Excellent Role Models Research Articles

PH‐Responsive Self‐Organization of Metal‐Binding Protein Motifs from Biomolecular Junctions in Mussel Byssus

Mussels rapidly fabricate tough and self‐healing biopolymeric fibers called byssal threads that provide an excellent role model for bio‐inspired design. The remarkable tensile properties arise from a collagenous protein family known as preCols, which self‐assemble into a semicrystalline array in the distal thread core. Histidine‐rich domains (HRDs) at the preCol ends are critical both for the self‐healing capacity and for the thread assembly process due to their propensity for coordinating transition metal ions; however, very little is understood about the molecular relationship between HRD sequence, structure, and function. Here, a comprehensive spectroscopic investigation of two model peptides based on conserved repetitive motifs in the HRDs is performed to elucidate molecular level details of their role in thread assembly and function. It is observed that environmental factors relevant to the natural assembly process (e.g., concentration, pH, and metal content) trigger dramatic changes in HRD nanostructure and higher order assembly, leading to the formation of highly defined backbone conformation and metal binding geometry.

NIH/IRACDA Program – a Win for Both Post‐Docs and PUI Partner Institutions

The NIH/IRACDA program is a career development program that facilitates the progress of postdoctoral candidates towards biomedical research and teaching careers in academia. The program promotes consortia between research‐intensive institutions and partner institutions that have a historical mission and a demonstrated commitment to providing training, encouragement and assistance to students from groups underrepresented in the biomedical research enterprise. Medgar Evers College (MEC) is an undergraduate Minority Serving Institution in Central Brooklyn, NY with a student enrollment of about 7,000, 75% of which is female. Since 2010 MEC has been one of two partner institutions of the INSPIRE (IRACDA New Jersey/New York for Science Partnership in Research and Education) program with Rutgers‐RWJMS. Thus far twelve INSPIRE fellows have received or are currently receiving training in MEC science classrooms and/or teaching labs under the mentorship of five MEC faculty. Before coming to the partner institution, fellows spend their first year in a scientific teaching workshop at Rutgers where they participate in sessions that include setting learning goals, diversity and learning styles, instructional technology, active learning techniques, and assessing learning outcomes. As a result, INSPIRE fellows bring many fresh and novel teaching approaches to MEC undergraduate courses. Fellows also have been very effective at incorporating their postdoctoral research interests and techniques into various lecture and lab topics to not only enhance science learning but also drive home how important being a researcher is to the advancement of medical science. The INSPIRE program provides valuable career development for post‐docs interested in advancing both their research and teaching skills. The hands‐on training they are receiving in how to balance research and teaching has already proved to help a large percentage of INSPIRE fellows obtain academic positions at both PUIs and research‐intensive institutions. Partner institutions benefit as well for INSPIRE is proving to have a positive impact at MEC, especially in the areas of science curriculum, research and undergraduate career development. INSPIRE fellows have provided new ideas and techniques to improve teaching and learning of various course topics, and have worked with MEC faculty to develop new undergraduate courses and research collaborations. Being a partner institution in the INSPIRE program has placed well‐trained post‐doc researchers, with a passion for teaching, on our campus to interact with our undergraduate students both in and out of the classroom. By relating their own experiences on how to prepare for and navigated graduate school, INSPIRE fellows are serving as excellent role models for MEC students, effectively building up their self‐confidence about applying to graduate school and motivating many to think about biomedical research careers.Support or Funding InformationNIH/IRACDA ‐ 5K12GM093854

The Hidden Curriculum in Health Professional Education

The Hidden Curriculum in Health Professional Education

How Field Experiences Prepare Pre-service Teachers in Teaching Elementary Mathematics

Field experience is a foundation among teacher education programs in which student-teachers are provided with excellent role models willing to engage in a reflective practice of the teaching profession. This descriptive-narrative-phenomenological study is anchored on the theory that field experiences contributes to the mathematical pedagogical content knowledge of pre-service teachers. Responses from 60 elementary education pre-service teachers revealed that field experiences significantly affect their preparation for teaching elementary mathematics not only in the areas of content and pedagogy but also in management and social relationship. The study thus concludes that field experiences materialized the desire of every teacher education institution to model teacher candidates in all aspects of pedagogical content knowledge though intense exposure that enrich and enhance their capability in teaching elementary mathematics.

타문화권 선교사의 본보기로서의 족장들

Howard A. Snyder is said to have continuously pursued inductive Bible study reflected in the sentence “We study the Bible not to confirm what we already believe but to find out what it actually teaches, whether that cements or shatters our assumptions,” learned when he was a seminary student.This paper is a piece of the treasure discovered in the author’s continuous journey of inductive Bible study and research in transformative effects. The paper is an extension of the author’s long-lived assertion that the attitude of the missionary is the most important factor in cross-cultural mission. tarting from Genesis 12, God chooses and focuses on one household as a novel and active strategy to bless mankind. From Genesis 12, Abraham and his descendents are nearly the sole subjects of God’s holy history. Arthur F. Glasser proposed that in the end, Abraham became the pioneer in mission. The author further takes this idea and claims that the patriarchs of the Israelite clan, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are excellent role models of cross-cultural mission. In this paper, the concept of “model,” which is classified by A. Scott Moreau as physical, metaphoric, and theoretical, is used in the context of a metaphoric model. The patriarchs are models in the sense that they are aspired by cross-cultural missionaries as a certain ideal. Therefore, an effort is made to extract the examples of being a cross-cultural missionary from the lives of the patriarchs. This is because they are recognized as the model, in other words the standard or the criterion, of cross-cultural missionaries. Through this study, the author finds the theoretical framework of the standards for cross-cultural missionaries: from Abraham, the relationship-succeeding missionary, from Isaac, the well-transferring missionary, from Jacob, the missionary that moved the stone from the mouth of the well. Abraham, who sustained a relationship based on faith and obedience with God and a relationship based on love with the indigenous people, is worthy of being called the pioneer of cross-cultural mission. Isaac, acclaimed for his obedience and concession, is a textbook example of cross-cultural mission in the aspects of transfer and exit strategy. Jacob is also a good model for cross-cultural missionaries in terms of his strategic planning in which the importance of timing, setting goals, and having a phased approach are comprehensively utilized. The author depicts a picture in which cross-cultural missionaries, who must do the work of God while facing many challenges in life, skillfully walk the difficult road paved by the three generations of patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that beautifully embroidered the book of Genesis.

Stimulating the Development of Creativity and Passion in Children and Teenagers in Family and School Environment – Inhibitors and Opportunities to Overcome them

Developing students’ creativity is becoming one of the important goals of educational activities. This interest stems predominantly from the need of various sectors of the economy to train future staff, who will generate new technological solutions, which will be a vital part of the economic future of many parts of the world, including the European Union. The importance of staff creativity for social development is also being increasingly emphasized.A key role in developing the creativity of students in all ages is played by formal education. Teachers have become responsible for stimulating the creative abilities of students, shaping their personality traits and attitudes conducive to creativity, as well as for teaching students the skills of creative thinking and creative problem solving. School and family environment should “develop skills and install the spring which will elevate the student to a higher level of his development.” In order to do this, it is necessary to: take children's work and efforts they put into their own education seriously; elicit the knowledge acquired by students; convey knowledge which is a necessary raw material for creative activity; organize meetings with people whom students can see as excellent role models of creative attitude; and, finally, teach students how to take up efforts and persevere in their work, because creativity requires perseverance and long-term commitment.Therefore, it is worth knowing the inhibitors of creativity and ways to overcome them. This is a challenge parents and teachers have to face up to. It is difficult but not impossible.

Medical school curriculum characteristics associated with intentions and frequency of tobacco dependence treatment among 3rd year U.S. medical students

ObjectivePhysicians play a critical role in addressing tobacco dependence, yet report limited training. Tobacco dependence treatment curricula for medical students could improve performance in this area. This study identified student and medical school tobacco treatment curricula characteristics associated with intentions and use of the 5As for tobacco treatment among 3rd year U.S. medical students. MethodsThird year medical students (N=1065, 49.3% male) from 10 U.S. medical schools completed a survey in 2009–2010 assessing student characteristics, including demographics, tobacco treatment knowledge, and self-efficacy. Tobacco curricula characteristics assessed included amount and type of classroom instruction, frequency of tobacco treatment observation, instruction, and perception of preceptors as role models. ResultsGreater tobacco treatment knowledge, self-efficacy, and curriculum-specific variables were associated with 5A intentions, while younger age, tobacco treatment self-efficacy, intentions, and each curriculum-specific variable were associated with greater 5A behaviors. When controlling for important student variables, greater frequency of receiving 5A instruction (OR=1.07; 95%CI 1.01–1.12) and perception of preceptors as excellent role models in tobacco treatment (OR=1.35; 95%CI 1.04–1.75) were significant curriculum predictors of 5A intentions. Greater 5A instruction (B=.06 (.03); p<.05) and observation of tobacco treatment (B=.35 (.02); p<.001) were significant curriculum predictors of greater 5A behaviors. ConclusionsGreater exposure to tobacco treatment teaching during medical school is associated with both greater intentions to use and practice tobacco 5As. Clerkship preceptors, or those physicians who provide training to medical students, may be particularly influential when they personally model and instruct students in tobacco dependence treatment.

The Creation of the Canadian Connective Tissue Conference (CCTC): Twenty Years on.

Background When I arrived in Canada in 1977 to establish and direct the Joint Diseases Laboratory at the Shriners Hospital, McGill University, I came from a strong background in connective tissue research in Britain. Originally, in the 1960s, we had national Collagen,Mucopolysaccharide and the Bone and Tooth interest groups that each met regularly and separately. Eventually, the first two groups merged to form the British Society for Matrix Biology. This was and continues to be a very important society as it provides a common meeting ground for students and scientists interested in connective tissue research where progress is shared and collaborations are forged and new training and job opportunities explored. But on arrival in Canada there was very little research in this fundamentally important area. Tony Melchers MRC group in periodontal physiology, that included Jaro Sodek, based in Toronto, was the only group of its kind at that time. There were researchers working on small soft tissue proteoglycans, in Edmonton, Alberta, namely Paul Scott and Carl Pearson; C.P Leblond and his colleagues at McGill who had contributed so much to our understanding of connective tissues and developmental biology, their work inspiring us all. Michel van der Rest was working on collagen in the adjacent Genetics Laboratory at the Shriners Hospital. Dick Cruess, chair of orthopaedics at McGill and Chief Surgeon at Shriners Hospital, who had invited me to start a group at the Shriners Hospital, and his colleague Nelson Mitchell, both based at the Royal Victoria Hospital, were involved in research on joint tissues. They were excellent early role models for the surgeon/ scientist. A number of arthritis researchers were scattered across Canada, mainly with interests in inflammatory arthritis. Connective tissues were never mentioned. Following my arrival, my contacts were mainly with Tony Melcher’s group and laboratories in the USA where there already existed a very strong community of outstanding connective tissue researchers, especially those working on cartilage. These included Larry Rosenberg in NewYork, who gave up orthopaedics to pursue his passion-research on proteoglycans, and Vince Hascall at NIH (proteoglycans) and David Howell and Fred Woessner in Miami (proteases and proteoglycans). Meanwhile Peter Roughley (proteoglycans), John Mort and Anneliese Recklies (proteases) and Elaine Golds (inflammation/cytokines) had joined me in Montreal. Interest in connective tissues had grown progressively in Toronto, with Ken Pritzker working on osteoarthritis, the arrival of Marc Grynpas (bone) from Boston and Rita Kandel (cartilage). Meanwhile, in the early 1980s, Cy Frank, a young orthopaedic surgeon, also with a passion for research, had established a research program in Calgary that would involve orthopaedics, rheumatology, cartilage, tendon, ligament, proteases and bioengineering. By the beginning of the 1990s, Canada had many connective researchers. But they rarely met. Our main meetings were south of the border, such as the Orthopaedic Research Society, or in Europe. There were no opportunities for Canadian scientists and young researchers to meet on a regular basis, and for trainees to seek guidance and explore further training and job opportunities in Canada. I knew of many young researchers moving to the states, often never to return, often because of the lack of a Canadian meeting place.

Daniel Greer Young

Daniel Greer Young (“Dan”) undertook his national service serving in Ghana on a special short service commission, during which time the country celebrated its independence. He returned to Glasgow via...

Irwin L. Goldstein (1937–2013).

Irwin L. Goldstein-known as Irv by everyone-was born in New York City on October 4, 1937 and died on March 18, 2013. Irv loved ideas, especially good theoretical ideas that had practical applications. He was both a scholar and a practitioner of industrial psychology. At various times, he was associate editor of both the Journal of Applied Psychology and Human Factors, and his very influential book Training in Organizations (1974) went through four editions. The Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) benefited enormously from his efforts on its behalf. If you chatted with Irv about any of his administrative positions, but especially about this last one, you would hear how much he felt, once again, that he was learning and how excited he was about what was actually possible in higher education. Irv retired from this position in 2012. In his many academic administrative roles, Irv was a mentor to all-graduate students, faculty, department chairs, and deans as well. Irv had had excellent role models to work from, and he cared for excellence and hard work-always with a twinkle in his eyes.

Patient perceptions of bedside teaching rounds

Over recent years the training of medical students and residents has moved away from the bedside. Various authors have cited barriers to bedside teaching, many of which are patient-centred and involve issues such as patient embarrassment and humiliation, and lack of patient cooperation.1 The patient's bedside is where both medical students and residents are introduced to the art of physical diagnosis and where they are able to view the essential components of professionalism and humanism. Bedside teaching rounds also allow medical students and residents to translate basic science into clinical medicine. Yet time spent teaching and learning at the bedside has significantly decreased. The aim of this study was to evaluate patients' comfort with bedside teaching, as well as patient perceptions of the educational value of bedside training for both patients and learners. A total of 67 patients, who were admitted to an in-patient medical service at an academic tertiary hospital over a 10-month period during 2009–2010, were selected to take part in weekly physical diagnosis rounds. Within 24 hours of the completion of rounds, a patient questionnaire was administered by a medical student who was unknown to the patient and had not been present during the rounds. The questionnaire addressed three domains: the patient's perceived experience of the rounds; the educational benefit of the rounds, and the doctor's ability to serve as a role model at the bedside. The questionnaire consisted of a series of 10 statements, agreement with which was indicated using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Means and standard deviations (SDs) were calculated. The patients disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statements that the rounds disrupted their morning or made them more upset about their illnesses (mean ± SD: 1.7 ± 1.0 and 1.5 ± 0.5, respectively). Patients agreed or strongly agreed that the rounds gave them opportunities to express their feelings about their illnesses (mean ± SD: 4.2 ± 0.9). Patients agreed or strongly agreed that the rounds were carried out in a way that showed respect for them as people (mean ± SD: 4.4 ± 0.6). Patients agreed or strongly agreed that their involvement in rounds gave them a sense of contributing to the education of doctors (mean ± SD: 4.5 ± 0.5) and demonstrated the importance of teaching physical diagnosis skills (mean ± SD: 4.5 ± 0.5). Lastly, patients agreed or strongly agreed that the attending physician was an excellent role model (mean ± SD: 4.5 ± 0.5). Results from the questionnaire revealed that patients had positive experiences and views of the rounds, felt positively about the educational benefits of bedside physical diagnosis rounds and believed that the attending physician was a positive role model at the bedside. The findings of this study should encourage attending physicians to return to the time-honoured tradition of teaching at the bedside, not only for the educational benefit of students and residents, but also for the potential benefit of patients.

Fruit walls and nut shells as an inspiration for the design of bio-inspired impact-resistant hierarchically structured materials

Until today the structuring of different types of fruit walls has been used only as an inspiration for packaging when seen from a biomimetic perspective. However, by a detailed investigation of the Macadamia nut with its tough testa, Citrus maxima, possessing a large spongy mesocarp and Cocos nucifera, having a combination of a fi brous mesocarp and a tough endocarp, it becomes evident that those structures also provide excellent biological role models for impact- and puncture-resistant materials. Both Citrus maxima and Cocos nucifera are relatively heavy, lack any aerodynamic adaptation and share the same challenge of having to withstand the impact from heights of >10 m. Conducting high-speed camera-controlled free fall experiments of Citrus maxima from 6 m height, we could demonstrate a deceleration of the fruits of 3100 m/s², which corresponds to 316 g, without any visible damage of the fruit. An analysis using cyclic quasi-static compression tests of the pericarp of Citrus maxima revealed that the material behaves constant in good approximation after the fi rst loading cycle. During the fi rst cycle, almost 75% of the energy is dissipated. The pericarp of Citrus maxima is highly visco-elastic, which causes the samples within 1 min to recover 30% of their initial deformation caused by loading to 40% strain. The mesocarp of Citrus maxima is best described as an open-pore foam with a gradual increase in the pore size. Understanding the principles of as to how combining the structure and material in biological constructions yields a fully functional protection layer will allow us to construct new lightweight bio-inspired materials of high impact and puncture resistance with a combination of high energy dissipation, benign failure and almost complete recovery from large deformations.

Remembering my mentor, Dr. Irena Koprowska

Remembering my mentor, Dr. Irena Koprowska

Keck and Reed Respond

We are glad that Levy agrees the experiences of Cuba’s National Health System offer some lessons for us in the United States as we struggle with health system reform and improving health professional education. Space limitations precluded a description of the direct contribution Cuba is making to the education of US medical students through the Latin American Medical School (ELAM), and the impact Cuban-trained American physicians may have on medically underserved populations in this country and the newly forming Accountable Care Communities described in our article. ELAM, established in 1999 and located in a former naval academy near Havana, Cuba, provides scholarships for poor students from around the world to study medicine with a curriculum based on social accountability—addressing priority health needs with a particular focus on the medically underserved. Since 2005 the school’s more than 12 000 graduates from 65 countries will undoubtedly help mitigate the shortage of physicians worldwide, particularly in developing nations.1,2 Little known is the fact that some 200 US citizens are enrolled in or have graduated from ELAM.1 These are young people principally from low-income families and minorities underrepresented in the health professions. They have the intellectual ability, but not the financial resources, to go to medical school in the United States. In return for their scholarships, they promise to practice in distressed or shortage areas in the United States—much like the communities they call home. Medical education in publicly supported US medical schools carries a hefty price tag at about $50 000 annually.3 Thus, provision of 200 scholarships for US students may be viewed as a $40 million contribution by Cuba to our efforts to rectify disparities in access to care. An added bonus is that these physicians are well trained in prevention-oriented primary care and are fully bilingual in English and Spanish—Spanish being the language for medical instruction in Cuba. This is quite remarkable given the level of political enmity between our two countries. Many of these US ELAM graduates have already passed their US Medical Licensing Examinations, and some have already matched for residency placements across the country. We believe communities and institutions interested in improving services for the underserved and building an Accountable Care Community consortium may do well to seek out these returning physicians for primary care residencies and eventual employment. They have the potential to be excellent role models and thoughtful leaders, as more responsive and effective health services delivery evolves in the United States.

APhA–ASP honors student supporters

APhA–ASP honors student supporters

Medical weblogs: advocacy for positive cyber role models

The development of empathy and of medical professionalism is important in medical education. Research has shown a decline in empathy during medical study. An important factor that may contribute to this decline is the lack of positive role models. Students identify positive and negative role models in the clinical ward and in classrooms. Positive clinical role models, showing good professionalism, will foster the student's professional growth. Students base both knowledge and opinions on information they find on the internet, such as 'medical weblogs'. These weblogs may be regarded as a new aspect of the 'informal curriculum', even though they might be written by 'negative role models'. In our experience, students frequently require debriefing of the undifferentiated, frequently disrespectful, grotesque or unprofessional approaches they encounter in general, and in this aspect online in particular. When written by appropriate professionals, medical weblogs can provide a unique opportunity for the medical student to follow the writings of positive role models. Would it be a worthwhile investment if globally distributed medical professionals from different specialties put time and effort into writing weblogs on their daily practice and reflections? These weblogs could be assembled on one international educational website, labelled as 'professionally approved' and made easily accessible. Medical students internationally would have access to the daily practice of medical professionals who are excellent positive role models. They could also be encouraged to discuss issues with them. We hypothesise that witnessing the encounters of these globally distributed doctors, and following their reflections, may add to the growth of empathy and professionalism in students.

Ann Scott Blouin, RN, PhD, FACHE

Ann Scott Blouin has certainly had an esteemed career, which now has taken her to be the first nurse to assume the position as executive vice president for accreditation and certification operations at The Joint Commission!

The many positive impacts of participating in outreach activities on postgraduate students

Postgraduate students are excellent role models for school students, where their passion and energy play a vital role in engaging younger students and spreading enthusiasm and excitement about science. However, participating in outreach is not a one way activity for these postgraduate students. Through focus groups we show that the postgraduate students perceive that there are many benefits for themselves. These benefits are identified and discussed. This paper also contrasts the postgraduate with their undergraduate counterpart in terms of their contributions to engagement activities.

The many positive impacts of participating in outreach activities on postgraduate students

Postgraduate students are excellent role models for school students, where their passion and energy play a vital role in engaging younger students and spreading enthusiasm and excitement about science. However, participating in outreach is not a one way activity for these postgraduate students. Through focus groups we show that the postgraduate students perceive that there are many benefits for themselves. These benefits are identified and discussed. This paper also contrasts the postgraduate with their undergraduate counterpart in terms of their contributions to engagement activities.

Novel Teaching of Advance Care Planning Conversations for Family Doctors

Though most doctors recognize the value of Advance Care Planning (ACP) only a minority of doctors feel comfortable raising the topic with patients. This results in many patients being denied...