Importance Of Basic Science Research Articles

Making the Connection: Using Concept Mapping to Bring the Basic Sciences to the Diagnosis.

Although medical education has historically emphasized the role and importance of basic science in clinical reasoning, educators have struggled to teach basic science to optimize its use for students. Concept mapping helps students develop relationships between basic and clinical science, which can enhance understanding of the material. Educators at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine developed a weekly concept-mapping activity connecting biomedical principles with clinical signs, symptoms, and laboratory values from a comprehensive clinical case. This activity elicits cross-disciplinary discussion, illustrates content integration by the students, and enhances faculty collaboration across disciplines.

Herceptin: A First Assault on Oncogenes that Launched a Revolution

This year's Lasker Clinical Research Award honors H. Michael Shepard, Dennis J. Slamon, and Axel Ullrich for their invention of Herceptin, the first monoclonal antibody that blocks a cancer-causing protein, and for its development as a life-saving therapy for women with breast cancer.

Combining Chalk Talk with PowerPoint to Increase In-class Student Engagement

In striving to attain a higher degree of in-class student engagement, and target a larger number of preferred student-learning styles, this case study describes a multimodal teaching approach. PowerPoint slides have gradually gained popularity over the more traditional chalk and talk lecture design. The student population in today’s age seeks more non-passive modes of information delivery. Numerous novel approaches to enhance active learning, such as flipped classroom and problem-based learning, have recently been explored. While working well for therapeutic and lab-based courses, these formats may not be best-suited for all basic science topics. The importance of basic science in a pharmacy curriculum is well emphasized in the 2016 ACPE Standards. To actively involve students in a pharmacology lecture on diuretics, a session was designed to combine the PowerPoint and chalk talk approaches. Students created 10 concept diagrams following an instructor, who explained each step in the process using a document camera. For visual learners, these diagrams provided a layered representation of the information, gradually increasing in complexity. For learners with a preference for the reading learning style, the information was also available in corresponding PowerPoint slides. Scores from pre- and post-session quizzes indicated a high level of concept understanding and recall (median 1 [IQR 0 – 2] vs 4 [IQR 3 – 5]; p<0.001). The student perception survey data reported higher in-class attention levels (76%), an appreciation for the utility of self-created concept diagrams (88%), and a call for additional sessions being presented in this format (73%). Targeting a variety of student learning styles by using the active development of concept diagrams, in addition to traditional PowerPoint slides, can promote student engagement and enhance content understanding.
 
 Type: Case Study

Commentary: Bringing science’s value to the US Congress

Commentary: Bringing science’s value to the US Congress

A study of the competency of third year medical students to interpret biochemically based clinical scenarios using knowledge and skills gained in year 1 and 2.

Medical students build clinical knowledge on the grounds of previously obtained basic knowledge. The study aimed to evaluate the competency of third year medical students to interpret biochemically based clinical scenarios using knowledge and skills gained during year 1 and 2 of undergraduate medical training. Study was conducted on year 3 MBBS students at AIMST University, Malaysia. Clinical scenarios (25) were constructed and administered to student volunteers, making sure at least one question from each system of year 2 was represented. Feedback was obtained on a five-point Likert scale regarding perception of learning biochemistry in MBBS year 1 versus 2. Mean score of test was 18 (72.11%). Performance was comparatively better in questions related to topics learnt in year 1 and reinforced in year 2 compared to those learnt for first time in year 2. In the feedback obtained, 31% strongly agreed and 56% agreed understanding the subject was helped more by learning biochemistry in year 2 than in year 1. Likewise, 36% strongly agreed and 56% agreed appreciating the importance of biochemistry in patient diagnosis was helped more by learning biochemistry in year 2 than year 1. Thirty one percent strongly agreed and 54% agreed that year 1 biochemistry would have been more relevant if case discussions were done simultaneously. Students retain basic science subjects better and appreciate the importance of basic sciences in patient diagnosis if they are reinforced in the context of clinical situations.

A Virological Perspective on Cancer

A Virological Perspective on Cancer

The case for basic sciences in the undergraduate curriculum

The importance of basic sciences in the training of doctors has been recognised for centuries, and their position was acknowledged and strengthened by the recommendations of the General Medical Council and the Flexner report. Challenges to their central role have, however, arisen from many directions: these include perceived lack of relevance to clinical medicine, and pressures on the curriculum from social sciences and the humanities. Nevertheless, the justifications for studying basic sciences remain strong, and include contextualisation, understanding of pathophysiology, training in the process of learning, an ability to explain diseases to patients, intellectual satisfaction, appreciation of uncertainties in science and therefore in patients, and research leading to advances in medical care. Innovative approaches to medical education may improve the teaching and learning of basic sciences, and build on their inherent importance.

Basic science right, not basic science lite: medical education at a crossroad.

This perspective is a counterpoint to Dr. Brass' article, Basic biomedical sciences and the future of medical education: implications for internal medicine. The authors review development of the US medical education system as an introduction to a discussion of Dr. Brass' perspectives. The authors agree that sound scientific foundations and skill in critical thinking are important and that effective educational strategies to improve foundational science education should be implemented. Unfortunately, many students do not perceive the relevance of basic science education to clinical practice.The authors cite areas of disagreement. They believe it is unlikely that the importance of basic sciences will be diminished by contemporary directions in medical education and planned modifications of USMLE. Graduates' diminished interest in internal medicine is unlikely from changes in basic science education.Thoughtful changes in education provide the opportunity to improve understanding of fundamental sciences, the process of scientific inquiry, and translation of that knowledge to clinical practice.

A tribute to George E. Palade

A tribute to George E. Palade

ALFRED R. SHANDS, JR., LECTURE

Good afternoon, my fellow humans! As I reviewed the career of Dr. Alfred R. Shands Jr. and perused a list of previous incumbents of this lectureship, I was filled with humility, awe, and inspiration. Dr. Shands was a visionary leader and a Past President of the American Orthopaedic Association who stressed the importance of basic science in the education of the orthopaedic surgeon. I ask that you help me to achieve two formidable goals this afternoon. The first is to change your thinking about race and the medical profession. The second is to change what you do when you go back to your office “the first thing Monday morning.” Here, in this second item, lies Our Humanitarian Orthopaedic Opportunity! In order to achieve these goals, I must engage you in some frank, even crusty, communications. The purpose of these communications is not to accuse, blame, stimulate guilt, or provoke denial. I speak in the spirit of friendship and collegiality. Call it “tough love” if you will. My ultimate intentions are the good of our patients, our profession, and our nation. American biomedical science can be thought of as a beautiful and powerful fabric. This “fabric” has tremendous influence, exerts great leadership, and has made contributions throughout the world. Unfortunately, this fabric also has some blemishes. Together today, we will trace the very threads of the blemishes. We will see how long the threads are and how thoroughly they are woven into the fabric. If any of our three daughters were here today, she would exclaim, at just about this time, “Get to the point, Dad!” So, I will. Peer-reviewed medical journals confirm a substantial disparity in health care for minorities in America today. The best indicator of overall health care for a given population is the infant mortality rate. The …

Importance of basic sciences to education in psychiatry

Importance of basic sciences to education in psychiatry

The Psychological Training of Abraham Flexner, the Reformer of Medical Education

The great reformer of American medical education was Abraham Flexner. His basic emphasis was to insist that medical education should be solidly based on science. Not a physician, Flexner's specialized training was in psychology. This paper traces the major influence on Flexner's thinking (primarily the works of Hall, Stumpf, and Lotze) and relates these influences to his emphasis on the importance of basic science.

The importance of basic science

The importance of basic science