Learning Of Undergraduate Medical Students Research Articles

Factors that affect the learning of undergraduate medical students in an online asynchronous course of Forensic Medicine

ABSTRACT Online learning has grown productive and vital for delivering asynchronous instruction to undergraduate medical students. We explored the factors that affect the learning of undergraduate medical students in an online asynchronous Forensic Medicine course through focus group discussions. These factors were identified in three components of theoretical framework: learner, design, and environment. The promoting factors in the learner component were regulation of learning, internal motivation, metacognition, interaction with peers, and social interaction. Hampering factors were poor self-regulation, losing motivation, and less use of discussion forums. In the environment component students’ engagement, external motivation, and lack of physical interaction hampered the learning. In design: course content, links, extra material, pre-recorded lectures, assessment, time limitation, and flexibility promoted the learning, while lack of training in asynchronous mode, losing motivation, loss of attention, and less interaction hampered learning. These identified factors will assist online educators and instructors in designing better online asynchronous courses.

Community based medical education: A learning experience of Pakistani Undergraduate Medical Students at Medical Camps.

Objective: To determine impact of community based Medical Education on learning of undergraduate medical students. Study Design: Non-comparative, Prospective study. Setting: Irfania Ophthalmic Medical Camp, Lahore. Period: July 2019. Material & Methods: 70 students participated in a 4 hour interactive session, where they took a focused history, performed relevant clinical examination, and counseled patients regarding their disease. At the end, feedback was collected using a pre-tested questionnaire. Data obtained was analyzed using SPSS version 23, with mean ± SD determined for continuous variables and frequency with percentage for categorical variables. Results: Majority of the participants were female fourth year medical students. 97.1% found the camp system more efficient for learning, while 94.3% thought it should be included in future ophthalmic curricula. 81.5% of the participants were of the opinion that the camp had had a positive impact on their communication skills regarding taking focused history and counseling patients. Conclusion: In a country like Pakistan with a high burden of ophthalmic diseases and a developing medical curriculum, medical camps are essential for training and skill learning for undergraduate medical students, and should be included in the medical curriculum.

Fully digital problem-based learning for undergraduate medical students during the COVID-19 period: Practical considerations

Digital problem-based learning (PBL) was originally introduced as a means to improve student engagement and increase flexibility. However, its use becomes mandatory during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) period, accelerating changes in medical education. Few elaborated on the implementation details of digital PBL curricula. Technical guidance can be important but under-recognized prerequisite of a successful digital PBL session. In National Taiwan University College of Medicine, we established a digital PBL curriculum and previously validated a confidence questionnaire for surveying undergraduate students receiving digital PBL sessions. In this opinion piece, we gleaned multiple procedural details from our experiences based on students'/tutors' feedback, which we summarized in a 5″W″ recommendations (Who), timing/duration (When), location (Where), software/hardware/topics (What), and evaluation aspects (Why). Suggestions on how to optimally prepare for digital PBL session are also provided. We believe that these tips can further facilitate the wide adoption of digital PBL.

A Response to "In vivo Simulation-Based Learning for Undergraduate Medical Students: Teaching and Assessment" [Letter].

A Response to "In vivo Simulation-Based Learning for Undergraduate Medical Students: Teaching and Assessment" [Letter].

In vivo Simulation-Based Learning for Undergraduate Medical Students: Teaching and Assessment [Response to Letter].

In vivo Simulation-Based Learning for Undergraduate Medical Students: Teaching and Assessment [Response to Letter].

In vivo Simulation-Based Learning for Undergraduate Medical Students: Teaching and Assessment.

An increasing emphasis on simulation has become evident in the last three decades following fundamental shifts in the medical profession. Simulation-based learning (SBL) is a wide term that encompasses several means for imitating a skill, attitude, or procedure to train personnel in a safe and adaptive environment. A classic example has been the use of live animal tissue, named in vivo SBL. We aimed to review all published evidence on in vivo SBL for undergraduate medical students; this includes both teaching concepts as well as focused assessment of students on those concepts. We performed a systematic review of published evidence on MEDLINE. We also incorporated evidence from a series of systematic reviews (eviCORE) focused on undergraduate education which have been outputs from our dedicated research network (eMERG). In vivo SBL has been shown to be valuable at undergraduate level and should be considered as a potential educational tool. Strict adherence to 3R (Reduce, Refine, Replace) principles in order to reduce animal tissue usage, should always be the basis of any curriculum. In vivo SBL could potentially grant an extra mile towards medical students’ inspiration and aspiration to become safe surgeons; however, it should be optimised and supported by a well-designed curriculum which enhances learning via multi-level fidelity SBL.

Insights from a community-based palliative care course: a qualitative study

BackgroundThe vast majority of medical students have no exposure to clinical palliative care encounters, especially in the community. Medical schools should respond to current challenges and needs of health systems by guaranteeing students adequate training that addresses palliative care needs of populations in different settings. The main purpose of this qualitative study was to capture the experiences of a select group of medical students’ following a community-based PC course.MethodsWe carried out a qualitative study using two focus groups to capture the experience of medical students in a course that combined classroom teaching with community-based learning for undergraduate medical students in Germany. Discussions were transcribed and analyzed thematically.ResultsFifteen female students in their 2nd to 5th year participated in the focus groups, which provided didactic teaching and experiential learning. Four areas were particularly relevant: (1) authenticity, (2) demystification of the concepts of palliative care through personal contact with patients, (3) translation of theoretical knowledge into practice, and (4) observation of a role model interacting with seriously ill patients and engaging in difficult conversations.ConclusionStudents whose encounters with patients and their families went beyond a review of their medical records had a better grasp of the holistic nature of PC than those who did not. Bringing students directly from the hospital to patients in their homes reinforced the benefits of an integrated healthcare system.

A Virtual Platform for Teaching ACLS Pharmacology to Undergraduate Medical Students

Introduction: During the initial surge of the COVID-19 pandemic, in accordance with AAMC recommendations, all undergraduate medical student learning at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine was transitioned to online platforms. We developed a voice-over interactive presentation for the teaching of pharmacologic treatments used in the American Heart Association (AHA) Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) algorithms. Methods All fourth-year students in the Class of 2020 (n=120) viewed the mandatory online presentation and completed the associated 28 item MCQ assessment. The 16-minute voice-over presentation was prepared using Microsoft PowerPoint. Content addressed all major AHA ACLS algorithms including approximately six minutes of content specifically addressing pharmacologic interventions. Both the presentation and the assessment were delivered to students though the CanvasMed learning management system. Student satisfaction and feedback were obtained via anonymous post-session survey administered through the Qualtrics survey tool. Results: All students (n=120) completed the post-session assessment. Of the 28 items, seven assessed pharmacologic interventions. Overall mean performance on the post-session assessment was 89.6% (SD 7.5%) and 74.4% (SD 17.4%) on pharmacology-directed items. 80 out of 120 students (response rate= 66.7%) completed the post-session survey. On a 5-point Likert scale (0-“Not at all” through 4-“Very”), mean post-session response to the statement “How satisfied were you with the online lesson?” was found to be 3.27 (SD 0.85), with 47.5% (n=38) selecting “Very” and 37.5% (n=30), selecting “Mostly.” Conclusion: An interactive online platform may be used effectively to teach pharmacologic ACLS interventions to fourth year medical students. This online module may also be used to facilitate more active learning pedagogies when students safely return to the classroom.

IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON LEARNING OF UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL STUDENTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY FROM KARACHI

Objective: To assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on learning of undergraduate medical students ofKarachi.
 Study Design: A cross-sectional, observational study.
 Place and Duration of Study: Study was conducted at conducted at the different public and private medicalcolleges, Karachi, from Mar to Apr 2020.
 Methodology: Google survey form based cross-sectional study conducted at the different public and privatemedical colleges, Karachi from March till April 2020. Non-probability consecutive sampling technique was used.This questionnaire consisted of 13 items which focused on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the learning ofundergraduate medical students from Karachi.
 Results: The study was conducted on 110 undergraduate students. Out of which, majority of the participantswere from third year 45 (41%) and second year of MBBS 25 (23%). It was found that almost 71% of the undergraduate students had less likely to remember and understand material taught in online class and 60% had less likely to get answers to their queries as compared to regular classes. The results also showed that 49% of the undergraduate students were disturbed by technical issues during online classes. Furthermore, it was also found that learning of 54 out of 110 undergraduate students was always affected due to loss of clinical rotations. Strong association were also found in between online satisfaction and stressful condition due to online classes.
 Conclusion: It was concluded that COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected the learning of the undergraduatemedical students and have negatively impacted their satisfaction level towards their studies.

Library Usage by the Medical Students of a Tertiary Medical College in Chattogram

Background: The medical college library plays an important role in enhancing theacademic achievements of medical students. In order to improve the quality oflibrary services this study provided an assessment of the impact of the libraryservices on undergraduate medical student learning behavior.
 Materials and methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive type of study. Thestudy used a self-designed questionnaire. The study sample was 200 undergraduatemedical students. The questionnaire was administered to them at the end of theirlecture class.
 Results: The primary reason for going to the library was self study (68%) refer text(37%) and group study (36%). Only 38.55% of the respondents visited the library ona daily basis, 50.5% students visit library when necessary and 10.5% student uselibrary 2-3 times a week. All students (100%) are aware about availability of textbooks in the library. 60.5% students know that journals are available in their library,52% know about dictionaries, 56.55% know of having internet, 62.5% students knowthat computers are available in library. 46.5% students said that their internet ofinstitutional library is somewhat helpful. Noise (67.5%), insufficient space (66%),lack of interent access (46%) and lack of computers(44.5%) might have negativeinfluence on the students in library visit.
 Conclusion :The study suggested that fulfillment of more needs to be done topromote self directed learning. The usage of library, its resources and services needto be increased.
 Chatt Maa Shi Hosp Med Coll J; Vol.19 (1); January 2020; Page 38-42

Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL): An innovation aimed at engaged learning for undergraduate medical students.

To evaluate the effectiveness of Peer Assisted Learning in teaching at undergraduate level and to assess its effects on Peer Leaders and Peer Learners. The cross-sectional study was conducted at the Aga Khan University, Karachi, from May to October 2017, and comprised Peer Learners who were trained by faculty members in workshops and pre-run of experiments. Students were divided into two groups; Group A had Peer Learners taught by Peer Leaders, and Group B had those taught by trained lab technologists. Knowledge of the groups was assessed by a quiz using Kahoot. Post-session feedback questionnaires were also filled by the participants. Data was analysed using SPSS 23. There were 10 Peer Leaders with a mean age of 19.5±0.85 years, and 62 Peer Learners with a mean age of 19.08±0.81 years. Among the learners, there were 35(56.5%) males and 27(43.5%) females. Post-session assessment showed a significant difference in the test performance by the two groups (p<0.05). Feedback indicated that the learners found Peer Leaders more accessible than lab staff, leading to enhanced understanding of the subject. Peer-Assisted Learning was found to promote learning by creating an informal student-friendly learning environment.

The impact of airway management training by utilizing smartphone on the learning of undergraduate medical students

Intrduction: Smartphone-based learning is a novel learning technique in medical education. Smartphones have good potentialities to be used as a learning tool for their wide application among students. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of training airway management by utilizing smartphones on the learning of undergraduate medical students. Methods: In this semi-experimental study, it was tried to intervene in the students’ way of learning by using smartphone training application. The participants included 120 undergraduate medical students of School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. Forty students were randomly selected and divided into two groups of control and experimental. Then, teaching through two methods of traditional method (face to face) and combined method (traditional + smartphone-based software) was performed for control and experimental groups, respectively. After that the teaching was finished, the level of knowledge and practical skills of both groups were evaluated. Students' practical skills were assessed using a standard checklist on the moulage. The knowledge score was obtained using a multiple-choice written test. Finally, data were analyzed by SPSS software using independent samples t-test. Results: There was a significant difference between the mean score of knowledge and practical skills of the experimental group when compared to the controls (P &lt; 0.05) and the smartphone application was efficient in improving student learning. Conclusion: Utilizing smartphone application can be a complementary method for traditional education in enhancing medical skills. Accordingly, the use of blended training in medical education is suggested.

Minimal effects of reduced teaching hours on undergraduate medical student learning outcomes and course evaluations

Introduction: Various pressures exist for curricular change, including economic forces, burgeoning knowledge, broadening learning outcomes, and improving quality and outcomes of learning experiences. In an Australian 5-year undergraduate medical course, staff were asked to reduce teaching hours by 20% to alleviate perceived overcrowded preclinical curriculum, achieve operating efficiencies and liberate time for students’ self-directed learning.Methods: A case study design with mixed methods was used to evaluate outcomes.Results: Teaching hours were reduced by 198 hours (14%) overall, lectures by 153 hours (19%) and other learning activities by 45 hours (7%). Summative assessment scores did not change significantly after the reductions: 0.4% increase, 1.5% decrease and 1.7% increase in Years 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The percentage of students successfully completing their academic year did not change significantly: 94.4% before and 93.3% after the reductions. Student evaluations from eVALUate surveys changed little, except workload was perceived to be more reasonable.Conclusions: Teaching hours, particularly lectures, can be moderately reduced with little impact on student learning outcomes or satisfaction with an undergraduate medical course.

Does the Flipped Classroom Method Enhance the Learning of Undergraduate Medical Students: A Review

Does the Flipped Classroom Method Enhance the Learning of Undergraduate Medical Students: A Review

Integrating 3D Visualisation Technologies in Undergraduate Anatomy Education.

Anatomy forms the basis of clinical examination, surgery and radiology and it is therefore essential that a fundamental understanding of the key concepts, structures and their relationships is gained by medical and healthcare students during their undergraduate training. Anatomy involves the study of three dimensional entities relating to the human body itself and its constituent structures. In our experience, the appreciation of 3D concepts is one of the most demanding areas for medical student learning of anatomy (ben Awadh et al. 2018, unpublished observations). The ability to interpret 3D anatomical features in 2D cross-sectional clinical images can be troublesome, while the dynamic nature of embryological development is a further challenge.The aim of introducing technology enhanced-learning (TEL) approaches into our practice is with a view to enhancing undergraduate medical student learning of clinically relevant anatomy. Here we will explore the importance of visualisation and visual learning in anatomy as a scholarly basis for the integration for TEL approaches. We will then describe examples of visualisation technologies that are currently being implemented within the School of Medical Education at Newcastle University based on a research informed understanding of how students learn anatomy. We will consider the available evidence that supports best practice, identify limitations where they arise, and discuss how these visual 3D learning technologies can be effectively utilised as adjuncts and self-directed resources to supplement more established approaches to undergraduate anatomy education.

Integrated learning for undergraduate medical students.

Integrated learning for undergraduate medical students.

How do undergraduate medical students learn ophthalmology in a clinical environment?

Aim: This phenomenological study looked at the nature of undergraduate medical student learning in an ophthalmology environment. The study set out to identify what influences the quality of medical students’ educational experience in ophthalmology. The study was conducted on 17 final-year medical students from a medical school in the west of Ireland, after undertaking their 3-week combined clinicalbased ophthalmology/neurology programme at a tertiary referral teaching hospital. Methods: Learning diaries were used as a reflective tool for recording the learners’ personal learning experiences. A primary analysis of the diaries was used to formulate a topic guide for semi-structured interviews with each of the participating students. Template analysis was used to code the data, create themes and establish thematic hierarchies. Results: Individual students’ learning experiences were affected by intra-personal and inter-personal factors. Inter-personal factors included the quality of the learner–teacher relationship and the interaction between peer learners. Intra-personal factors were individual perceptions of what was expected of the students by tutors and by the medical school. Conclusion: To create positive and effective learning environments for learners in ophthalmology and orthoptics, teachers should become much more aware of themselves as models of practice and should take time to observe students perform as well as provide feedback.

Taking stock of evidence-based healthcare in the undergraduate medical curriculum at Stellenbosch University: Combining a review of curriculum documents and input from recent graduates

Background. The Stellenbosch University Rural Medical Educational Partnership Initiative (SURMEPI) aims to increase the quality and retention of medical doctors, and regionally relevant research. Strengthening evidence-based healthcare (EBHC) knowledge and skills at an undergraduate level is important within this context. Objectives. To assess and describe the current undergraduate medical EBHC curriculum in order to identify opportunities to enhance EBHC teaching, and to explore challenges related to EBHC experienced by recently graduated doctors. Methods. We used methodological triangulation to assess current EBHC teaching and learning through a document review and a survey of recent graduates. We extracted learning outcomes from module guides that related to prespecified EBHC competencies. Our electronic survey collected quantitative data, which were analysed with SPSS, and qualitative data, which were coded with ATLAS.ti and grouped into emerging themes. Results. EBHC teaching was fragmented and concentrated in the first and last phase of the medical curriculum. Most survey respondents agreed that it was important to learn EBHC at undergraduate level, and that there was a need for increased teaching of certain EBHC competencies. Recently graduated doctors identified lack of access to literature as the main challenge when practising EBHC. Other challenges included time constraints, work overload, lack of EBHC skills, lack of self-motivation, applicability of the evidence and the work environment. Conclusion. Recent graduates felt that they needed more EBHC learning opportunities within the undergraduate medical curriculum. Existing EBHC teaching and learning for undergraduate medical students need to be enhanced by integrating EBHC into clinical modules and scaffolding it throughout all the phases of the curriculum.

Improving Workplace-Based Learning for Undergraduate Medical Students.

Workplace-based learning is considered as one of the most effective way of translating medical theory into clinical practice. Although employed traditionally at postgraduate level, this strategy can be used in undergraduate students coming for clerkships in clinical departments. There are many challenges to workplace learning such as, unfavorable physical environment, lack of interest by clinical staff and teachers, and lack of student motivation. Clinical teachers can help bridge this gap and improve workplace learning through individual and collaborative team effort. Knowledge of various educational theories and principles and their application at workplace can enhance student learning and motivation, for which faculty development is much needed. Different teaching and learning activities can be used and tailored according to the clinical setting. Active reflection by students and constructive feedback from the clinicians forms the backbone of effective workplace learning.

Emotional learning of undergraduate medical students in an early nursing attachment in a hospital or nursing home

Background: Entering medicine for the first time is highly impressive for students, but we know little about the actual emotional learning processes taking place.Aims: We aimed to get more insight into expectations, experiences and emotions of students during their first clinical experiences in a hospital compared to a nursing home.Methods: We carried out a qualitative and a quantitative survey by administering questionnaires about expectations, impressive experiences and learning activities within two cohorts of first-year medical students before and after a 4-week nursing attachment.Results: Despite different expectations, students reported similar experiences and learning activities for the nursing home and the hospital. Most impressive events were related to patient care, being a trainee, or professional identities being challenged. Students in nursing homes most often referred to their own relationships with patients. Students expressed different emotions, and frequently experienced positive and negative emotions at the same time.Conclusions: Rewarding experiences (not only difficult or stressful events) do matter for medical professional development. Students need to learn how to deal with and feel strengthened by the emotions evoked during clinical experiences, which should be supported by educators. The nursing home and the hospital seem to be equally suited as learning environments.