Improvement In Familiarity Research Articles

Curriculum Innovation: A Standardized Experiential Simulation Curriculum Equips Residents to Face the Challenges of Chief Year.

A chief resident's role incorporates administrative, academic, and interpersonal responsibilities essential to managing a successful residency program. However, rising chief residents receive little formal exposure to leadership training. To (1) define leadership styles; (2) understand the effect of cultural competence on leadership styles; (3) learn effective methods to advocate as the chief resident; (4) provide effective peer feedback; (5) provide effective supervisor feedback; (6) learn effective conflict management; (7) ensure psychological safety. We developed a 1-day curriculum combining didactics and simulation activities for our program's rising chief residents. Implementation of our curricular design included a morning session focusing on small groups and didactic-based lectures on specific topics pertinent to leadership, along with a debriefing of a psychometric evaluation tool administered before the curriculum day. The simulation activity consisted of 3 group objective structured clinical examination (G-OSCE) scenarios: (1) providing a struggling junior trainee with feedback; (2) debriefing an adverse clinical outcome as the team leader; (3) navigating a challenging situation with a supervising physician. Standardized participants were surveyed for specific objectives. Learners completed precurricular and postcurricular surveys on their familiarity and preparedness for their chief year. Comparison of preintervention (n = 16) and postintervention (n = 10) data shows improvements in familiarity with leadership models (p = 0.006), cultural competence in leadership (p = 0.027), and team organizational structure (p = 0.010) with notable improvement in report of advocating for the team to 100% of participants in the postcurricular survey. In addition, although not statistically significant, familiarity with specific strategies for feedback delivery improved (p = 0.053), as did learner comfort levels with feedback delivery (comparing 51% of learners were either very or somewhat comfortable precurriculum to 90% postcurriculum). This is further supported by standardized participant data after the G-OSCEs. Although familiarity with wellness resources did improve across learners (p = 0.421), learner-reported use of wellness resources was noted to be reduced after the curricular intervention and remains a result of further interest for exploration. A 1-day leadership development curriculum combining didactics and simulation is an effective means of preparing rising chief residents to succeed in their transition to this leadership role.

Facing the challenges of chief resident year: A standardized experiential simulation leadership curriculum (S13.002)

<h3>Objective:</h3> Design, implement and evaluate a case-based, experiential curriculum focused on development of key skills necessary for successful execution of the chief resident role. <h3>Background:</h3> A chief resident’s role incorporates administrative, academic and social responsibilities essential to the conduct of a successful residency program. However, rising chief residents receive little formal exposure to leadership training. <h3>Design/Methods:</h3> We developed a one-day curriculum combining didactics and simulation activities for rising chief residents (n=16) from three training programs at NYU Langone (Neurology, Double Board, and Child Neurology), administered six weeks before the first day of chief year. We discussed key topics in leadership and reviewed a psychometric evaluation tool (<i>Insights Discovery)</i> prior to the curriculum day. The simulation activity consisted of three group objective structured clinical examinations scenarios (G-OSCEs) in our simulation center with a focus on: 1) Providing a struggling junior trainee with feedback; 2) Debriefing a bad clinical outcome as team leader; 3) Navigating a challenging situation with a junior faculty member. Learners completed a pre-intervention questionnaire before the curriculum regarding their levels of familiarity and preparedness for their chief year. Learners were surveyed about their overall experience at the completion of the day. Post-intervention questionnaire data was collected in September 2022 (n=9). <h3>Results:</h3> Comparison of pre and post intervention data suggests improvements in familiarity across the key domains of communication skills, feedback, leadership development, organizational culture, cultural competency, and wellness. All participants demonstrated improved comfort in regards to the simulated scenario situations, most notably with debriefing a bad outcome. Learners reported satisfaction with all elements of the leadership development day, and in particular, noted the experience with the psychometric evaluation debrief as the highlight of the curriculum. <h3>Conclusions:</h3> A one-day leadership development curriculum combining didactics and simulation is an effective means of preparing rising chief residents to succeed in their transition to this leadership role. <b>Disclosure:</b> The institution of Dr. Zakin has received research support from American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Dr. Abou Fayssal has nothing to disclose. Dr. Lord has nothing to disclose. Dr. Nelson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rostanski has received personal compensation in the range of $10,000-$49,999 for serving as an Expert Witness for individual law firms. Dr. Zhang has nothing to disclose. Sondra Zabar has nothing to disclose. Dr. Galetta has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kurzweil has nothing to disclose.

Virtual Adaptation of Resident I-PASS Training Session During COVID-19.

IntroductionEffective communication during the patient handoff process is critical for ensuring patient safety. At our academic medical center, first-year interns complete hand-off training before starting clinical rotations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a virtual handoff training for residents as an alternative to in-person sessions due to limitations imposed by COVID-19.MethodsFifty residents were administered pre/post surveys to gauge the helpfulness of the training for clinical practice, familiarity and confidence in providing a hand-off, and whether they would recommend the virtual format for incoming interns. Additionally, faculty rated the virtual form of the hand-off activity, made comparisons to in-person sessions, and assessed the helpfulness of the session for residents in clinical practice.ResultsForty-four residents (88%) and 11 faculty (85%) completed surveys. After the training session, residents who received instruction and feedback reported significant improvements in familiarity with the hand-off tool and confidence in their hand-off abilities (both p < 0.001). Both residents and faculty were satisfied with the virtual format of hand-off training. Most faculty felt the virtual platform was comparable to in-person sessions and would recommend ongoing use of the virtual platform when in-person sessions were not possible.ConclusionsTeaching hospitals mandate resident training to include strategies for a uniform hand-off method to avoid medical errors. Adaptation to a virtual platform can be a successful instruction strategy, allowing for didactic and interactive sessions with direct faculty observation and feedback.

Bridging the gap: improving CASPer test confidence and competency for underrepresented minorities in medicine through interactive peer-assisted learning.

BackgroundThe Computer-based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics (CASPer) is a situational judgement test (SJT) adopted by medical schools to assess applicants’ interpersonal skills. CASPer applicants must compose their responses to ethical dilemmas, thereby highlighting the applicant’s rationale for ethical decision-making. Minority applicants usually lack access to a network of individuals who can offer guidance and expertise on ethical decision-making. As such, this study investigated the impact of a CASPer coaching program designed for minority applicants.MethodsA free online intervention was designed to help minority applicants prepare for the CASPer test. The program consisted of 35 learners and three medical student tutors. Important attributes of the 4-week program included free access to a medical ethics book, feedback provision to in-class and homework student responses, and facilitation of a mock CASPer. Course feedback was collected. Additionally, a pre and post-program survey was administered to assess learners’ competence and confidence surrounding CASPer test-taking.ResultsOur pre and post-program survey showed significant student improvement in familiarity with the test, increased competence, confidence and preparedness, as well as reduced anxiety (p < 0.05).ConclusionsThrough peer-to-peer teaching and access to medical student mentors, our program addresses socioeconomic barriers that several minority applicants face when applying to medical school.

Building a Tool Kit for Medical and Dental Students: Addressing Microaggressions and Discrimination on the Wards.

Microaggressions, subtle slights related to characteristics such as race, gender, or sexual orientation, in a clinical setting can sabotage the therapeutic alliance. Curricula tailored specifically towards medical students that raise awareness of microaggressions and aim to change behavior are absent. We created a 2-hour workshop to prepare preclinical medical and dental students to recognize and respond to microaggressions in clinical practice. The workshop consisted of a didactic portion describing microaggressions and strategies for responding to them and a case-based small-group portion to practice strategies. Participants completed electronic pre- and postworkshop surveys. Of 163 students participating in the workshop, 121 (74%) completed the preworkshop survey, 105 (64%) completed the postworkshop survey, and 81 (50%) completed both. Preworkshop, 48% reported female gender, and 36% reported underrepresented in medicine status. The majority (77%) had witnessed or experienced microaggressions in the clinical setting, and 69% reported very good or excellent familiarity with the concept of microaggressions. The curriculum appeared to significantly mitigate challenges associated with microaggressions, including reductions in perceived difficulty in identifying microaggressions (p < .001), being unsure what to do or say (p < .001), improvements in familiarity with institutional support systems (p < .001), and awareness of the clinical relevance of microaggressions (p < .001). Given the high self-reported prevalence of microaggressions in the clinical setting, students need the skills to respond. This innovative session improves readiness to address microaggressions by helping participants build and practice these skills in a supportive environment.

Occupational Therapy Student Learning on Interprofessional Teams in Geriatric Primary Care.

Geriatric, interprofessional primary care training for occupational therapy students is needed. To measure occupational therapy student-reported knowledge, attitudes, and skills after participation in interprofessional geriatric educational programs. Prospective, observational study with pre- and posttests for the three programs. Fifty-nine entry-level and postprofessional occupational therapy master's students. Self-reported familiarity with other professionals' roles, perceptions of interprofessional training, capabilities to conduct assessments, and attitudes of older adults. Students of the three programs (Interprofessional Geriatrics Curriculum [IPGC], Student Senior Partnership Program [SSPP], and Geriatric Assessment Program [GAP]) reported different improvements in familiarity of roles, capabilities of assessment, and Geriatric Attitudes Scale (GAS) scores. For example, IPGC and SSPP students had changes in total GAS score (3.91-4.08, p = .002, and 3.84-3.99, p = .003, respectively), but no change was found for GAP students (3.85-3.91, p = .523). More structured interprofessional education with older adults appeared to help prepare occupational therapy students to work on geriatric interprofessional teams in primary care. This article expands on growing evidence to support occupational therapy's role in primary care by addressing the need to train future generations to work on interprofessional geriatric primary care teams.

Moving from individual roles to functional teams: A semester-long course in case-based decision making

Abstract Incorporating meaningful interprofessional education (IPE) into curricula to better equip students to enter and shape clinical practice can be challenging. Faculty from dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy and social work taught a semester-long IPE course where interprofessional teams of students collaborated in case-based decision making to learn two IPE competencies: understanding professional roles and developing teamwork skills. Pre- and post-assessments measured students' knowledge and perceptions of professional roles, individual roles on a team, and overall team functioning. Pooled data from two years of students ( n = 540) showed significant improvement in familiarity with the education and roles of each discipline ( p p p = 0.006). The case-based pedagogy using interprofessional student teams effectively allowed students to learn about each profession's role on the team and gain teamwork skills.

Near peer-assisted learning to improve confidence for medical students' situational judgment tests.

The situational judgment test (SJT) was introduced for all graduating United Kingdom medical students in 2013. Students have anxiety over time pressures and heavy weighting of a single examination. This study aimed to examine formal SJT preparation available, perceptions of a near peer-delivered course, and to measure improvement in students' confidence. Foundation doctors ( first 2 years of postgraduate training) produced a "Situational Judgment Test Preparation Course" in November 2015. Feedback was collected via Likert scores rating teaching, a mock examination, and pre- and post-course confidence along with free-text responses. Delayed feedback was collected via an online survey. Forty-four students completed the feedback. Seventy percent reported <2 h of university SJT preparation. There were significant post-course improvements in familiarity with structure, scoring system, knowledge and content, and overall SJT confidence (P < 0.05). Delayed feedback showed sustained improvement in familiarity with knowledge and content (P < 0.05). Qualitative analysis revealed themes of improved confidence, approachable tutors, and identifying question strategies. Students perceived a lack of formal SJT preparation which was reflected in low pre-course confidence. Improvements in confidence may reflect a unique insight into how to approach the examination from those having recently undertaken it.

O56. The Cape Town Access to Care course, our ongoing teaching journey

Introduction Access to radiotherapy treatment units, treatment planning systems and appropriate dosimetry equipment is an ongoing challenge throughout Africa. This is coupled with a need for the implementation of 3-D conformal therapy protocols and likewise the appropriate skills training for staff. The Access to Care centre based at Groote Schuur Hospital is designed to be an innovative technology-based teaching platform for the radiation oncology treatment team, namely: radiation oncologists (RO), medical physicists (MP) and radiation therapists (RTT). It is a joint collaborative training initiative between Varian Medical Systems, the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) creating a program that links with the global Varian Access to Care program. Materials and methods The first Access to Care course was preceded by a “dry run” course to test the curriculum. This consisted of three participants per team, who attended a physics course (physicists and RTTs) followed by a clinical course (including Radiation Oncologists). The feedback from participants resulted in the physics and clinical courses being conflated into a three-week integrated course for the treatment team members. Specific recommendations included additional time for practical planning; and, for all to attend equipment procurement sessions. The integrated A2C course (Aug–Sept 2015) consisted of three weeks at the centre followed by a three-month mentorship of participant teams. Four teams (RO, MP & RTT) attended and the twelve participants evaluated the course by completing surveys before, during and after the course. Consent was given to use this information. Results In the post-course survey, participants indicated a 25% improvement in familiarity with immobilisation devices. Imaging and localisation improved by 41% and 3-D planning familiarity improved by 30%. The technology, Eclipse and VERT, was found to enhance participants’ learning. Conclusion Challenges identified were existing hierarchical structures, team work and financial constraints. Participants have been asked to comment on the mentorship process.

Emergency Preparedness Education for Nurses: Core Competency Familiarity Measured Utilizing an Adapted Emergency Preparedness Information Questionnaire.

The purpose of this project was to measure trauma nurse improvement in familiarity with emergency preparedness and disaster response core competencies as originally defined by the Emergency Preparedness Information Questionnaire after a focused educational program. An adapted version of the Emergency Preparedness Information Questionnaire was utilized to measure familiarity of nurses with core competencies pertinent to first responder capabilities. This project utilized a pre- and postsurvey descriptive design and integrated education sessions into the preexisting, mandatory "Trauma Nurse Course" at large, level I trauma center. A total of 63 nurses completed the intervention during May and September 2014 sessions. Overall, all 8 competencies demonstrated significant (P < .001; 98% confidence interval) improvements in familiarity. In conclusion, this pilot quality improvement project demonstrated a unique approach to educating nurses to be more ready and comfortable when treating victims of a disaster.

Palliative approach education for rural nurses and health-care workers: a mixed-method study.

The aim of this mixed-method study was to evaluate the outcomes of an educational intervention in a palliative approach for rural nurses and health-care workers (HCWs) using a team-based method. Pre- and post-test measures using the Palliative Care Nursing Self-Competence (PCSNC) scale and the Self-Perceived Palliative Care Knowledge instrument were used to evaluate learning outcomes. Participant post-test scores were also compared to normative provincial data. At post-test, HCWs showed statistically significant improvements across 7 of 10 domains in self-perceived competence and 6 of 12 domains in self-perceived knowledge; all scores were equivalent to or better than provincial normative data. Nurses' self-perceived knowledge showed statistically significant improvements in 3 of 12 domains; all post-test scores were equivalent to provincial normative data. Qualitative data indicated improvements in familiarity with the resources available for palliative care and in communication among the nursing team. An educational intervention can improve the competence and knowledge of rural HCWs and nurses in a palliative approach.

A novel approach to Junior Doctor Induction: A near-peer based curriculum developed and delivered by outgoing Foundation year doctors.

There is a 4-12% increase in mortality in the month following the start of Foundation Year 1 doctors (FY1s) in the UK. In 2012 the National Health Service announced a compulsory shadowing period for FY1s, aiming to increase familiarity with the environment in which the FY1 would be commencing work. There is no national curriculum of the content for this shadowing period and evidence suggests variable content of induction programmes across the UK.Our project aimed to provide a near-peer induction, based on needs previously identified by a national survey and outgoing FY1s' experiences. The day consisted of expert-led lectures, interactive practical sessions delivered by outgoing FY1s, and simulated tasks within the clinical environment where they were about to commence work. The day was evaluated by questionnaires distributed to participants before and after the induction to measure whether there was a change in the perceived confidence of the FY1s in different aspects of their role.There was a 61% improvement in familiarity of equipment and knowing how to request investigations. Confidence levels increased by 45% and 28% in prescribing insulin and intravenous fluids, respectively. There was a 9% improvement in feeling adequately prepared to recognise the critically ill patient. Confidence was high in prescribing intravenous fluids (72% pre-induction and 100% post-induction) and simple analgesics (94% pre-induction and 96% post-induction).The induction day improved self-perceived confidence in all measured areas. The largest increase was in the area given most focus during the day - knowledge of the environment. Combining factual content with orientation of the environment increases confidence for new FY1s. Teaching by outgoing FY1s provides insight into what the job entails. We recommend this style of induction to maximise preparedness within a limited time frame.

The Development and Performance Measurements of Educational Programs to Improve Consumer Health Information (CHI) Literacy

This research aimed to develop an education program for public librarians and library users and to measure the effectiveness of this program to promote Consumer Health Information (CHI) service programs in libraries. This study provided CHI education for librarians and users and then examined how the education program affected their perception of CHI. After developing the education program, the author analyzed the change in perception, knowledge, and satisfaction of CHI in users and librarians before and after the program was administered. The author observed improvement in familiarity with CHI terminologies, knowledge of health-related websites and information sources, and ability to find health-related information on the Internet in both librarian and users groups. The research also revealed librarians’ difficulty in providing CHI reference service and a possible solution: including education on CHI in the regular curriculum for public librarians. This study also provides content expectations for CHI education.

Description and Preliminary Evaluation of a Diabetes Technology Simulation Course

We aim to provide data on a diabetes technology simulation course (DTSC) that instructs internal medicine residents in the use of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) and continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) devices. The DTSC was implemented during calendar year 2012 and conducted in the institution's simulation center. It consisted of a set of prerequisites, a practicum, and completion of a web-based inpatient CSII-ordering simulation. DTSC participants included only those residents in the outpatient endocrinology rotation. Questionnaires were used to determine whether course objectives were met and to assess the satisfaction of residents with the course. Questionnaires were also administered before and after the endocrine rotation to gauge improvement in familiarity with CSII and CGMS technologies. During the first year, 12 of 12 residents in the outpatient endocrinology rotation completed the DTSC. Residents reported that the course objectives were fully met. The mean satisfaction score with the course ranged from 4.0 to 4.9 (maximum, 5), with most variables rated above 4.5. Self-reported familiarity with the operation of CSII and CGMS devices increased significantly in the postrotation survey compared with that on the prerotation survey (both p < .01). In this pilot program, simulation-based education increased the perceived familiarity of residents with CSII and CGMS technologies. In light of these preliminary findings, the course will continue to be offered, with further data accrual. Future work will involve piloting the DTSC approach among other types of providers, such as residents in other specialties or inpatient nursing staff.

Exploring the Effectiveness of Ecological Principles as a Method for Integrating Environmental Content into Psychology Courses

Integrating environmental problems into psychology courses can be a daunting task for faculty because of limitations to training, time constraints in class, and the vast and changing scope of environmental problems. An efficient and effective method for addressing environmental issues is to introduce general principles based on an ecological worldview. Example principles include: all life is interconnected; natural resources are finite and limited in their ability to regenerate; upstream solutions are more effective than downstream solutions; and circular, closed-loop systems are preferred to linear systems. Students participating in two recent psychology courses enhanced by this method demonstrate significant improvement in familiarity with the concepts and self-reported use of the concepts outside of class. These general ecological principles link easily to many different psychological topics, encourage deeper cognitive processing of environmental content, and help students ask insightful questions, analyze problems, and propose meaningful solutions.

Evaluating effectiveness of neurobiology teaching for psychiatric trainees using familiarity ratings: a new method of course evaluation for a rapidly advancing field

A new method for assessing the effectiveness of neurobiological teaching for psychiatrists is described. Operationalized ratings of familiarity with neurobiological concepts derived from recent conference keywords were assessed before and after a teaching module. This evaluation was applied to a sample of trainees in Hong Kong. It was found that after the course, there was a broad improvement in familiarity with a large proportion concepts. The evaluation method is simple, efficient, externally referenced as well as capable of responding to new knowledge.