Five-year Program Research Articles

Optimising remote health workforce retention: protocol for a program of research

BackgroundNowhere is optimising healthcare staff retention more important than in primary health care (PHC) settings in remote Australia, where there are unacceptably high rates of staff burnout and turnover. Ensuing consequences for the remote health services and the community are acute – staffing shortfalls in clinics; organisational instability; excessive costs associated with frequent staff recruitment and orientation; diminished access to PHC for patients in need; and lack of continuity of patient care; all of which further entrench poor health outcomes for the community. Optimising remote healthcare staff retention is critical in order to provide high quality and continued PHC. Currently, however, there is paucity of knowledge to inform targeted and effective retention strategies in remote health services.This research program seeks to develop a stronger evidence base to understand (i) what retention strategies are effective in improving morale, job satisfaction, intention to remain in the job, and consequent length of service for remote healthcare staff; (ii) how best to ‘bundle’ these strategies for different health workforce groups; and (iii) how these ‘bundles’ work in different service contexts.MethodsThis paper describes a five-year implementation research program in partnership with twelve remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Services (ATSICCHS) in the Northern Territory and Queensland, Australia. Overall methodology follows a participatory action research approach which incorporates co-design and realist elements. The program comprises two broad phases involving evidence consolidation and synthesis (Phase 1), and co-design, implementation, and prospective evaluation of ‘bundles’ of retention strategies (Phase 2) to improve retention of healthcare staff in participating ATSICCHSs.DiscussionThis innovative research program has the potential to develop a comprehensive evidence base required to optimise health workforce retention in remote health services. This new evidence will strengthen understanding of what ‘bundles’ of retention strategies are effective, for which groups of employees, and how they work to improve staff retention.

Corporate-Community Synergy: Empowering Traditional Essential Oil Production in Wayame Village, Ambon City

This article examines the collaboration between PT Pertamina Patra Niaga Integrated Terminal Wayame (IT Wayame) and the traditional community of essential oil distillers, Bunga Tani, in Wayame village, Ambon City, Maluku Province. The study uses the Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) method to analyze how corporate involvement can transform traditional production methods, improve product quality, and create new market opportunities for rural communities. Through a five-year empowerment program, IT Wayame provided critical support, including the introduction of modern machinery, construction of permanent production facilities, and assistance with legal certifications, which enabled Bunga Tani to meet broader market demands. The partnership resulted in a 35% increase in production capacity and income within the first year, demonstrating the potential of business-community synergy to promote economic growth while preserving cultural heritage. This case study highlights the effectiveness of a bottom-up approach to community empowerment, ensuring that development initiatives are aligned with local needs and potential, ultimately contributing to sustainable economic development in rural areas.

Using Regular High-Quality Serosurveys to Identify and Close National Immunity Gaps-Measles and Rubella Elimination in Japan.

In Japan, periodic measles outbreaks occurred mainly among young children under the routine immunization program with one dose of the measles-containing vaccine (MCV). A second dose of MCV was introduced in 2006. During a nationwide measles resurgence in 2007-2008, the most affected age group was teenagers. The national serological surveillance for vaccine-preventable diseases made it clear that there was a measles immunity gap among teenagers who had not received a second dose of MCV. To fill this immunity gap, nationwide non-selective supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) were carried out as a five-year program from April 2008 to March 2013 by providing an opportunity to be vaccinated with the measles and rubella vaccine during the first year of junior high school (12-13 years old) and the last year of high school (17-18 years old). The SIA was conducted with the strong involvement of local governments in charge of vaccination delivery and collaboration between the health and education sectors. Japan was verified as achieving measles elimination in 2015 and this has been sustained to date. The challenge of rubella elimination following a similar strategy of a serological diagnosis of an immunity gap and targeted vaccination is also discussed.

Chairside learning on undergraduate clinics: general dental and human disease themes

Introduction Chairside teaching is an important part of dental undergraduate clinical education. Bedside teaching is well-reported in relation to undergraduate medicine but few publications relate to undergraduate dentistry.Aims and objectives To investigate the experience and benefits from chairside teaching/learning in the clinical years of a five-year dental programme in a UK university. We asked about general dental topic learning as well as human disease (HD) learning.Materials and methods An online survey gathered dental students' opinions on their recognition, knowledge and experience of chairside teaching/learning. We asked about clinics and clinicians and where they gained most from chairside teaching/learning. We encouraged free-text responses.Results Altogether, 127 students took part (62% response). Response rates approximated 60% for all three years. In total, 93% felt that chairside teaching/learning helped to a moderate/great extent for general dental topics and 73% felt that chairside teaching/learning helped to a moderate/great extent for HD topics. Free-text comments revealed students valued chairside teaching/learning and from which grade/level of staff they learned most.Discussion and conclusion Chairside teaching/learning is largely unreported and unrecognised in undergraduate education. Although not formally timetabled, enthusiastic staff with enough time to engage in chairside teaching can have a positive impact on student learning.

An open door to the job market? Music therapy students’ reflections on practice placement in Norway

This study explores the transition between learning at university and learning in a work context through practice placement. It was conducted at the University of Bergen (UiB), which offers a five-year programme in music therapy. Practice placement is integrated at all levels of the programme, starting with observation of music therapy, to a placement where students work more autonomously. The aim of this study was to learn from the experiences of students participating in the programme, as their insights are crucial for informing the programme’s content. Our question was: How do students from the UiB five-year integrated music therapy programme reflect on their internship experiences, and how can we understand their reflections from a work-based learning perspective? To investigate this, we conducted two focus groups, each with five students. Following a thematic analysis of the data, three main themes and six sub-themes were developed: 1. Developing an identity as a music therapist (1.1. Gaining a professional identity, 1.2. Finding a voice in interdisciplinary meetings); 2. An open door to the job market (2.1. Learning from experience, 2.2. Developing new networks); and 3. Challenges with the music therapy practice placement (3.1. Feeling side-lined, 3.2. Lack of a broader teaching model). The themes, grounded in the empirical findings, are discussed from a sociocultural perspective, drawing on concepts such as apprenticeship learning, community of practice, and weak ties. This article concludes with implications for practice and suggestions for further research.

POST-DESIGN MONITORING OF THE IRRIGATION IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT

Approaches to conducting post-design monitoring of the impact of irrigation on soil condition are highlighted on the example of an individual agricultural farm of LLC "Granex-Cherkasy". The results of the implementation of the five-year post-design monitoring program under the conditions of irrigation by groundwater using sprinkling and drip methods proved the need to develop both unified general approaches to the formation of monitoring programs, as well as the mandatory consideration of the peculiarities of its management under different irrigation methods and hydrogeological-ameliorative conditions on the irrigation sites. As a basis for the development of a system of post-design monitoring of the impact of irrigation on the state of environmental components, it is proposed to use approaches to the organization and performance of local (on-site) monitoring of irrigated lands based on the requirements of current regulatory and methodological documents. The observation system, based on previous studies, included periodic determination of irrigation water quality indicators in storage ponds or in the places of watering and routine observations of soil conditions at permanent monitoring points (observation points), which are recommended to be taken as coordinate points of the previously conducted testing study (at the stage of the preparation of the environmental impact assessment report). The results of the post-design monitoring proved the ecological admissibility of the impact of irrigation within the farm with the groundwater of I and II quality classes (suitable and limitedly suitable according to individual quality indicators). Based on the results of monitoring, it was established that the soils under irrigation did not undergo significant classification changes in terms of deterioration for 5 years. The lack of manifestations of secondary (irrigation) salinization, sodification, and alkalinization of soils under the influence of irrigation indicates the environmental safety of the latter following the accepted standards for indicators of the degree of development of the specified soil degradation processes.

Awareness of Shaken Baby Syndrome among Saudi Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Child abuse is a global problem. Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) is a result of child abuse, with shaking being the most common form of maltreatment, causing mortality or severe brain damage in infants. A lack of awareness of SBS among current and future healthcare professionals can have serious consequences. To date, no studies have been conducted in Saudi Arabia to examine student nurses' awareness of SBS, so we sought to assess this issue in an academic institution in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. For this questionnaire-based study, we employed a cross-sectional, descriptive design. The target population was nursing students from every year of study in the institution's five-year undergraduate nursing programme, who received an online questionnaire during the 2022-2023 academic year. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. Of the 293 respondents, 100.0% confirmed that they were not aware of SBS through their nursing curricula, and 62.1% reported not being made aware of SBS at all during their academic journey. The majority of participants were unaware of the negative consequences of shaking a baby. Most were not aware that shaking a baby vigorously can cause permanent blindness (73.4%), postural impairments (56.7%), sleep disorders (61.1%), or convulsions (60.1%). The results of our study revealed a statistically significant relationship between nursing students' awareness of SBS and both their year of study and marital status. Those at higher academic levels and those who were married were more aware of SBS. To improve nursing students' knowledge of SBS and help them to better inform the public of this syndrome, particularly parents, child maltreatment topics should be added to nursing curricula in Saudi Arabia, and their importance should be emphasised. This will help reduce the prevalence and burden of SBS nationally.

Educating future Russian language teachers in the United States

The increasing tensions between the Russian Federation and the United States of America have exacerbated the already serious decline in numbers of students seeking to study Russian, as well as the concomitant elimination of many Russian language programs at both the K-12 and university levels. The purpose of the research is to consider the need to improve the preparation and quality of future teachers of Russian in U.S. public schools. This work draws on applied philosophical analysis and policy studies, as well as a review of existing Russian language and literature programs at major U.S. universities. Measures of relevant data are presented, showing a paucity of linguistic competence in Russian produced through current practice in the U.S. Implementation is suggested. A model five-year program is proposed for the preparation of future Russian language teachers in the United States. Based on the typical undergraduate curriculum, this model would involve coursework in three broad areas: general education courses (the liberal arts and sciences), Russian language and related courses, and courses concerned with pedagogy.

Do the teaching, practice and assessment of clinical communication skills align?

BackgroundEvidence indicates that communication skills teaching learnt in the classroom are not often readily transferable to the assessment methods that are applied nor to the clinical environment. An observational study was conducted to objectively evaluate students’ communication skills in different learning environments. The study sought to investigate the extent to which the communication skills demonstrated by students in classroom, clinical, and assessment settings align.MethodA mixed methods study was conducted to observe and evaluate students during the fourth year of a five-year medical program. Participants were videorecorded during structured classroom ‘interactional skills’ sessions, as well as clinical encounters with real patients and an OSCE station calling upon communication skills. The Calgary Cambridge Observational Guides was used to evaluate students at different settings.ResultThis study observed 28 students and findings revealed that while in the classroom students were able to practise a broad range of communication skills, in contrast in the clinical environment, information-gathering and relationship-building with patients became the focus of their encounters with patients. In the OSCEs, limited time and high-pressure scenarios caused the students to rush to complete the task which focussed solely on information-gathering and/or explanation, diminishing opportunity for rapport-building with the patient.ConclusionThese findings indicate a poor alignment that can develop between the skills practiced across learning environments. Further research is needed to investigate the development and application of students’ skills over the long term to understand supports for and barriers to effective teaching and learning of communication skills in different learning environments.

Was it all worth it? A graduating resident perspective on CBME

Background Our institution simultaneously transitioned all postgraduate specialty training programs to competency-based medical education (CBME) curricula. We explored experiences of CBME-trained residents graduating from five-year programs to inform the continued evolution of CBME in Canada. Methods We utilized qualitative description to explore residents’ experiences and inform continued CBME improvement. Data were collected from fifteen residents from various specialties through focus groups, interviews, and written responses. The data were analyzed inductively, using conventional content analysis. Results We identified five overarching themes. Three themes provided insight into residents’ experiences with CBME, describing discrepancies between the intentions of CBME and how it was enacted, challenges with implementation, and variation in residents’ experiences. Two themes – adaptations and recommendations – could inform meaningful refinements for CBME going forward. Conclusions Residents graduating from CBME training programs offered a balanced perspective, including criticism and recognition of the potential value of CBME when implemented as intended. Their experiences provide a better understanding of residents’ needs within CBME curricula, including greater balance and flexibility within programs of assessment and curricula. Many challenges that residents faced with CBME could be alleviated by greater accountability at program, institutional, and national levels. We conclude with actionable recommendations for addressing residents’ needs in CBME.

Medical Education in Bangladesh and the United States: A Comparative Overview

This manuscript presents an overview of Bangladesh medical education system with a brief comparison to the United States. Despite differences in origins and structures, both share similarities and differences in their medical curricula and examination-driven approaches. The paper employs a non-systematic comparative review methodology, gathering information from diverse sources including government websites, educational institutions, and published articles. Medical education in Bangladesh traces its roots back to the mid-20th century, initially influenced by British educational practices. The country now boasts 76 medical colleges—23 public and 53 private—admitting approximately 7,156 students annually for the MBBS degree. The admission process is competitive, with strict eligibility criteria including completion of prerequisite courses and a minimum grade-point average. The five-year MBBS program followed by a one-year clinical internship is a standard pathway in Bangladeshi medical education, with further specialization achieved through fellowship training. In terms of structure, curriculum, and training programs, the Bangladesh medical education system aligns with a lecture-based, examination-focused approach. However, research initiatives are limited due to resource constraints, impacting the quality and quantity of publications. Financially, both public and private medical institutions in Bangladesh charge similar tuition fees ranging from $33,000 to $48,000 USD for the entire MBBS degree, with limited scholarship opportunities. Upon graduation, physicians often opt for private practice, contributing to concerns about retaining qualified medical professionals within the country, particularly in rural areas. Comparatively, the United States has a longstanding history of medical education dating back over two centuries. The American system, encompassing diverse nomenclature for medical schools and varying degrees, presents differences in the application process, structure, and postgraduate training compared to Bangladesh. This comprehensive review highlights the distinctions and commonalities between the medical education systems of the United States and Bangladesh, serving as a resource for prospective students, current practitioners, and residency program directors.

Blasting off with NASA’s Neurodiversity Network

NASA’s Neurodiversity Network (N3) is a five-year program that is funded as part of NASA’s Science Activation Network. N3's main goal is to provide a pathway to NASA participation and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) employment for neurodiverse learners, with a focus on those on the autism spectrum. Through the N3 program, we are enabling STEM education for a segment of the population that is significantly underserved through a process in which existing NASA education resources are redesigned with significant input from autistic learners and their instructors. The co-design process occurs primarily in informal environments, including high school summer programs, and camps and activity sessions for middle school students sponsored by the New York Hall of Science. N3 also offers a mentored summer internship program for at least ten neurodiverse high school students each year. Mentoring is provided by NASA Subject Matter Experts, individuals who collectively possess expertise that spans NASA’s Science Mission Directorate.

The influence of educational reform on the self-perceived readiness to practice of newly registered pharmacists in Ireland

Abstract Introduction Newly registered pharmacists serve important roles in our healthcare system. Investigation of their readiness to practice confirms whether their education has furnished them with the knowledge, skills and competencies to be practice-ready. In 2015, a five-year integrated master’s programme in Pharmacy replaced a 4 + 1 model and included integrated learning with dispersed experiential learning placements. Factors known to influence self-perceived readiness to practice are prior experiential learning, education, placement environment and preceptor relationship. Aim This study examined the self-perceived readiness to practice of newly registered pharmacists in their first year of qualification and the influence of educational reform. Methods The participants were newly registered pharmacists who had completed the undergraduate Pharmacy programme within the State. Participants were identified using the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland’s database of newly qualified registrants. An email was circulated to registrants inviting them to participate in a cross-sectional online survey consisting of 25 items. Variables were self-perceived abilities to perform practice-related competencies (on a five-point Likert scale), relationship with preceptor, placement experience, and demographic information. Three cohorts were surveyed. The first cohort (2020) were graduates from the last year of the 4 + 1 programme. The second (2021) and third (2022) cohorts were graduates from the new five-year integrated programme. All analyses were performed using SPSS 24.0 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL, USA) and Microsoft Excel. Results Of 458 registrants, 71 completed the survey (response rate=15%). A greater proportion of females (65%, n=46) than males (31%, n=22) responded to this survey, with 4% (n=3) not disclosing a gender. Most respondents (83%, n=59) had undertaken a community pharmacy placement, while others had either a hospital placement (11%, n=8) or a mixed setting placement (5%, n=4). Participants perceived that they were adept at performing practice-related competencies. Participants agreed that they developed fruitful relationships with preceptors and had positive experiences on placement; when asked about preceptor feedback, there was a positive response: 55% for (n=17), 83% for 2021 (n=15), and 95% for 2022 (n=21). A curriculum effect was observed, as graduates from the post-reform cohort declared readiness to practice in more areas than pre-reform graduates, e.g. in leadership: (58% for 2020 [n=18], 61% for 2021 [n=11], and 73% for 2022 [n=16]), communication (58% for 2020 [n=27], 61% for 2021 [n=16], and 73% for 2022 [n=21]), and recommending drug therapies (77% for 2020 [n=24], 72% for 2021 [n=13], and 95% for 2022 [n=21]). Conclusion This study found that most respondents self-perceived themselves as ready for autonomous practice. Whilst this study found that the pharmacists surveyed were ready to practice, they may still lack practical skills. This study suggests adopting an integrated curriculum that incorporates experiential learning is supportive of readiness to practice and has a positive impact on self-perceived readiness to practice, placement setting, and preceptor relationships. The repeated cross-sectional nature of the study is a strength, but a limitation is the low response rate and there may be response bias by participants. This research seeks to contribute to curriculum development to support students in their transition to professional practice.

A randomized controlled trial comparison of PTEBL and traditional teaching methods in “Stop the Bleed” training

BackgroundThe Stop the Bleed (STB) training program was launched by the White House to minimize hemorrhagic deaths. Few studies focused on the STB were reported outside the United States. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a problem-, team- and evidence-based learning (PTEBL) approach to teaching, compared to traditional teaching methods currently employed in STB courses in China.MethodsThis study was a parallel group, unmasked, randomised controlled trial. We included third-year medical students of a five-year training program from the Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University who voluntarily participated in the trial. One hundred fifty-three medical students were randomized (1:1) into the PTEBL group (n = 77) or traditional group (n = 76). Every group was led by a single instructor. The instructor in the PTEBL group has experienced in educational reform. However, the instructor in the traditional group follows a traditional teaching mode. The teaching courses for both student groups had the same duration of four hours. Questionnaires were conducted to assess teaching quality before and after the course. The trial was registered in the Central South University (No. 2021JY188).ResultsIn the PTEBL group, students reported mastery in three fundamental STB skills—Direct Finger Compression (61/77, 79.2%), Packing (72/77, 93.8%), and Tourniquet Placement (71/77, 92.2%) respectively, while 76.3% (58/76), 89.5% (68/76), and 88.2% (67/76) of students in the traditional group (P > 0.05 for each pairwise comparison). 96.1% (74/77) of students in the PTEBL group felt prepared to help in an emergency, while 90.8% (69/76) of students in the traditional group (P > 0.05). 94.8% (73/77) of students reported improved teamwork skills after the PTEBL course, in contrast with 81.6% (62/76) of students in the traditional course (P = 0.011). Furthermore, a positive correlation was observed between improved clinical thinking skills and improved teamwork skills (R = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.74–0.88; P < 0.001).ConclusionsCompared with the traditional teaching method, the PTEBL method was superior in teaching teamwork skills, and has equally effectively taught hemostasis techniques in the emergency setting. The PTEBL method can be introduced to the STB training in China.

Reducing Poaching in Elephant Populations on Random Forest Algorithm

Although most countries have established bans on the ivory trade, the illegal ivory trade continues to be a serious threat to the lives of populations due to, among other things, the existence of legal stockpiles and the desire for artifacts. To address this challenge, we have initiated a five-year data-focused program, the Ecological Tracking and Intelligent Prevention System (ETIPS). By utilizing random forest algorithms to predict areas where poachers are likely to be active, the project aims to open up new avenues for elephant conservation. This paper describes in detail the conceptualization and implementation plan of the project, and provides an in-depth analysis of the effectiveness of the project after implementation based on existing data. By providing theoretical support for the model's tracking effects and conservation outcomes, we expect to be able to provide more effective strategies and solutions for protecting these precious lives.

Analysis of ten-year teaching evaluation of oral microbiology lab curriculum

BackgroundBased on the updated teaching philosophy of oral microbiology, Wuhan University School of Stomatology initiated a reform in the teaching of oral microbiology in 2009. As part of this reform, an oral microbiology laboratory course was introduced to cultivate students' fundamental skills, professional competence, comprehensive abilities, and innovation capabilities through experimental design. This paper provides thorough examination of the teaching experiment findings from 2013 to 2022, a ten-year timeframe, building on earlier data.MethodsThe curriculum targets fourth-year undergraduate students in a five-year program and adopts a cooperative learning approach. The experimental teaching mainly involves four parts: plaque collection and processing, isolation and cultivation of dental plaque bacteria, staining and biochemical identification of dental plaque bacteria. This article presents a comprehensive analysis of the student experiment results from 2013 to 2022. Statistical analysis was conducted using the chi-square test to assess whether there were any differences in students' experimental grades between different years. A significance level of P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Additionally, we evaluated the impact of teaching methods and educational systems on improving students' practical skills and overall innovative abilities.ResultsThe performance of 664 undergraduate students showed improvement in the oral microbiology laboratory course, with a noticeable decrease in the proportion of "C" grades in Experiments 2, 3, and 4 compared to Experiment 1. These results indicate that the laboratory course enhanced students' academic achievements, aiding their understanding and mastery of course content, and received positive feedback from the students.ConclusionThis lab curriculum, through systematic laboratory teaching and practical experience, contributes to the enhancement of students' professional skills and research abilities. It fosters students' interest in scientific research and improves the quality of dental education.

Needs analysis for an undergraduate dental curriculum in KPK, Pakistan: Gap identification and general needs assessment.

Dental institutes continue to face challenges in making the transition from a discipline-based to an integrated curriculum. The need analysis is often the first step in the development and implementation of any curriculum. This study intends to carry out a needs analysis for a contemporary dental curriculum in private and public sector dental colleges of Peshawar, KPK, Pakistan. The mixed method study was carried out at public and private dental institutes in Peshawar from April to July 2022. To guarantee triangulation, data were gathered from three sources. The first source was an analysis of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council's dental curriculum accreditation standards. The second source was gathering the experts' perspectives, and the final source was a systematic literature search to explore the necessity for an integrated undergraduate dental curriculum from the experiences and expertise of contemporary curricula. Thematic analysis identified the need for the dental curriculum to be a five-year BDS program, involvement of students, and inclusion of digital dentistry and environmental sustainability in the dental curriculum. PMDC accreditation standards focus on alignment in mission, vision, curricular outcomes, an integrated curriculum, and a quality assurance system for assessment. Experts identified the need for a patient-centered curriculum focusing on integrated patient care. They also identified that the current educational environment should be improved to sustain a contemporary dental curriculum in Pakistan. For the literature review, nine articles were included in the final review. The current dental curriculum is not accommodating to the needs of the students in Peshawar. The current dental education environment lacks the infrastructure, logistics, and teacher training to sustain the standards set by PMDC.

Dendroarchaeology in Greece – From humble beginnings to promising future

It was back in the early 1960s when Bryant Bannister recognized the potential of dendrochronological research on wooden cultural heritage in Greece. More than two decades later, in the late 1980s, P.I. Kuniholm and C.L. Striker started collecting and analyzing tree-ring series from several historical buildings, forests, and archeological sites in Greece and the surrounding Aegean region. Despite highly promising results, especially from the northern and western parts of the country, dendroarchaeology did not attract much attention in the subsequent decades. It was only near the end of the 2000s that dendroarchaeology was reintroduced: first in Crete through the Cretan Dendrochronology Project, and then by another independent project concerning the restoration of a historical building on the island of Euboea. These isolated case studies inspired a five-year systematic research program called the “Balkan-Aegean Dendrochronology Project: Tree-Ring Research for the Study of Southeast-European and East Mediterranean Civilizations” (BAD Project). Dendroarchaeological surveys of historical buildings and archaeological sites were conducted throughout Greece with an emphasis on regions that had been previously ignored, such as the southern part of the country and the Aegean islands. Priority was given to buildings under restoration since in such cases original timbers were usually accessible and the architects, structural engineers, and archaeologists in charge were willing to collaborate. Our goals were not only to date timbers or provide information about the species used or the possible origin of the wood, but also to document the date, evolution, interventions and even the construction phases of historical buildings, as well as to help all those interested parties (academics, non-academics, researchers, professionals, local communities, etc.,) see the value of such information and how dendroarchaeology can contribute to the reconstruction of local history and the protection of cultural heritage. Tree-ring analysis led to the development of 18 chronologies from historical timbers and forests for six different species and different parts of the country from remote mountainous areas to small islands across the Aegean. The current dataset covers more than a thousand (1000) years and demonstrates the further potential of dendroarchaeology in the region.

The Health Innovation Series: Translating Research Evidence into Practice.

Electronic medication systems (EMS) improve medication safety in hospitals; however require modifications to optimize their performance. Drawing on a five-year program of research, we developed the Health Innovation Series to disseminate recommendations arising from our research to a wide audience. Each issue contains EMS optimization tips that can be actioned by EMS managers and system vendors, as well as user tips for health professionals including nurses, doctors and pharmacists. Five issues were released by 30 Nov 2022, via two email campaigns, with further issues planned. The five issues had 2,035 downloads by March 2023. The most recent email campaign open and click rates indicate very good audience engagement.

Missed opportunities for community engagement: An examination of the government-funded Local Journalism Initiative

This article examines the Local Journalism Initiative (LJI), initially a $70-million, five-year program of the Canadian government to fund new reporting positions in existing newsrooms across Canada, with the goal of increasing the amount of civic journalism. Using a mixed methods approach, we analyzed the language in almost 100 publicly available documents, conducted interviews with 11 participants and did a content analysis of 240 stories to examine how newsrooms defined the news desert they were trying to fill, whether work was civically focused and professionally produced, and what the LJI tells us about what kind of journalism the market can’t fund. In comparing the implementation of the program to an emerging set of best practices in journalism, we argue that the LJI represents a missed opportunity to help newsrooms evolve to better focus on the kind of information their communities need. We conclude with the one outlier in our sample, a community-access television station, that does make efforts to engage its community. Keywords: local news, qualitative methods, case studies, Local Journalism Initiative, political economy of news