Medical Curriculum Research Articles

[Open educational resources for otorhinolaryngology : Apilot study on needs assessment and implementation].

Open educational resources (OER) are educational materials licensed openly by authors, permitting usage, redistribution, and in some instances, modification. OER platforms thereby serve as amedium for distributing and advancing teaching materials and innovative educational methodologies. This study aims to determine the present state of OER in otorhinolaryngology and to examine the prerequisites for seamlessly integrating OER into the curricular teaching of medical schools, specifically through the design of two OER blended learning modules. OER content in the field of otorhinolaryngology was analyzed on OER platforms, ensuring its relevance to the German medical curriculum. Data protection concerns were addressed with legal counsel. The blended learning modules were developed in collaboration with medical students and subsequently published as OER. This project yielded the first OER from aGerman ENT department, tailored to the German medical curriculum. One significant barrier to OER use in medicine, more than in other fields, is data protection. This challenge can be navigated by obtaining consent to publish patient data as OER. OER hold the promise to play apivotal role in fostering cooperation and collaboration among educators, aiding educators in lesson preparation, and simultaneously enhancing didactic quality.

Medical students' perspective on the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 transition to Pass/Fail

Background The transition of the United States Medical Licensing Exam: Step 1 to Pass/Fail (P/F), from scored, caused uncertainty about students’ preparedness and wellbeing related to the exam. Comparison of study behavior and results, before and after the P/F transition can provide insights for the medical curriculum and student support. Methods Data from four cohorts of second-year medical students (Class of 2022–25, N = 204) were collected from their dedicated Step 1 self-study block. Student study regiments, aggregate practice test results, Step 1 pass rates and post-block self-reported surveys were analyzed. Results Analysis of practice exam averages across the four student cohorts demonstrates a potentially slower and less rigorous start to Step 1 self-studying during the dedicated preparation block for the cohorts that took the P/F Step 1 exam format as compared to the previous cohorts that prepared for a scored Step 1 exam. Similarly, self-reported study regiments decreased in the median number of hours/day and number of weeks of study for the cohorts with P/F Step 1 exam. There was also a slight shift in the type of study resources used, between the two groups, with the scored group using more traditional board preparation resources. Conclusions The P/F transition of the Step 1 exam may lead to reduced student preparedness and may require adjustments in the resources and support provided by institutions.

Critical Thinking and Clinical Reasoning in Undergraduate Medical Course: A Mixed-Methods Study in a Medical College in Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Critical thinking is considered as the essential set of skills for medical practice, particularly during emergencies. However, there is lack of conceptual clarity around it and it was not explicitly included in the undergraduate medical curriculum in India. The present study has been planned to assess the critical thinking disposition and clinical reasoning skills among medical undergraduate students in a medical college in West Bengal, India. The perceived definition and attributes of critical thinking in medical education will be explored and the contexts where application of critical thinking skills may be crucial for medical practice will be identified. The content validity index, test-retest agreement; internal consistency and construct validity of the Critical Thinking Disposition Assessment Questionnaire (CTDAQ) will be assessed through step-by-step procedure. CTDAQ and the case-based objective-type questions for the clinical reasoning skills will be applied to around 200 medical undergraduate students. Their perception and experience on critical thinking in medical education will be assessed with structured open-ended questions. In-depth interviews with medical teachers of the second and third phases of undergraduate medical curriculum will be conducted to assess their perception and experiences on critical thinking. The quantitative analysis will be conducted with MS excel and R software using the relevant packages. The qualitative data will be transcribed and translated in English, close to the participants’ verbatim. The thematic analysis will be conducted with inductive coding and memoing. The study will be conducted maintaining ethical standards for epidemiological studies. The present study, one of the first a few studies in India, will help to meet the conceptual gap in understanding the attributes of critical thinking, its association with clinical reasoning and the contexts of preferred application in medical practice.

Development of a Medical Student Curriculum in Technology (P11-7.005)

Development of a Medical Student Curriculum in Technology (P11-7.005)

The expansion of medical education in the Dutch East Indies and the formation of the Indonesian medical profession.

In 1851, the colonial administration of the Dutch East Indies established a two-year program to educate young Javanese men to become vaccinators in Batavia (today's Jakarta). During the following sixty years, the medical curriculum was expanded several times; in 1913, it consisted of a ten-year program. In 1927, the Batavia Medical School, granting degrees equivalent to those of Dutch university-affiliated medical schools, commenced operations. Consequently, a steadily increasing number of Indonesian physicians with various credentials were employed by the colonial health service, plantations, sugar factories and mines, or established private practices. They became a social group that occupied an ambiguous and even paradoxical position somewhere between Europeans and the indigenous population. During the 1910s, this inspired these physicians to obtain credentials and professional recognition equal to those of their European colleagues. Several of them became active in journalism, politics and social movements. During the 1920s, several became radicalised and criticised the nature of colonial society. In the 1930s, following the increasingly repressive nature of colonial society, most of them remained active in the public sphere while a small group dedicated itself to improving medical research and health care. After the transfer of sovereignty from the Netherlands to Indonesia on 27 December 1949, this small cadre reestablished medical education and health care, and built the Indonesian medical profession.

Understanding antibiotic knowledge, attitudes, and practices: a cross-sectional study in physicians from a Colombian region, 2023.

Antibiotic resistance has been identified as a global health threat. Knowledge, attitudes, and inappropriate prescription practices of antibiotics by physicians play a crucial role in this problem. In Colombia, research addressing this issue is scarce. A cross-sectional study involving 258 physicians was conducted. A scale with questions on sociodemographic aspects, level of education, satisfaction with antibiotic education received, and knowledge, attitudes, and practices was administered. The scale was designed for each item to be analyzed individually or as a total score ranging from 0 to 100 (0 being the lowest and 100 the highest). 31.5% of physicians rated the education received on antibiotics as fair to poor. The knowledge score was 80.1 (IQR 70.5-87.5); however, 25.2% agreed to some extent that amoxicillin is useful in treating most respiratory infections, and 15% agreed that antibiotics are effective in treating upper respiratory infections. Attitudes scored 80.2 (IQR 75.0-86.5), with 99% stating that bacterial resistance is a public health problem in Colombia, but only 56.9% considering it a problem affecting their daily practice. Practices scored 75.5 (IQR 68.8-81.2), and 71.7% affirmed that if they refuse to prescribe antibiotics to a patient who does not need them, the patient can easily obtain them from another physician. General practitioners were found to have lower scores in all three indices evaluated. The study reveals enduring misconceptions and concerning practices in antibiotic prescription, particularly among general practitioners. Enhancing knowledge necessitates the implementation of continuous medical education programs that focus on updated antibiotic guidelines, and resistance patterns. Fostering positive attitudes requires a culture of trust and collaboration among healthcare professionals. Practical enhancements can be realized through the establishment of evidence-based prescribing guidelines and the integration of regular feedback mechanisms. Moreover, advocating for the inclusion of antimicrobial stewardship principles in medical curricula is crucial, emphasizing the significance of responsible antibiotic use early in medical education.

Medical education in Mongolia: Challenges and opportunities.

In the early twentieth century, Mongolia saw the establishment of Western medicine and educational system, supplementing its pre-existing history of eastern medicine. As a lower-middle-income country with vast landmass and low population density, Mongolia's medical education landscape has evolved significantly. The inception of the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences in 1942 marked a pivotal moment, initiating the modern era of medical sciences and specialized training programs in the country. Initially shaped by Soviet Union-styled medical curriculum, the system has undergone substantial reform since the constitutional shift to a market economy in the 1990s. This transformation aligned the curriculum with international standards and modern educational approach, focusing on producing skilled medical professionals. Presently, over 10 public and private institutions of higher education in Mongolia provide comprehensive undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate training for medical training. These institutions vary in student enrollment, teaching staff, learning environments, and program models, contributing to the diverse landscape of medical education in the country.

Assessment of oral manifestations of systemic health related knowledge of medical students pursuing internship programme at a tertiary health care centre

AimClinicians across the entire medical profession are responsible for detection, prevention and imparting importance of oral health to the patients. However, many studies conducted so far show lack of knowledge of medical students regarding dental conditions. The present observational study was undertaken to evaluate the knowledge of oral manifestations of systemic diseases amongst medical students undergoing Internship program at a tertiary centre. Materials & methodA self-structured Questionnaire comprising of 20 questions was used as a survey tool to assess the understanding of 100 medical students undergoing internship program. They were explained about the purpose of the study. The questionnaire consisted of an objective part Yes/No (7 questions) and subjective part designed on likert scale(13 questions). There were questions on their view on current curriculum for dentistry in medical undergraduate training and possible enhancement in teaching modalities. The subjective part had five options to choose from, Strongly agree, Agree, Neutral, Disagree And Strongly Disagree. Statistical analysisThe responses of objective questions was recorded and percentage calculated for both options. The total score was obtained for each participant based on their reponses to the subjective questions based on the Likert scale. Student t-test was applied to calculate means between male and female students. ResultsFor all objective questions, percentage was calculated for affirmative and negative responses. The responses were calculated on scale5-1 for the subjective questions. Reverse scoring was done for questions 10,11,12 i. e scale 1–5. The maximum achievable score in this category was 65 which was further divided into three category as Excellent score range 55–65, Good score range 45–54, Unsatisfactory score range 35–44. The number of students in excellent category were 11, Good 66, unsatisfactory 23. The average score obtained was 48.175. The mean scores for males was 48.0161 and for females it was 48.142. The scores were slightly better for females but the difference was statistically insignificant as (p-value = 0.455056). ConclusionThe present study showed good level of Knowledge on oral manifestations of systemic diseases among medical students as compared to other studies which forms an integral part of medical curriculum. The students responses on enhancing dental curriculum and teaching aids for improved education tools can help the faculty provide a better teaching learning experience.

Bioethics curriculum for undergraduate medical students: an evaluation study utilizing mixed methods approach

BackgroundThe undergraduate bioethics curriculum introduced in a private medical college in Pakistan in 1988 and revised in 2009 has evolved over time to incorporate globally relevant innovations, including integration of bioethics spirally within an existing problem-based learning curricular framework. The present evaluation study shares the results of this integrated bioethics curriculum delivered for 10 years across the five-year undergraduate medical curriculum. The study assessed the effectiveness of the curriculum in terms of student achievement, appropriateness of course contents and efficiency of instructional methods.MethodsThe study utilized a mixed method sequential explanatory design. The quantitative method was used in the first phase to gather data by utilizing a structured online questionnaire. This was followed by the second phase of qualitative methods to explain the findings of the first phase and enrich the data gathered. This phase was based on focus group discussions and document review.ResultsStudent and faculty responses showed the curriculum contents to be relevant, informative, and appropriate as per learning objectives and student achievement. Multi-modal instructional methods used were stated to be effective and engaging; small group teaching and shorter sessions suggested to be preferable for fostering discussion and maintaining student engagement and attention. Large class formats were stated to be less effective. Students affirmed the contribution of bioethics education to their personal and professional development and ethical positioning. The majority of students agreed that the curriculum contributed to their knowledge acquisition (60.3—71.2%), skill development (59.41—60.30%) and demonstration of ethical/professional behavior (62.54—67.65%). The ranges indicate agreement with related sets of questions.Participants suggested that the curriculum could be further strengthened by better integration in clinical years, role modelling and providing opportunities for application in clinical health care settings. Moreover, topics like ethical issues related to the use of social media, public health ethics and ethics and law were suggested as additions to the existing curriculum. These findings have regional and global relevance for the development and assessment of effective bioethics curricula.ConclusionAn effective bioethics curriculum for undergraduate medical education should run longitudinally across the 5 year curriculum and be integrated in the modules and clerkships. Basic acquisition of knowledge and skills takes place in Years 1 & 2 with reinforcement and application in Years 3–5. Learning embedded in an integrated curriculum can help students recognize, critically analyze and address ethical dilemmas. Involvement and commitment of the clinical faculty is essential for reinforcing the ethical principles and concepts learnt in the earlier years.

Unlocking timely palliative care: assessing referral practices and barriers at a ghanaian teaching hospital

BackgroundThe need for primary care physicians to be heavily involved in the provision of palliative care is growing. International agencies and practice standards advocate for early palliative care and the use of specialized palliative care services for patients with life-threatening illnesses. This study was conducted to investigate physicians’ referral practices and perceived barriers to timely referral at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.MethodsA cross-sectional study design was employed using a convenience sampling technique to recruit 153 physicians for the study. Data on socio-demography, referral practices, timing and perceived barriers were collected using a structured questionnaire. Binary Logistic regression using crude and adjusted odds was performed to determine the factors associated with late referral. Significance was set at p < 0.05.ResultsThe prevalence of late referral was reported to be 68.0%. There were poor referral practices among physicians to palliative care services, and the major barriers to late referral were attributed to the perception that referring to a palliative care specialist means that the physician has abandoned his patient and family members’ decisions and physicians’ personnel choices or opinions on palliative care.ConclusionThe healthcare system needs tailored interventions targeted at improving physicians’ knowledge and communication strategies, as well as tackling systemic deficiencies to facilitate early and appropriate palliative care referrals. It is recommended that educational programs be implemented, palliative care training be integrated into medical curricula and culturally sensitive approaches be developed to address misconceptions surrounding end-of-life care.

Exploration of the integration of microbiology and immunology emerging topics into undergraduate medical education

ABSTRACT Purpose Medical school educators face challenges determining which new and emerging topics to incorporate into medical school curricula, and how to do so. A study was conducted to gain a better understanding of the integration of emerging topics related to microbiology and immunology in the undergraduate medical curriculum (UME). Methods An anonymous survey with 17 questions was emailed to medical school faculty who teach immunology and/or microbiology through the DR-Ed listserv, the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Connect listserv, and attendees of the Association of Medical School Microbiology and Immunology Chairs (AMSMIC) Educational Strategies Workshop. Participants were asked about experiences, perceptions, and the decision-making process regarding integrating emerging topics into UME. Results The top emerging topics that were added to the curriculum or considered for addition in the last 10 years included COVID-19, Zika virus, mRNA vaccines, and Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox). Most respondents reported lectures and active learning as the major methods for topic delivery, with most faculty indicating that formative assessment was the best way to assess emerging topics. Content experts and course directors were the most cited individuals making these decisions. Top reasons for incorporating emerging topics into curricula included preparing students for clinical treatment of cases, followed by demonstrating the importance of basic science, and opportunities to integrate basic science into other disciplines. Challenges for incorporating these topics included making room in an already crowded curriculum, followed by content overload for students. Conclusions This study describes the rationale for integrating emerging topics related to microbiology and immunology into UME, and identifies the current new and emerging topics, as well as the main methods of integration and assessment. These results may be used by medical educators to inform curricular decisions at their institutions. Future studies will include developing innovative learning modules that overcome barriers to integration.

Empowering Medical Students: Unveiling the Benefits of Nutrition Seminars and Plant-Based Diets in Medical School Education

Background: Whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) dietary patterns can be used as a lifestyle modification to lower blood pressure and lose weight. This study aimed to observe the effects of WFPB dietary patterns and improve nutrition education in medical school. Methods: Forty-six medical students participated in the four-week Plant Plunge challenge, which consisted of a pre- and post-challenge health screening, weekly nutrition seminars, and the personal challenge to eat more WFPB. Afterward, an anonymous survey was sent to participants to analyze nutrition education quality in medical school. Results: The Wilcoxon Signed Rank test indicated statistically significant improvement in weight and blood pressure (BP) (N = 33). The median (interquartile range) difference in weight from pre- to post- was −.9 (−2.2, .0, P &lt; .0461) pounds, whereas the differences in systolic and diastolic BP were −5.0 (−9.0, −.5, P &lt; .049) and −7.0 (−11.0, −2.0, P &lt; .0037) mmHg, respectively. Participants were significantly more likely to advocate for the integration of nutrition information into the medical school curriculum ( P = .0162). Conclusions: Short-term lifestyle modifications with WFPB dietary patterns help reduce weight and BP. Incorporating nutrition seminars in medical education may improve long-term patient outcomes.

The Ontario Workplace Health Champions Program.

To increase the presence of occupational medicine in the medical school curriculum in Ontario, Canada, the Ontario Workplace Health Champions Program was established 24 years ago. The Program supports a Workplace Health Champion in each medical school who ensures there is occupational medicine content in their medical school curricula. The program has expanded to postgraduate training programs, with a focus on primary care. There has been an increase in occupational medicine content in medical schools in Ontario.

How to HEEAL: A Patient and Peer-Centric Simulation Curriculum for Medical Error Disclosure.

Medical errors are an unfortunate certainty with emotional and psychological consequences for patients and health care providers. No standardized medical curriculum on how to disclose medical errors to patients or peers exists. The novel HEEAL (honesty/empathy/education/apology-awareness/lessen chance for future errors) curriculum addresses this gap in medical education through a multimodality workshop. This 6-hour, two-part curriculum incorporated didactic and standardized patient (SP) simulation education with rapid cycle deliberate practice (RCDP). The morning focused on provider-patient error disclosure; the afternoon applied the same principles to provider-provider (peer) discussion. Summative simulations with SPs evaluated learners' skill baseline and improvement. Formative simulations run by expert simulation educators used RCDP to provide real-time feedback and opportunities for adjustment. Medical knowledge was measured through pre- and postintervention multiple-choice questions. Learners' confidence and attitude towards medical errors disclosure were surveyed pre- and postintervention with assistance of the Barriers to Error Disclosure Assessment tool, revised with the addition of several questions related to provider-provider disclosure. Fourteen medical students participated in this pilot curriculum. Statistical significance was demonstrated in medical knowledge (p = .01), peer-disclosure skills (p = .001), and confidence in medical error disclosure (p < .001). Although there was improvement in patient-disclosure skills, this did not reach statistical significance (p = .05). This curriculum addresses the need for designated training in medical error disclosure. Learners gained knowledge, skills, and confidence in medical error disclosure. We recommend this curriculum for medical students preparing for transition to residency.

Awareness about basic life support among undergraduate medical students before and after clinical exposure in a tertiary care hospital attached to a medical school in South India

Background: Knowledge of basic life support (BLS) is one of the life-saving measures that every medical undergraduate student must possess. Aims and Objectives: This study focused on knowing the level of knowledge in fresh medical undergraduate entrants (knowledge A [KA]) and 3rdyear students with clinical exposure but no BLS training (knowledge B [KB]). We also assessed the knowledge in 1st-year students (retention A [RA]) soon after foundation course and compared it with retained knowledge after 6 months (retention B [RB]). Materials and Methods: This non-randomized multigroup cross-sectional study was done on medical undergraduate students in a tertiary care hospital attached to a medical school in South India. A validated questionnaire with 25 questions assessing knowledge of BLS was formulated and administered to 508 medical students. Results: After analyzing data in SPSS V24, the mean scores in KA and KB were 11.03±4.33 and 13.95±5.43, respectively, with a P&lt;0.001 which was significant. Although both the scores were &gt;50%, clinical exposure had some effect on mean scores in medical undergraduates. Mean scores in RA and RB were 23.16±5.09 and 16.17±6.97, respectively, with P&lt;0.001 which was significant, implying less retention of knowledge in RB 6 months after BLS training. Conclusion: A foundation course introduced into the medical curriculum is essential and refresher courses should be conducted frequently to retain the knowledge of BLS as daily academic commitments can prevent retention of BLS knowledge.

Credentialing and training advanced practice providers for advanced tertiary care pediatric otolaryngology: A curriculum for hospital and ambulatory practice

ObjectivesInclusion of advanced practice providers (APPs) in hospital-based pediatric otolaryngology has been growing rapidly, aligning with a 70% increase in physician assistants in all surgical subspecialties in recent years. A post-graduate training program is developed to reflect these growing and changing responsibilities. MethodsCurriculum development took place at one institution over eight years for 16 APPs following a standard Six Step Approach to medical curriculum: 1) Problem Identification and General Needs Assessment, 2) Targeted Needs Assessment, 3) Goals & Objectives, 4) Education Strategies, 5) Implementation, and 6) Evaluation and Feedback. This was integrated into an onboarding process for new hires and a continuing education plan for established providers. Gaps were identified throughout the process to improve education, skills required for competency, and readiness for independent practice. ResultsThe curriculum incorporated a subset of goals and objectives from the familiar resident curriculum with significant differences in orientation and onboarding. A Clinical Competency Checklist was used initially for feedback and later to support credentialing after completion of the curriculum. A Procedure Rating Form was used for feedback and documentation of the number of performances required for credentialing. Self-Assessment was utilized to further identify readiness for independence and tailor additional education to meet practice needs. ConclusionThe curriculum and onboarding process presented can be used for any advanced practice provider joining an individual or team of pediatric otolaryngology providers. A standardized curriculum is helpful to the supervisors and trainees. Further collaboration between institutions and development of benchmarks will help ensure excellence in education and in care of pediatric otolaryngology patients.

ASSESSMENT OFAWARENESS, KNOWLEDGE AND IMPACT OF THEEVOLVING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGY AMONGST THE PHASE ISTUDENTS OF MEDICAL COLLEGE

Artificial intelligence (AI) is utilized in health-care settings which mimics human thinking and decision-making skills. Since, it is an emerging technology beneficial for medical education and patient care. It becomesnecessary that medical students prepare themselves for their tryst with AI . However, the training of medical students, faculty and inclusion of AI based competencies are required for the medical fraternity to be trained in AI. AI is spreading its horizons to various sectors.The present study is undertaken to assess the comprehension of the phase I medical students about AI technology in terms of information , knowledge and impact. It is a questionnaire-based study which involved voluntary and anonymous participation.The results were analyzedstatistically.The present study depicts that the medical students are fully aware of the AI technology but usage is in judicious manner only. There is awareness about the advantages and disadvantages of AI. Medical students have desire to study AI provided it is included in the medical curriculum. Medical teachers adopt AI in teaching -learning for educating the students but medical students majorly affirm that medical college teachers are irreplaceable. But, the impact of AI is ever expanding and will be an ongoing debate in future.

The Development of a 360-degree Evaluation Model of Medical Curriculum with the Kirkpatrick Hierarchy Approach

A 360-degree evaluation model of the medical curriculum was developed by adhering to the Kirkpatrick Hierarchy. To bridge the research gap pertaining to instrument development of 360-degree evaluation, a set of tools derived from various stakeholders’ perspectives was used. This mixed-method study in the sequential exploratory design involved 797 participants for two years, April 2017 to November 2019. The three study phases involved were: the qualitative phase (18 informants), the item construction phase with exploratory factor analysis (EFA) (298 participants), and the validation phase via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) (481 participants by random sampling). In-depth interview sessions were conducted with two stakeholder groups; lecturers and preceptors. Focus group discussion (FGD) sessions were conducted with two other groups; medical students and patients at the teaching hospital. The item construction phase was executed based on the themes that emerged from qualitative findings. Lastly, the final validation stage was performed based on the EFA results. In total, 23 themes were derived from four stakeholder groups. In the item construction phase, 13 and 10 factors were identified for lecturer and student instruments, respectively. To build the preceptor and patient tools, 10 scales were used to validate the item constructs. Thus, the 360-degree evaluation model has four levels of Kirkpatrick Hierarchy with four instrument models. The 360-degree evaluation model is valid, well-constructed, and accurately reflects the indicator variables. The evaluation model is feasible and acceptable to assess the medical curriculum.

Validation of clinical simulation scenarios for the teaching of soft skills in child-centered care

Consultations with children and their families are complex and require soft skills. However, there is a gap in the medical curriculum concerning these skills, especially as encounter training is often adult-centered. We developed, validated, and applied simulation scenarios that prioritize active participation of children to train soft skills in child-centered care for undergraduate medical students. This is a methodological study to develop three scenarios and a checklist of what is expected. The content was validated by 18 experts. A pre-test was carried out for adjustments. Then, the simulations were applied and evaluated by 18 medical undergraduate students. They included the participation of 6 pediatric simulated patients aged 9–12 years trained by a drama teacher. According to the results, the scenarios and checklist proved to be valid instruments in content terms (ICV-I > 0.8). The scripts were followed by the simulated pediatric patients, but they had difficulty mimicking a hypoactive state. Some were anxious, but everyone enjoyed participating in the feedback. The simulated parents had difficulty participating and giving space to the child's speech. Participants assessed that the simulations performed as they were proposed and, after experimenting them, felt more prepared. The simulations provided an opportunity for students to practice soft skills by interacting with children in a safe environment. Using children as simulated patients is feasible but presents some challenges. Our study has expanded the ways in which children's health content can be taught. We are investigating whether this training leads to better patient outcomes in real clinical settings.

Medical students’ perceptions of prosocial behaviors: a grounded theory study in China

IntroductionProsocial behavior has been shown to be protective against burnout. Yet, we know little about prosocial behavior in medical students. We wanted to know what are chinese medical students' understanding of prosocial behavior and which factors influence their participation in it?MethodsWe undertook a grounded theory study, following Corbin & Strauss. We used convenience sampling and conducted semi-structured individual interviews. We analyzed data using open, axial, and selective coding techniques. Next, we grouped data into concepts. We noticed these concepts aligned with three existing social theories, so we developed our theory in concert with these: the Theory of Planned Behavior, Self-Determination Theory, and Social Support Theory.ResultsTwenty-eight medical students participated in this study. Medical students hold especial views on the roles of medical physicians, and most of these views align with students' core values, including the value of prosocial behavior. Students are intrinsically motivated to engage in prosocial behaviors that align with their core values. Personal values, personality traits, perceived self-competence, career motivation, environmental factors, and family influences are the core factors influencing medically positive prosocial behavior.ConclusionsThis study supports a focus on prosocial behavior instead of altruistic behavior in medical education. We anticipate that promoting prosocial behavior through medical curricula will reduce moral distress and burnout among medical students.