Course For Medical Students Research Articles

The pharmacology course for preclinical students using team-based learning.

PurposeA pharmacology course in undergraduate medical education aims to enable students to cultivate the ability of applying drugs in the clinical context using basic scientific knowledge. Although team-based learning could be a useful approach, the literature on pharmacology education using team-based learning is limited. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a pharmacology course using team-based learning.MethodsWe developed an “integrated clinical pharmacology” course for first-year medical students. All 49 students enrolled in the course. Individual and group scores were recorded for each session, and a post-course survey was conducted after the course. We compared the performance of the current class to that of a previous class based on scores in a nationwide test conducted at the end of every year.ResultsThe reactions of the students were generally positive, with the exception of their perception of the preparatory burdens for the individual test. Throughout the team-based learning sessions, the achievement at the group level was significantly higher than at the individual level. In the nationwide test, however, when we divided students into high and low achiever groups, only the low achievers demonstrated significant improvement compared to the cohort from the previous year.ConclusionThe study demonstrates that team-based learning could be an effective way of teaching pharmacology to medical students in the preclinical stage. Although most of the students were actively engaged regardless of their preparedness, low-achieving students in particular seemed to gain more benefits than high achievers regarding the acquisition of knowledge.

Abstract No. 456 Early exposure to interventional radiology in medical education

The study’s aim is to implement a novel interventional radiology curriculum within the first-year medical student courses in order to increase knowledge and foster interest. The study design included three parts: an anonymous precourse survey, a dedicated Interventional radiology (IR) course, and an anonymous postcourse survey. The precourse survey evaluated the first-year medical student’s interest and knowledge in IR. The dedicated IR course was then incorporated into their preclinical courses and consisted of a hands-on learning session followed by a formal lecture on the subject. In the hands-on session students performed ultrasound-guided liver and kidney biopsies on anatomical donors and completed a case-based worksheet. Afterward, the students were given a postcourse survey consisting of the same questions as the precourse survey. Results were then analyzed to gauge the impact of the dedicated IR course in preclinical training. The presurvey was completed by 79 students while all 149 students completed the postsurvey. On the presurvey 78% of students knew what IR was. This number rose to 98% on the postsurvey. The average number of procedures students could explain in basic terms went from 1.5 before the curriculum to 3.0 afterward. Prior to the course, 5% would never consider an IR rotation, 19% said it is not very likely, 58% likely would and 18% very likely would. After the course, these numbers were 1%, 22%, 58%, and 19% respectively. The integration of a dedicated IR curriculum in preclinical courses increased the raw percentage of first-year medical students’ knowledge of and interest in IR. However, only a slight change in percentage of student interest in enrolling in an IR rotation was seen. This may not be considered surprising given how early these students are in their medical training. Given the anonymity of the surveys, the true statistical impact could not be calculated. Continued integration of a dedicated IR course in preclinical years with nonanonymous surveys is recommended, as well as follow-up studies to further evaluate the impact of these courses on rotation and residency choices.

Necessity of ESP (English for Specific Purpose) Courses for Medical and Science Students at Najran University, Saudi Arabia: An Exploratory-cum-remedial Study

English as we know that plays a major role in higher education, Science and technology. It also plays a very essential role in the field of Medicine and other related disciplines because textbooks and journals are mostly written in English. This paper is an attempt to call for ESP courses specially designed to meet the needs of the growing demand of teaching English to Medicine and Science students or to modify the prerequisite course of such professional disciplines i.e. “Preparatory Year Program (PYP)” up to the level of ESP. The present study identifies the students’ acuities about the significance of the language skills, their ability in performing those skills, and their preferences regarding the English language course. It also sheds light on the problems in teaching English for specific purpose in Saudi Arabia. This study investigates the challenges encountered in teaching Medicine and Science students in Saudi Arabia and also attempts to answer the following questions: (a) what are the challenges that Medicine and Science teacher face while teaching? (b) What are the causes of these problems and (c) how can such problems be minimized? Finally, the findings of the research suggest some remedial measures and recommendations for improvement.

Learning Medical English Language: Background for Successful Professional Education

The purpose of this research is to consider the most common difficulties faced by teachers of English for specific purposes from Chuvash University (Russia) in developing an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) course for medical students and in the learning process. The objectives of the research are the challenges to ESP teachers that might impact the quality of the teaching process and hence the learners’ academic achievements unless these challenges are removed. The authors not only reveal the difficulties in the learning process but offer possible solutions to overcome them. The study showed that the most common problems interfering with the efficacy and the quality of learning are the lack of updated teaching materials, the lack of cooperation of ESP teachers with fellow teachers conducting classes in medical disciplines and a low level of general English of students majoring in medicine. The possible solutions to these problems based on the data collected during the survey are proposed. The results represented in five-step ranking mode are summarized in the form of two tables, the first representing the hierarchy of difficulties and the second showing the willingness of ESP teachers to take a special training course. The authors believe resolution of the problems may facilitate the transition of ESP for medical students to digital ecosystem.

Reading Patients: Our Story of Narrative Medicine

As Dr. Rita Charon, pioneer of the field of narrative medicine, said “Literary accounts of illness can teach physicians concrete and powerful lessons about the lives of sick people” but also “enable physicians to recognize the power and implications of what they do” (Charon et al, 1995).Through various narrative medicine exercises, we have explored the benefits of narrative medicine for health care professionals. More specifically, we have created a reading club for medical students and developed a reading module as part of the Physician Apprenticeship Course for medical students at McGill University. Moreover, we led short writing workshops based on prompts from short stories and poems for health care professionals at Anna-Laberge Hospital.During our workshop, we will briefly review our narrative medicine initiatives and then dive into a narrative medicine exercise with the group to demonstrate its potential benefits among health care professionals. We hope that by providing concrete examples of narrative medicine projects we have developed and implemented, we will facilitate the integration of narrative medicine into participants’ own practices.

Rules of Engagement: Implementing Student-Centered Learning in Breast Imaging.

In response to changing learner needs, our institution launched a new translational curriculum wherein basic sciences and clinical skills were integrated, longitudinal patient care experiences provided, and earlier opportunities in specialty fields introduced to better inform residency program decisions. Medical students taking the breast imaging elective were enrolled in a breast imaging immersive experience designed to meet the School of Medicine's core competencies. In focusing the elective on a narrow range of specialized topics and skills, we labeled this experience the Breast Imaging Boot Camp. Outcome data from March 6, 2017, to April 26, 2019, have been analyzed for this report. The modifications made to the elective include: e-mailing a detailed orientation document to students prior to the start of the rotation; assigning students to diagnostic, procedural, and screening roles; the attendance of students at introductory radiology symposia; students' weekly attendance at institutional multidisciplinary and divisional breast radiologic-pathologic correlation conferences; student self-study assignments using faculty-vetted resources; student participation in breast biopsy simulation and small parts ultrasound laboratories; the development of a student-centric radiology educational website; and student-directed publishing of digital case files. Medical student feedback and course analytics indicated superior course evaluation scores reinforced by narrative feedback. In website domain utilization data, the breast file domain is the most viewed subspecialty domain. The Breast Imaging Boot Camp is a successful curriculum. Its novelty lies in both its integrated approach to medical student core competencies and its clinician educators' use of today's student-favored teaching tools.

Status of clinical toxicology education and ethics in medical care of poisoned patients in the Islamic Republic of Iran and a comparison with other countries.

Clinical toxicology is not recognized as a clinical speciality in Iran. After the chemical war gas attack by the Iraqi army against the Iranian troops in the 1980s, health professionals and Iranian authorities noticed the importance of this field in clinical medicine. Collaboration between the clinical toxicologists and toxicologists of pharmacy schools resulted in the establishment of the Iranian Society of Toxicology and Poisonings in 1991 and the National Board of Toxicology in 1993. Clinical toxicology fellowship was also formed as a joint collaboration between the toxicology and internal medicine boards in 2010. Medical doctors who specialized in clinical medicine are eligible to take the entrance examination of the fellowship. In spite of the advancement of clinical toxicology and increased number of acute poisonings and drug abuse, undergraduate teaching in this field is still lacking and being taught as part of the forensic medicine curriculum since 1952. There is a lack of an efficient national poison information and control centre (s) in Iran, and no action plan and practical efforts have been done for poisoning prevention. Therefore, the number of drug abuse and acute poisonings has increased over the past four decades and induced cultural, social and health problems. According to Iranian legal medicine organization reports, poisoning is the second-most occurring cause of unnatural death. The suicidal attempt is the most common method of acute poisoning in adults. Suicidal attempt including self-poisoning is not accepted in the Islamic point of view, and thus self-poisoning is mostly neglected and may not be treated appropriately in time in some regions of Iran. Accidental poisoning in children is also common in Iran and estimated to be between 20000 and 25000 cases annually over the recent years. In addition, social, cultural and economic problems have induced more health problems such as drug abuse and addiction even in children. Adulterated opium to lead for economic gaining has produced thousands of cases of lead poisoning over the past few years in nearly all opium addicts, which is still a major health problem in Iran. Ban on alcoholic beverages leads some people to make their own home-made spirits, which is unfortunately contaminated with methanol. Thousands of cases of methanol poisoning and even some epidemics have occurred over the past four decades in some parts of the country. Lack of availability of essential antidotes such as succimer and fomepizole has been a major problem for the effective treatment of poisoned patients. Despite the well-known fact that cases of poisoning and drug overdose constitute a significant proportion of hospital admissions in some developing countries, clinical toxicology education and medical care of the poisoned patients are lacking. Therefore, policymakers and health authorities should realize the importance of toxicology in clinical medicine. The Iranian Ministry of Health, medical care and Medical Education should implement clinical toxicology courses for medical students; establish effective national poisons information and control centres and advance clinical toxicology services for appropriate management of poisoned patients to improve public health and the overall health policy goals.

The Evolving Impact of COVID-19 on Medical Student Orthopedic Education: Perspectives From Medical Students in Different Phases of the Curriculum.

Introduction:The world-wide lockdown caused by Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has upended the trajectories of lives everywhere. The medical profession has been on the front lines of this rapidly developing situation, which in turn has called for unprecedented changes in the medical school curriculum. These changes have severe implications for medical students interested in applying to competitive surgical specialties like orthopedics.Methods:As medical students in 3 different class years pursuing orthopedic surgery, we provide our perspectives on the impact that COVID-19 has had on medical student orthopedic education.Results:With the removal of away rotations and a shift to virtual interviews, rising fourth year medical students are arguably the most impacted as they prepare for the orthopedic residency application process. Third year students, who are in the exploratory phase of choosing a specialty, also face uncertainties in the shift to a “new” clerkship experience that may (1) be of shorter duration, (2) implement shifts to limit overcrowding of clinical space, and (3) increase the use of telehealth over direct patient contact.Discussion:The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the course of medical students’ orthopedic education in unprecedented ways. We believe the following suggestions may be helpful for students seeking alternative, supplemental ways of learning: (1) read up on major orthopedic journals, (2) reach out to orthopedic surgeons in areas of interest, (3) reach out to program directors/medical clerkship directors/program coordinators for opportunities to attend their educational curriculum virtually, (4) attend online lectures and hospital grand rounds, and (5) practice suturing technique with a practice kit.Conclusions:While the medical education landscape remains uncertain amid the evolving conditions of COVID-19, as medical students we strive to learn from this pandemic and respond to future unforeseen challenges with resilience, dedication, and compassion: all qualities we admire in orthopedic surgeons.

Needs Analysis as a Prerequisite for Designing an ESP Course for Medical Students

This study aims to assess the medical students’ needs analysis at the Faculty of Medicine at Al-Neelain University in the field of English for Specific Purposes (ESP). It also aims to examine the perceptions of the students and their instructors about the present syllabus and the challenges, which the students and the instructors face. It is an exploratory study, that is, to discover the aspects of reviewing a program by involving both instructors and students to express their views. The researcher followed the descriptive and analytical approach. The subjects of this study were of two types: the instructors who are either having experience in teaching ESP syllabus or teaching the current program (i.e. English for Medical Purposes) and medical students of first and second year. The number of the respondents who participated in the study was five instructors, twenty-five students of the first year and twenty-five students of the second year. The data, which were collected by the two forms of the questionnaires, were analyzed through statistics (numbers) then converted into the forms of percentage. The findings of this study confirmed that there were several problems that the students faced at the faculty such as the lack of some of the basic skills, especially speaking and listening skills. As recommendation plays an important basis to undergo some changes within the current syllabus, it is recommended to review the current syllabus to undergo some changes in the content of the syllabus so as to meet if not all, most of students’ needs towards their medical study. It is also recommended to use different methods for collecting data such interviews and classroom observation to get more productive data as well as to use more technical aids such as computer, videos and TV.

Trauma Evaluation and Management TEAM® course for medical students in Pakistan.

Objectives:To assess the immediate effect of TEAM® on trauma related knowledge of undergraduate medical students and to highlight the stakeholders’ acceptability of TEAM® for trauma training of undergraduate medical studentsMethods:Effectiveness of TEAM® course in terms of knowledge gain was assessed using 20-item-MCQs at three different timings to three cohorts of medical students from year 2017 (Group A), 2018 (Group B) and 2019 (Group C). Group A attempted the test after traditional teaching in wards, Group B attempted it after reading books and videos of TEAM®, along with traditional trauma teaching. Finally Group C attempted the test after TEAM® course along with videos and books. Students and faculty also filled evaluation questionnaire for their acceptability assessment. Kruskal-Wallis Test was applied for comparison between scores of the three groups. The evaluation questionnaire of students as well as for faculty was evaluated by determining frequencies and percentages.Results:A statistically significant difference is found after comparing the scores of the three groups (p< 0.00). More than 85% of the students were of a view that this course would help in their future practice and application. Similarly, 80% of the faculty would prefer to be involved in TEAM® teaching in future.Conclusion:There is an improvement in trauma cognitive knowledge, after the TEAM® program. Students and faculty strongly supported its introduction in the undergraduate curriculum and hence acceptable to both.

Implementation of a radiation injury management curriculum for health-care professionals in Taiwan.

AimRadiation‐related injury in the general population due to accidents or incidents is a rare but significant event that merits serious study and planning in the health‐care system. Therefore, we developed different levels of training courses targeting medical emergency response and treatment for radiation‐related injury in patients, for different health‐care professionals and medical students.MethodsThe curriculum, teaching instructions, and objectives were based on the working group consensus of first responders of radiation‐related injury. The working group included different specialists from hospitals, medical schools, and government radiation emergency response agencies.ResultsSeveral different course levels, including lectures, group discussions, case and scenario discussions, hands‐on practice, tabletop drills, and drills were included. The curriculums have shown that developing different levels of courses for medical students and health‐care professionals was feasible.ConclusionThrough the cooperation of different specialties and different interactive courses, the training programs were able to meet the initial education goals for medical emergency and radiation‐related injury for medical students and health‐care professionals.

Implementation and evaluation of a self-directed learning activity for first-year medical students

ABSTRACT Background: It is critical that medical students develop self-directed, life-long learning skills to navigate medical school successfully and to become competent healthcare professionals. Moreover, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the USA medical school accrediting body, requires activities designed to help students develop self-directed learning (SDL) skills in the preclinical years. Objective: We evaluated the feasibility and effectiveness of a self-directed learning activity in a 6-week first-year medical student course. Design: The course director assigned infectious disease case studies to teams of first-year medical students who individually assessed their knowledge gaps of the case, identified scholarly sources to fill their knowledge gaps, shared the information with their teammates, and reflected on their ability to guide their own learning. Students were asked to rate workload, team effort, acquisition of new clinical knowledge, and life-long learning skills. Students were also asked to reflect on how this assignment affected their perception of their SDL skills. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze responses to the Likert scale questions. Thematic analysis was applied to the comments. Results: Survey response rate was 80% (131/163). Students strongly or moderately agreed that 1) they spent an appropriate amount of time on the project (94%), 2) the workload was evenly distributed among their teammates (95%), 3) their teammates made significant and timely contributions to the project (97%), 4) the project contributed to learning new clinical knowledge (92%), and 5) the project contributed to the acquisition of life-long learning skills (85%). The analysis team identified four themes from student reflections on their perception of their self-directed learning skills: self-learning skills, collaboration, application, and meta-cognition, Conclusions: Study results demonstrated that we successfully implemented a case-based SDL activity in a first-year medical school course and that students perceived the activity as a valuable learning experience.

Contextual Analysis of Stakeholder Opinion on Management and Leadership Competencies for Undergraduate Medical Education: Informing Course Design.

Background:The study aimed to conduct a contextual analysis of interviews intended to assist with the future design of a feasible and relevant leadership and management course for undergraduate medical students at King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Saudi Arabia.Methods:This was a cross-sectional study conducted at King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Saudi Arabia, during 2019. An exploratory qualitative approach, utilizing systematic content analysis, was used. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews that were conducted with 10 leaders who were stakeholders at KAU, health service providers at KAU hospital, and stakeholders in the Ministry of Health.Results:This study revealed critical findings that highlighted the areas in which KAU could instill better and adequate leadership and management skills in their undergraduate medical students. Multiple core categories for a leadership and management curriculum emerged with many interrelated themes. Most participants mentioned that leadership can be taught and that early exposure is beneficial for developing skills. Additionally, they stated that leaders should have a vision and the ability to articulate that vision.Conclusions:Different implementation challenges were described in relation to the availability of human resources, the current short supply of suitable teachers, and program design. Teaching methods recommended included simulations, lectures, and a project-based approach. Assessment methods that were recommended included objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), formative and summative assessments, self-assessments, and portfolios.

The impact of a radiological anatomy-based intervention in a gross anatomy course for undergraduate medical students

Background: The integration of radiology into undergraduate medical education is becoming a popular method of providing early and meaningful clinical experiences. Aims and Objectives: The primary aim of our educational intervention was to provide increased radiologic anatomy resources and support to medical students in their first-year preclinical medical school curriculum. An additional objective was to evaluate how the intervention impacted learners through a pretest/posttest protocol and traditional student feedback questionnaires. Method: Two cohorts of first-year medical students voluntarily participated in an assessment of the intervention that required the identification of anatomical structures in radiological images. Changes in learning gain and aggregate scores were calculated, and students' perceptions of the intervention were assessed through open feedback and Likert-style questions at the end of the course. Results: The results revealed a significant increase (P

A laboratory practice that uses the polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific priming technique to rapidly screen for HLA-DR2 allotype from germline DNA in immunology course for undergraduate medical students.

In this article, we describe an in-house polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific priming (PCR-SSP) assay designed for undergraduate medical students as part of the experimental pathogen biology and immunology (EPBI) course. It screens human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR2 allotype from genomic DNA samples using a rapid and single-tube PCR technique, yielding definitive typing result without conventional post-amplification step like probing or Sanger sequencing. This laboratory exercise offers the undergraduate medical students an opportunity to learn about current molecular biology techniques in HLA genotyping with limited effort and cost, in addition to a better understanding of concepts presented in the classroom lectures. Upon completing this experiment module, the students show statistically significant improvement in several key indexes, such as the knowledge about the mainstream HLA DNA typing techniques, awareness of the relevance of this knowledge for their future scientific research, immunogenetics-related basic laboratory skills they acquire, and interest and desire for mastering this assay (all p < .05). This easy to implement set of experiments is composed of a two-session lab module occupying eight teaching hours, and has been run successfully in our laboratory.

On the methodology of teaching the discipline “History of Ukraine and Ukrainian culture” for foreign students

The purpose of the article is to study the theoretical and practical features of the discipline “History of Ukraine and Ukrainian culture”, as well as the methods and forms of pedagogical work that provide the educational process, contribute to self-knowledge and self-improvement. The scientific novelty consists in the fact that the main aspects of the teaching of the humanities in the higher education system are analyzed on the example of the subject “History of Ukraine and Ukrainian Culture” Ukraine, including the study of courses for medical students. The following scientific methods are used in the article: descriptive, comparative historical, philosophical approach, analysis method. The relevance of the topic lies in the need for analysis and study of the ability of foreign students to perceive the features of the discipline “History of Ukraine and Ukrainian Culture”; their assimilation of knowledge and skills in acquaintance with a foreign culture. Conclusions. For a better perception of the subject, it is advisable to use theoretical, practical and visual materials, computer and multimedia equipment, translate all materials into English, select various examples that will interest the audience.

Abstract 400: Advanced Cardiac Life Support Taught in a Transitional Medical School Course Improves Retention: A Prospective Cohort Study

Introduction: Advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) is taught in a two-day course. Studies show decay in retention of ACLS starting at 3 months, while repeat simulation may improve performance. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that teaching ACLS using a low-dose, spaced curriculum will improve retention of knowledge and skills. Methods: In March and April 2018, we collaborated with the AHA to incorporate ACLS training into Ready 4 Residency (R4R), a month-long course for 4 th year medical students meeting course completion requirements for ACLS. In September 2018, we consented interns, who completed traditional ACLS or ACLS in R4R. Interns completed 20 multiple-choice questions, two minutes of compressions, and one minute of ventilations for a 20-dollar gift card. Student’s t-test, chi-squared, and Fisher’s exact tests were used for statistical analyses. Results: Of 28 participants, 18 had completed traditional ACLS, and 10 had completed ACLS in R4R. For the 20-question exam, the results were 13.90 +/- 2.81 in ACLS in R4R compared to 13.83 +/- 2.38 in traditional ACLS (p = 0.95). Interns who completed ACLS in R4R performed an average rate of compressions at 111 +/- 10.3 compared to traditional ACLS for a rate of 122.89 +/- 11.05 (p=0.013), table 1. For interns who completed ACLS in R4R, 50% completed rescue breaths in range compared to 0% interns who completed traditional ACLS (p = 0.002), table 2. Conclusions: Integration of low-dose, spaced ACLS training for 4 th year medical students may improve retention of skills. Since interns are frequently ‘first-responders’ during in-hospital arrest, improved ACLS skills may improve resuscitation outcomes.

An Innovative Blended Learning Preclinical Hematology Curriculum on White Cell Dyscrasias: A Mixed Methods Study of Student Performance, Satisfaction, and Engagement

Introduction: Recent proposals have called for reform of the traditional medical education model and development of learner centered paradigms that prioritize conceptual mastery and enhance engagement. Blended learning models mediate a shift from lecture settings to collaborative active learning environments. Studies suggest that blended learning modalities may improve affective and objective outcomes compared to passive didactics. However, there is limited evidence regarding the implementation of blended learning in preclinical medical school courses. We developed an innovative blended learning curriculum for a preclinical second year medical student hematology course using a flipped classroom large-group active learning model and investigated its impact on student performance, satisfaction, and engagement. Methods: We used constructivist education theory and a mixed methods model to develop a blended learning curriculum. In 2015 we converted the didactic lecture component of the white blood cell dyscrasias unit into nine online video modules and two large-group active learning sessions. Blended learning content was structured to maintain time neutrality and allocate sufficient time for independent review. Large-group active learning sessions were planned for an Education Center active learning studio and designed to emphasize collaborative team-based discussion and included clinical problem solving, audience response questions, and gamification. Attendance at large-group sessions was optional in 2015 and mandatory in 2016 - 2017. The white blood cell dyscrasias question final examination subset scores were compared between the historical 2014 cohort and blended learning cohorts from 2015 - 2017 with one-way ANOVA with post-hoc comparisons via Dunnett's multiple comparisons test with a single pooled variance. The examination questions compared were identical. Course evaluations were compared between 2014 and 2015 via an independent samples t-test, but 2016 and 2017 evaluations were not directly compared due to an institution-wide change in evaluation scales. Qualitative student evaluations regarding the traditional and blended learning curriculum were collected between 2014 - 2017. Results: Overall satisfaction with the course (5, excellent) was similar (p=0.38) in 2014 (4.13±0.79) and 2015 (4.05±0.82). Satisfaction remained high (4, excellent) in 2016 (3.33±0.72) and 2017 (3.12±0.84). Student performance was marginally worse on the white blood cell dyscrasias question subset (17-point maximum) in 2015 (Mean Score, 14.78±2.01, p=0.0069), but not significantly different in 2016 (14.96±1.94, p=0.0856) or 2017 (15.10±1.82, p=0.3803) compared to 2014 (15.37±1.64). In 2015, on average, 34% (65/191) of students attended didactic lectures and active learning sessions were attended by 33% of students (60/183). Attendance was mandatory in 2016 (n=184) and 2017 (n=175). Between 2015 - 2017, 60% of students reported not completing video modules prior to corresponding active learning sessions. Qualitative analysis from 2015 - 2017 of student feedback revealed themes on active learning sessions focused on perceived lack of time neutrality, difficulty adapting to a novel learning style, appreciation of clinical case-based learning, and the value of real-time facilitator feedback. Conclusions: We found that conversion of conceptually challenging material in a preclinical hematology course to a blended learning curriculum did not improve performance. When mandated, attendance at active learning sessions did not incentivize student pre-session preparation. These findings carry implications for the use of blended learning in preclinical hematology education. Inadequate student preparation for sessions may have mitigated the benefit of active learning and detrimentally impacted performance. Students habituated to a lecture-based curriculum experienced difficulty adapting to a novel learning approach emphasizing collaborative engagement, weakening the utility of the active learning sessions. Our findings suggest the importance of accountability and preparation for active learning sessions in a blended learning curriculum. As blended learning becomes prevalent in medical education, further studies of pedagogic methods to overcome barriers to successful student performance, satisfaction, and engagement are necessary. Disclosures Murakhovskaya: Momenta: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.

Electronic Health Record Skills Workshop for Medical Students.

The adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) presents new challenges for information gathering, documentation, and patient care. Medical students spend a significant amount of time using the EHR during their clerkship experiences and will continue to do so as they progress to residency. However, formal training varies between institutions and leaves gaps in data-gathering skills, documentation skills, and order entry-these three skills formed the basis for our learning objectives. We designed a workshop using a simulated EHR to teach these skills. We offered the workshop during a class-wide transition-to-internship course for senior medical students. After a brief didactic, students worked in small groups using a simulated EHR to complete cases addressing each of the three learning objectives. Faculty facilitators assisted groups and then guided a large-group discussion of the challenges encountered during the cases. Twenty-five senior medical students attended the first optional workshop. Of these students, 66.7% recommended that the workshop continue to be included in the curriculum. Comments from those who recommended otherwise suggested that many of them would recommend the workshop if it used our local EHR (Epic). Correct answers to the factual questions increased for most questions between the pretest and the posttest. Confidence to perform all skills targeted in the learning objectives increased between the pretest and the posttest. This EHR workshop was well received by senior medical students and increased confidence in EHR skills, including data gathering, documentation, and handling unsolicited information with a plan including order entry.

2535. The Stairway to Antibiotic Heaven: Evaluating a Scaffolded Video Series on Empiric Antibiotic Selection

BackgroundInappropriate antibiotic use and spread of resistance is a well-known problem. In academic settings, house staff often make initial decisions regarding antibiotic use. Recently, there has been increasing interest in using “whiteboard animations” as a way of delivering educational content. We introduced a supplemental series of short whiteboard animation videos on empiric antibiotic selection during a blended transition to residency course for fourth year medical students. Our aim was to determine whether the videos were an effective learning resource.MethodsA total of eight whiteboard animation videos on empiric antibiotic selection were created using Camtasia. Learning was scaffolded using a pneumonia case and an antibiotic “ladder” to provide context for the antibiotics discussed. Questions were interspersed throughout the videos. Students completed an eight question pretest and then an eight question post-test after completing the modules. Qualtrics was used to randomly select questions for the pre- and post-tests from a common question bank. After each individual video module, students were also offered a post-module survey with Likert scaled questions evaluating student perception of the module. All tests and surveys were anonymous. Scores of pre- and post-tests were compared with unpaired t-tests.ResultsWe received a total of 37 pre-tests and 14 post-tests. The average score on the pre-test was 66% compared with 93% on the post-test (P < 0.0001). We also received seventy-four post-module surveys across the eight videos. When asked whether the particular video module was an effective way to learn about antibiotic coverage, 98% of responses responded “agree” or “strongly agree.” 90% of responses also answered “agree” or “strongly agree” when asked if they were more likely to remember the spectrum of activity of the presented antibiotics after watching the module.ConclusionWhile further studies are needed our results suggest that whiteboard animation videos may be an effective way to teach empiric antibiotic selection to medical students preparing for internship.Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.