Tool For Medical Education Research Articles

Concept maps as a novel assessment tool in medical education

Background: We conducted a pilot study to investigate the use of Concept Maps (CMs) in a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) setting as a complementary tool to current educational techniques for enhancing medical student knowledge and critical thinking. The main focus of the pilot was to introduce a measure from the field of graph theory and investigate its usefulness as a means of CM quantitative quality assessment. Methods: Participants were first-year medical students with no or minor prior CM experience. All participants completed questionnaires (demographic information and assessment of learning style) to establish a baseline measure against which the change in clinical and critical thinking was assessed. They were asked to prepare CMs for three PBL cases, and following the submission of the CMs they completed semi-structured critical and clinical thinking questionnaires. A clinical expert also created corresponding “benchmark” CMs for comparison. Qualitative (Wordclouds) and quantitative (graph theory) analysis provided a summary of the key concepts and quantified the CM quality respectively, compared to the “benchmark” CMs. Results: Questionnaires revealed that CMs helped students recall information, organize material in a concise manner, prepare better for their PBL session and provided a good revision tool. It was also found that graph-theoretical measures (graph density, modularity) were suitable for distinguishing between CMs that captured more in-depth knowledge, compared to CMs that contained simpler associations. Conclusions: We have shown that it is possible to quantify CM quality using graph-theoretical measures, such as graph density and modularity.

Standardizing evaluation of patient-specific 3D printed models in surgical planning: development of a cross-disciplinary survey tool for physician and trainee feedback

Background3D printed models are becoming increasingly popular in healthcare as visual and tactile tools to enhance understanding of anatomy and pathology in medical trainee education, provide procedural simulation training, and guide surgical procedures. Patient-specific 3D models are currently being used preoperatively for trainee medical education in planning surgical approaches and intraoperatively to guide decision-making in several specialties. Our study group utilized a modified Delphi process to create a standardized assessment for trainees using patient-specific 3D models as a tool in medical education during pre-surgical planning.MethodsA literature review was conducted to identify survey questions administered to clinicians in published surgical planning studies regarding the use of patient-specific 3D models. A core study team reviewed these questions, removed duplicates, categorized them, mapped them to overarching themes, and, where applicable, modified individual questions into a form generalizable across surgical specialties. The core study panel included a physician, physician-scientist, social scientist, engineer/medical student, and 3D printing lab manager. A modified Delphi process was then used to solicit feedback on the clarity and relevance of the individual questions from an expert panel consisting of 12 physicians from specialties including anesthesiology, emergency medicine, radiology, urology, otolaryngology, and obstetrics/gynecology. When the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)/American College of Radiology (ACR) 3D Printing Registry Data Dictionary was released, additional survey questions were reviewed. A final cross-disciplinary survey of the utility of 3D printed models in surgical planning medical education was developed.ResultsThe literature review identified 100 questions previously published in surveys assessing patient-specific 3D models for surgical planning. Following the review, generalization, and mapping of survey questions from these studies, a list of 24 questions was generated for review by the expert study team. Five additional questions were identified in the RSNA/ACR 3D Printing Registry Data Dictionary and included for review. A final questionnaire consisting of 20 questions was developed.ConclusionsAs 3D printed models become more common in medical education, the need for standardized assessment is increasingly essential. The standardized questionnaire developed in this study reflects the interests of a variety of stakeholders in patient-specific 3D models across disciplines.

The educational use of social networking sites among medical and health sciences students: a cross campus interventional study

BackgroundIn recent years, social networking sites (SNSs) have evolved beyond connection and networking to become a powerful instructional tool. There is still a dearth of knowledge on the professional use of SNSs for education particularly among students from diverse backgrounds. This study examined the extent and pattern of SNSs usage for education across six institutions and then conducted an interventional workshop to fortify and regulate the educational use of SNSs.MethodsThis multicenter study was done in two phases. In the first phase, an online cross-sectional survey using a validated inventory was administered to determine the prevalence, extent, and preferences of SNSs usage by undergraduate students in medicine, health sciences and dentistry across five centers. Later, the second phase of the study was undertaken in a 75-min guided live workshop about the appropriate use of SNSs in academia. Additionally, pre- and post-test surveys were conducted to assess the impact and outcome of workshop.ResultsOf the 1722 respondents, 1553 (90%) reported using SNSs with the frequency of once a month to three to five times per day for education and to stay in touch with others. Most students agreed with the benefits of SNSs for education mainly in terms of information gathering, networking and collaboration. Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest were noted as the most preferred SNSs for education. Nevertheless, 63% perceived that proper instruction was required for the efficient use of SNSs. Following the guided workshop, there was a significant improvement in web technology understanding, digital professionalism, skills and knowledge on the productive use of SNSs. Students rated the efficient for conceptual learning, connection to community practice, e-portfolio, and collaborative learning as the top four major teaching and learning strategies, respectively, in the post-workshop survey.ConclusionOur study demonstrates that SNSs can be used as learning tools in medical education. However, SNSs usage should be regulated and guided for a more collegial and coherent learning climate in the digital realm. We urge medical educators to integrate SNSs into their courses for a technologically advanced and impactful curriculum.

Developing measures of immersion and motivation for learning technologies in healthcare simulation: a pilot study.

Introduction: Medical education has benefitted from the introduction of new technology within recent years. Immersive devices, such as, 360-degree films and virtual reality have become new ways of simulating clinical experiences. The aim of the study was to validate and test reliability of a new measure of engagement.Methods: A between-participants design of 2 groups viewing a clinical consultation on a 360-degree headset or 2D monitor was conducted following computer random allocation of 40 healthcare professionals recruited from scheduled teaching. Twenty-three were assigned to 360-degree and 17 to 2D Medias. Adapted Immersion Experience Questionnaire (AIEQ) and Abridged Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (AIMI) were modified to match factors relating to clinical encounters. AIEQ and AIMI were utilised as the data collection tool by each group following video viewing. Spearman’s rank correlation was used to assess relationship between immersion and motivation. Comparisons between 360-degree and 2D media responses were made using Wilcoxon’s signed ranks test. Internal reliability coefficients of adapted measures were calculated with Cronbach alpha scores.Results: Total immersion scores were statistically higher in those experiencing 360 (p<0.05), with a median difference of 14.50 (95% CI 6.50-22.00). A positive correlation existed between the total AIEQ and total score of the AIMI in both groups (rs =0.88, n=17, p<0.001). Internal consistency and reliability was demonstrated with a high Cronbach alpha score for the AIEQ (α= 0.91). AIMI subscale alpha value was also high at (α= 0.95) which shows the measures to be of high internal reliability.Conclusions: Adaptation and validation of existing measures for use in healthcare education can be used to quantify levels of immersion and motivation. Standardising measures for use in evaluating new Technology Enhanced Learning is a step to aid understanding on how we develop these tools in medical education and how we might learn from immersive technology.

Graphic medicine and health professional education: An internship comic book case study

Introduction: This study aimed to determine whether comics in medical education (“graphic medicine”) can enhance professional identity formation (PIF) of junior doctors. This was accomplished through a multi-year trial of an internship comic book handbook that was specially designed to be used as part of an internship orientation program at Mackay Base Hospital. Methods: A 24-page comic was distributed during the hospital’s intern orientation in 2014–2017. Surveys were conducted with 2014–2017 interns (n = 54) to assess how prepared they felt to meet the challenges of internship and how helpful they had found several orientation publications, with surveys of the 2013 interns providing control data (n = 13). Qualitative interviews from the 2014 cohort (n = 9) were analysed thematically and matched to groups of thematically similar survey responses. Results: Interns reported feeling more prepared to face the challenges of internship following the introduction of the comic in 2014, compared to the 2013 control group, and this remained generally consistent throughout 2015, 2016 and 2017. At the end of internship, 92% of interns recalled the comic (n = 47) and 89% rated it as at least somewhat helpful (n = 42). The interviews and surveys were thematically grouped by the interns’ responses to the comic: resistant (n = 8), ambivalent (n = 9), ecumenical (n = 23) and enthusiastic (n = 7). A single variable linear regression analysis showed a statistically significant (p = 0.04) and mildly positive (r = 0.29) correlation between how helpful the interns found the comic and how well they felt they had been prepared for the challenges of internship. The comic was the only publication significantly correlated with preparedness (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusions: Comics can be a useful tool for medical education. Further use of comics in internship programs could improve how prepared interns are for the challenges of internship and, therefore, enhance their PIF.

25. Using 3-D Printed Models as Educational Tools: A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Traditional Lectures to Hands-On Methods in Craniosynostosis education.

Background: Three-dimensional (3D) printed models have been described as a tool for medical education, surgical training, pre-operative planning, research, and innovation. This study analyzes the effectiveness of using such 3D printed skull models to teach concepts central to craniosynostosis (CS) in a medical student elective course Methods: Medical students in a Plastic Surgery elective were randomly assigned to receive a traditional lecture on craniosynostosis alone (control group), or receive the lecture plus participate in a hands-on session using 3D printed skull models demonstrating craniosynostosis (intervention group). Prior to this study, the senior author collaborated with the Department of Radiology at a large tertiary care urban children’s hospital to have 12 models 3D printed from computed tomography (CT) scans of representative craniosynostosis patients. Pathologies represented include sagittal, metopic, lambdoid, unicoronal, and bicoronal craniosynostosis as well as pansynostosis resulting in Kleeblattschadel skull. Three of the skulls demonstrate post-operative changes following surgery for craniosynostosis with reconstructive techniques including strip craniectomy, modified Pi procedure, and frontoorbital advancement. A 23-question test evaluating knowledge of CS was administered at three timepoints: prior to the course, after the lecture +/- the intervention, and three weeks later. Statistical analysis compared test performance between cohorts. Results: 21 students were enrolled; 11 were randomized to the control group, 10 to the intervention group. Test 1 (pre-intervention) showed no significant difference in the mean overall score (defined as total percent of correct answers) between groups (control=61%, intervention=57% correct; p=0.67). On Test 2 (post-intervention), both groups had significant increases in overall score. The control group improved by 21.3% (p=0.004) and the intervention group improved by 34.4% (p=0.002). Moreover, the mean score for the intervention group was significantly higher compared to that of the controls, with 92.1% correct versus 82.6% (p=0.041). Test 3 overall scores were not statistically different from test 2 scores, indicating little temporal decay. Students were highly satisfied with the quality and content of the intervention. Conclusion: 3D printed skull models are effective educational adjuncts in craniofacial surgery. 3D printing technology is an inexpensive tool with high satisfaction rates that can be increasingly applied to medical student and resident education.

Effectiveness of a web-based virtual journal club to promote medical education (Web-Ed): protocol of a multicentre pragmatic randomised trial

IntroductionA journal club (JC) is a commonly used medical educational tool. Videoconferencing technology can facilitate the delivery of JCs, however, there remains no evidence on the role of web-based virtual...

MP10-16 INTERACTIVE ONLINE UROLOGY CURRICULUM FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS: A MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL PILOT STUDY

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 May 2022MP10-16 INTERACTIVE ONLINE UROLOGY CURRICULUM FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS: A MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL PILOT STUDY Ezra Margolin, Jane Kurtzman, Rachel Gordon, Christopher Anderson, and Gina Badalato Ezra MargolinEzra Margolin More articles by this author , Jane KurtzmanJane Kurtzman More articles by this author , Rachel GordonRachel Gordon More articles by this author , Christopher AndersonChristopher Anderson More articles by this author , and Gina BadalatoGina Badalato More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000002532.16AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: The role of interactive online learning tools in medical education has expanded in multiple disciplines but is still absent in urology. We sought to develop and evaluate an interactive online urology curriculum for medical students, to be used at a multi-institutional level. METHODS: We created an online case-based urology module using the Canvas platform (Instructure, Salt Lake City, UT) with sections on prostate cancer, urinary incontinence, and erectile dysfunction. In August-September 2021, 21 students at 4 institutions completed the module as a component of their urology elective. Students answered questions on a discussion board and engaged in asynchronous dialogue with physicians at their institution. Students completed anonymous pre-module and post-module surveys assessing their confidence in 4 domains of learning for each disease process: patient evaluation, pathophysiology, literature appraisal, and patient counseling. Outcomes in each domain were scored on a 5-point Likert scale, and scores were averaged across the 3 disease processes (prostate cancer, urinary incontinence, and erectile dysfunction). Outcomes were compared using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. RESULTS: Nine students (43% response rate) completed both the pre-module and post-module surveys. Median confidence scores increased across all 4 learning domains (Figure): patient evaluation (4.0 vs. 2.7, p=0.007), pathophysiology (4.0 vs. 2.7, p=0.007), literature appraisal (4.0 vs. 2.0, p=0.007), and patient counseling (4.0 vs. 2.3, p=0.008). Overall, 7/9 students rated the module “excellent” or “very good.” At least 7/9 students “strongly agree” or “somewhat agree” that the module was effective in learning foundational knowledge, improving critical thinking, facilitating performance assessment, and facilitating individualized feedback from the instructors; 6/9 students felt that online modules should be incorporated into future urology electives. CONCLUSIONS: In a multi-institutional pilot, an interactive online curriculum for medical students improved confidence across learning domains for multiple disease processes. We plan to expand this program to more institutions and additional disease processes in order to improve medical student urologic education. Source of Funding: Society of Academic Urologists © 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 207Issue Supplement 5May 2022Page: e153 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2022 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Ezra Margolin More articles by this author Jane Kurtzman More articles by this author Rachel Gordon More articles by this author Christopher Anderson More articles by this author Gina Badalato More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF DownloadLoading ...

The Use of Smartphones in Medical Education: Insights from a Caribbean Medical School

Introduction and ObjectiveWith the advent of social media and widespread use of the internet, the learning routine of students has significantly changed over the last two decades. The use of smartphones and on‐line educational applications has exponentially risen. Among medical students, readily accessible on‐line tools in medical education have become a major way to learn the basic sciences and clinical concepts. Smartphones have shifted the traditional learning routine into “learning on the go”. Medical students are able to interact with peers, meet‐up electronically and collaborate both for social reasons and educational purposes. Among the Caribbean medical schools, only one study on smartphone utilization among medical students and teachers has been published so far. The objective of this study is to get an insight on how smartphones are utilized among educators and medical students for teaching and learning, respectively, in a Caribbean medical college.MethodAfter getting an ethical clearance from the Institutional Review Board (IRB/Ana/002/2021), the study was done by conducting a survey using a questionnaire among the faculty, premeds, and preclinical medical students at Bridgetown International University in Barbados. The questions were discussed and validated by all the authors. The participation was voluntary. The participants had to answer a set of questions including the proprietorship of smartphones, medical applications used, the search engine commonly used for learning medicine and also an assessment of their insight on the usefulness of smart phones in Medical Education. The results of the survey were tallied and statistical analysis was done.ResultsThe study population (n=44) included faculty, premeds and preclinical students at Bridgetown International University in Barbados.The results showed that 97% of the respondents owned a smartphone for over 2 years. 79.9% of the respondents used Android smartphone and about 39% of those used the Samsung mobile phones.The smart phone was generally not received for use in medical school. It was mainly factored into the decision to get a smartphone and also for communication and social purposes. After acquiring 93% of the respondents started using it for medical education.The reference source used most to search unfamiliar terms or concepts is Google search engine (95%).84% of the respondents used medical apps. These apps are used several times during a week. The apps used include Osmosis (13%) and 3D Anatomy (11%).62% of the respondents agreed that smartphones gave them a better learning experience and felt that smartphones have a future in medical education in the future.ConclusionThe survey revealed that most of the medical students used smartphones for better learning. It is found to be a useful tool for “learning on the go”. In future curriculum should be designed incorporating the usage of smartphones for academic purpose as it is the future of medical education.

Reporting characteristics of journal infographics: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundInfographics have become an increasingly popular method to present research findings and increase the attention research receives. As many scientific journals now use infographics to boost the visibility and uptake of the research they publish, infographics have become an important tool for medical education. It is unknown whether such infographics convey the key characteristics that are needed to make useful interpretations of the data such as an adequate description of the study population, interventions, comparators and outcomes; methodological limitations; and numerical estimates of benefits and harms. This study described whether infographics published in peer-reviewed health and medical research journals contain key characteristics that are needed to make useful interpretations of clinical research.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we identified peer-reviewed journals listed in the top quintile of 35 unique fields of medicine and health research listed in the Journal Citation Reports database. Two researchers screened journals for the presence of infographics. We defined an infographic as a graphical visual representation of research findings. We extracted data from a sample of two of the most recent infographics from each journal. Outcomes were the proportion of infographics that reported key characteristics such as study population, interventions, comparators and outcomes, benefits, harms, effect estimates with measures of precision, between-group differences and conflicts of interest; acknowledged risk of bias, certainty of evidence and study limitations; and based their conclusions on the study’s primary outcome.ResultsWe included 129 infographics from 69 journals. Most infographics described the population (81%), intervention (96%), comparator (91%) and outcomes (94%), but fewer contained enough information on the population (26%), intervention (45%), comparator (20%) and outcomes (55%) for those components of the study to be understood without referring to the main paper. Risk of bias was acknowledged in only 2% of infographics, and none of the 69 studies that had declared a conflict of interest disclosed it in the infographics.ConclusionsMost infographics do not report sufficient information to allow readers to interpret study findings, including the study characteristics, results, and sources of bias. Our results can inform initiatives to improve the quality of the information presented in infographics.

Use of humour in medical education: students’ perspective

In early 20th century, Sir William Osler supported the use of humour as an efficacious tool in medical education, which continues to be used today. Despite the abundance of literature delineating this important role, it is often overlooked among medical students. A descriptive cross-sectional study was planned where a total of 295 medical students from the pre-clerkship and clerkship phases at Beirut Arab University Faculty of Medicine were included in the study. A questionnaire was distributed among the participants assessing their perception on the use of humour in medical education. Data were collected, entered, and analysed on SPSS software version 23.1. Results with p-value &lt; 0.05 were considered statistically significant. The majority of participants agreed to the implementation of humour in medical education. They supported different forms of humour to be used, and considered mockery, sarcasm, the instructor appearing as a performer, and humour that is irrelevant to the course as inappropriate. Inappropriate humour distracts attention and disrupts the formal atmosphere. Our findings suggest that medical students’ opinions on using humour in medical education are supportive. The findings of this study might be of benefit to assist teachers in using humour to improve the attendance and interest of the students in the class and create an environment conducive to optimal student learning.

WHATSAPP MESSENGER IS A FEASIBLE TOOL TO COMPLEMENT THE TRAINING OF MEDICAL EDUCATORS IN INDIA.

Background: Instant Messenger apps in Social media have become a new normal in the difcult COVID 19 Pandemic times. WhatsApp Messenger (WA), as a representative tool of instant messenger Apps, is universally used in India. The ease of sharing text messages, data, and images in groups has decreased the communication between people. This study aims to assess the perception of medical educators across India in incorporating WAas a complementary medical education tool and to study group dynamics between different sizes of WhatsApp groups. Methods: 126 faculties from different medical colleges of India were part of training in medical education supported by WhatsApp. There was the main group of all faculty and six variable sizes smaller groups. An online lecture followed by the WA interactive session was conducted daily at a xed time slot for four weeks. An analysis was performed based on the results of the structured questionnaire after the session on the usefulness of WhatsApp in medical education and the group dynamics after that. Results: 93.6 % of the participants felt that WA is an essential tool in medical education. 42.3 % of participants felt interaction as the main advantage, followed by information sources (26.9%) and discussion activities (15.3%). The participants in smaller WA groups felt that interaction in smaller groups was better than in larger groups (P&lt;0.05). Conclusion: The ndings of this study illustrate that WA is a complementary teaching tool that facilitates an optimum environment for learning. While the WAcan provide information and serve as a platform interaction, the group size affects the dynamics.

Mobile applications in medical education: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

ObjectiveThis review evaluates the effectiveness of smartphone applications in improving academic performance and clinical practice among healthcare professionals and students.MethodsThis study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Articles were retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane library through a comprehensive search strategy. Studies that included medical, dental, nursing, allied healthcare professional, undergraduates, postgraduates, and interns from the same disciplines who used mobile applications for their academic learning and/or daily clinical practice were considered.Results52 studies with a total of 4057 learner participants were included in this review. 33 studies (15 RCTs, 1 cluster RCT, 7 quasi-experimental studies, 9 interventional cohort studies and 1 cross-sectional study) reported that mobile applications were an effective tool that contributed to a significant improvement in the knowledge level of the participants. The pooled effect of 15 studies with 962 participants showed that the knowledge score improved significantly in the group using mobile applications when compared to the group who did not use mobile applications (SMD = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.57 to1.31, P<0.00001). 19 studies (11 RCTs, 3 quasi-experimental studies and 5 interventional cohort studies) reported that mobile applications were effective in significantly improving skills among the participants.ConclusionMobile applications are effective tools in enhancing knowledge and skills. They can be considered as effective adjunct tools in medical education by considering their low expense, high versatility, reduced dependency on regional or site boundaries, online and offline, simulation, and flexible learning features of mobile apps.

Concept maps as a novel assessment tool in medical education

Background: We conducted a pilot study to investigate the use of Concept Maps (CMs) in a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) setting as a complementary tool to current educational techniques for enhancing medical student knowledge and critical thinking. We also introduced a measure from the field of graph theory as an objective means of CM quality assessment. Methods: Participants were first-year medical students with no or minor prior CM experience. All participants completed questionnaires (demographic information and assessment of learning style) to establish a baseline measure against which the change in clinical and critical thinking was assessed. They were asked to prepare CMs for three PBL cases, and following the submission of the CMs they completed semi-structured critical and clinical thinking questionnaires. A clinical expert also created corresponding “benchmark” CMs for comparison. Qualitative (Wordclouds) and quantitative (graph theory) analysis provided a summary of the key concepts and quantified the CM quality respectively, compared to the “benchmark” CMs. Results: Questionnaires revealed that CMs helped students recall information, organize material in a concise manner, prepare better for their PBL session and provided a good revision tool. It was also found that graph-theoretical measures (graph density, modularity) were suitable for objectively distinguishing between CMs that captured more in-depth knowledge, compared to CMs that contained simpler associations. Conclusions: We have shown that it is possible to quantify CM quality using graph-theoretical measures, such as graph density and modularity.

Evaluation of an Infectious Diseases Elective for Early Clinical Medical Students on Their Internal Medicine Clerkship.

BackgroundEarly medical subspecialty training is an emerging trend in medical education. These electives are still rare for Early Clinical Medical Students (ECMS). We describe the introduction of an Infectious Disease (ID) inpatient consult rotation elective for ECMS.MethodsIn addition to seeing patients and rounding with the inpatient ID consult team, we created a supplemental curriculum to provide added support for ECMS that included a checklist of clinical skills learning objectives, self-directed, publicly available mini-lectures on ID topics, and an ID Coach who provided directed and personalized tutoring for students. We surveyed ECMS, ID fellows and attendings on service, and ID Coaches to evaluate the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of this rotation and curriculum.ResultsThe majority of ECMS reported that the rotation was a useful educational experience and that the ID Coach was one of the most valuable aspects of the rotation. The majority of ID fellows and attendings reported that working with ECMS improved their job satisfaction and well-being.ConclusionsThis multifaceted approach to early medical subspecialty training was valuable for ECMS, ID fellows, and faculty. Ongoing improvements in this curriculum will provide a useful tool for medical education.

Student-led curricular approaches in medical education: the educational effects of a virtual fundamentals of COVID-19 course

BackgroundAs the field of education was adapting to virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, a need quickly emerged for a course to prepare medical students for future clinical practice. This call to action was answered by creating an innovative Fundamentals of COVID-19 course at the Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM). As a group of medical student leaders at IUSM, we developed this online course in order to support our fellow students and the community.MethodsThe study examined the educational effects of completing the Fundamentals of COVID-19 course. In order to examine these effects, the study asked enrolled students to complete both a pre- and post-course self-assessment survey. Students were asked an identical set of questions on each survey about their knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) regarding COVID-19. Composite scores were created for each KSA learning domain. Responses were provided using a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree.ResultsOut of the 724 students enrolled, 645 students completed both the pre- and post-course assessment surveys. Findings show that there were both meaningful and statistically significant differences in students’ responses to the pre- and post-course surveys. Results show 1.) a significant mean increase in the knowledge composite score of 1.01, 95% CI [0.95, 1.06], t(644) = 36.4, p < .001, d = 1.43; 2.) a significant mean increase in the skills composite score of .55, 95% CI [0.50, 0.60], t(644) = 20.70, p < .001, d = 0.81. and 3.) a significant mean increase of the abilities composite score of 1.02, 95% CI [.97, 1.07], t(644) = 36.56, p < .001, d = 1.44.ConclusionsThese findings demonstrate that the student-developed, online Fundamentals of COVID-19 course resulted in notable and statistically significant educational effects. The increase in students’ self-reported ratings, especially in the knowledge and abilities domains, indicate that meaningful learning occurred within the course. These findings have notable implications for medical student training during healthcare emergencies, such as a pandemic, as well as within modern clerkship environments. Overall, our findings provide evidence that student-led curricular design and virtual delivery of course content can be effective tools in undergraduate medical education.

Using Technology Adoption Theories to Maximize the Uptake of E-learning in Medical Education.

IntroductionWhile the use of e-learning tools in medical education is guided by robust literature on their design and evaluation, there is sparse literature on strategies that maximize their adoption among trainees.MethodsIn this scoping review, we searched Web of Science for studies on technology adoption theories as applied to education, using a final censoring date of August 1, 2021.ResultsBased on our findings, we identified three representative theories: (1) technology acceptance model, (2) technology adoption life cycle, and (3) domestication theory.DiscussionWe describe these theories in detail, examine their prior applications, and propose specific uses within medical e-learning.

Virtual reality for procedural education: Lumbar medial branch radiofrequency neurotomy

Virtual reality (VR) simulation is an emerging tool in medical education. Simulation conducted in VR can reproduce procedural scenarios and allow for immersive interaction with anatomic models. This has the potential to improve understanding of anatomy and concepts relevant to interventional procedures.Here, we present a “proof-of-concept” modeling of lumbar thermal radiofrequency neurotomy through cost-effective, commercially available VR hardware and software. With this technology, we can demonstrate key fluoroscopic views and needle trajectories based on specific recommendations from Spine Intervention Society guidelines. Furthermore, the learner can manipulate the model in multiple 3-dimensional axes to visualize anatomy relevant to key fluoroscopic views. Finally, the content can be exported by recording a live casting stream, thus offering an approach for future content creation and collaboration.VR technology is an emerging educational modality that offers immersive and interactive features that may offer advantages to traditional visual teaching modalities.

Effectiveness of Virtual Reality-Based Training on Oral Healthcare for Disabled Elderly Persons: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

(1) Background: Virtual reality (VR) technology is a widely used training tool in medical education. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of VR training of oral hygiene students on providing oral healthcare to disabled elderly persons. (2) Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted. In 2021, oral hygiene students were randomly assigned to a VR experimental group (EG; n = 11) and a control group (CG; n = 12). The EG received two-hour, thrice-repeated VR-based training interventions at 2-week, 4-week, and 6-week follow-ups. The CG received no VR-based interventions. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire before and immediately after each intervention. We performed generalized estimating equations to compare the responses. (3) Results: The EG exhibited a more significant improvement in oral care-related knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy, and intention at the 6-week follow-up than the CG. The students’ intention to assist the elderly in using interdental brushes (β = 0.91), with soft tissue cleaning (β = 0.53), and with oral desensitization (β = 0.53), and to have regular dental visits (β = 0.61) improved significantly at the 6-week follow-up. (4) Conclusions: VR training positively affected students’ knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy, and intentions on providing oral healthcare to disabled elderly persons.

Proposal of a pseudo‐electrocardiogram model incorporating heart rate variability and QT‐interval variability, and its application

In this work, we propose a model that incorporates QT‐interval variability (QTV) by extending the synthetic electrocardiogram (ECG) model including heart rate variability (HRV). The model consists of three modified coupled ordinary differential equations and an equation to incorporate QTV by shifting the position of the T‐wave; in addition, RR and QT tachograms that have frequency characteristics composed of multiple Gaussian distribution peaks are used. An ECG signal can be generated by adapting a certain ECG waveform and by giving the means, standard deviations, and power spectral density parameters of HRV and QTV. This proposed model may reveal the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the relationship between QTV and HRV and/or the autonomic activity, and it may solve problems in the measurement of QT‐interval. In conclusion, this proposed model is a very useful tool in medical education and experimental simulation. © 2022 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.