Early Career Physicians Research Articles

8076 Advancing Career Development of Physician-Scientists Engaged in Diabetes Research: Insights into the National K12 DiabDocs Program

Abstract Disclosure: K.D. Dasani: None. F.K. Bishop: None. S.H. Golden: None. L.M. Laffel: None. R.G. Mirmira: None. A.K. Steck: None. S.M. Willi: None. D.M. Maahs: None. L.A. DiMeglio: None. Background: In July 2022 the NIH established a multi-center National K12 “Diabetes-Docs: Physician-Scientist Career Development Program” (DiabDocs) to support mentored research experiences and tailored career development training for cohorts of physician scientists focused on diabetes research. DiabDocs scholars are board-certified or board-eligible physicians with training in pediatric or adult endocrinology or in another area tied to diabetes research and care. The program addresses the shortage of physicians engaged in diabetes research and is open to scholars at any eligible institution in the United States. Methods: The DiabDocs program was implemented by two multi-center Program Directors (MPD), in collaboration with an Executive Leadership Committee (ELC) comprised of experienced basic science and clinical/translational physician-scientists. Additional faculty from 19 different institutions have engaged in advisory and reviewer roles. The program solicits Letters of Intent (LOIs) annually from interested candidates followed by invitations for full applications; a program retreat features educational workshops and diversity training; and a Study Section selects Scholars. Currently, the program is in its third recruitment cycle for additional scholars to start Summer 2024. Additional career development programming is available through a series of interactive webinars. The program also has a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including a “DiabDiversity” program to support in-person engagement in DiabDocs experiences by under-represented in medicine trainees. Results: After two successful recruitment cycles in 2022-2023 that reviewed 24 LOIs, 11 scholars were selected. The funded scholars (6 Adult and 5 Pediatric Endocrinologists) include 3 individuals self-identifying as underrepresented in medicine and 7 females. For the 2023 application cycle, 24 LOIs were received (11 from Adult and 9 from Pediatric Endocrinology, 2 in combined Pediatric/Adult Endocrinology, and 2 from other specialties). Conclusions: The DiabDocs program aims to identify, recruit, and support outstanding early career physician scientists. The program provides a national network with resources for protected research time, career development programs, and national mentorship to develop cohorts of skilled professionals contributing to the advancement of diabetes research. Presentation: 6/2/2024

Transition From Graduate Medical Education to Independent Practice: A Scoping Review.

This study examines the gaps in early career physician readiness for independent practice after graduating from their final graduate medical education (GME) program. The authors conducted a literature search of 4 online databases (PubMed, Scopus, Health Business Elite, and Education Resources Information Center) using the following terms: population terms (GME, fellow, resident, and others), early career terms (onboarding, hiring, early career, ready, and others), readiness terms (readiness, preparedness, knowledge, skills, competence), and independence terms (attending, physician, independent practice). The databases were searched on March 12, 2024, for articles that explored GME graduate gaps in readiness for independent practice; assessment tools, curricula, or curricular need aimed at gaps in early career physician readiness; or an area where GME graduates need more knowledge and skills. They extracted specific gaps in preparedness and categorized them using existing competency frameworks. The search returned 116 articles addressing gaps in preparedness for independent practice among recent GME graduates. Surgery yielded more articles than any other specialty (43 [37%]). Overall, 192 individual gaps were extracted; the greatest number of gaps came from patient care (75 [39%]) followed by personal and professional development (44 [23%]). The most frequently identified gaps were procedural independence (10 occurrences), practice management (9 occurrences), and billing (7 occurrences). Despite advances in GME, learners still struggle when transitioning to independent practice. Personal and professional development is a useful categorization for many gaps and should be considered for inclusion as a GME competency. Systematic assessment of new-to-practice attendings could help stakeholders better understand the true outcomes of GME programs. Concerted investment by specialty societies may drive greater understanding and innovative solutions. Additional study could help address the challenges in the GME-to-practice transition.

Automated detection of large vessel occlusion using deep learning: a pivotal multicenter study and reader performance study

BackgroundTo evaluate the stand-alone efficacy and improvements in diagnostic accuracy of early-career physicians of the artificial intelligence (AI) software to detect large vessel occlusion (LVO) in CT angiography (CTA).MethodsThis multicenter...

Personal finance tips for the early career radiologist and beyond.

This paper aims to provide a summary of the basics of personal finance, specifically as it pertains to medical trainees and early career physicians. While not sufficient by itself, it may serve as a jumping off point for further reading and investigation into different aspects of personal finance. It includes discussion of spending and saving, emergency funds, insurance, student loans, and investments and tax-advantaged retirement accounts. Graduating financially well-rounded radiologists and physicians allows for a more effective balance of patient care, education, family, and interests outside of work.

Advice to future family physicians: findings from qualitative interviews with family medicine residents and early-career family physicians

BackgroundCanadians continue to report challenges accessing primary care. Practice choices made by primary care providers shape services available to Canadians. Although there is literature observing family medicine practice trends, there is less clarity on the reasoning underlying primary care providers’ practice intentions. Advice offered by residents and early-career family physicians may reveal challenges they have experienced, how they have adapted to them, and strategies for new residents. In this paper, we examine advice family medicine residents and early-career family physicians would give to new family medicine residents.MethodsSixty early-career family physicians and thirty residents were interviewed as part of a mixed-methods study of practice patterns of family medicine providers in Canada. During qualitative interviews, participants were asked, “what advice would you give [a new family medicine resident] about planning their career as a family physician?” We inductively analyzed responses to this question.ResultsAdvice consisted of understanding the current climate of family medicine (need for specialization, business management burden, physician burnout) and revealed reasons behind said challenges (lack of support for comprehensive clinic care, practical limitations of different practice models, and how payment models influence work-life balance). Subtheme analyses showed early-career family physicians being more vocal on understanding practical aspects of the field including practice logistics and achieving job security.ConclusionMost advice mirrored current changes and challenges as well as revealing strategies on how primary care providers are handling the realities of practicing family medicine. Multi-modal systemic interventions may be needed to support family physicians throughout the changing reality of family medicine and ensure family medicine is an appealing specialty.

Supporting the Primary Care Workforce Through Training in Advanced Generalist Practice: An Evaluation of the Catalyst Program.

As a workforce crisis is causing recruitment and retention issues for new to practice GPs, we designed Catalyst, a one-year pilot career development program aiming to help new to practice GPs develop the skills of advanced generalist practice and build capacity for the complex work of primary care. In this paper, we report the findings of our evaluation of Catalyst. We used normalization process theory to investigate how Catalyst was contributing to the participants' understanding and implementation of generalist practice. We conducted 36 interviews and six focus groups investigating the participants' clinical practice and experience with the program and analyzed data using framework analysis. Establishing a shared language and reframing professional identity helped GPs develop an understanding of their role through generalist lenses. Generalist practice was legitimized by access to scientific evidence and facilitated interactive learning. Integration of scientific, applied knowledge and quality improvement work fostered the enactment of such practice. Structured reflection and research-informed quality improvement projects contributed to the participants' awareness of the primary care context. Knowledge creation activities observed through interactive learning and the integration of different types of knowledge facilitated the implementation of advanced generalist practice. The participants valued the community of practice gained through the program and would come to rely on programs designed to encourage networking and enable peer support. Finally, research-informed quality improvement projects built to analyze problems and monitor solutions are crucial for an early career physician to develop a sense of agency that shapes their primary care practice.

Automated identification of thrombectomy amenable vessel occlusion on computed tomography angiography using deep learning.

We developed and externally validated a fully automated algorithm using deep learning to detect large vessel occlusion (LVO) in computed tomography angiography (CTA). A total of 2,045 patients with acute ischemic stroke who underwent CTA were included in the development of our model. We validated the algorithm using two separate external datasets: one with 64 patients (external 1) and another with 313 patients (external 2), with ischemic stroke. In the context of current clinical practice, thrombectomy amenable vessel occlusion (TAVO) was defined as an occlusion in the intracranial internal carotid artery (ICA), or in the M1 or M2 segment of the middle cerebral artery (MCA). We employed the U-Net for vessel segmentation on the maximum intensity projection images, followed by the application of the EfficientNetV2 to predict TAVO. The algorithm's diagnostic performance was evaluated by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV). The mean age in the training and validation dataset was 68.7 ± 12.6; 56.3% of participants were men, and 18.0% had TAVO. The algorithm achieved AUC of 0.950 (95% CI, 0.915-0.971) in the internal test. For the external datasets 1 and 2, the AUCs were 0.970 (0.897-0.997) and 0.971 (0.924-0.990), respectively. With a fixed sensitivity of 0.900, the specificities and PPVs for the internal test, external test 1, and external test 2 were 0.891, 0.796, and 0.930, and 0.665, 0.583, and 0.667, respectively. The algorithm demonstrated a sensitivity and specificity of approximately 0.95 in both internal and external datasets, specifically for cases involving intracranial ICA or M1-MCA occlusion. However, the diagnostic performance was somewhat reduced for isolated M2-MCA occlusion; the AUC for the internal and combined external datasets were 0.903 (0.812-0.944) and 0.916 (0.816-0.963), respectively. We developed and externally validated a fully automated algorithm that identifies TAVO. Further research is needed to evaluate its effectiveness in real-world clinical settings. This validated algorithm has the potential to assist early-career physicians, thereby streamlining the treatment process for patients who can benefit from endovascular treatment.

Knowledge Gaps Identified in a Survey of Maine Physicians' Firearm Safety Counseling Practices.

Numerous medical associations have identified firearm injuries as a public health issue, calling on physicians to provide firearm safety counseling. Data suggest that while many physicians agree with this, few routinely screen and provide counseling. We aimed to survey Maine physicians to assess their current firearm safety counseling practices and knowledge of a new state child access prevention (CAP) law. We conducted an anonymous cross-sectional survey of Maine primary care and psychiatry physicians. We recruited multiple statewide medical organizations, residency programs, and two major health systems to distribute the survey to their membership. Group differences were compared by physician rurality and years in practice using Fisher's Exact and Chi Squared tests. Ninety-five surveys were completed. Though most participants agreed that firearm injury is an important public health issue that physicians can positively affect (92%), few had received prior firearm safety counseling education (27%). There were significant differences in firearm screening frequency, with rural physicians screening more often. More rural physicians and physicians with > 10 years of clinical practice felt they had adequate knowledge to provide meaningful counseling, compared with non-rural and early career physicians, respectively. Overall, 62% of participants were unaware of the 2021 Maine CAP law. This study highlights significant differences in firearm safety counseling practices among Maine physicians based on rurality and years of experience. Participants also reported a significant gap in knowledge of a recent state child access prevention law. Next steps include development of firearm safety counseling education tailored to Maine physicians.

Effect of Student-Run Free Clinics on Family Medicine Match Rates: A Multisite, Regression Discontinuity Study.

Student-run free clinics (SRFCs) have been proposed as one educational strategy to increase medical students' interest in primary care careers. We sought to overcome gaps in the literature by investigating the effect of opening an SRFC at different institutions on institution-level match rates into family medicine, the largest source of primary care physicians in the United States. We connected a list of SRFCs from primary care clerkship directors and the Society of Student-Run Free Clinics with a database of institution-level match rates into family medicine from 2000 to 2018. Using regression discontinuity analysis, we assessed whether opening an SRFC would increase family medicine match rates. Across a sample of 58 medical schools in the United States, we found that SRFCs did not significantly change the number (P=.44) or percentage of medical graduates (P=.42) entering family medicine residency. We also found no significant effects of SRFCs on the number of students entering family medicine in different contexts, including public/private institutions (P=.47), geographic areas (P=.26), departmental administrative structures (P=.69), and institutions with higher historical rates of producing graduates entering family medicine (P=.22). Though SRFCs may potentially support other aspects of undergraduate medical training, they should not be used as a singular strategy for addressing shortages in the primary care workforce in the United States. Further educational research should examine multipronged strategies to increase the supply of early-career primary care physicians in the United States.

Education Research: Sustained Implementation of Quality Improvement Practices Is Observed in Early Career Physicians Following a Neurology Resident QI Curriculum.

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology expect engagement in quality improvement (QI) activities for all residents and practicing neurologists. Our neurology residency program instituted an experiential Neurology Residency QI Curriculum in 2015 for all residents. In this study, we aimed to characterize the role of QI engagement in the early-career paths of program graduates. We distributed an online survey evaluating QI training, scholarship, and leadership (before, during, and after residency training) to all individuals who graduated from our residency program (graduation years 2017-2021). Primary outcomes were QI project leadership or mentorship and QI scholarship (projects, posters, and publications) after residency. Predictors of these outcomes were also evaluated using Fisher exact test. Twenty-nine of 50 graduates (58%) completed the survey. Median time from residency graduation was 3 years. Of the respondents, 14% actively participated in a QI project before residency, 83% during residency, and 48% after graduating. In addition, 41% had led or mentored a QI project and 34% had performed QI scholarship since residency. Fourteen percent of participants held formal roles in QI or patient safety, while 24% received formal full-time equivalents for QI work. Significant predictors (p < 0.05) of QI leadership included older age, time since graduation, rank, and participation in Clinical Effectiveness Leadership Training (CELT-an institutional QI faculty development course). Significant predictors (p < 0.05) of QI scholarship included older age, time since graduation, participation in CELT, and participation in QI scholarship during residency. QI training, participation, and/or project leadership before residency did not predict either QI leadership or scholarship after residency. Many neurology residency graduates continued to lead QI projects and produce QI scholarship in the early years after graduation. However, receiving protected time for leadership and academic work in this area is uncommon. Our findings suggest that more infrastructure, including training, career development, and mentorship, can foster neurologists interested in leading in quality and patient safety. In academic models, promotion pathways that support academic advancement for faculty leading in QI are needed.

Factors that influence scope-of-practice decisions of early-career family physicians: Focus group study in Canada.

To explore perceptions of early-career family physicians on the personal, educational, organizational, community, and system factors that had influenced their scope-of-practice decisions and to compare the similarities and differences among these factors across all 13 Canadian jurisdictions. Qualitative descriptive study. Canada. Fifty-nine early-career family physicians who were 2 to 5 years into independent practice. Data were collected using focus groups and were analyzed using deductive and inductive analysis techniques to identify patterns in the data within and across jurisdictions. Participants across all jurisdictions highlighted that personal factors (ie, interest, work-life balance and family life, financial considerations, and self-perceived competence and confidence) were most influential on scope-of-practice decisions. Educational (ie, exposure during training, mentorship), organizational (ie, collegial support), community (ie, needs), and system (ie, payment models, funding for team-based care, governance) factors also influenced decisions about scope of practice. Experiences were similar across all jurisdictions for personal factors. Differences in experiences were reported across jurisdictions for educational, organizational, community, and system factors. Decisions about scope of practice by early-career family physicians are highly influenced by personal factors followed by organizational, educational, community, and system factors. These findings suggest numerous strategies are needed to increase individuals' interest in providing comprehensive care in Canada. Educators should cultivate interest in comprehensive care among learners, strategically recruit trainees, provide targeted exposure and experiences, ensure competence and confidence are evaluated throughout and at the end of training, and introduce formal mentorship programs. Policy-makers should invest in the spread of effective team models and alternative payment models. Together, these strategies could broaden the scopes of practice of family physicians and their capacity to deliver accessible and comprehensive care to Canadians.

Gender differences in scholarly productivity of early-career transfusion medicine physicians.

Promotion in academic medicine requires evidence of the creation and dissemination of scholarly output, primarily through peer-reviewed publications. Studies demonstrate that scholarly activity and impact are lower for women physicians than for men physicians, especially during the early stages of their academic careers. This report reviewed physicians' academic productivity after passing their Blood Banking/Transfusion Medicine (BBTM) subspecialty exam to determine if gender discrepancies exist. A cross-sectional analysis was designed to determine trends in scholarly activity for women physicians versus men physicians in BBTM. Indexed publications were reviewed using iCite, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Portfolio Analysis tool, from 1 January 2017 to 1 December 2021, for BBTM examinees who passed the sub-speciality fellowship exam in the years 2016 through 2018. Overall, women physicians had statistically significant fewer total career publications (median 6 vs. 9 cumulative papers, p = 0.03). Women published at a lower rate after passing BBTM boards, which was not statistically significant (0.7 vs. 1.3 publications per year). Other statistically significant findings include fewer early-career BBTM women physicians were first authors compared with men physicians (p = 0.03) and impact as assessed by relative citation ratio was higher for men (p = 0.01). This study demonstrates that there are gender differences in scholarly productivity and impact on early-career BBTM physicians. Given that this cohort of BBTM physicians are early-career professionals, the significant difference in first authorship publications between women and men physicians is especially concerning. Publication metrics should be followed to ensure equitable research environments for early-career BBTM physicians.

Prescription Trends of Thiazide Diuretics in a Canadian Primary Care Population From 2015 to 2021

BackgroundHypertension Canada 2017 guidelines favoured the use of thiazide (TZ)-like diuretics, such as CLTD (chlorthalidone) and indapamide (IND) over hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ). Health Canada warned in 2019 that HCTZ may be associated with increased risk of skin cancer. Our study looked at the changes in TZ prescriptions from 2015 to 2021 in Ontario, Canada. MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted of adults with hypertension, using electronic medical record data from the University of Toronto Practice-Based Research Network database covering mostly the Greater Toronto area. Outcomes included the proportion of patients who received a prescription of HCTZ, CLTD, or IND each month. Interrupted time-series analysis was used to evaluate the change in outcomes after publication of the 2017 guidelines and 2019 safety warning. Prescription trends were stratified by prescribing physicians’ sex and year of medical school graduation. ResultsA total of 100,428 patients with hypertension were included in the cohort, with 31,700 patients who received at least one TZ prescription from 343 family physicians. We found a declining trend in HCTZ prescriptions over time, accompanied by an increase in IND and CLTD prescriptions, with statistically significant but transient changes in prescription rates after publication of the 2017 guidelines and the 2019 safety warning for all 3 medications. Female physician and early-career physician prescription rates changed faster than that of their counterparts immediately after the Health Canada safety warning was issued. ConclusionsTZ diuretic prescription patterns have changed in recent years, but Hypertension Canada’s 2017 guidelines and the 2019 Health Canada safety warning did not have a sustained significant impact on the change in prescription rates of HCTZ, IND, and CLTD.

The Gender Wage Gap Among Early-Career Family Physicians.

Numerous studies have documented salary differences between male and female physicians. For many specialties, this wage gap has been explored by controlling for measurable factors that influence pay such as productivity, work-life balance, and practice patterns. In family medicine where practice activities differ widely between physicians, it is important to understand what measurable factors may be contributing to the gender wage gap, so that employers and policymakers and can address unjust disparities. We used data from the 2017 to 2020 American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) National Graduate Survey (NGS) which is administered to family physicians 3 years after residency (n = 8608; response rate = 63.9%, 56.2% female). The survey collects clinical income and practice patterns. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed, which included variables on hours worked, degree type, principal professional activity, rural/urban, and region. Although early-career family physician incomes averaged $225,278, female respondents reported incomes that were $43,566 (17%) lower than those of male respondents (P = .001). Generally, female respondents tended toward lower-earning principal professional activities and US regions; worked fewer hours (2.9 per week); and tended to work more frequently in urban settings. However, in adjusted models, this gap in income only fell to $31,804 (13% lower than male respondents, P = .001). Even after controlling for measurable factors such as hours worked, degree type, principal professional activity, population density, and region, a significant wage gap persists. Interventions should be taken to eliminate gender bias in wage determinations for family physicians.

Severe Spontaneous Tilt of Scleral-Fixated Intraocular Lenses

Purpose: To report and evaluate a multicenter series of 18 cases of severe, spontaneous IOL tilt involving the flanged intrascleral haptic fixation technique (FISHF). Design: Clinical study with historical controls Methods: We report a cross-sectional study of 46 FISHF cases using the CT Lucia 602 IOL at a single academic center over a period of 24 weeks to determine the incidence of severe rotisserie-style rotational tilt. These rates were then compared with the same time-frame the prior year to help determine if this is a new phenomenon. Additional cases of severe tilt were solicited from another four academic centers. Results: Among 46 FISHF cases at a single center, five developed severe tilt. No clear pattern in surgical technique, ocular history or ocular anatomy was evident in these cases compared with controls, although the involved IOLs clustered within a narrow diopter range, indicative of a batch effect. In the same 24-week interval the year before, 33 FISHF cases were performed, none of which exhibited severe rotational tilt. In our multi-center dataset, 18 cases of tilt were identified. Surgeons included fellow and early-career physicians as well as surgeons with multiple years of experience with the Yamane technique. A variety of surgical approaches for FISHF were represented. In at least eight of the cases, haptic rotation and/or dehiscence at the optic-haptic junction was documented. Conclusions: The identification of haptic rotation and dehiscence intraoperatively in several cases may reflect a new stability issue involving the optic-haptic junction.

The Evaluation of Payment for Obstetric and Gynecology Services: From ACOG.

To perform an environmental scan of the current status of reimbursement for obstetric and gynecology services and identify problematic issues and opportunities for change. The areas that were evaluated include the American Medical Association (AMA) relative value unit assignment process, payer rates (where available), and trends in employment and salary determination for obstetrician-gynecologists (ob-gyns). This report was developed by members of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' (ACOG) Committee on Health Economics and Coding using public-facing payment data from the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and state Medicaid programs, as well as published research and commentary on payment for physicians, maternal health, and gynecologic surgery. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were used to describe typical patient characteristics, and practice survey reports from the AMA were analyzed. Finally, an anonymous online survey was distributed to 27,854 members of ACOG in March 2022, with a response rate of 10.8% (3,018 members) and a CI of ±1.7%. The evaluation found that payment for ob-gyns is heavily influenced by the values and rates set by third-party payers, a patient case-mix that includes a higher-than-average number of patients with Medicaid insurance, and the increase of employed physicians reliant on salary contracts that include productivity requirements and bonuses. The Committee identified action items, including payment reform for obstetric services; advocating for gynecologic surgery time as a priority for hospital administration; developing resources to assist employed physicians with payment, practice, and business management; developing a business and coding curriculum for students and early-career physicians; and continued advocacy with private and public policymakers who influence physician payment.

Gender trends in Canadian medicine and surgery: the past 30 years

BackgroundWhile the number of women entering medicine has steadily increased since the 1970s in Canada, the gender composition along each stage of the medical training pathway has not been comprehensively reported. We therefore sought to systematically examine the gender composition of students, residents, and practicing physicians over the past 30 years in Canada.ResultsIn this cross-sectional analysis of Canadian medical trainees including MD applicants (137,096 male, 169,099 female), MD students (126,422 male, 152, 967 female), MD graduates (29,413 male, 34,173 female), residents by the decade (24,425 male, 28,506 female) and practicing surgeons (total 7,457 male, 3,457 female), we find that increased female representation in medicine is not matched by representation in surgery, with the key being the specialty choice process. The likelihood of female applicants matriculating to medical school was less than male applicants in the 90s (OR 0.92, 95% CI 0.92–0.93), greater in the early 2000s (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.03–1.04), and has since balanced out (OR 1.00, 95% CI 1.00-1.01), with medical school classes being nearly 60% female for the past two decades. Despite this, females have remained underrepresented in most surgical residency programs, with odds of female medical students entering surgical residency other than Ob/Gyn being about half that of male students (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.44–0.71), resulting in a slow increase in practicing female surgeons of less than 0.5% per year in many surgical disciplines and projected parity decades or centuries in the future.ConclusionsWhile undergraduate medical education has been majority female in Canada for nearly three decades, females remain greatly underrepresented in the physician workforce within surgical specialties. To build a representative medical workforce equipped to care for diverse patient populations, factors influencing the specialty choices of early career physicians will need to be examined and addressed.

Peer Learning Has Double Effects in Clinical Research Education: A Qualitative Study.

Peer learning has been recognized for its effectiveness in health professional education. However, its effects on clinical research education are not clear and were explored qualitatively in this study. The peer-learning method was implemented in a clinical research education seminar for early-career physicians at a children's and mothers' hospital in 2019. We conducted semistructured interviews with participants about peer-learning experience and qualitatively analyzed verbatim transcripts using Engeström's "activity theory" framework. From framework analysis, learning processes were extracted mainly in four domains, namely, (a) instrument and its usage: research design and its match with research question, (b) outcome: research result, (c) community: seminar, and (d) division of labor: roles of participants and staff. In this report of a peer-learning trial in postgraduate clinical research education, the following two pathways of peer-learning effects were abstracted. The indirect pathway was the presentations by experienced participants providing concrete examples of research processes. The direct pathway was the questions from experienced participants to beginners about specific and concrete questions. There were also two points to consider in peer learning in clinical research education: gaps in premise knowledge and beginners' frustration about expected outcomes. We believe that these extracted pathways and points imply the significance and considerations for continuing the peer-learning trial in clinical research education. Future tasks are to promote clinical research education with a view to the learning effects, not only on individuals, but also on groups.

Bridging the gap: Assessing death certification competency in Bulgarian healthcare education

BACKGROUND: In Bulgaria, procedural protocols following a citizen’s death are governed by an intricate network of normative documents. Despite the presumed alignment between international and national guidelines, practical experiences reveal shortcomings in the proficiency of healthcare providers, particularly in cases involving prior medical interventions or systemic vulnerabilities.&#x0D; AIM: This study aimed to assess the readiness of final-year medical students and early-career physicians in navigating death certification intricacies, including their responses, documentation precision, and postmortem procedures for bereaved families, with implications for national health statistics.&#x0D; MATERIALS AND METHODS: By employing a mixed-methods approach, this study distributed questionnaires to sixth-year medical students and practicing physicians, including those in emergency medicine centers and general practice. Data collection included paper-based and digital questionnaires, ensuring anonymity and ethical compliance. Statistical analysis, employing parametric (t-test) and nonparametric (Chi-square) tests, forms the basis for actionable recommendations and educational material development.&#x0D; RESULTS: This study included 143 participants, of which 41% expressed apprehension about managing out-of-hospital deaths. Approximately 44% claimed familiarity with death certification regulations, with students displaying higher theoretical confidence but lacking practical knowledge. Remarkably, 74% of physicians never received formal training in death certification. Discrepancies in issuing death certificates, timing, and notification procedures were identified.&#x0D; CONCLUSION: Findings reveal varying practices among physicians according to their specialties. Issues related to documentation, timing, and notification were prevalent. The study emphasizes the need for improved training, particularly for medical students. Emergency medicine doctors exhibited higher preparedness levels. Medical students and early-career physicians urgently require enhanced education in death certification preparedness. Incorporating these topics into medical curricula, offering specialized courses, and disseminating instructional materials can significantly enhance effectiveness. Future studies should assess the quality and accuracy of recorded causes of death, which affect healthcare statistics, public service, and legal procedures, underscoring the societal and administrative significance of death certification practices.

Explicit Training in Systematic Communication Strategies: A Pilot Study Exploring the Incorporation of Communication Tools by First-Year Residents in Simulation and in Clinical Practice.

Educational approaches for training physicians in clinical communications vary, and whether physicians apply the communication skills they learn or find them useful in the clinic is not well known. The aim of this study was to determine how first-year residents who received explicit instruction in 7 communication strategies would apply them in a simulation exercise and in clinical practice. First-year Internal Medicine residents at an urban teaching hospital received instruction in 7 systematic communication strategies: Ask-Tell-Ask, Teach-back, open-ended questioning, NURSE, open body language, pausing, and plain language. Residents were evaluated on their use of specific communication behaviors associated with the 7 strategies during a simulation exercise of disclosing a medical error to a standardized patient. Control group residents who did the simulation before attending the training program and training group residents who did the simulation after the training were compared. Residents were queried 6 months after the training program on their use of communication strategies during clinical practice. A total of 27 residents participated (n = 13 control group; n = 14 training group). The training group performed behaviors for "establishing patient understanding" significantly more often than the control group. Both groups used non-verbal communication and behaviors for addressing patient emotions at similar levels. Of the 24 residents who responded to the 6-month follow-up questionnaire, 24 (100%) reported using Ask-Tell-Ask, open-ended questioning, and Teach-back, and 22 (92%) reported using NURSE statements and non-verbal communication. Most respondents reported using the strategies in clinical practice often or very often (79%) and found the strategies useful or very useful (96%). Providing explicit instruction in systematic communication strategies, particularly those focused on establishing patient understanding, may be an efficient approach for helping early career physicians develop effective communication skills that can be readily implemented during clinical training and practice.