Extracurricular Courses Research Articles

Status quo of operative training in emergency surgery in Germany – results of a survey

BackgroundEmergencies and emergency surgeries are a central part of everyday surgical care in Germany. However, it is unclear how emergency surgery is practically trained in clinics on a daily basis and what training concept is underlying. Therefore, the aim of this survey study was to capture the status quo of emergency surgical training of German general and visceral surgeons.MethodsThe members of the German Society for General and Visceral Surgery were surveyed online (n = 5281). The questionnaire included demographic data and expertise in surgery and assistance in emergency surgery regarding common emergency surgical operations. In addition, further training measures in emergency surgery and their support by employers were queried.ResultsOnly complete questionnaires (n = 184, response rate 3.5%) were included in the analysis. Most participants were in training (n = 69; 38%), followed by senior physicians (n = 52; 29%), specialists (n = 31; 17%) and chief physicians (n = 30; 17%). 64% of the participants were employed at university hospitals or maximum care hospitals. Regarding further training opportunities, in-clinic shock room training was most frequently used. Outside of their own clinic, the ATLS course was most frequently mentioned. Operations for cholecystitis and appendicitis as well as emergency stoma procedures are the most common emergency procedures. There was a strong difference in the frequency of operated cases depending on the level of training. For operations to treat acute abdominal traumas (hemostasis of liver and spleen, packing) as well as outside of visceral surgery, only low competence was reported. Over 90% of survey participants consider emergency surgery to be an indispensable core competence. Neither in the old (76%) nor in the new training regulations (47%) is emergency surgery adequately represented according to the participants’ assessment. There was a significantly lower prevalence of the “sub-steps concept” in emergency surgery at 38% compared to elective surgery (44%). Important elements of imparting skills in emergency surgery are simulation and courses as well as operative sub-steps, according to the majority of survey participants.ConclusionThe results show that general and visceral surgeons in Germany are introduced to emergency surgery too little structured during further training and at specialist level. The survey participants had, as expected, hardly any experience in emergency surgery outside of visceral surgery but surprisingly also little experience in visceral surgical trauma care. There is a need to discuss the future organization of emergency surgical training. Adequate simulation structures and extracurricular courses could contribute to an improvement in this respect.

An analytical tool for assessing the formation of the scientific mind of students participating in inquiry activities

ABSTRACT This work reports the development and application of an analytical tool for the analysis of the formation of the scientific mind of students who took part in inquiry activities, based on the philosophy of Gaston Bachelard, in a Chemistry Club. For the construction of the analytical instrument, an extracurricular course was offered to first-year high school students in which theoretical-practical inquiry activities were carried out at level 4, where the students were required to propose a hypothesis to begin the inquiry activities. Based on the students’ responses, as well as on the theoretical framework and other theoretical perspectives on science teaching – which also take inquiry teaching into account, the analytical instrument, titled Analytical Map of the Scientific Mind, was constructed. The validation of the instrument was carried out through the application of double-blind analysis of the responses provided by the students in the inquiry-based activities developed in the Chemistry Club. The findings of this study showed that the analytical tool was able to categorise the ideas expressed by the students and helped monitor the development of the scientific mind.

Visualising relativity: assessing high school students’ understanding of complex physics concepts through AI-generated images

This study investigates how students utilized artificial intelligence (AI)-generated images to represent their understanding of general relativity concepts. Ten high school students participated in an extracurricular course on relativity theory. Using AI chatbot, these students created visual representations of ‘relativity’ before and after the course. The produced images, the accompanying prompts, student interviews, and their test scores were analysed to examine students’ conceptual understanding and interactions with AI. Students with a clearer understanding of relativity tended to focus their prompts on more central concepts like spacetime deformation. In contrast, those with a weaker understanding leaned towards more tangential ideas. The clarity of their prompts was directly linked to more effective AI interactions, leading to more meaningful image generation. Despite this, some students faced challenges in crafting coherent prompts, resulting in less relevant images, indicating that understanding the concept does not always translate into successful AI engagement. The study underscores the potential of AI-generated images as a tool to illuminate student conceptualisation and interaction skills with AI in the context of complex physics concepts, offering a novel approach to evaluating understanding in advanced scientific topics.

Enhancing application and long-term retention of clinical knowledge using an extracurricular non-credit course

Background and purposeCurricular overload in doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) programs is necessitating innovative approaches to support student learning. The purpose of this study was to describe the design, delivery, and assessment of a non-credit extracurricular course that reinforced foundational concepts through the application of learning in case-based activities. Educational activity and settingA 14-week extracurricular course, designed using principles of spaced repetition and interleaving in the context of case-based exercises, was offered to third-year PharmD students. Content focused on Top 300 and over-the-counter medications, brown bag sessions/drug utilization review, and medication therapy management. Short-term course effectiveness was assessed through post-course focus groups. Longitudinal effectiveness was assessed nine months post-course using an online survey. Qualitative data were analyzed using a content analysis process with overarching themes identified. Clinical interventions identified in the post-course survey were analyzed descriptively. FindingsTwenty-four students completed the course and all assessments. Focus group themes were: (1) making connections to prior learning; (2) moving beyond memorizing facts; and (3) benefit from a low-stakes course. Students identified 162 course-linked clinical interventions during advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) in 16 different settings. SummaryStudent learning can be enhanced through integration of evidence-based teaching strategies both within and across the curriculum. This can be accomplished not only through introduction of an extracurricular course but through modification of existing courses. Providing additional opportunities for reinforcing core clinical knowledge and applying clinical decision-making in a low-stakes environment was well-received by students and helped them make clinical interventions during APPEs.

Medical Interns' Skill Levels in Emergency Chest X-ray Interpretation

Objectives: The research aims to evaluate the proficiency of medical interns in identifying critical findings on chest X-rays, such as pneumothorax, pleural effusion, pulmonary edema, pneumonia, and other urgent conditions. It also seeks to determine the interns' capability to differentiate between normal and abnormal findings, as well as their ability to prioritize and communicate these findings to senior medical staff promptly. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional online questionnaire-based form was used to collect data from medical interns across different medical schools around Saudi Arabia. Pearson correlation was carried out to see the relationship between x-ray interpretation scores and degree of confidence. A Fischer exact test was conducted to find an association between the demographic characteristics and diagnostic accuracy of X-rays. Results: A total of 545 medical interns from different universities participated in this study. The lowest diagnosis accuracy (27%) was when identifying a case of left lower lobe pneumonia. On the other hand, the most identified case (60.9%) was COVID-19 pneumonia. In cases of life-threatening conditions, only 13.1% of them have high confidence in their diagnosis of pneumoperitoneum, and 23.8% have high confidence in their diagnosis of pneumothorax. Normal CXR was answered incorrectly by 47.7% of the participants. The performance among recently started interns for some conditions is better than that of recently finished interns. Moreover, there are no significant differences in performance between those who are interested in radiology and those who are not. More than half of the participants advise doing extracurricular courses, practical case-based training in college, and volunteer work in radiology to improve their CXR interpretation skills. Conclusion: The competence of medical interns in interpreting chest X-rays varied across different medical conditions. Only 27.0% of interns correctly identified left lower lobe pneumonia, while 60.9% of them were able to identify COVID-19 pneumonia. Medical interns' competencies have limitations across different medical conditions; therefore, increasing exposure to radiological cases during internships and adequate training in college are recommended.

‘You are the hero’: teaching great literature in a London Jesuit school

This article argues that Ignatian pedagogy in the Jesuit tradition allows great literature to become transformative. It takes as a case study an extracurricular course – ‘Becoming a Hero: From Homer to Harry Potter’ – taught to a socially diverse group of key stage three ‘gifted and talented’ children in a London Jesuit comprehensive school. While secondary teaching is normally geared towards high-stakes summative assessment, this course aims instead at personal growth. Young people discover themselves as the heroes in a perennial plotline which appears throughout both classic texts and young adult fiction. The teacher (himself a Jesuit) had previously taught the course to undergraduates at Harvard University. Adapting it for younger children, he makes the case for ‘gifted and talented’ provision and narrates his use of assessment for prior learning and creative teaching techniques in order to ensure holistic – spiritual, intellectual, and emotional – learning beyond the curriculum.

Digital videos in the English as a Second Language classroom

This study aimed at investigating the use of digital videos for L2 development, with the specific objectives of identifying the: 1) frequency of use and the sources of the videos, 2) selection criteria and instructional use, and 3) perception of their benefits. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire with thirteen English teachers from extracurricular courses offered at the Federal University of Santa Catarina. The results showed that 8 teachers reported using videos about 20% of their classes; 1, 40%; 1, 60%; and 3, 80%. Most teachers use videos from YouTube, TED talk videos, DVDs in general, and videos accompanying the textbooks. For the selection criteria, teachers use: video length, authenticity, difficulty level, topic adequacy in relation to the topic in class, grammar and vocabulary presentation in context; and for the instructional use, videos are used mostly to teach vocabulary and grammar, introduce and explain the topics related to the unit, contextualize the language and foster topic discussions, show diversity of language with abstract/poetic language, promote skills development, and prepare for activities. The perceived benefits include contextualization and authentic use of the language, language use in its natural pace, topic introduction and explanation assistance, attractiveness and engagement, delivery of visual input, and use of subtitles. The possible conclusions are that digital videos are present and can contribute for L2 development, and that teachers are capitalizing on their best use in their L2 classrooms.

경찰 직무별 핵심역량을 반영한 경찰학 역량기반 교육 방안

In response to changes in the internal and external environment of universities along with changes in the police organization in Korea, changes are needed in the education of four-year police departments nationwide. Accordingly, police-related departments that have the educational goal of cultivating excellent public safety experts propose a plan to organize and operate a competency-based curriculum suitable for them. For competency-based education, the core competency of the police was derived by analyzing 「Guidebook on Core Competence by Police Job」 published by the National Police Agency. As a result of the analysis, the core competencies of the police are 7: situation judgment, problem solving, collaboration (teamwork), communication, interpersonal relationships, integrated thinking, understanding and application of laws, and these are reflected in the police science competency-based curriculum. Applying innovative teaching methods rather than setting competencies in individual subjects is more appropriate for competency-based education. Various innovative teaching methods such as flipped learning, discussion class, problem-based learning, and project-based learning should be applied to the police science curriculum. Police science competency-based education using innovative teaching methods requires not only the interest and efforts of the instructors, but also the willingness to participate and a lot of effort from the learners, from course design to operation and evaluation. This will contribute to sharing the results of competency-based education and designing a standardized competency-based curriculum. Since there are limitations in cultivating the core competencies of the police through the major curriculum, the lacking parts must be supplemented through liberal arts and extracurricular courses.

The Level of Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Dementia Among Senior Medical Students in Recife, Brazil.

Aging is no longer a phenomenon for society; it has become a reality in all countries, leading to a notable increase in the prevalence of dementia, a common condition among the elderly population. This situation highlights the importance of adequately preparing future healthcare professionals with the necessary knowledge and attitudes to effectively care for dementia patients. This study aims to describe the knowledge and attitudes towarddementia among fifth- and sixth-year medical students at a prestigious medical school in Recife, Brazil. A descriptive, analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in which participants answered questionnaires related to epidemiological and educational data of the involved students, the assessment of the sample's knowledge regarding dementia, and addressing attitudetoward a patient with dementia. Data collection took place online, targeting fifth- and sixth-year medical students at the Faculdade Pernambucana de Saúde (FPS). A total of 111 students participated in the study, with a majority of females (73.9%), most of them in the fifth year of medical school (79.3%). While the majority of the students received training during their undergraduate studies on cognitive changes related to dementia (58.6%), this knowledge was mostly theoretical (64%), and only a few students took extracurricular courses on the subject (7.2%). Regarding the questionnaire evaluating students' knowledge, the overall mean was 6.69 points (on a scale of 0-14). Notably, there was no significant difference in correct answers among the tested areas of epidemiology, diagnosis, and management, with percentages of correct answersof 49.8%, 45.27%, and 52.53%, respectively. As for their attitudes towarddementia, the majority of students responded in a manner consistent with current literature and best practices for managing patients with functional dependence and cognitive changes. The results indicate that despite the notable rise in dementia cases across the world, the study revealed that the participants lacked essential knowledge about dementia. However, most of them demonstrated attitudes aligned with the best practices for managing dementia patients and their families. These data may suggest the need for greater attention in the teaching-learning process on the part of the medical school, as well as the promotion of extracurricular activities on this topic, in addition to enhancing the promotion of practical activities in geriatrics.

Biobank Education for Future Physicians: Training Medical Students Through Student Research Association Networks.

Research biobanks have become crucial collaborators in a variety of basic and clinical research projects with comprehensive biological sample collection and associated data storage. Medical students, who are the most important stakeholders of biobanks as future physicians, need to be trained in biobanking; however, there is no consensus on how to include it in formal education. This study aimed to determine and increase awareness among medical students regarding biobanks through peer training organized online by medical student research association networks. Volunteer medical or graduate students were trained by biobank professionals at the Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG) biobank for 6-9 months. Then, a biobank event was planned by these trainees, the Ege Scientific Research Team (ESRT), and IBG-Biobank with the support of The Biobanking and BioMolecular Resources Research Infrastructure (BBMRI) Turkey. The study reached students of 46 different medical faculties. Before the event, students' level of knowledge about biobanks was identified using a pre-event questionnaire (n = 239). Following 2 days (4 main sessions) of online events, a post-event questionnaire was administered to event participants (n = 110) and 80.9% of them answered (n = 89). The pre-event survey revealed that only 34.3% of the medical students had heard of the term "Biobank" in Turkey. After the event, medical students were significantly more enthusiastic about putting effort into biobanking and using and sharing stored biobank samples of their patients compared with the pre-event (p < 0.0001). Moreover, 92% of the students stated that they would consider attending an advanced course in biobanking. In conclusion, the current study demonstrates that extracurricular courses with peer learning methods coordinated with medical student associations can be valuable in increasing future physicians' awareness and knowledge of biobanking.

Transforming stress program on medical students’ stress mindset and coping strategies: a quasi-experimental study

ObjectiveStress is a significant concern in medical education, and identifying effective ways to deal with stress may help with students’ mental health and professional development. This study aimed to examine the effects of the Transforming Stress Program (TSP) amongst first-year medical students on their stress mindset and coping strategies when confronted with stressors.MethodsWe conducted a quasi-experimental study at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. A total of 409 first-year students at the Faculty of Medicine were divided into intervention group (205 students) and control group (204 students). The 10-week TSP was delivered as an extra-curricular course. The training adopts psychoeducation based on Dialectical Behavioral Therapy with mindfulness as a fundamental practice incorporated into each component of the program. The intervention group received the training in the first semester; the control group received identical program in the second semester. Stress Mindset Measurement and Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced were measured before the intervention (T0), immediately after intervention on Intervention group (T1), and six months after intervention on Intervention group (T2).ResultsAt T1, the intervention group showed 65% improvements in stress mindset scores and increases in coping strategies scores in six domains (Problem solving, Social support, Humor, Religion, Venting, and Self-distraction) and decreases in three (Avoidance, Substance use, and Self-blame). The effect sizes were significant in all outcomes (Cohen’s d > 0.2). Measurements of the control group did not change significantly in the same period. At T2, effects of the TSP were found decreased in some domains (Avoidance, Substance use, and Self-blame) compared to T1, but largely remained significantly better than T0.ConclusionsThe TSP is a feasible and effective approach that significantly enhanced medical students’ stress mindset and coping strategies. Some effects were still observable 6 months after the intervention. The relatively intensive intervention requires support of the school administration and staff.

A Case Study on Linking Curriculum and Extracurricular Courses - Focusing on Debate Contest -

A Case Study on Linking Curriculum and Extracurricular Courses - Focusing on Debate Contest -

Teaching Health Literacy and Digital Literacy Together at University Level: The FLOURISH Module.

Many universities have wellness programs to promote overall health and well-being. Using students' own personal data as part of improving their own wellness would seem to be a natural fit given that most university students are already data and information literate. In this work, we aim to show how the interplay between health literacy and data literacy can be used and taught together. The method we use is the development and delivery of the FLOURISH module, an accredited, online-only but extra-curricular course that delivers practical tips in the areas that impact students' everyday wellness including sleep, nutrition, work habits, procrastination, relationships with others, physical activity, positive psychology, critical thinking, and more. For most of these topics, students gather personal data related to the topic and submit an analysis of their data for assessment thus demonstrating how students can use their personal data for their benefit. More than 350 students have taken the module and an analysis of the use of online resources, as well as feedback on the module experience, are presented. The contributions of this article are to further endorse the need for health literacy and digital literacy for students, and we demonstrate that these can be taught together making each literacy more appealing to the digital natives of Generation Z who make up the majority of students. The implications for public health research and practice are that two student literacies, health and digital, are not independent and for our students, they should be taught together.

The Impact of On-Campus Health Promotion Activities on Healthy Lifestyle Behaviours of Indian University Students

Background: A paucity of information exists on the impact of health-promoting activities conducted in low-and-middle-income country settings including Indian Higher Education Institution (HEI). Health promoting universities offer a variety of on-campus health promotion activities to improve the health and lifestyle of the university students. However, the information on the impact of such programmes are scanty. Aim: The study aimed to assess the university students' Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profiles (HPLP) before and after exposure to the ongoing on-campus health promotional activities for one year. Methods: All freshmen admitted to an international university in India, with campuses across the major cities, were enrolled in the study. The study was conducted in two phases; phase 1 assessed the baseline existing HPLP scores of these students and phase 2 investigated the impact of on-campus health promotion activities for one year on the HPLP scores, a proxy for healthy lifestyle behaviour. Results: The total HPLP scores differed significantly between the two phases (137.9 vs 130.9; p=0.000). Similarly, a significant increase in physical activity scores between the two phases was observed (17.8 vs 19.5; p=0.000). A gender-wise comparison of total and sub-scale HPLP scores of phase I reported significantly higher total HPLP, health responsibility, nutrition, and interpersonal sub-scale scores in females; and significantly higher physical activity scores in males (18.5 vs 17.3; p=0.000). In phase 2, females had significantly higher scores in total HPLP, nutrition, interpersonal, and physical activity sub-scale scores. In both phases females had significantly higher total HPLP scores than males (Phase 1: 137.6 vs 139.8; p=0.000; Phase 2 130.6 vs 131.3; p=0.000). Conclusions: A gender-wise difference on the impact of on-campus health promoting activities with higher impact on females was observed. A more focused, systematic and targeted approach through curricular, co-curricular and extracurricular courses may further improve the HPLP scores of Indian university students.

A Serious Game About Hematology for Health Care Workers (SUPER HEMO): Development and Validation Study

Complete blood count (CBC) and hemostatic screening tests are among the most commonly prescribed blood tests worldwide. All health care workers (nurse practitioners, pharmacists, dentists, midwives, and physicians) are expected to correctly interpret the results in their daily practice. Currently, the undergraduate hematology curriculum consists predominantly of lecture-based teaching. Because hematology combines basic science (blood cells and hemostasis physiology) and clinical skills, students report that they do not easily master hematology with only lecture-based teaching. Having interviewed students at the University of Lorraine, we considered it necessary to develop new teaching approaches and methods. We aimed to develop and validate a serious game about CBC analysis for health care students. Our primary objective was to help students perceive hematology as being a playful and easy topic and for them to feel truly involved in taking care of their patients by analyzing blood tests. We considered that this game-based approach would be attractive to students as an addition to the classic lecture-based approach and improve their knowledge and skills in hematology. We developed an adventure game called SUPER HEMO, a video game in which the player assumes the role of a protagonist in an interactive story driven by exploration and problem-solving tests. Following validation with beta testing by a panel of volunteer students, we used a novel, integrated teaching approach. We added 1.5 hours of gaming to the standard curriculum for a small group of volunteer students. Physician and pharmacy students in their third year at a single French university were invited to attend this extracurricular course. Pregame and postgame tests and satisfaction surveys were immediately recorded. Final hematology exam results were analyzed. A total of 86 of 324 physician students (26.5%) and 67 of 115 pharmacy students (58%) opted to participate. Median scores on the pre- and posttests were 6 out of 10 versus 7 out of 10, respectively, for the physician students, (P<.001) and 7.5 out of 10 versus 8 out of 10, respectively, for the pharmacy students (P<.001). At the final hematology evaluation, physician students who played SUPER HEMO had a slightly better median score than those who did not: 13 out of 20 versus 12 out of 20, respectively (P=.002). Pharmacy students who played SUPER HEMO had a median score of 21.75 out of 30; this was not significantly different from pharmacy students who did not play SUPER HEMO (20/30; P=.12). Among the participants who answered the survey (n=143), more than 86% (123/143) believed they had strengthened their knowledge and nearly 80% (114/143) of them had fun. Feedback from this game session provided evidence to support the integration of interactive teaching methods in undergraduate hematology teaching. The development of SUPER HEMO is intended to be completed so that it can become a support tool for continuing education.

A didactic tool for updating the teaching-learning process of English as a foreign language

The teaching-learning process is a binomial in constant change due to its actors and contexts. Therefore, this process requires an update to respond to students’ needs according to their learning styles. Given this situation, the objective of this study is to know if TikTok, as a didactic tool, can contribute to said educational update and develop oral skills since it centers on communicative competence. Regarding the methodology, the descriptive quantitative approach took place on a 50-student sample enrolled in an extracurricular course. The findings provide contributions of a theoretical nature since they characterize TikTok as a didactic tool to update the English teaching-learning process with an innovative, participatory, and collaborative methodology with motivational features and ubiquitous learning. Besides, it contributes to oral skills development through the construction of knowledge, interpersonal relationships, discursive and sociocultural skills development, and the promotion of positive attitudes towards work (commitment).

Implementation of a Trauma-Informed Care Elective in Medical Education

Background: Education about the harm trauma does to one’s health is lacking in traditional medical school curricula. The goal of our elective extracurricular course on trauma-informed care (TIC) was to provide students with experience, knowledge, and resources to care for future patients who may have lived through traumatic experiences. Methods: We created a semester-long elective TIC course for first year medical students at a large, public medical school. We developed one - and one retrospective /post-course survey for studentsusing a mix of sliding scale and free text responses to capture student evaluations of the course. ANOVA was used for statistical analysis. Results: Of the 11 students who completed the retrospective - and post- surveys, there was a significant increase in student’s rating of their knowledge regarding impact of trauma on health by the end of the course (retro : 45.55+24.73, post: 81.64+11.79). Importantly, the group felt significantly more comfortable screening for intimate partner violence (retro : 34.09+31.05, post: 77.00+23.81), performing a physical exam for patient’s experiencing intimate partner violence (retro : 17.55+22.17, post: 67.27+18.35), accessing resources for patients experiencing addiction and recovery (retro : 35.00+32.25, post: 76.82+17.79), and caring for patients who have had adverse childhood experiences (retro : 28.27+32.18, post: 66.36+21.46). Discussion: This study is limited in a small sample size and the biases that accompany survey-based qualitative studies. It can only be interpreted in the context of a large public medical school in the southern United States. Conclusion: An elective course on TIC can be a way to make medical students feel more comfortable providing trauma-informed care. Additional research is needed to evaluate the long-term influence of a TIC course on medical students’ patient interactions.

การพัฒนาหลักสูตรรายวิชากิจกรรมเสริมหลักสูตรสำหรับสามเณร นักเรียน นักศึกษา วิทยาลัยเสริมทักษะพระภิกษุ สามเณร

The objectives of this research were to develop extracurricular courses and to assess the development of extracurricular courses for novices, students, and college students of College of Skills Enhancement for Monks and Novices, which is a qualitative research. The samples used in the research were a group of 14 persons involved in the development of extracurricular courses for novices at College of Skills Enhancement for Monks and Novices selected by purposive sampling. The research instruments were semi-structured interviews and curriculum feasibility assessments. Data were analyzed based on their content, mean, and standard deviation. The research results found that the development of extracurricular courses for novices at College of Skills Enhancement for Monks and Novices was developed from the curriculum development committee comprised of experts in many fields including course objectives, competencies, and course descriptions with the emphasis on activities in enhancing morality and ethics and other activities organized at an educational institution or establishment in all courses to provide learners with four vocational qualification standards: moral, ethical, desirable traits, such as knowledge and skills, and ability to adapt and responsibility. The extracurricular activities are structured to be at least 200 hours throughout each course with class scheduled for 2 hours/week and the feasibility assessment of extracurricular courses for novices, students, and college students of College of Skills Enhancement for Monks and Novices was found to be at a very good level overall and for each aspect.

Introducing Quantum Technologies at Secondary School Level: Challenges and Potential Impact of an Online Extracurricular Course

Stimulated by the European project “QTEdu CSA”, within the flagship “Quantum Technologies”, a community of researchers active in the fields of quantum technologies and physics education has designed and implemented an extracurricular course on quantum physics concepts and quantum technologies applications for high school. The course, which featured eight interactive lectures, was organized online between March and May 2021 and attended by about 250 students from all over Italy. In this paper, we describe the main tenets and activities of the course. Moreover, we report on the effectiveness of the course on students’ knowledge of the basic concepts of quantum physics and students’ views about epistemic aspects and applications of quantum technologies. Results show that the designed activities were effective in improving students’ knowledge about fundamental aspects of quantum mechanics and familiarizing them with quantum technology applications.

Satisfaction of Medical Students with Surgical Training: A Survey of Northern Italy

Background: Medical student satisfaction regarding the inclusion of surgical education into the medical curriculum may vary among learners. In this study, we analyzed the satisfaction of medical students in regard to how surgical topics were taught in Italian schools in 2021 through a survey. The results collected can be used to not only improve the quality of medical education in the future but to help students make informed decisions about their own education. Methods: An electronic survey was sent out to medical students in their third to sixth years across three medical schools in Northern Italy via their respective institutional secretaries. The questionnaire was available in Italian and English. It included both closed and open-ended questions regarding satisfaction with the teaching of surgical topics in Italian medical universities. Results: Results were reported following the Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (CHERRIES). Most respondents (87%) preferred to have an increase in surgery-related electives and/or extracurricular courses. Further, 51.2% of respondents expressed an increased interest in surgery after having observed in the Operating Room (OR). The majority of respondents (73.3%) also expressed that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had negatively impacted the quality of teaching of surgical topics. Conclusion: In the present survey study, Italian medical students preferred hands-on practice over theoretical lectures for surgical education. The majority of students stipulated that the inclusion of suturing, scrubbing, and good surgical practice workshops along with an increased OR attendance would facilitate a better understanding of surgery.