Biomedical Science Students Research Articles

Weekly Quizzes Reinforce Student Learning Outcomes and Performance in Biomedical Sciences in-course Assessments

Studies have highlighted the benefits of frequent quizzing in class. Frequent quizzing can promote more student attendance, engagement, practice and review, and achievement. Conversely, the opponents of frequent quizzing suggest that too frequent testing might hinder learning by frustrating anxious students and inhibiting larger units of instructional material. Notably, most studies have used degree examinations to evaluate the impact of quizzes on student learning and performance, yet little is known about whether quizzes can reinforce student performance in the in-course assessments (ICAs) despite ICA importance in student learning. The present study aimed to test the hypothesis that administration of weekly MCQ quizzes can enhance the leaning outcomes and performance of biomedical science students in assessment methods such as essay and oral presentation that can directly measure and provide information about student learning. It was therefore limited to in-course assessments. We found that the performance of the weekly quiz student group is remarkably better than that of the control student group in both the essay and oral presentation ICAs, which are two measures and indicators of student learning, suggesting improved student learning outcomes and performance after administrating weekly MCQ quizzes that also promoted student attendance in classrooms. The findings of this research study have implications for students, teachers, and curriculum designers in higher education.

Cerebral Cortical Activity During Academic Stress Amongst Undergraduate Medical Students at Kampala International University (Uganda).

BackgroundStress among medical students is related to their academic lifespan; however, information on brain health among medical students from developing countries continues to be scarce. The objective of this study was to establish perceived academic stress levels, assess the ability to cope with stress, and investigate its effects on the visual reaction time (VRT), audio reaction time (ART), and tactile reaction time (TRT) in the somatosensory cortex among medical students of Uganda.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study conducted among preclinical (n = 88) and clinical (n = 96) undergraduate medical students at Kampala International University Western Campus. A standard Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was used to categorize stress into low, moderate, and severe while the ability to cope with stress was categorized into below average, average, above average, and superior stresscoper (SS). Data on reaction time were acquired through VRT, ART, and TRT using the catch-a-ruler experiment, and this was analyzed using SPSS version 20.ResultsThis study shows that preclinical students are more stressed than clinical students (PSS prevalence for low stress = preclinical; clinical: 40, 60%). Moderate stress was 48.4 and 51.6% while high perceived stress was 75 and 25% among preclinical and clinical students. Among male and female students in preclinical years, higher TRT and VRT were found in clinical students showing that stress affects the tactile and visual cortical areas in the brain, although the VRT scores were only significantly (P = 0.0123) poor in male students than female students in biomedical sciences. Also, highly stressed individuals had higher TRT and ART and low VRT. SS had high VRT and ART and low TRT in preclinical students, demonstrating the importance of the visual cortex in stress plasticity. Multiple regression showed a close relationship between PSS, ability to cope with stress, age, and educational level (P < 0.05), demonstrating the importance of social and psychological support, especially in the biomedical sciences.ConclusionPreclinical students suffer more from stress and are poorer SS than clinical students. This strongly impairs their cortical regions in the brain, thus affecting their academic productivity.

Public Awareness of Nanotechnology and Its Implications for Health in Jordan

Nanotechnology is often described as an emerging technology, holding promise for a diverse range of fields. Public awareness may have a strong impact on public acceptance of nano-technology and its various implications. In Jordan, nano-education has only been introduced recently into universities and it is offered to students of pharmacy, engineering, biomedical sciences, and agriculture. However, there is no data available on nanotechnology awareness among the public in Jordan. Therefore, we conducted this study to evaluate Jordanian public awareness and concern about nanotechnology, nanomaterials, and nanoproducts and its implications for health related applications of nanotechnology. An online survey was developed consisting of 15 questions and separated into three domains. The study findings show that more than half of the respondents have a very low awareness with regards to nanotechnology and its various implications. Additionally, respondents show interest to learn more about nanotechnology and its implications, preferring several sources of information such as media, universities and research institutions.

Teaching Essay Writing: When Good Intentions Lead to Bad Outcomes

This warning narrative explores the tension in student‐centered learning between attempting to teach individual students the skills of scientific writing in good faith versus encouraging student responsibility. There are often protocols to facilitate student learning that systematically apportion tasks between different members of staff. These protocols are reliable and well‐established, but in the face of a failing student, plainly some aspect of the protocol has gone wrong. Has the student fallen through a gap in the system, has a busy instructor given insufficiently personalized teaching, or has the student failed to take responsibility for their student‐centered learning? We conclude that deviating from protocols, even with due caution and substantive teaching experience, can still lead to conflicts.In this narrative example, the author, a physiology educator, failed to follow protocol and ended up creating predictable problems for his colleagues. The author made this mistake despite the fact that he has also been awarded a National Teaching Fellowship (UK) and has also written a book “Writing for Biomedical Sciences Students” for Macmillan Study Skills. The tension between the student needing skills and the student needing to take responsibility highlights how learning in good faith (and teaching in good faith) is at the core of student‐centered learning. The case study looks at an anonymized group email trail among faculty to explore the sequelae of an optional “essay help session” for a group of students who have failed an essay assignment.As the author ran an active learning workshop session for 8 students, a latecomer interrupted the proceedings to complain about her original mark in the form of not understanding what was wrong with the original failed essay. In our system, remarking is neither encouraged nor allowed except in extraordinary circumstances. The author, falling into the situation of wanting to teach in good faith, skimmed the essay during the class and found it on first glance to have only a series of subtle problems. The promise “to look into it after class” resulted in a series of group emails that suggested that the author ‐‐ despite extensive efforts to avoid the obvious conflict between faculty ‐‐ had undermined the original tutor while being absorbed by a student's aims that may have been in bad faith from the beginning. The student definitely took responsibility for addressing their failure, but not necessarily by learning the skills being taught. Despite the instructor's explicit recognition of the potential conflicts and acknowledgment of the important roles of other instructors, the conflicts can still arise.

Uptake of formative feedback: perspective from a transnational education cohort

An important aspect of teaching and learning is the student's response to and enaction of formative feedback. Few studies have examined how students interpret the formative feedback provided by tutors and translate these into action. In order to understand this better, we carried out a retrospective analysis of student responses to iterative formative feedback. The context of the present study is an extracurricular project where undergraduate biomedical science students on a transnational education programme competed in an extracurricular, cross-disciplinary video competition. Based on detailed analysis of provided feedback and subsequent enaction of the feedback, we found that students were active participants in the feedback process, engaged with the meaningful feedback critically, and incorporated the relevant changes to improve the final output. In this article, we will give our perspectives on how students understand, process and act on feedback, and also examine the features of the feedback that elicited these responses from students.

Mental health of students of biomedical sciences during the COVID-19 pandemic: a scoping review.

IntroductionThe coronavirus pandemic led to the closure of schools and colleges in March 2020. Medical and other schools shifted to online teaching-learning and assessment. Several factors have led to mental health problems among biomedical students.ObjectivesThis scoping review seeks to identify stressors, delineate subgroups of students who may be at greater risk of mental health problems, and examine possible recommendations by the respondents and the authors to reduce stress levels and support students.MethodsEligibility criteria: studies published in English about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the mental health of health science students till 15th January 2021 were included. Sources of evidence: research articles and other publications obtained using the databases PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Charting methods: the criteria studied were the type of paper and study, the country, the institution, the mental health parameters studied, types and numbers of students/respondents involved, the main message, strengths and weaknesses and the main recommendation of the study.ResultsThirty articles were included. Stressors were divided into health, workplace, academic, general, and financial apprehensions. Respondents at greater risk were females, below 20 years of age, and those with family/friends infected. Among the authors’ recommendations to reduce stress were implementing effective plans to safeguard students’ health, especially of those who were parents or interns, engaging in physical activities, workshops for faculty members in online teaching-learning, financial support, online counselling, reducing misinformation, further studies at later stages of the pandemic, and including topics related to the pandemic and pandemic preparedness in the curriculum.ConclusionsDifferent types of apprehensions were responsible for stress and mental distress. Females, younger students, students with family and friends who were infected were at greater risk of problems. Recommendations were provided by the authors. Studies from countries which were not represented, and longitudinal studies may be required.

Redesigning Biomedical Science Practicum towards a New Frontier

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, majority of the Biomedical Science students were not able to undergo their clinical internship at diagnostic laboratories and this has created an impact on students’ skills and the future of the Malaysian healthcare system. Hence, our objective was to implement arevolutionized Biomedical Science practicum completely in a virtual environment, without compromising the learning outcomes during the pandemic in 2021. To achieve the intended learning outcomes, various online teaching-learning and assessment activities were carefully curated in accordance to standard program guidelines, learning outcomes, student learning time and thorough analysis of actual student logbooks. Learning materials were reinforced with various initiatives such as actual engagements with real-life scenarios via synchronous meetings with external panelists from hospitals. Online video-log (Vlog) and a logbook of daily activities were used as part of the assessment to ensure that students were able to learn and reflect on the activities performed. The study showed that all students displayed increased confidence levels in medical laboratory skills. They were also able to apply them in real-life situations due to the clear instructions and realistic experience via the virtual learning activities. Therefore, students who participated in the virtual practicum demonstrated almost similar levels of performance when compared to the students who went for physical practicums in the year 2020. Our virtual practicum has achieved its intended outcomes of empowering students with similar skills as those who underwent physical clinical placements in diagnostic laboratories. Those skills include successful acquisition of discipline-specific knowledge, collaborative and communication skills, as well as solid experimental methods and good laboratory practices.

Mixed-methods exploration of students' motivation in using augmented reality in neuroanatomy education with prosected specimens.

The use of augmented reality (AR) in teaching and studying neuroanatomy has been well researched. Previous research showed that AR‐based learning of neuroanatomy has both alleviated cognitive load and was attractive to young learners. However, how the attractiveness of AR effects student motivation has not been discovered. Therefore, the motivational effects of AR were investigated in this research by the use of quantitative and qualitative methods. Motivation elicited by the GreyMapp‐AR, an AR application, was investigated in medical and biomedical sciences students (n = 222; mean age: 19.7 ± 1.4 years) using the instructional measure of motivation survey (IMMS). Additional components (i.e., attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction) were also evaluated with motivation as measured by IMMS. Additionally, 19 students underwent audio‐recorded individual interviews which were transcribed for qualitative analysis. Males regarded the relevance of AR significantly higher than females (P < 0.024). Appreciation of the GreyMapp‐AR program was found to be significantly higher in students studying biomedical sciences as compared to students studying medicine (P < 0.011). Other components and scores did not show significant differences between student groups. Students expressed that AR was beneficial in increasing their motivation to study subcortical structures, and that AR could be helpful and motivating for preparing an anatomy examination. This study suggests that students are motivated to study neuroanatomy by the use of AR, although the components that make up their individual motivation can differ significantly between groups of students.

A Virtual Approach to Promote Inter-Professional Learning (IPL) Between Biomedical Science and Medicine in Higher Education for the Benefit of Patient Care.

In the clinical setting, collaboration between multidisciplinary teams is core to providing effective patient care. The delivery of traditional interprofessional education is associated with a number of logistical challenges, which were heightened by the Covid-19 pandemic. This workshop was developed to bring together Biomedical Science and Medical students using an online platform. The workshop consisted of (1) defining interprofessional education, (2) introducing the role of the Pathology laboratory, (3) Professional registration with regulatory bodies and (4) an insight into Covid-19 laboratory diagnosis. The session was supported by mixed group breakout rooms and interactive polling. Thirty four percent of students completed a post-workshop online survey which included open and closed questions. Thematic analysis revealed a better understanding the role of the pathology laboratory in diagnosing disease, an increased awareness of the similarities and differences in the roles of a Biomedical Scientist and a Medic and the importance of a multi-disciplinary team in achieving effective patient care. Quantitative analysis of survey data revealed that the majority of students reported positive experiences of interprofessional education online. Approximately 90% of students agreed that the workshop enabled them to increase their understanding of their own roles within healthcare, in addition to increasing their understanding of the roles of other healthcare professionals. 74.3% of participants reported that working with students from a different programme provided an alternative perspective. Seventy nine percent of students agreed that the online format enabled interactivity and discussion of the tasks. Of the 204 students, 85% engaged with the four polls during the workshop. This online workshop enabled discussion between degree programmes, enabled interactivity and allowed the learning outcomes to be met. Universities should embrace online platforms to provide a novel, engaging and effective interprofessional educational experience.

A Revised Pedagogy Model for Simulator-Based Training with Biomedical Laboratory Science Students

Methods based on simulation pedagogy are widely used to practice hands-on skills in safety environment. The usability of an EEG simulator on clinical neurophysiology course was evaluated. Second-year biomedical laboratory science students (N = 35) on this course were included in the study. They were divided into three groups. Two groups used the EEG simulator with different feedback modes and one group did not use the simulator. Results were expected to reveal a correlation between user experience and learning outcomes. This study made used of a mixed method study design. During the study, students were asked to keep a learning diary throughout the course on their experience. Diaries were analyzed qualitatively based on content analyses. Quantitative analyses based on an UX questionnaire that measures classical usability aspects (efficiency, perspicuity, dependability) and user experience aspects (novelty, stimulation) and the students’ feelings to use simulator. The quantitative data was analyzed using SPSSTM software. The quantitative and qualitative analyses showed that the use of the EEG simulator, which was evaluating teaching–learning process, has an extra benefit in clinical neurophysiology education and students felt that the simulator was useful in learning. The simulation debriefing session should be followed by a full theoretical and practical session. Students compared their learning from the simulator with that of the actual placement which fosters the reflective practice of learning, again deepening the understanding of the EEG electrode placement and different wave patterns.

Frequency of Musculoskeletal Pain Among Biomedical Science Students Working in Laboratory

Objective: To find out the frequency of musculoskeletal pain and to identify risk factors among biomedical science students working in laboratory Methods: This cross-sectional study used Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire among biomedical science students and was conducted in the university of Central Punjab and University of Lahore, Pakistan. Study sample comprised of 103 participants. Data was collected by using non-probability convenient sampling technique and was analyzed through SPPS v 21.0 Results: Out of 103 students reported a laboratory related musculoskeletal pain in the last 12 months while 16 (15.5%) within 7 days. The lower back (21.4% and 16.5%), neck (13.6% and 9.7%) and shoulders (10.7% and 6.8%) were the most common sites of problems reported within a 12 month and 7 day period respectively. Moreover, feeling of pain or discomfort in lower back, neck and shoulders prevented 18 subjects (17.4%) from performing daily activities while the 10 (9.8%) students required physical assistance during past last year. There was a statistically significant association between WMSP and gender, laboratory activity, and students work position Conclusion: It is concluded that significant number of university biomedical science students experienced musculoskeletal pain during their laboratory training activities which was found to be highly prevalent in upper extremities than lower extremities. Students reported work related musculoskeletal pain during the last 12 months respectively which has affected their daily activities. Few of them also seek medical advice by the health professionals. Students need education and awareness for better seating and safer work postures that may reduce the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain.

A Simulation Design of Immersive Virtual Reality for Animal Handling Training to Biomedical Sciences Undergraduates

Background: One area of biomedical research concerns is applying new treatments to cure human diseases, moving bench-side research to the bedside practice. While using animal models is crucial in the research process, researchers should strictly adhere to the moral 4R framework to protect animal welfare—replacement, reduction, refinement, and responsibility. Virtual reality (VR) applies computer technology to create a simulated environment, allowing players to immerse and interact with animated 3D contexts. We developed a virtual animal-holding simulator (ViSi) using immersive virtual reality technology for students studying in the undergraduate biomedical sciences programme. The specific objectives of the paper are to 1) describe the development of the VR courseware for animal training and 2) describe the learning experience among students.Method and Result: An evaluation of the courseware was conducted among Year one and two biomedical sciences students. Students who participated in ViSi responded positively about their involvement in the virtual environment experience and their concentration on the assigned task.Discussion: ViSi is a reliable simulation technology that can train animal handling skills, which replaces real animals, while learners’ multi-cognition could still be enhanced with simulation training. Thus, the impact of immersive VR technology integrated into skills training is promising, although few technical problems are to be resolved.

Old is Gold! Old School is Back to a New School of Learning.

Abstract COVID-19 has challenged the way students' learn and gain knowledge. The purpose of this research project was to investigate how students adapted to remote learning due to COVID-19. We selected a group of undergraduate Biomedical Science students at the University of Birmingham, England with the intent of understanding their new approaches to learning and whether remote teaching discriminated against the less fortunate. Our google form survey received 40 responses. 27 students said they forgot how to learn, with only 15 obtaining new ways of learning. This demonstrated how the adjustment to online teaching detracted from the time and energy students could put into learning. 75% of students did not enjoy university as much as they did pre COVID-19, and 3 students liked no aspects of online teaching. 22 students learnt worse online, while 10 felt no difference. Choosing when to watch lectures improved some students time management, self motivation and discipline. However, lack of externally-imposed routine brought new challenges as students had no time pressure, making it easier to fall behind. Cancelled laboratory work meant students missed out on vital skills. Our data showed that student satisfaction decreased, traditional learning methods were lost, and new ways of learning were hard to attain when transitioning to online teaching. With the prospect of learning returning to what the student’s consider normal, students fear this will accentuate how they have forgotten to learn in the traditional way, posing another disruption to their studies as they readjust to a post COVID world, whenever it comes. We anticipate that lessons learnt and forgotten in a pandemic-induced remote environment will remain a challenge to current students at large.

A mixed method exploration of student perceptions of assessment in nursing and biomedicine

ABSTRACT Assessment in higher education requires a high level of accountability and responsibility and is a major influence on student learning but can be a source of stress for staff and students. This project aimed to evaluate first-year students’ conceptions of assessment in biomedical science and nursing to determine positive or negative trends and how these can be facilitated or mitigated. This mixed-methods study compared the conceptions of assessment between students in nursing and biomedical science students at one university, using the Conceptions of Assessment questionnaire. The results revealed that overall students in the two different areas of study had similar perceptions of assessment. Students were found to have positive conceptions of assessment which were identified as relating to their secondary education. Thematic analysis of students’ responses identified eight themes associated with their perception of what assessment is, and the associated limitations of assessment and the multi-faceted personal factors that affected students’ position towards assessment. This study recommends a shift in focus from assessment relating to accountability, towards assessment for learning to maintain students’ initial perceptions of assessment to ensure their experience aligns with their expectations. Transparent communication about assessment requirements and support for students to undertake assessment may mitigate students’ negative perceptions held towards assessment.

Quantitative study showing how and why students access lecture recordings, and of the association between accessing and academic outcomes, in a biochemistry course.

Many factors predict academic performance at university but accessing lecture recordings has not been established as one. Our aims were to quantify how and why biochemistry students accessed lecture recordings and to determine any association between accessing lecture recordings and academic outcomes. Lecture recording access data was collected and related to academic outcomes. On average, students accessed 46% of lecture recordings and each recording was accessed 2.3 times, but not to completion. After lecture delivery, students were slow to access lecture recordings, and the number of accesses was still increasing prior to the examinations. For the entire cohort, there were weak positive associations between accessing lecture recordings and academic outcomes for the semester, and between the access to lecture recordings in weeks 1-5 and 6-11 with the mid-semester and final examination, respectively. For programs, the weak association for the semester was only apparent for the pharmacy and biomedical science students, and not for the medical laboratory or nutrition students. The most common reason for accessing lecture recording was to "Revise lecture concepts for assessment purposes." For students, who did not attend lectures, lecture recordings were accessed predominantly as "I prefer the flexibility of online recordings." Flexibility was also the theme of the positive additional feedback on accessing lecture recordings. In conclusion, consideration needs to be given on how to persuade students to access lecture recordings in a timelier way. As accessing lecture recordings is weakly associated with positive academic outcomes for some program cohorts, this supports their continued availability.

Performance measures of racially underrepresented Ph.D. students in biomedical sciences: The UAMS IMSD Program Outcomes.

The purpose of this study was to identify performance measures of racially underrepresented minority (RUM) Ph.D. trainees who needed additional training initiatives to assist with completing the UAMS biomedical science degree. A sample of 37 trainees in the 10-year NIH-NIGMS funded Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) were examined. Descriptive statistics and correlations examined process measures (GRE scores, GPAs, etc.) and outcome measures (time-to-degree, publications, post-doctoral fellowship, etc.) While differences were found, there were no statistically significant differences between how these two groups (Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominately White Institutions (PWIs)) of students performed over time as Ph.D. students. Graduates who scored lower on the verbal section of the GRE also had a higher final graduate school grade point average in graduates who received their undergraduate training from HBCUs. Of the graduates who received their undergraduate training from PWIs, graduates who scored lower on the quantitative section of the GRE had higher numbers of publications. These findings stimulate the need to 1) reduce reliance on the use of the GRE in admission committee decisions, 2) identify psychometrically valid indicators that tailored to assess outcome variables that are relevant to the careers of biomedical scientists, and 3) ensure the effective use of the tools in making admission decisions.

Usage of students' potential in biomedical and health care research in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

ObjectiveTo provide relevant insight into the current degree of usage of the research potential of students of biomedical sciences in Bosnia and Herzegovina.MethodThe chosen data collection method was online surveying via Google search engine. The target group were students of biomedical sciences in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The surveying was conducted in July 2019, and responses were subjected to descriptive statistics.ResultsAlthough the majority of participants claimed that they were familiar with the seminar and scientific papers writing methodology and that the related course is available in their faculty’s curriculum, the quality of such courses may be questioned as the majority of study participants self-reported that they do not possess or did not posses necessary knowledge for writing and publishing a scientific paper. Also, the majority of respondents reported that they have never participated in any scientific research, which questions the involvement of students in scientific research in our country as well. More than half of respondents were actively reading scientific papers, but a third of them did not have that habit. Two-thirds of students reported that they have never attended any scientific event where they could learn more about the scientific research methods. Inadequate awareness of the importance of research, lack of students’ interest in making a research, and lack of knowledge were characterized as main obstacles in conducting scientific research according to survey responses.ConclusionInformation obtained through research indicate that the student potential in scientific research in Bosnia and Herzegovina has not been used in its maximal capacity, requiring several steps to be taken towards its improvement.

Risk Factors for Prolonged Utilization of Nasal Decongestants in Students of Biomedical Sciences

Risk Factors for Prolonged Utilization of Nasal Decongestants in Students of Biomedical Sciences

Study of the impact of objective structured laboratory examination to evaluate students’ practical competencies

ABSTRACT Measurement of multiple competencies of students is getting more emphasis in undergraduate education validating the need for work-ready graduates. We developed the objective structured laboratory examination (OSLE) to measure the practical competencies of final year biomedical science students. This paper analyses the impact of OSLE on students’ practical competencies and the utility of OSLE. A total of 63 students (89%) from two different cohorts (BM1 and BM2) were recruited to give feedback on OSLE using a structured questionnaire under three themes viz., prior learning, administration and feedback. Open feedback was obtained from both faculty and students. Reliability of different components of the questionnaire was established by Cronbach’s α. Correlation between OSLE score and cGPA (cumulative grade point average) of each student was calculated using Pearson correlation coefficient. Cronbach’s α value for all the three domains ranged from 0.6 to0.9. Students’ perception of OSLE was generally positive with a median of 4 in a to 5-point Likert scale (4 = agree). Feedback from students and faculty indicated that OSLE motivated the students to improve their practical skills. Interestingly, there was no correlation between OSLE score and cGPA of the students reiterating the different competency sets used by skill assessment versus knowledge assessment.

Book Review: Writing for Biomedical Sciences Students by Harry Witchel

Book Review: Writing for Biomedical Sciences Students by Harry Witchel