Gender and knowledge about HIV transmission risks influence students’ attitudes towards PLWHA. Medical education should be focused on fostering correct attitudes and addressing stigma, which undermines prevention and treatment outcomes of PLWHA.

An e-learning platform for clinical reasoning in cardiovascular diseases: a study reporting on learner and tutor satisfaction

BackgroundMedical students gain essential skills through hospital training and internships, which complement their theoretical education. However, virtual patient platforms have been shown to effectively promote clinical reasoning and enhance learning outcomes. This study evaluates a web-based platform designed for learning clinical reasoning in cardiovascular diseases, detailing its functionalities and user satisfaction.MethodsThe Virtual Patient platform presents medical students with clinically valid scenarios, encompassing stages such as patient description, anamnesis, objective examination, presumptive diagnosis, health investigations, treatment planning, complications, differential and final diagnoses, and prognosis. Scenarios are generated either automatically or manually by professors, based on labeled and annotated clinical data. The Virtual Patient contains two types of medical cases: simple scenarios describing patients with one pathology, and complex scenarios describing patients with several related pathologies. The platform was evaluated by a total of 210 users: 178 medical students, 7 professors, and 25 engineering students, using questionnaires adjusted for each evaluation round to assess satisfaction and gather feedback. The evaluation by medical students was performed in four rounds, each round corresponding to successive enhancements of the platform functionalities and addition of new cases, with a total number of 1,098 evaluation sessions.ResultsThe platform was evaluated at different implementation stages, involving simple and complex scenarios for various heart diseases. The majority of students found the platform very useful (82.58%), with significant appreciation for its features and functionalities, for example the dialogue module supporting natural language interactions in Romanian and English or the feed-back obtained during interaction. Professors highly valued the platform’s flexibility in scenario generation, real-time feedback provision, and data management capabilities. They appreciated the possibility to provide feedback and score student performance in real-time or after the session, though some professors suggested improving the explainability of the scores.ConclusionsThe Virtual Patient platform enables medical students to virtually replicate hospital interactions, diagnose patients, and plan treatments in clinically valid scenarios for cardiovascular diseases. User evaluations demonstrated high satisfaction and appreciation for the platform’s features. Future work will focus on expanding medical cases, enhancing the dialogue module, improving scenario generation for complex cases, and extending the synthetic data generation component to produce additional types of medical investigations.

WP6.9 - Essential Surgery Skills Course: A One Week Training Program to Prepare Surgeons for Humanitarian Deployment

Abstract Background Medical students, surgical trainees, and surgical faculty are increasingly interested in incorporating global surgery into their clinical practices and professional careers. However, many concerns remain about the preparation of surgeons for operating in resource-limited settings and their exposure to critical procedures such as cesarean sections, hysterectomies, or fracture reductions. In an attempt to address these concerns, academic institutions have developed advanced professional training programs for the global surgeon. Methods A six-day essential surgery skills conference was created at a large academic institution that provides trainees and surgeons with an overview of common surgical scenarios across orthopedics, urology, obstetrics, gynecology, general surgery, anesthesia and ultrasound in the form of didactics, simulations, and wet labs. Results 11 surgical trainees from four large academic institutions attended the essential surgery skills conference. Trainees attended sessions on point of care ultrasound, regional anesthesia, general anesthesia, hysterectomies, cesarean sections, post-partum hemorrhage, fracture reduction and fixation, ureteral injuries, and humanitarian deployment. A pre and post-test was administered. Improvement was noted in the trainees scores on the post-test in their knowledge of surgical subspecialty care. Trainees also reported feeling better prepared for humanitarian deployment. Conclusion Global surgery conferences can be designed to provide a networking and collaboration forum for improving access to surgical services worldwide. One-week predeparture conferences that discuss essential technical skills and relevant global surgery knowledge may better prepare surgeons to operate in resource-limited settings.

Understanding medical students’ transition to and development in clerkship education: a qualitative study using grounded theory

BackgroundMedical students perceive the transition to clerkship education as stressful and challenging and view themselves as novices during their rotation in clerkship education. The developmental perspective is thus important because the transition to clerkship supports rather than hinders growth. Accordingly, this study examines medical students’ transition to clerkship and their developmental features.MethodsIn-depth interviews were conducted with 18 medical students or graduates who had completed clerkships as medical students. Based on Straussian grounded theory, the collected data were analyzed in terms of the differences between pre- and post-clerkship education.ResultsOur data analysis revealed five stages of the transition process: “anticipation and anxiety,” “reality check,” “seeking solutions,” “practical application,” and “transition and stability.” The core category, that is, “growing up from being students to being student doctors,” was driven by patients who perceived the participants as student doctors. Meanwhile, the participants recognized that having a solution that is agreed upon by colleagues was more important than knowing the correct answer. The participants undergoing the transition to clerkship showed developmental features divided into three categories: personal, social, and professional. Specifically, they attempted to balance clerkship and life through personal development, learned to navigate around the hospital and reduced tension through social development, and developed clinical competencies focused on efficiency through professional development.ConclusionsThis study explores the process of students’ transition to clerkship education and the developmental features that emerge during this period. The students were motivated by patients who perceived them as student doctors. Through the transition, they maintained a work-life balance and adapted to hospitals but developed an overly doctor-centered attitude by cultivating clinical competencies with a focus on efficiency. To develop them into medical professionals, it is essential to assist their transition and cultivate a patient-centered attitude.

Medical students’ experience and learning outcomes of overseas community involvement project: a qualitative study

BackgroundMedical students in Singapore engage in short term medical missions, locally known as Overseas Community Involvement Projects (OCIPs). Little is known about the learning outcomes of an OCIP and how this complements their medical education back home. Understanding this can help the medical educators structure the OCIP to optimise its learning value.ObjectivesThis study aims to gain an in-depth understanding of the experiences and learning outcomes of the medical students who participated in the OCIP.MethodsThis was a qualitative study involving Singaporean students from one medical school travelling to Nepal. Data was collected from reflective journals, overall group reflections and two focus group discussions. The data was thematically analysed using the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical (ACGME) core competencies for medical professionals.ResultsThe data could be classified under various themes within the six domains of the ACGME framework. The study revealed themes of: humanism, socioeconomic and cultural determinants of health under the domain of patient care, application of medical knowledge, investigating and evaluating the needs of a population and feedback to drive improvement under the domain of practice-based learning and improvement, use of non-verbal cues and communicating across language barriers under the domain of interpersonal and communication skills, healthcare systems and delivery, resourcefulness and adaptability, health equity and accessibility under the domain of systems-based practice, ethics, role-modelling, teamwork and leadership skills, interprofessional skills and resilience under the domain of professionalism. Understanding the students’ motivations, utilising reflections, and following the patients’ journey facilitated attainment of these outcomes.ConclusionsThis OCIP experience translated to learning outcomes aligned with the ACGME framework. There is great potential for the experiential learning from a well-structured OCIP to help with personal and professional development and global health education.

Evaluation of high-fidelity and virtual reality simulation platforms for assessing fourth-year medical students’ encounters with patients in need of urgent or emergent care

Background Medical students in the U.S. must demonstrate urgent and emergent care competence before graduation. Urgent and emergent care competence involves recognizing, evaluating and initiating management of an unstable patient. High-fidelity (HF) simulation can improve urgent and emergent care skills, but because it is resource intense, alternative methods are needed. Study Objective Our primary purpose was to use program evaluations to compare medical student experiences with HF and virtual reality (VR) simulations as assessment platforms for urgent and emergent care skills. Methods During their emergency medicine clerkship, students at The Ohio State University College of Medicine must demonstrate on HF manikins, competence in recognizing and initiating care of a patient requiring urgent or emergent care. Students evaluated these simulations on a five-point quality scale and answered open-ended questions about simulation strengths and weaknesses. Faculty provided feedback on student competence in delivering urgent or emergent care. In 2022, we introduced VR as an alternative assessment platform. We used Wilcoxon Signed Ranks and Boxplots to compare ratings of HF to VR and McNemar Test to compare competence ratings. Comments were analyzed with summative content analysis or thematic coding. Results We received at least one evaluation survey from 160 of 216 (74.1%) emergency medicine clerkship students. We were able to match 125 of 216 (57.9%) evaluation surveys for students who completed both. Average ratings of HF simulations were 4.6 of 5, while ratings of VR simulations were slightly lower at 4.4. Comments suggested that feedback from both simulation platforms was valued. Students described VR as novel, immersive, and good preparation for clinical practice. Constructive criticism identified the need for additional practice in the VR environment. Student performance between platforms was significantly different with 91.7% of students achieving competence in HF, but only 65.5% in VR (p≤.001, odds-ratio = 5.75). Conclusion VR simulation functions similarly to HF for formative assessment of urgent and emergent care competence. However, using VR simulation for summative assessment of urgent and emergent care competence must be considered with caution because students require considerable practice and acclimation to the virtual environment.

What medical students want from Mental Health Self-Help Resources: A focus group study

BackgroundMedical students frequently report higher levels of psychological distress than the general population, and emotional regulation skills learnt during their time of study underpin future psychological self-management. There have been few self-help mental health resources designed for this population, and it remains unclear what formats medical students prefer these resources to take on. Therefore, this study sought to understand what medical students want from self-help mental health resources. MethodsOtago Medical School students in their second, third, or Honors research years of study participated in focus groups where questions were posed to them about their preferences about format, perceived benefits, and interactions with self-help mental health resources. The data was recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed to identify relevant themes. ResultsThirty-four participants took part in six focus groups which lasted an average of 34 min each. Themes emerged around format, usefulness, and engagement. Formats included passively used resources like podcasts, actively used like reflective journals and social group-based resources to strengthen communities. Useful resources included novel, targeted approaches that would assist with navigating specific struggles as opposed to previously taught academic content. Recommendations included advertising through trusted student bodies and providing short, gamified resources. ConclusionParticipants reported a strong preference for brief, visually appealing, and gamified resources. It is recommended that universities provide a diverse collection of these self-help mental health resources tailored specifically to at-risk student populations like medical students to increase their uptake and, in doing so, provide them with more effective mental health support.

Moral competency of students at a german medical school – A longitudinal survey

BackgroundMedical students and doctors face various challenges in clinical practice. Some of these challenges are related to ethical issues. Therefore, teaching ethics respectively building moral competences has become an integral part of the medical curriculum in Germany and many other countries. To date, there is little evidence on moral competence of medical students.MethodsSelf-administered survey among medical students from one German medical school in the first (cohort 1) and fifth semester (cohort 2) in the winter term 2019/20 (T0). Both cohorts received the same questionnaire one year later in winter term 2020/21 (T1). Assessment was performed with Lind’s Moral Competence Test. We performed convenience sampling. We analyzed the data with descriptive statistics and C-Scores as a measure of moral competence (higher scores = higher competence, ≥ 30 points = high competence).ResultsA total of 613 students participated in the study (response rate 67.5%, n = 288 with data on both time points). 69.6% of the participants were female, the mean age was 21.3 years. Mean C-Score for both cohorts for T0 (first and fifth semester) is 32.5 ± 18.0 and for T1 (third and seventh semester) is 30.4 ± 17.9. Overall, 6.6% (T0) and 6.7% (T1) of respondents showed some but very low moral competence. 3.3% (T0) and 3.0% (T1) showed no moral competence. Additionally, students without prior experience in the healthcare system scored 3.0 points higher.ConclusionsImprovement of assessment of moral competence as well effective interventions are particular needed for supporting those students which have been identified to demonstrate little moral competences.

Organizing a Regional In-Person Medical Student Symposium in Neuroscience and Neurosurgery Research: A How-To Guide

BackgroundMedical students are increasingly seeking out research opportunities to build their skills and network with future colleagues. Medical student-led conferences are an excellent endeavor to achieve this goal. MethodsThe American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) student chapter at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell designed an in-person medical student research symposium alongside the Northwell Health Department of Neurosurgery. Post-conference feedback forms were sent out digitally to student attendees to evaluate event planning and execution and responses were given on a scale of 1-5 (5 being the highest score). ResultsIn December 2023, the Northeast Medical Student Research Symposium (NMSRS) was held with over 80 participants and 52 medical student presenters. Keynote speakers delivered lectures geared towards students interested in neurosurgery and neuroscience research, followed by an interactive poster board session and resident/attending networking dinner. After the conference, students affirmed that they learned more about neuroscience research after the event (mean: 4.3), were more inclined to attend other neuroscience research events in the future (mean: 4.7), and would attend this event if held next year (mean: 4.8). The poster sessions (mean: 4.75) and keynote lectures (mean: 5) were the highest rated events, while the resident/attending networking dinner (mean: 3.6) was a potential area for improvement. ConclusionRegional in-person conferences are an excellent way to foster interest in neurosurgery and neuroscience research, network with like-minded peers, and prepare students for presentations at national meetings.

Exploring access to support services for medical students: recommendations for enhancing wellbeing support

BackgroundMedical students have reported facing unique challenges in their academic journey that can have a significant impact on their mental health and wellbeing; therefore, their access to support services and wellbeing resources has been deemed crucial for dealing effectively with the various challenges they tend to face. While previous research has highlighted certain barriers affecting medical students’ help-seeking and access to wellbeing support more generally, there is a pressing need for more in-depth research into the factors that may hinder or facilitate medical students’ acceptability and uptake of the wellbeing resources available to them within institutional contexts. The current study aims to explore students’ perceptions and utilization of wellbeing interventions and welfare resources within a medical school setting, as well as the factors influencing their help-seeking attitudes or behaviours. Additionally, it seeks to instigate medical students’ deeper reflections on potential enhancements that could be applied to wellbeing resources so that they are better suited to address their needs.MethodsThis study employed a qualitative design, involving semi-structured interviews and a series of focus groups with medical students at the University of Nottingham (UK). Post-interview, focus groups were deemed necessary to gain deeper insights into emerging findings from the interviews regarding students’ views on wellbeing support services. Qualitative data from the interviews was subjected to thematic analysis while a hybrid thematic analytic approach was applied for the focus group data in order to allow for both pre-defined themes from the interviews and newly emerging patterns to be identified and analysed in a combined manner.ResultsTwenty-five participants took part in the semi-structured interviews and twenty-two participants were recruited in a total of seven focus groups. Thematic analysis findings identified several key barriers to medical students’ accessing wellbeing resources, including difficulties in finding relevant information, lengthy processes and difficulties receiving prompt help in urgent situations, learning environment issues, confidentiality concerns, and stigma around mental health. Student suggestions for the enhancement of wellbeing provision were centered around proposed improvements in the format that the relevant information was presented and in the structure underlying the delivery of support services.ConclusionThe study findings shed light on multi-faceted factors contributing to medical students’ challenges in accessing support services; and provided a deeper understanding of medical students’ wellbeing needs through a consolidation of their recommendations for the implementation of practical steps to address these needs. These steps can potentially inform key medical education stakeholders so that they can actively and proactively foster more supportive environments that may help improve medical students’ help-seeking, as well as their acceptability and uptake of wellbeing services.

How do stressful life events affect medical students’ academic adjustment? Parallel mediating mechanisms of anxiety and depression

BackgroundMedical students frequently face challenges in academic adjustment, necessitating effective support and intervention. This study aimed to investigate the impact of stressful life events on medical students’ academic adjustment, focusing on the mediating roles of depression and anxiety. It also differentiated the impacts between at-risk students (those with academic failures) and their peers respectively.MethodsThis case-control study involved 320 at-risk medical students and 800 other students from a university in western China. Participants anonymously completed the scales of stressful life events, depression, anxiety, and academic adjustment. T-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and structural equation modeling were employed for statistical analysis.ResultsDepression and anxiety were significantly more prevalent in at-risk students (46.8% and 46.1%, respectively) than in controls (34.0% and 40.3%, respectively). Notably, at-risk students had poorer academic adjustment (t = 5.43, p < 0.001). The structural equation modeling had good fit indices and the results indicated that depression and anxiety fully mediated the effects of stressful life events on academic adjustment. For at-risk students, stressful life events significantly decreased academic adjustment through increased depression and anxiety (p < 0.001). Conversely, anxiety had a positive effect on academic adjustment in other students.ConclusionTargeted interventions focusing on depression and anxiety could reduce the negative impact of stressful life events on medical students’ academic adjustment. However, educators have to distinguish the differences between at-risk students and others.

Gender differences in attitudes towards psychological help-seeking among chinese medical students: a comparative analysis

BackgroundMedical students are known to be at a greater risk of psychological disorders compared to the general population. However, their rate of help-seeking behavior is low. The purpose of this study was to explore the influencing factors of attitudes towards psychological help-seeking among Chinese medical students and to examine its gender differences.MethodsA total of 3,453 medical students from three medical colleges in Hainan Province, China, completed anonymous questionnaires that included socio-demographic attributes, the Family APGAR Index, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-20), and the Attitudes Towards Seeking Professional Psychological Help Short Form (ATSPPH-SF). Associations between predictor variables and attitudes towards help-seeking were explored using multivariate linear regression, and regression models with interaction terms were employed to test gender difference.ResultsThe mean score on ATSPPH-SF Scale was 15.04 ± 3.45, with males scoring significantly lower than females (14.34 vs. 15.64, P < 0.0001). For both male and female groups, psych knowledge, mental health status, family function and help-seeking utility perception significantly influenced attitudes toward psychological help-seeking. Furthermore, having more than once psycho-help experiences was positively correlated with women’s attitudes. Significant interactions were found between gender and mental health status.ConclusionAttitude towards seeking psychological help was relatively negative among Chinese medical students. The implementation of interventions should take into account the at-risk population, especially the males and individuals with poor mental health.

Exploring perceptions of pre-clerkship students about workplace learning in the clinical learning environment at Gulf Medical University, UAE

BackgroundMedical students view clinical workplace placements as an inspiring and motivating learning environment where active student participation is pivotal to development of students’ identity. The progress from pre-clerkship to clerkship education harbors many challenges which consist of experiential learning, adjusting to the clinical environment, and understanding roles & responsibilities. Workplace learning is underpinned by various adult learning theories including social theories,constructivism, supported participation and legitimate peripheral participation. Workplace learning course was recently initiated for pre-clerkship students at a medical university in UAE, which will enable their smooth entry into the clerkship phase of the curriculum.ObjectivesThe research aims to explore students’ perceptions of various domains of their clinical learning environment (CLE), highlight the challenges they face, and extract valuable feedback to improve their environment.MethodsThis study was conducted qualitatively by using focus groups method in order to explore students’ perceptions of the clinical learning environment. Two focus group discussions were conducted (n = 8 +/-10) to determine the common challenges of workplace learning and its potential solutions. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The approach used to carry out this study was phenomenology, as it helps to understand the learning and behavior of these students who are undergoing this pre-clerkship training in order to transition smoothly to the clerkship phase.ResultThe focus groups helped to deeply explore the perceptions of students about their clinical learning environment. It helped to reveal the challenges encountered by the students including the significance of proper orientation of staff and students, language barrier, availability of learning opportunities, and supervision quality. The focus groups provided worthwhile suggestions to improve the learning opportunities in the clinical learning environment which include orientation of the staff and students what to expect, improved supervision, mentoring and providing learning opportunities to encourage participation.ConclusionThis study attempted to identify the pre-clerkship students’ perception of their clinical learning environment and the challenges they face over there. Possible suggestions by the students included a formal orientation for the staff and students to be carried out at the beginning. Efforts should be made by clerkship directors to provide students with learning opportunities by increasing patient exposure, encouraging participation, and providing high-quality supervision.

Improvement in Nutritional Knowledge Confidence and Food-Agency: Outcomes of the First French-Speaking Culinary Medicine Courses Among Medical Students

Background Medical students often lack sufficient nutrition education, leading to confidence gaps and an inability to address this healthcare aspect. Culinary Medicine (CM) courses offer an innovative solution. Methods We tested the first French-speaking CM courses among 2 groups of second-third year medical students, compared to a control group (CG). The objectives were to assess if an optional CM course could enhance their confidence in both nutritional knowledge and providing nutritional advice, and improve their food agency (CAFPAS: Cooking and Food Provisioning Action Scale). The analysis examines changes in scores by comparing post-session to pre-session questionnaire measurements. Results Of the 22 CM students and 6 in CG, predominantly aged 20-25 years, Caucasian, and female, the majority (CG = 100%, CM = 86.4%) reported &lt;5 hours of nutrition education. Almost all expressed dissatisfaction with nutrition education provided in medicine, both quantitatively and qualitatively. CM students reported significantly increased confidence in their knowledge and ability to advise about nutrition during the sessions. We also observed improvements in their CAFPAS scores, which measure food agency, while the control group exhibited no change in confidence or CAFPAS scores. Conclusion The findings highlight CM as practical strategy for integrating nutrition education into medical curricula, offering insights for enhancing future physicians’ knowledge.