Clinical Curriculum Research Articles

The Effects of Blended Learning Using Virtual Reality Simulation in Pediatrics-adolescent Nursing Clinical Practice

This study was to compare the effects of blended learning that integrates child-adolescent nursing clinical practice and virtual reality simulation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of blended learning in parallel clinical practice of child-adolescent nursing and virtual reality simulation of child-adolescent nursing by comparison of critical thinking, problem-solving processes, and clinical performance in both education groups before and after the educational intervention. The participants were 48 nursing college students. The experimental group (n=22) exposed a blended learning using virtual reality simulation, combining child-adolescent nursing clinical practice education, while the control group (n=26) received only child-adolescent nursing clinical practice curriculum course. The data collection period was from March 8 to November 26, 2021. The general characteristics of subject’s were analyzed by number, percentage, mean and standard deviation. And clinical practice fused with virtual reality simulation, that is, homogeneity verification of the blended learning education group was analyzed by x2 test and independent t-test. Whether there is a differences between pretest and posttest critical thinking tendency, problem-solving process, and clinical performance ability of the blended learning and the clinical practice education group was analyzed by independent t-test. The pretest & posttest results of each group showed statistically significant improvements in critical thinking, problem-solving processes, and clinical performance. In a comparison of the results of the two groups, the only statistically significant difference was found for critical thinking. Furthermore blended learning, combining a v-sim and a clinical nursing practice, into the nursing curriculum may contribute to the further development of nursing education.

ChatGPT Interactive Medical Simulations for Early Clinical Education: Case Study.

The transition to clinical clerkships can be difficult for medical students, as it requires the synthesis and application of preclinical information into diagnostic and therapeutic decisions. ChatGPT-a generative language model with many medical applications due to its creativity, memory, and accuracy-can help students in this transition. This paper models ChatGPT 3.5's ability to perform interactive clinical simulations and shows this tool's benefit to medical education. Simulation starting prompts were refined using ChatGPT 3.5 in Google Chrome. Starting prompts were selected based on assessment format, stepwise progression of simulation events and questions, free-response question type, responsiveness to user inputs, postscenario feedback, and medical accuracy of the feedback. The chosen scenarios were advanced cardiac life support and medical intensive care (for sepsis and pneumonia). Two starting prompts were chosen. Prompt 1 was developed through 3 test simulations and used successfully in 2 simulations. Prompt 2 was developed through 10 additional test simulations and used successfully in 1 simulation. ChatGPT is capable of creating simulations for early clinical education. These simulations let students practice novel parts of the clinical curriculum, such as forming independent diagnostic and therapeutic impressions over an entire patient encounter. Furthermore, the simulations can adapt to user inputs in a way that replicates real life more accurately than premade question bank clinical vignettes. Finally, ChatGPT can create potentially unlimited free simulations with specific feedback, which increases access for medical students with lower socioeconomic status and underresourced medical schools. However, no tool is perfect, and ChatGPT is no exception; there are concerns about simulation accuracy and replicability that need to be addressed to further optimize ChatGPT's performance as an educational resource.

Medical students’ attitude toward patient-centeredness: A longitudinal study

ObjectivesThis study explored the trajectories of patient-centered orientation in a sample of Italian medical students throughout medical school. MethodsFour consecutive student cohorts were longitudinally assessed at the second (T0) and fifth year (T1) of medical school. Students completed a questionnaire including demographics and the Italian validated version of the Patient-Practitioner Orientation Scale. Results352 students completed both administrations. Students became more patient-centered in terms of Sharing along the course of their clinical curriculum, whereas there were no significant changes in Caring. Groups with distinct developmental trajectory patterns of both Caring and Sharing were identified. Students high in patient-centeredness at T0 reported significantly lower scores at T1 while students with lower scores at T0 significantly increased from the first to the last measurement. Female students significantly outscored their male colleagues on Caring and Sharing in both administrations. ConclusionsFindings call for innovative education strategies to sustain patient-centeredness attitudes in medical students entering hospital-based clinical medicine. Further research is needed to identify characteristics of the medical curriculum that are primarily involved in fostering students’ patient-centeredness. Practice ImplicationsIncluding the assessment and monitoring of patient-centeredness throughout the medical school can inform tailored education aiming to foster this dimension.

When theory meets reality- a mismatch in communication: a qualitative study of clinical transition from communication skills training to the surgical ward

BackgroundCommunication skills training in patient centered communication is an integral part of the medical undergraduate education and has been shown to improve various components of communication. While the effects of different educational interventions have been investigated, little is known about the transfer from theoretical settings to clinical practice in the context of communication skills courses not integrated in the clinical curriculum. Most studies focus on single factors affecting transfer without considering the comprehensive perspective of the students themselves. The aim of this study is to explore how the students experience the transition to clinical practice and what they perceive as challenges in using patient centered communication.MethodsFifteen 4th year medical students were interviewed 3 weeks after the transition from an advanced communication skills course to surgical internship using semi-structured interviews. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the interviews.ResultsThe analysis resulted in a theme ‘When theory meets reality- a mismatch in communication’. It was comprised of four categories that encompassed the transfer process, from theoretical education, practical communication training and surgical internship to students’ wishes and perceived needs.ConclusionsWe concluded that preparing the students through theoretical and practical training should reflect the reality they will face when entering clinical practice. When educating medical students as a group, their proclivity for perfectionism, high performance environment and achievement-related stress should be taken into consideration. The role of tutors being role models, offering guidance, giving feedback and providing support plays a major part in facilitating transfer of communication skills. To enable transfer to a larger extent, the environment needs to promote patient centeredness and students need more opportunities to practice communication with their patients.

작업치료학과 학생들의 방문재활 실습 경험에 대한 현상학적 연구

Objective: This study aims to determine what students in the Department of Occupational Therapy experienced during visiting rehabilitation practice and to understand the essential meaning so as to provide a wide understanding of visiting rehabilitation practice. Methods: Among qualitative research approaches, phenomenological research methods were applied for data collection through one-on-one interviews with eight occupational therapy students between November 29 and December 15, 2022. Colaizzi's research method was used for the data analysis. Results: A total of 276 meaningful statements among the collected data were derived from 30 codes, 11 themes, and 4 theme clusters. It was found that after home-based rehabilitation fieldwork practice, occupational therapy students came to think of new experiences, psychological experiences, and occupational therapy as being different from pre-fieldwork practice. The limitations included unorganized fieldwork practice guidance management and differences in intervention according to the level of competence of the occupational therapist. Conclusion: Owing to the recent changes in the rehabilitation paradigm and increasing interest and need for community care and home-based rehabilitation, this study can be used as basic data to reflect and expand home-based rehabilitation fieldwork practice in a regular clinical fieldwork practice curriculum.

Integrating basic, clinical, and health system science in a medical neuroscience course of an integrated pre-clerkship curriculum.

Basic science, clinical science, and health system science (HSS) have become three pillars of integration upon which modern, post-Flexner, medical education is now based. Because of this new approach to curricular integration in a clinical presentation curruculum, medical training is now placed in the context of healthcare delivery. This study described the design, implementation, and assessment of an integrated teaching strategy, including the effect on students' performance in a medical neuroscience course's summative and formative examinations of an integrated clinical presentation curriculum. The integrated teaching of basic science content, clinical case discussion, and HSS was performed in the first year of an allopathic integrated pre-clerkship curriculum. The two cohorts were from two different years, spring 2018 and 2019. The acceptance of the integrated teaching strategy by medical students was above 80% in all categories that were assessed, including enhancing the integrated experience in learning basic and clinical science materials in the context of HSS; understanding of the learning lessons; facilitation of self-directed learning; provision of a better learning environment; and a holistic understanding of materials including the relevance of HSS issues in the discussion of neurological cases in the medical career of the students. More than 90% of the students scored ≥70% in summative questions mapped to the four learning objectives of the integrated teaching session. The objectives are the correlation of structure to specific functions (94.0 ± 0.21), clinical anatomical features of the nervous system (95.0 ± 0.27), cross-sectional features of the nervous system (96.0 ± 0.31), and the effect of lesions on the structure and functional pathways of the nervous system (97.0 ± 0.34). This result was significantly higher when compared to students' performance in the non-integrated teaching cohort (p < 0.05). Formative assessments (F(7,159) = 92.52, p < 0.001) were significantly different between the two groups. When medical students were evaluated using the same questions for formative assessment, they performed better in the integrated teaching cohort (*p < 0.05) compared to the non-integrated teaching cohort (**p < 0.05).

Complex decision making in an intensive care environment: Perceived practice versus observed reality.

Advancing our understanding of how decisions are made in cognitively, sociallyand technologically complex hospital environments may reveal opportunities to improve healthcare delivery, medical educationand the experience of patients, familiesand clinicians. Explore factors impacting clinician decision making in the Boston Children's Hospital Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. A convergent mixed methods design was used. Quantitative and qualitative data sources consisted of a faculty survey, direct observations of clinical rounds in a specific patient population identified by a clinical decision support system (CDSS)and semistructured interviews (SSIs). Deductive and inductive coding was used for qualitative data. Qualitative data were translated into images using social network analysis which illustrate the frequency and connectivity of the codes in each data set. A total of 25 observations of eightfaculty-led interprofessional teams were performed between 12 Februaryand 31 March 2021. Individual patient characteristics were noted by faculty in SSIs to be the most important factor in their decision making, yet ethnographic observations suggested faculty cognitive traits, team expertiseand value-based decisions were more heavily weighted. The development of expertise was impacted by role modeling. Decisions were perceived to be influenced by the system and environment. Clinician perception of decision making was not congruent with the observed behaviours in a complicated and dynamic system. This study identifies important considerations in clinical curricula as well as the design and implementation of CDSS. Our method of using social network analysis to visualize components of decision making could be adopted to explore other complex environments.

Development of a novel observed structured clinical exam to assess clinical ultrasound proficiency in undergraduate medical education

ObjectivesA pilot study was performed to develop and test an observed structured clinical exam (OSCE) for clinical ultrasound in second-year medical students. The goal was to assess a longitudinal clinical ultrasound curriculum for medical students and to help determine readiness to perform ultrasound during clinical clerkships.MethodsThe OSCE contained 40 tasks over 30 min in a one-to-one examiner to examinee environment using standardized patients covering cardiac, pulmonary, and inferior vena cava (IVC) ultrasound exams along with 6 critical diagnoses. Examinees were assessed using a binary checklist approach. A two-way ANOVA analysis was performed to determine if there were differences between the day and session the OSCE was administered. Results are presented as mean ± standard deviation.ResultsOne hundred fifty-two students were tested with an overall mean score of 64.9 ± 17.6%. Scores between the cardiac, IVC, and lung sections varied—67.8% ± 18.8%, 62.4% ± 26.2%, and 57.1% ± 20.6%, respectively. One hundred twenty-six (82.9%) answered at least one critical diagnosis incorrectly. Students in the late session performed better than the early session (1: 60% vs 2: 69%, p = .001).ConclusionsStudents performed better in later sessions. Additionally, the number of questions left blank at the end of the exam suggests that the length of the OSCE should be evaluated. Incorporating critical diagnoses was challenging for examinees. The proposed OSCE is a valuable assessment tool that could be adapted to assess student’s readiness to use clinical ultrasound prior to clerkships.

Promoting interprofessional education in surgery: development and evaluation of a clinical curriculum

PurposeInterprofessional collaboration is essential in surgery, but health professions students have limited opportunities for interprofessional education (IPE) during training in authentic patient-care settings. This report describes the development and evaluation of a clinical interprofessional elective in otolaryngology for medical (MD) and nurse practitioner (NP) students.MethodsMD and NP students were paired together on an inpatient otolaryngology consult service for one- or two-week rotations designed to promote interprofessional learning objectives. Students worked with different professions essential to the care of patients with voice, airway, and swallowing conditions, including surgeons, advanced practice providers, speech-language pathologists, nurses, and respiratory therapists. Students completed written daily reflections about their experiences and pre- and post-rotation surveys to assess comfort with course learning objectives. Paired t-tests and Cohen’s d effect sizes were used to compare pre/post responses, and thematic analysis was used to analyze all narrative data.ResultsFourteen students (8 MD, 6 NP) students completed the rotation. All participants reported significant improvements on all learning objectives (p < 0.05) with large effect sizes (Cohen’s d range: 1.2–2.9), including their understanding of the responsibilities of each interprofessional team member. Participants described three overarching themes that characterized their learning experiences and supported the learning objectives: appreciation for interprofessional patient care, benefits of learning with an interprofessional peer, and clinician role modeling of effective interprofessional communication.ConclusionsIPE can be successfully integrated into a clinical surgical rotation and enhance students’ understanding of the benefits of and strategies for effective interprofessional collaboration. The elective can serve as a model for IPE rotations in other surgical subspecialties and be extended to include students across the continuum of health professions education.

Teaching Clinical Reasoning inthe Preclinical Period.

Developing the clinical reasoning skills necessary to becoming an astute diagnostician is essential for medical students. While some medical schools offer longitudinal opportunities for students to practice clinical reasoning during the preclinical curriculum, there remains a paucity of literature fully describing what that curriculum looks like. As a result, medical educators struggle to know what an effective clinical reasoning curriculum should look like, how it should be delivered, how it should be assessed, or what faculty development is necessary to be successful. We present our Introduction to Clinical Reasoning course that is offered throughout the preclinical curriculum of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. The course introduces clinical reasoning through interactive lectures and 28 case-based small group activities over 15 months.The curriculum is grounded in script theory with a focus on diagnostic reasoning. Specific emphasis is placed on building the student's semantic competence, constructing problem lists, comparing and contrasting similar diagnoses, constructing a summary statement, and formulating a prioritized differential diagnosis the student can defend. Several complementary methods of assessment are utilized across the curriculum. These include assessments of participation, knowledge, and application. The course leverages clinical faculty, graduate medical education trainees, and senior medical students as small group facilitators. Feedback from students and faculty consistently identifies the course as a highly effective and engaging way to teach clinical reasoning. Our Introduction to Clinical Reasoning course offers students repeated exposure to well-selected cases to promote their development of clinical reasoning. The course is an example of how clinical reasoning can be taught across the preclinical curriculum without extensive faculty training in medical education or clinical reasoning theory. The course can be adapted into different instructional formats to cover a variety of topics to provide the early learner with sequential exposure and practice in diagnostic reasoning.

What the COVID-19 Pandemic Taught Medical Educators in the Caribbean about Online Clinical Teaching

The pandemic forced final year clinical students in six health-profession programs in a Caribbean University to suddenly transition from a clinical learning environment to an exclusively online environment for clinical instruction. The change in curriculum delivery allowed students to compare teaching of clinical skills using clinical and online learning environments. In June 2020, 278 students (78% response rate) completed a survey rating the online teaching experience. Students from each discipline also participated in a focus group discussion. Of the sample, 88% of students felt that the online environment was enthusiastic and stimulating but did not view it as satisfactory for skills transfer; 77% felt connected with their teachers but deprived of the social connectedness, peer support, and vicarious learning afforded by face-to-face instruction. Clinical students perceived the online environment as a convenient and beneficial platform to deliver didactic components of the clinical curriculum, thus providing downtime for students and ensuring equitable exposure of all students to all teachers. In the post-pandemic era, medical teachers should make the effort to maintain and refine online approaches, not just for use in times of emergency, but for integration into curriculum delivery strategies to improve the clinical learning environment and student satisfaction, while maintaining the hands-on method of clinical instruction.

A model for competency-based training of undergraduate medical students to perform screening and brief intervention in alcohol use disorder—Findings from a study in a medical college in Delhi

Background: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a major cause of prolonged disability and an economic burden on communities across the world. The undergraduate (UG) curriculum in medical school in India does not allow adequate time to a structured learning about alcohol use disorder, its treatment, and prevention. The screening and brief intervention module (SBI) developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) is an effective way to reduce drinking among risky drinkers. Training of undergraduates in SBI may go a long way in early intervention among problem drinkers. Hence, there is a felt need to incorporated the module in the clinical training schedule to enhance SBI skills among UGs to provide appropriate intervention at the primary healthcare level. Methodology: 50 final year UG students of a medical college in Delhi were exposed to a competency-based training in alcohol SBI comprised of lectures, focused group discussions (FGD), and role-play during their 2-week clinical posting in psychiatry along with a hands-on training under supervision of faculty. Subsequently, they were assessed for knowledge and skills gained through objective-structured clinical examination (OSCE) and feedback taken from students about changes in their knowledge and attitudes towards alcohol use disorder SBI. Results: Pre- and post-self-reported outcome variables revealed significant positive impact (p &lt; 0.001) of SBI module on competency of students in implementing SBI on patients. Assessment of knowledge on OSCE revealed mean scores of 9.48 ± 1.20 on 10 MCQs (of 01 mark each) with 47 students scoring 80% or above. On integrated OSCE assessment of competencies, 94% students made satisfactory demonstration at a desired level. Attendance in lectures and supervised SBI, attitudes pre- and post-intervention and confidence level post-intervention were found to be predictors of a high MCQ score. All faculty agreed about the feasibility of implementing competency-based SBI in existing clinical posting schedule. Conclusion: The study has demonstrated the feasibility of teaching competency-based alcohol SBI to undergraduate medical students in existing clinical posting curriculum in psychiatry and its efficacy in having a positive impact on the perception and approach of the students towards patients with alcohol use disorder.

Nurses’ perceptions of gerontological nurse practitioner programme curricula: A qualitative descriptive study

Purpose: This study aimed to describe nurses’ perceptions of gerontological nurse practitioner (GNP) programme curricula, especially positive and negative aspects of the curricula and suggestions to improve the curricula. Methods: Twenty-one certified GNPs attended one or two interviews and the data obtained were analysed using a conventional content analytic method. Results: The analysis revealed seven categories and 18 subcategories. The main positive aspects of the GNP programme curricula were “Acquiring knowledge and skills to elder care through the GNP programme” and “Application of gerontological nursing-related knowledge and skills attained from the GNP programme.” The negative aspects included “Didactic education insufficient for the development of expertise in gerontological nursing” and “Ineffective and suboptimal operation of clinical practice curriculum.” Suggestions to improve the GNP programme curricula were “Enhancement of education in core courses,” “Strengthening the contents of gerontological nursing didactic courses,” and “Quality improvement of clinical practice.” Conclusion: The findings indicate that educators, policymakers, and other stakeholders should re-examine the current GNP programme curricula to provide GNP students with quality education and training pertinent to professional healthcare for older adults in various healthcare settings.

The quantified analysis of the correlation between medical humanities curriculums and medical students’ performance

BackgroundA high-quality medical humanities (MH) education program is essential to developing a successful medical practitioner and can influence clinical performance. It is also vital to improve the evaluation of MH education to restore harmonious mutual relationships in medical care. However, studies have yet to discuss the correlation between the learning quality and quantity of medical humanities curriculums (MHC) and medical students' scores of clinical curriculums and clinical performance. The study aimed to assess the correlation between the learning quality and quantity of MHC and medical students' performance.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study by analyzing a dataset of students' learning records. After excluding students with missing demographic information (n = 1) and overseas Chinese students (n = 15), the study included six- and seven-year program medical school students (n = 354) at National Yang-Ming University who were admitted between 2012 and 2014. The correlation between learning quality and quantity in MHC and students' following performance was evaluated by multivariable-adjusted regression analyses.ResultsAfter adjusting for potential confounders (gender, residential area, age at enrollment, type of administration, and school program), the number of MHC with good learning outcomes was significantly correlated with clinical curriculum scores (p < 0.05), clerkship performance (p < 0.001), and weighted average mark (p < 0.001).ConclusionsOur study found a correlation between MHC with good learning outcomes and medical students' following performance. A future study of improving the quality of MH education is warranted.

Female sexual dysfunction in undergraduate medical education: a survey of U.S. medical students.

Physicians often report low levels of confidence in diagnosing and treating female sexual dysfunction (FSD), which may stem from inadequate education and exposure to the topic. The study sought to determine the extent to which FSD is covered in undergraduate medical education and evaluate student comfort with the topic and familiarity with treatments. We created a novel, 50-question survey to be administered online to any current U.S. medical student. Obstetrician-gynecologist clerkship directors at 146 U.S. medical schools were contacted and asked to invite any current student at their school to participate. A link to the electronic REDCap (Research Electronic Data Capture) survey was distributed to eligible students via the clerkship directors. The survey collected data regarding (1) coverage of FSD and male sexual dysfunction (MSD) in preclinical and clinical curricula, (2) student self-ratings of comfort in hypothetical scenarios in which a patient exhibits symptoms of FSD or MSD, and (3) student familiarity with treatments for FSD and MSD. Outcomes included the proportion of students reporting that their school covered FSD/MSD in its preclinical/clinical curriculum, the mean comfort ratings for each of the FSD and MSD scenarios, and the proportion of students indicating knowledge of various FSD and MSD treatments. A smaller proportion of students (N = 236) reported receiving instruction in FSD (58.5%) compared with MSD (78.4%) in their preclinical curriculum (P < .001). Students' average self-ratings of comfort in the sexual dysfunction scenarios were significantly lower for patients with symptoms of FSD compared with MSD (P < .001). Students had higher average self-ratings of confidence in FSD scenarios if their intended specialty was obstetrician-gynecologist (P = .003), if their school included FSD in its clinical curriculum (P = .01), and if they had ever participated in the care of a patient with FSD (P = .006). There are important gaps in the coverage of FSD in undergraduate medical education that may be mitigated through improvements to curriculum and increased exposure to patients with FSD. This is the first study, to our knowledge, to directly survey medical students regarding their educational experience and comfort with FSD. Our study was limited by a small sample size, the use of a novel and nonvalidated questionnaire, and the potential for bias given our sampling method. Medical schools must work toward improving instruction in FSD for their students to address these disparities and improve students' comfort with the topic.

Female sexual medicine: an assessment of medical school curricula in a major United States city.

Although approximately 41% of women experience sexual dysfunction, limited education on female sexual medicine (FSM) in medical school results in underpreparedness among physicians when addressing these bothersome conditions. This study aims to evaluate the extent to which FSM is represented in medical education by examining current preclinical and clinical curricula. Preclinical curriculum materials on female sexual anatomy, physiology, and pathology, as well as obstetrics and gynecology clinical materials (syllabi, lecture materials, and supplemental resources), were collected from medical schools in the Chicago area. We utilized previous literature to identify specific components of medical school content to evaluate. Upon reviewing each institution's curricula, we evaluated materials for topic saturation and assessed goals of each syllabus in terms of required content. Curriculum materials were collected from 7 medical schools. In the preclinical assessment, 1 institution identified all anatomic components of the clitoris in our review, 4 discussed the physiology of the female orgasm, 3 highlighted the prevalence and epidemiology of female sexual dysfunction (FSD), 3 addressed treatments for FSD, and 1 instructed a genitourinary physical exam specific to assessing FSD. When assessing obstetrics and gynecology clinical materials, 5 institutions included topics related to FSM. Of these, only 1 institution had corresponding required synchronous clerkship time dedicated to these topics as a 1-hour lecture, in addition to an optional online training to third-year clinical students in comprehensive sexual history-taking practices, including screening for FSD. One other institution offered supplemental case-based gynecology modules including vulvovaginal diseases and chronic pelvic pain, though sexual pleasure, arousal, and libido were not included. The results of this study highlight the need for the inclusion of standardized curricula related to FSM in medical education to equip future physicians to treat patients with sexual dysfunction. The strengths of this study include that it is the first of its kind to complete a comprehensive review of FSM curricula at a cohort of undergraduate medical institutions. Its limitations include a small sample size of 7 medical schools limited to 1 geographical area. Our focused needs assessment of medical schools in the Chicago area reveals inconsistencies in outlined institution-specific course goals related to FSM and thus highlights the need for restructuring the curricula to prepare future physicians to recognize and treat patients with sexual dysfunction.

Sports psychiatry clinical curriculum for sports and exercise medicine fellows in one Canadian university

Abstract: Introduction: Athletes can experience the same mental illnesses as the general population. Sports create additional circumstances that can influence the mental health of its participants. Sport and Exercise Medicine (SEM) physicians are often on the front lines of providing medical assessment and treatment to athletes for a variety of presenting complaints. Enhancing the knowledge base and clinical approach of Sport and Exercise Medicine physicians for assessment and management of mental health challenges in athletes can assist in early identification, assessment, treatment initiation, or referral to a sports psychiatrist. Providing SEM trainees with formal clinical exposure to Sports Psychiatry can better equip them for their future practice. This article describes a formalized clinical rotation in Sports Psychiatry for SEM Fellows in one Canadian university. Methods: In collaboration with the SEM Fellowship program, a formal Sports Psychiatry rotation was created to ensure every Fellow had exposure to mental health assessment and management of athletes appropriate to what would be expected of SEM physicians. Results: A four-week curriculum which included direct clinical assessment, treatment initiation, follow up, and presentation of case-based mental health topics appropriate for SEM physicians. This program was reviewed during accreditation as part of the Enhanced Skills curriculum of the postgraduate Family Medicine program at McMaster University in 2023. Conclusion: An integrated Sports Psychiatry rotation during a SEM Fellowship provides an opportunity for future SEM physicians to have exposure to a clinical population of athletes with mental health concerns to develop tools for assessment, management, and collaborative care.

Attitudes of medical students in Khartoum, Sudan towards the doctor-patient relationship: a cross-sectional study.

The doctor-patient relationship is essential to the delivery of high-quality medical care. A strong doctor-patient relationship that improves patient outcomes and satisfaction depends on effective communication. The purpose of this study was to assess medical students' attitudes toward the doctor-patient relationship during their clinical years at the University of Khartoum. We also looked at how gender and study year affected patient-centeredness. The study was conducted on medical students in their clinical years from December 2020 to March 2021. Students were selected from years 3 to 6. A total of 353 medical students constituted the study sample. The cross-sectional study utilized the Patient Practitioner Orientation Scale (PPOS) for the measurement of student attitudes towards the doctor-patient relationship. PPOS scores are calculated as a mean score that ranges from 1 (indicating doctor or disease-centered inclinations) to 6 (indicating patient-centered or egalitarian inclinations). Medical students' demographic data was collected, including their gender, age and study year. A total of 313 students completed the survey (response rate: 89%). The average total PPOS score and the scores for the caring and sharing subscales for the entire cohort were 4.08 ± 0.53, 4.43 ± 0.58, and 3.72 ± 0.72, respectively. Female gender was significantly associated with more patient-centered attitudes (p<0.001). When compared to the start of their clinical curriculum, students' attitudes were significantly more patient-centered by the conclusion of their studies (p<0.001). A satisfactory level of patient-centeredness was demonstrated by medical students at the University of Khartoum, and gender had an impact on this quality. Additional consideration should be given to the finding that students' orientations were more patient-centered in the caring dimension and less so in the sharing one. Once addressed, improvements in that area could create an environment that enhances attitudes among students in the sharing domain, with great potential gains to patients.

Quality of Clinical Education as a Propulsive Engine for Academic Satisfaction: A Cross-Sectional Study at Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran

Background: Clinical education is known as an essential part of education in medicine and medical education. Beyond factors that can affect the quality of clinical education, academic satisfaction is a factor that can either affect or is affected by the quality of clinical education. Objectives: The present study was designed to investigate the relationship between the quality of clinical education and academic satisfaction through medical students’ viewpoints at Birjand University of Medical Science, Birjand, Iran. Methods: In the present cross-sectional study, medical students in both the externship and internship courses of Birjand University of Medical Sciences were evaluated with a self-report questionnaire. The quality of clinical education was assessed by a specific scale developed by Rezaei. Academic satisfaction was evaluated by Motlagh et al.’s questionnaire. Results: A total of 180 medical students were included in the study. The findings indicated that despite the poor quality of clinical education from the perspective of the studied medical students (P = 0.017), their academic satisfaction with the current situation was acceptable (P = 0.0001). Further correlational analysis revealed a significant relationship between the quality of clinical education and its subgroups with academic satisfaction (P &lt; 0.01). Conclusions: It can be concluded that higher clinical education quality leads to higher levels of academic satisfaction among medical students. Therefore, this issue requires continuous revisions of the clinical education curriculum and adherence to improve its outcomes.

치위생(학)과 학생의 문제해결능력과 대인관계능력이 임상실습 만족도에 미치는 영향

Objectives: This study aims to identify the effect of problem-solving and interpersonal ability on clinical practice satisfaction for dental hygiene students and use them as basic data necessary for developing programs to improve students' problem-solving, interpersonal skills, and clinical practice satisfaction. Methods: Dental hygiene students in Daejeon who experienced clinical practice from April 1 to April 30, 2022 were asked to fill out a self-reported questionnaire through a random sampling method. Results: Problem-solving ability was the most influential factor on satisfaction with clinical practice, and explanatory power was 21.7%. Conclusions: As a result of the above, it seems necessary to improve interpersonal skills and problem-solving skills, cooperate with school activities and practice institutions to improve clinical practice satisfaction, and improve clinical practice curriculum.