Learning Experience For Medical Students Research Articles

Embracing ChatGPT for Medical Education: Exploring Its Impact on Doctors and Medical Students.

ChatGPT (OpenAI), a cutting-edge natural language processing model, holds immense promise for revolutionizing medical education. With its remarkable performance in language-related tasks, ChatGPT offers personalized and efficient learning experiences for medical students and doctors. Through training, it enhances clinical reasoning and decision-making skills, leading to improved case analysis and diagnosis. The model facilitates simulated dialogues, intelligent tutoring, and automated question-answering, enabling the practical application of medical knowledge. However, integrating ChatGPT into medical education raises ethical and legal concerns. Safeguarding patient data and adhering to data protection regulations are critical. Transparent communication with students, physicians, and patients is essential to ensure their understanding of the technology's purpose and implications, as well as the potential risks and benefits. Maintaining a balance between personalized learning and face-to-face interactions is crucial to avoid hindering critical thinking and communication skills. Despite challenges, ChatGPT offers transformative opportunities. Integrating it with problem-based learning, team-based learning, and case-based learning methodologies can further enhance medical education. With proper regulation and supervision, ChatGPT can contribute to a well-rounded learning environment, nurturing skilled and knowledgeable medical professionals ready to tackle health care challenges. By emphasizing ethical considerations and human-centric approaches, ChatGPT's potential can be fully harnessed in medical education, benefiting both students and patients alike.

Culinary Medicine Experiences for Medical Students and Residents in the U.S. and Canada: A Scoping Review

Phenomenon Despite the importance of diet in the prevention and management of many common chronic diseases, nutrition training in medicine is largely inadequate in medical school and residency. The emerging field of culinary medicine offers an experiential nutrition learning approach with the potential to address the need for improved nutrition training of physicians. Exploring this innovative nutrition training strategy, this scoping review describes the nature of culinary medicine experiences for medical students and resident physicians, their impact on the medical trainees, and barriers and facilitators to their implementation. Approach This scoping review used the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist as guides. Eligible publications described the nature, impact, facilitators, and/or barriers of nutrition and food preparation learning experiences for medical students and/or residents. Additional inclusion criteria were location (U.S. or Canada), allopathic or osteopathic, English, human subjects, and publication year (2002 or later). The search strategy included 4 electronic databases. Two reviewers independently screened titles/abstracts and a third reviewer resolved discrepancies. The full-text review consisted of 2 independent reviews with discrepancies resolved by a third reviewer or by consensus if needed, and the research team extracted data from the included articles based on the nature, impact, barriers, and facilitators of culinary medicine experiences for medical trainees. Findings The publication search resulted in 100 publications describing 116 experiences from 70 institutions. Thirty-seven publications described pilot experiences. Elective/extracurricular and medical student experiences were more common than required and resident experiences, respectively. Experiences varied in logistics, instruction, and curricula. Common themes of tailored culinary medicine experiences included community engagement/service-based learning, interprofessional education, attention to social determinants of health, trainee well-being, and cultural considerations. Program evaluations commonly reported the outcome of experiences on participant attitudes, knowledge, skills, confidence, and behaviors. Frequent barriers to implementation included time, faculty, cost/funding, kitchen space, and institutional support while common facilitators of experiences included funding/donations, collaboratives and partnerships, teaching kitchen access, faculty and institutional support, and trainee advocacy. Insights Culinary medicine is an innovative approach to address the need and increased demand for improved nutrition training in medicine. The findings from this review can guide medical education stakeholders interested in developing or modifying culinary medicine experiences. Despite barriers to implementation, culinary medicine experiences can be offered in a variety of ways during undergraduate and graduate medical education and can be creatively designed to fulfill some accreditation standards.

Certified Nurse-Midwives as Teachers: Expanding Interprofessional Collaboration Learning Opportunities for Medical Students on the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clerkship.

Interprofessional experiences provide critical exposure to collaborative health care teams, yet medical students often lack this experience during clinical clerkships. We created a labor and delivery triage rotation exclusively staffed by certified nurse-midwives in the obstetrics and gynecology clerkship to address this gap. We sought to evaluate the clinical learning experiences of medical students rotating on this midwife-supervised collaborative team. Between 2018 and 2020, we electronically sent all medical students an evaluation after each required clerkship. Our primary outcome was the quality of teaching score, as defined by level of agreement on a 5-point Likert scale with a statement regarding teaching quality. A secondary outcome evaluated scores from the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Obstetrics and Gynecology subject examination taken by all students at the end of the rotation. Evaluations and assessments were compared between students rotating on labor and delivery triage and those who did not. Evaluation comments from students rotating on labor and delivery triage were collated to identify common themes. Of 374 students, 370 (98.9%) completed the end-of-clerkship course evaluation and 312 (83.4%) completed teaching evaluations. Sixty-seven students (17.9%) rotated in labor and delivery triage; of these, 52 (77.6%) completed both the course and triage rotation evaluations. There were no differences in the mean quality of teaching scores (3.9 ± 1.2 versus 3.8 ± 1.2, p = 0.54) or in NBME Obstetrics and Gynecology subject examination scores between students rotating in labor and delivery triage compared to all other rotations (79.9% ± 7.2% vs 80.2% ± 7.8%, P = 0.436). Comments from teaching evaluations highlighted student exposure to the midwifery philosophy of care model. This work demonstrates the feasibility and benefits of this midwife-led authentic interprofessional collaborative experience for medical students. This model can serve as an example of how to implement and evaluate interprofessional collaboration experiences in the clinical setting.

Enhancing the Comprehensive Integration of General Medicine Education in Rural Japan: A Thematic Analysis.

Introduction The dynamism inherent in general medicine, particularly since its recognition as a distinct specialty in 2019, necessitates constant revision and refinement of the curriculum. As general medicine programs proliferate throughout Japan, understanding the revision processes, especially concerning the pivotal concept of lateral integrations, becomes critical. Lateral integrations, which pertain to the interconnectedness between learning contents and contexts, ensure a cohesive learning experience for medical students. In this study, we sought to explore the intricacies and experiences of revising these integrations within the general medicine curriculum. Methods A qualitative thematic analysis rooted in relativist ontology and constructivist epistemology was conducted. The research was carried out at the Unnan City Hospital, Shimane Prefecture, focusing on trainees transitioning between diverse medical settings. Semi-structured interviews were employed to gauge perceptions regarding these transitions, and thematic analysis was used to interpret the data. Reflexivity was ensured by the diverse expertise of the research team, with rigorous discussions to mitigate biases. Results The following four themes emerged from the analysis: (1) confusion due to the transition from acute to chronic clinical settings, with trainees feeling overwhelmed and resistant to focus solely on chronic care; (2) monotony due to the loss of some clinical experiences, indicating challenges in maintaining motivation after transitioning to clinics; (3) disconnection between learning contexts, where participants desired stronger links to their primary training hospitals; and (4)anxiety as community leaders, highlighting the need for instilling leadership skills and a deeper understanding of diverse community healthcare professions. Conclusion This study shed light on the tangible challenges faced by general medicine trainees during transitions between different learning environments. These insights are valuable for educators in refining curriculum structures, ensuring smooth transitions, and enhancing lateral integrations. Addressing these challenges will bolster the quality and relevance of general medicine education in Japan, fostering the creation of adaptable, well-rounded physicians who are attuned to the multifaceted needs of their communities.

Shifting perspectives: Unveiling the transformative potential of home visits to persons living with disability in rural settings for medical students

Purpose This study aims to examine the transformative learning experiences of medical students participating in home visits to persons living with disabilities in rural areas of South Africa, in order to explore the potential of such experiences to shape their beliefs about their professional development and clinical practice. Methods Qualitative data was collected from the students through written reflections and semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed thematically using a phenomenological approach guided by Mezirow’s theory of transformative learning. Results The findings reveal a three-stage process of transformative learning for the students. Firstly, students held predominantly negative views towards the learning activity, prior to the home visits. Secondly the role of critical reflection facilitated a change in students’ perspectives. Finally, there was a change in perspective towards a predominantly positive valuing of the activity to their learning and approach to clinical practice. Discussion This study highlights the significance of incorporating home visits and structured critical reflection into undergraduate medical curricula. It underscores the need for further research in this area and contributes to the understanding of transformative learning in healthcare education. The findings emphasize the potential of community-based activities to shape inclusive practices and foster holistic patient care.

Perceptions of medical students toward assessors in interprofessional education.

This study aims to establish if medical students think it is fair to be assessed by nursing professors in interprofessional education (IPE) and why. Eighty-seven third-year medical students who participated in the IPE in 2022 submitted self-reflection essays. They were asked how they perceived the assessors, and 86 medical students responded to content analyses. Sixty-seven students (77.9%) agreed to be assessed by nursing professors. They believed that interprofessional assessment is possible because it is an IPE. They also believed that this was an opportunity to be assessed from various perspectives. Nineteen students (22.1%) objected because the assessment criteria may be different and nursing professors would not understand the learning experiences of medical students. Regarding the reasons medical students oppose it, IPE developers should supplement the development of assessment criteria and understand learners' experiences during planning assessment.

Utilization of Augmented Reality for Human Organ Analysis

This research paper investigates the utilization of augmented reality (AR) technology for human organ analysis in medical education. The study aims to develop and evaluate an AR application that provides an immersive and interactive learning experience for medical students. The research follows a quantitative methodology, to develop and test the effectiveness of the AR application in improving learning outcomes. The research examines the impact of the AR application on student engagement, retention of information, and performance on assessments. The results show that the AR application has a significant positive impact on learning outcomes. The use of AR technology improves student engagement, retention of information, and performance on assessments. The application's design and functionality were found to be intuitive and user-friendly, making it accessible for both students and educators. The research highlights the potential of AR technology in medical education and provides insights into its effectiveness in improving learning outcomes. The findings suggest that AR technology can be a valuable tool in medical education, enhancing the way students learn about human anatomy. This research can contribute to the existing literature on the use of AR technology in education, paving the way for future research and innovation in the field. Ultimately, the study shows that the integration of AR technology in medical education can significantly enhance the learning experience for students, providing them with an immersive and interactive approach to learning about human anatomy.

Cultural competency and mental health training for medical students: Learning from refugees and asylum seekers

Objective: Studies suggest that healthcare professionals often feel unprepared to deal with mental health issues in refugees and asylum seekers. The aim of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences of refugees and asylum seekers in relation to mental health and healthcare, to inform cultural competency training for undergraduate medical students. Method: Focus groups were conducted with 16 refugees and asylum seekers and staff from relevant charity organisations in Wales. We explored participants’ experiences in relation to mental health and healthcare, and training for healthcare professionals. The data were thematically analysed using an inductive approach. Results: Three overarching themes were identified: (1) recognition of the specific mental health needs of refugees and asylum seekers, (2) barriers preventing effective mental healthcare delivery for refugees and asylum seekers and (3) authentic learning experiences for medical students. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first study to actively involve refugees and asylum seekers, along with individuals who work closely with this population, in considering the development of cultural competency training for healthcare students and professionals in relation to mental health. If we are to reduce the risks of exclusion from healthcare for refugees and asylum seekers, training in this area is essential. Findings from this study have informed the development of a guide for healthcare educators with a focus on refugee and asylum seeker mental health.

What is important to medical students' online learning of dental trauma in medical education.

Traumatic dental injury (TDI), a topic not normally offered in the medical curriculum is made available through the medical school as an online learning course. Online learning provides an educational pathway for cross-disciplinary learning without any change to the existing curriculum. This research identified important key features that should be included in the design of an online course to provide a positive online learning experience for medical students. Ten important features were identified for medical educators to consider when they develop an online course to introduce dental trauma. These features are (1) prioritising information to TDI, (2) providing specific facts and information to TDI, (3) information must be easily retrieved, (4) providing career-related information, (5) promoting self-confidence, (6) promoting learning of new knowledge, (7) easy-to-understand content materials, (8) establishing a logical sequence of learning, (9) visual illustrations to complement written text and (10) promoting self-directed learning.

Supercharging Memory Retention in Neurology Learning: A Faculty-Student Collaboration to Apply Cognitive Science Principles to Software-based Self-directed Learning (S10.006)

<h3>Objective:</h3> We present the design, implementation, and evaluation of evidence-based learning principles, including ‘retrieval-based practice’, ‘interleaving’ and ‘spaced repetition’ through self-directed, software-based learning in a pre-clerkship neurology course. <h3>Background:</h3> Incorporating evidence-based teaching principles oriented towards optimized memory retention and administration through algorithmic software offers a more efficient learning experience for medical students. Designing and implementing learning activities through faculty-student collaborations are likely to result in higher student acceptance and engagement. <h3>Design/Methods:</h3> Anki is a is a popular software study tool with medical students. It uses spaced-repetition algorithms and allows users to actively recall concepts with flashcards that contain questions, tables, and diagrams. In a faculty-student collaboration, Anki study decks with flashcards and NBME-style clinical vignettes were created that were in close alignment with course learning objectives. Decks were vetted by course faculty for relevance and accuracy, and were distributed on a weekly basis to first year medical students during a 6-week organ system course. Use of the decks was voluntary. Student usage and attitudes were assessed through an anonymous online survey. <h3>Results:</h3> A total of 93 % of students in the course reported using the provided decks for their studying during the course. Of those, 92 % either “agreed” or “strongly agreed” with the statement that using the question decks was useful for final exam preparation. Of those who used the questions during this course, 79 % either “agreed” or “strongly agreed” with the statement that they would use similar question decks in future organ-system courses. <h3>Conclusions:</h3> Student engagement with the course-specific decks was very high, reflecting the value that students placed on the expected learning benefits and the student-centeredness of creating learning activities through faculty-student collaboration. Tips &amp; tricks for creating a similar resource for a course at your institution will be provided. <b>Disclosure:</b> Ms. DeLeon has nothing to disclose. Mr. Ahmad has nothing to disclose. Mr. Tran has nothing to disclose. Prof. Thesen has nothing to disclose.

Status and Educational Effects of Practical Nursing Training for Medical Students as Part of Interprofessional Education.

The WHO has recognized the importance of multidisciplinary education and recommended its promotion worldwide. In our medical school, students experience practical nursing training in their first year to promote multidisciplinary education. Herein, we clarified the learning experiences of medical students during a practical nursing training for enhancing multidisciplinary collaborative education. A questionnaire about nursing practice was conducted after training completion. Regarding attitudes during the training, the nurses in charge of shadowing evaluated the students, and the students also evaluated themselves. The survey results were analyzed qualitatively, and the attitude evaluation results quantitatively. There were 76 students who provided informed consent, of whom 55 completed the survey. Three main learning areas were extracted from survey: Nursing treatment, support, and communication activities (7 categories), Nursing care for hospitalized patients (3 categories), Multidisciplinary collaboration through effective communication and coordination (2 categories). On the first training day, the scores of evaluation by others were higher than those of self-evaluation in 6 items. On the second day, the scores of self-evaluation were higher than those of evaluation by others in "Actively learning" and "Communicating appropriately with medical staff and patients." Through the training, students learned about Nursing treatment, support, and communication activities; Nursing care for hospitalized patients; and Multidisciplinary collaboration through effective communication and coordination. The training enabled the students to understand the doctors' roles in the clinical setting, and to reflect on what doctors should be. Leaning from nursing training is highly beneficial for medical students.

Planting the Seeds of Collaboration: A Pilot for School/Clinic Partnerships During Pediatric Clerkship.

Although pediatricians and family physicians often refer children to early intervention (EI) and provide support and information to families, medical school training that provides information about special education policy and procedures is often limited. We piloted a program whereby medical students, during their pediatric clerkship, observed school classrooms that included young children with disabilities. Visit impact was measured through assessments of perceived competency and a written reflection. Students showed perceived competency growth across all areas measured. Written reflections demonstrated understanding of special education practices and collaborative opportunities. These findings suggest that incorporating experiential learning through facilitated school visits is a way to enhance the learning experience of medical students on topics essential to supporting children with disabilities and their families.

A call for increased addiction psychiatrist engagement in medical student education.

Background and ObjectivesAddiction psychiatrists are ideally trained to provide trainees with supervised clinical experiences in caring for patients with co‐occurring substance use disorders and other complex psychiatric disorders.MethodsThis is a call for addiction psychiatrists to step up as clinical champions in medical student education. Our targeted audience is practicing addiction psychiatrists who do not currently have medical students on their clinical services.ResultsWe suggest several approaches to incorporating learners into existing addiction psychiatry clinical services both at academic institutions and in the community.Discussion and ConclusionsFor medical schools without addiction psychiatrists on faculty, we suggest unique solutions for collaborating with external educational venues.Scientific SignificanceThere is limited literature on the role of addiction psychiatrists in providing supervised experiential learning experiences for medical students. There has been no previous publication specifically advocating for increased addiction psychiatrist engagement in the clinical education of medical students.

Incorporation of virtual reality in the clinical training of medical students studying esophageal and mediastinal anatomy and surgery.

To analyze the effectiveness of incorporating virtual reality (VR) in lectures on esophageal and mediastinal anatomy and surgical procedures for medical students at Gifu University during clinical training. We divided medical students participating in clinical training, randomly, into two groups of 30 students each: those who received a lecture using 3D images (3D group) and those who received a lecture using VR images (VR group). Four days after the lecture, the students completed a written test to allow us to evaluate their comprehension, and a questionnaire on their opinion of the lectures. Based on the results of the written test, the VR group achieved better understanding of computed tomography (CT) images (p = 0.0001) and better interpretation of surgical images (p = 0.0163). However, there was no difference in the scores for spatial recognition and general problems. The questionnaire revealed that the VR group became more interested in mediastinal anatomy (p = 0.0165) and surgery (p = 0.0135). Our findings suggest that VR enhances the learning process. The lecture incorporating the VR experience was more effective than the traditional lecture for promoting an understanding of CT images and interpretation of surgical images; thus, it enhances the learning experience for medical students studying surgery.

A multisite study of medical student perspectives on the core surgical clerkship

BackgroundThe surgical clerkship is the primary surgical learning experience for medical students. This study aims to understand student perspectives on the surgery clerkship both before and after the core surgical rotation. MethodsMedical students at 4 academic hospitals completed pre and postclerkship surveys that included open-ended questions regarding (1) student learning goals and concerns and (2) how surgical clerkship learning could be enhanced. Thematic analysis was performed, and interrater reliability was calculated. ResultsNinety-one percent of students completed both a pre and postclerkship survey (n =162 of 179), generating 320 preclerkship and 270 postclerkship responses. Mean kappa coefficients were 0.83 and 0.82 for pre and postclerkship primary themes, respectively. Thematic analysis identified 5 broad themes: (1) core learning expectations, (2) understanding surgical careers, culture, and work, (3) inhabiting the role of a surgeon, (4) inclusion in the surgical team, and (5) the unique role of the medical student on clinical clerkships. Based on these themes, we propose a learner-centered model of a successful surgical clerkship that satisfies discrete student learning and goals and career objectives while ameliorating the challenges of high-stakes clinical surgical environments such as the operating room. ConclusionUnderstanding student perspectives on the surgery clerkship, including preclerkship motivations and concerns and postclerkship reflections on surgical learning, revealed potential targets of intervention to improve the surgery clerkship. Future investigation may elucidate whether the proposed model of the elements of a successful surgery clerkship learning facilitates improvement of the surgical learning environment and enhanced surgical learning.

Vascular Surgery Curriculum for Medical Students: A National Targeted Needs Assessment

BackgroundAt present, neither the American College of Surgeons (ACS) nor the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) provides curriculum recommendations for medical students rotating on a vascular surgery service. We sent a targeted needs assessment to vascular surgeons across the country in order to investigate the need for a structured curriculum for medical students participating in a vascular surgery rotation during their clinical clerkships. MethodsThe survey was developed with input from medical students, vascular surgeons, and medical educators. Respondents were identified from the Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database (FREIDA). The needs assessment was sent to program directors of vascular residencies and fellowships and to other vascular surgery educators. The survey collected data regarding the existing vascular surgery curriculum at the respondent's institution, the need for a standardized curriculum, desired experiences for medical students, and important vascular topics for medical students to cover while on rotation. ResultsResponses were obtained from 50 of the 146 surveyed individuals (response rate = 34.2%). 48 respondents (96%) worked in an academic hospital or academic affiliated hospital. With regard to the existing vascular surgery curriculum, only 28 respondents (61%) indicated that they had a curriculum approved by the surgery clerkship director. 37 respondents (77.1%) said there were at least goals and objectives for students on the vascular surgery service, and 29 respondents (60.4%) indicated that there was dedicated time for didactic sessions. Only 17 respondents (35.4%) indicated students gave a case presentation on the service. 29 respondents (63%) agreed or strongly agreed that there should be a standardized vascular curriculum for medical students. When asked to rank 9 topics from most important to least important for students to learn, respondents ranked peripheral arterial disease, aortic disease, and carotid disease highest. Simulation experience was most frequently indicated as a desired addition to the curriculum, and only 16 respondents (33.3%) reported opportunities for vascular surgery specific simulation experiences. ConclusionsThis study identified the lack of an existing structured curriculum for medical students, the desire for a standardized curriculum, and key topics and experiences that are felt to be important for students to cover. With this information in hand, vascular educators have the potential to enhance the learning experience of medical students rotating through the service by developing a standardized curriculum.

VIRTUAL CARDIOLOGY CLINICAL SKILLS TEACHING FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS USING AN ELECTRONIC STETHOSCOPE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: FEASIBILITY AND FEEDBACK.

BACKGROUNDThe provision of teaching within medical schools, particularly at the pre-clerkship level, has been difficult during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the need for limited patient contact. The opportunities for Med I and Med 2 students for bedside teaching have been a particular challenge. During the Cardiology clinical skills unit at Dalhousie University there was a shift in Public Health recommendations necessitating a quick change in teaching strategy during the second wave of the pandemic. With medical students no longer able to enter the hospital for practice histories and physicals on ‘real’ cardiac patients, an effort was made to provide a similar experience using a virtual platform.METHODS AND RESULTSBedside teaching for cardiology at Dalhousie (Halifax site) involves three 4-week rotations of roughly 28 students per group. One of these groups was provided with a virtual experience using a hospitalized patient with cardiac disease on week one, followed by in-person clinical skills teaching with a standardized patient without cardiac disease in weeks 2-4. For the virtual experience the history portion was conducted using Zoom, and the physical examination was demonstrated using an iPhone connected to an electronic stethoscope which allowed broadcast of heart sounds to the students over the Zoom platform. The stethoscope used was the Thinklabs OneTM digital. The three in-person sessions were provided in groups of 4 students to one standardized patient along with a cardiologist. At the end of the four-week session the students were asked to evaluate the experience of the virtual history and physical examination with the ‘real’ patient in a short survey and compare it to the standardized patient experience. Of the 28 students, 16 completed the evaluation survey (57%). All students (100%) selected either ‘Agree’ or ‘Strongly agree’ on a 5-point Likert scale when asked if the virtual session provided a valuable learning experience for both history taking and physical examination. The majority of students (87.5%) also felt that the virtual bedside teaching was either equivalent or preferable to the in-person learning experience with the standardized patient.CONCLUSIONVirtual clinical skills teaching using a Zoom platform and an electronic stethoscope was both feasible and provided a valuable alternative learning experience for medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What can we learn from the online learning experiences of medical students in Poland during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic?

BackgroundIn March 2020, due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the Polish government ordered the closing of all medical faculties, with an obligatory shift to online learning. This lockdown continued, with a short period of blended learning, over the time of summer 2020. Distance learning had previously been rarely used within Polish medical schools, so such a sudden transfer was a major challenge. The aim of the study was to explore undergraduates’ perception of online teaching provided at Polish medical faculties during the pandemic and to analyze how these experiences may inform future curriculum development.MethodsThe online survey was addressed to undergraduates at Polish medical faculties in November 2020. The questions captured demographics, epidemiological data and students’ perception of various aspects of online teaching. Responses were subjected to thematic analysis and their distribution compared considering demographic parameters .ResultsSix hundred twenty students from thirteen medical faculties responded to the survey. Major benefits from online teaching perceived by respondents included increased convenience, enhanced quality, a sense of comfort and safety. Major complaints were associated with unsatisfactory content, technical issues, difficulties engaging, poor organization and lack of social life. Students claimed that online teaching required more self-directed learning and discipline and 57.9% considered this impact as negative. 44.5% of respondents took part in educational online activities beyond their scheduled classes. For 49.2% online examinations were reported as more stressful and for 24.8% - less stressful than traditional ones. Differences in the opinions on online teaching were found between men and women, students in early and senior years, Polish and non-Polish ones.ConclusionsThe sudden move online inevitably was problematic for students. Their perspective afforded us the opportunity to consider shortcomings of pre-pandemic undergraduate curriculum. Online education requires a more self-directed learning, which was challenging for many students, so further enhancement of more autonomous study skills seems necessary. Distress expressed by students indicates the need for urgent support with mental health issues.

A virtual sub-internship for otolaryngology-head and neck surgery.

ObjectiveDuring the COVID‐19 pandemic, away rotations were suspended for safety purposes. This led to the development of online interactive learning modules for students, now known as virtual sub‐internships (VSIs). To date, VSIs within otolaryngology‐head and neck surgery (OHNS) have been limited in their description and design.Study designCross‐sectional survey.SettingACGME‐accredited OHNS residency program.MethodsOur curriculum for an OHNS VSI is presented. Based on the model used by our OHNS residency program, the VSI consisted of a 2‐week block of activities and interactive small‐group discussions. A post‐VSI feedback survey was distributed to participants; results are reported.ResultsSix 2‐week VSI sessions were administered. Twenty‐one individuals participated from all US regions, median 4 individuals per session. Fifteen participants (71.4%) completed the feedback survey. Of survey respondents, 20% lacked a home OHNS residency program, and no respondents' home‐programs featured a VSI. All respondents were satisfied with the schedule and organization of the VSI, and 73.3% (11 of 15) felt it was of appropriate duration. All respondents reported a high degree of familiarity with the program, with a greater (86.7%) or equal (13.3%) level of interest in applying to the residency program as a result of participating in the VSI.ConclusionThis VSI curriculum offers a well‐received virtual learning experience for medical students applying to OHNS residency. It provides an opportunity for programs to expand their appeal to potential applicants who may otherwise be restricted in their ability to travel.

Introducing the 4Ps Model of Transitioning to Distance Learning: A convergent mixed methods study conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Significant concern has been raised regarding the effect of COVID-19 on medical education. This study aimed to shed light on the distance learning experiences of medical students and their instructors at the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. A convergent mixed methods approach was utilized. Qualitative and quantitative data was collected using a survey of closed-ended followed by open-ended questions. The percentage of the total average of satisfaction among stakeholders was 76.4%. The qualitative analysis led to developing the 4Ps Model of Transitioning to Distance Learning, which encapsulates four interrelated themes. It would be helpful to leverage the lessons learned to tailor blended medical programs with a reasonable mélange of experiences. The study also contributes to the mixed methods research by showcasing a means of adapting it to evaluate critical situations reliably and rapidly.