Medical Education Research Articles

Cultivating Leadership and Teamwork in Medical Students Through Rowing: A Phenomenological Study.

This study was conducted to allow us to understand the subjective experiences of medical students participating in rowing exercise classes at a medical school in South Korea and to derive implications for medical education. Accordingly, we analyzed their reflective journals, focusing on leadership and teamwork development. The study involved 40 second-year premedical students, and Colaizzi's analysis was employed to understand and structure their experiences. The comprehensive analysis revealed 149 meaningful statements expressing students' thoughts and experiences regarding the rowing exercise. From these statements, 13 meanings were synthesized, resulting in nine themes and four overarching categories, which provided a multilayered understanding of students' experiences. The factors that enhanced teamwork included communication, trust, respect among team members, and a sense of responsibility. By contrast, the hindering factors were competitiveness, impatience, and avoidance of responsibility. Before the class, a mix of anticipation, excitement, and dissatisfaction regarding the rowing exercise course was observed. However, after the class, students realized that the role of the entire team, rather than individual ability, is crucial, and collaboration with peers is key-the concept of shared leadership. This study is significant in that it demonstrates rowing's potential as a team sport to serve as an effective program for fostering collaboration and leadership within the medical school curriculum.

Assessment of communication skills in health professions education; Ottawa 2024 consensus statement

Despite the increasing inclusion of communication skills in accreditation standards and an increase in time dedicated to teaching these skills, communication is often regarded as a separate skill and is therefore, not consistently represented in overall systems of assessment in Health Professions Education (HPE). The ascendence of competency-based medical education, programmatic assessment, artificial intelligence, and widespread use of telehealth, alongside changing patient expectations warrant an update in thinking about the assessment of communication skills in health professions education. This consensus statement draws on existing literature, expert pinion, and emerging challenges to situate the assessment of communication skills in the contemporary health professions education context. The statement builds on previous work to offer an update on the topic and include new developments related to assessment, particularly: the challenges and opportunities associated with systems of assessment; patient and peer perspectives in assessment; assessment of interprofessional communication, cross-cultural communication, digital communication; and assessment using digital technologies. Consensus was reached through extensive discussion among the authors and other experts in HPE, exploration of the literature, and discussion during an Ottawa 2024 conference workshop. The statement puts forward a summary of available evidence with suggestions for what educators and curriculum developers should consider in their planning and design of the assessment of communication.

Special Issue on Informatics Education: Vanderbilt Clinical Informatics Center Education Strategy: To Infinity and Beyond!

The Vanderbilt Clinical Informatics Center (VCLIC) is based in the Department of Biomedical Informatics (DBMI) and operates across Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) and Vanderbilt University (VU) with a goal of enabling and supporting clinical informatics research and practice. VCLIC supports several types of applied clinical informatics teaching, including teaching of students in courses, professional education for staff and faculty throughout VUMC, and workshops and conferences that are open to the public. In this paper, we provide a detailed accounting of our center and institution's methods of educating and training faculty, staff, students, and trainees from across the academic institution and health system on clinical informatics topics, including formal training programs and informal applied learning sessions. Through a host of informal learning events, such as workshops, seminars, conference-style events, bite-size instructive videos, and hackathons, as well as several formal education programs, such as the Clinical Informatics Graduate Course, Master's in Applied Clinical Informatics, Medical Student Integrated Science Course, Graduate Medical Education Elective, and Fellowship in Clinical Informatics, VCLIC and VUMC provide opportunities for faculty, students, trainees, and even staff to engage with Clinical Informatics topics and learn related skills. The described programs have trained hundreds of participants from across the academic and clinical enterprises. Of the VCLIC-held events, the majority of attendees indicated through surveys that they were satisfied, with the average satisfaction score being 4.63/5, and all events averaging a satisfaction score of greater than 4. Across the 20 events VCLIC has held, our largest audiences are DBMI, HealthIT operational staff, and students from the medical and nursing schools. VCLIC has created and delivered a successful suite of formal and informal educational events and programs to disseminate clinical informatics knowledge and skills to learners across the academic institution and healthcare system.

The directors of resident support program: a program evaluation of a resident well-being and support innovation

BackgroundMedical training can be a challenging time for residents both professionally and personally. Resident support programs must be able to address a range of potential experiences, be accessible and easy to navigate, and consider the unique context of residency. Rigorous evaluation of resident support programs is needed to determine whether these programs are meeting these goals.MethodsThe Directors of Resident Support (DRS) program, launched in January 2021 at the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary, is a near-peer support model consisting of three faculty physicians, trained in peer support, who receive contacts from residents needing support for any issue. DRS physicians provide empathetic listening, referral to existing resources, and peer support for residents. A multisource evaluation of the DRS program, including field notes, data collection forms, and surveys, was guided by the Donabedian framework.ResultsThere were 62 total contacts in the 2-year evaluation period which required a median 2 h to address (range 5 min to more than 40 h). The most common topic for contact was to discuss feedback or evaluation (n = 10, 24.4%) and the most common response was listening and support (n = 29, 70.7%). Residents also contacted DRS to discuss experiences of racism, physical assault, sexual harassment, and mental health crises. Residents (n = 13) rated a median score of 74 out of possible 100 for usefulness (interquartile range [IQR] 1-100, with higher scores suggesting greater usefulness). Free text survey responses suggested that residents felt validated by contact with the program though some residents felt that additional follow-up would have been helpful.ConclusionThe DRS program has been well-utilized by residents for a variety of issues. Postgraduate Medical Education offices seeking to create resident support programs may anticipate that about 3% of residents may use a similar program per year and that the typical interaction would last 2 h, with a wide range. Feedback suggested that similar programs should have a formal process for follow-up with residents to ensure their concern was addressed and that resident supporters should have diverse lived experiences.

Racial and Ethnic Discrimination and Medical Students’ Identity Formation

Investigating racial and ethnic discrimination in medical education is crucial for addressing disparities and fostering an inclusive environment. To assess how racial and ethnic discrimination in medical school is associated with personal and professional identity formation (PPIF) by race and ethnicity. This retrospective cross-sectional study used deidentified data on 37 610 medical students who matriculated in 2014 or 2015 and took the Association of American Medical Colleges Graduation Questionnaire (GQ) between 2016 and 2020. Statistical analysis was performed from September 1 to November 20, 2023. Experiences of racial and ethnic discrimination were assessed through responses to 3 GQ questions about denial of opportunities, offensive remarks or names, and lower evaluations or grades due to race or ethnicity. Personal and professional development were measured as 2 separate outcomes using 2 GQ statements rated on a 5-point Likert scale (where 1 indicated strongly disagree and 5 indicated strongly agree): "My medical school has done a good job fostering and nurturing my development as a person" and "My medical school has done a good job fostering and nurturing my development as a physician." Variables of personal and professional development were both dichotomized. Of 37 610 medical students, 18 200 (48.4%) were female, and 19 410 (51.6%) were male; 2458 (6.5%) were African American or Black, 7801 (20.7%) were Asian, 2430 (6.5%) were Hispanic, 21 380 (56.9%) were White, 2404 (6.4%) were multiracial, and 1137 (3%) were other race or ethnicity. Most respondents attested that their medical school fostered their personal (27 272 [72.5%]) and professional (34 560 [91.9%]) development. African American or Black students reported the lowest rates of personal (1603 of 2458 [65.2%]) and professional (2182 of 2458 [88.8%]) development, and experienced lower likelihoods of personal (adjusted risk ratio [ARR], 0.89 [95% CI, 0.86-0.93]) and professional (ARR, 0.95 [95% CI, 0.94-0.97]) development than White students. Racial discrimination was inversely associated with development, with the highest PPIF rates among those never experiencing discrimination (personal, 25 089 of 33 508 [74.9%]; and professional, 31 257 of 33 508 [93.3%]). Those experiencing isolated discrimination (personal: ARR, 0.83 [95% CI, 0.80-0.87]; professional: ARR, 0.92 [95% CI, 0.91-0.95]) and recurrent discrimination (personal: ARR, 0.63 [95% CI, 0.60-0.66]; professional: ARR, 0.82 [95% CI, 0.80-0.84]) had relatively lower likelihoods of PPIF. African American or Black students experienced the highest rate of recurrent discrimination (543 of 2458 [22.1%]). No significant PPIF risk differences were found for other racial and ethnic groups underrepresented in medicine without discrimination compared with White students without discrimination, but all groups with recurrent discrimination had relatively lower PPIF risk. In this cross-sectional study of US medical students, racial and ethnic discrimination was associated with lower PPIF across all racial and ethnic groups compared with White students without such experiences. African American or Black students disproportionately faced this discrimination. Systemic changes in medical education are needed to combat discrimination and ensure equity in holistic student development.

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Residents' Experiences and Perspectives on Teaching Medical Students: A National Survey.

Resident teaching of medical students is integral to medical education; however, there are few studies surveying residents, especially U.S. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) residents, about their perspectives on teaching medical students. This descriptive survey study consisted of a 23-item cross sectional survey to elicit the current state of medical student teaching by PM&R residents and formal education for PM&R residents on teaching medical students. During an eight-week period, 103 PM&R residents completed a web-based survey, which was distributed to residents via emails to PM&R residency program directors and coordinators. Ninety-seven (94.1%) respondents reported teaching medical students. A majority of these respondents (81.4%) reported favoring formalized education on medical student teaching; however, little more than half (51.5%) reported having that education. Majorities of residents with and without formal education on teaching medical students reported employing multiple teaching techniques to teach students in the clinical and non-clinical environments. The most commonly reported barrier to teaching students was time. While limited by study design and sample size, this study suggests that the availability of formalized education for PM&R residents on medical student teaching may not meet the needs or desires of residents.

Comparative Analysis of the Response Accuracies of Large Language Models in the Korean National Dental Hygienist Examination Across Korean and English Questions.

Large language models such as Gemini, GPT-3.5, and GPT-4 have demonstrated significant potential in the medical field. Their performance in medical licensing examinations globally has highlighted their capabilities in understanding and processing specialized medical knowledge. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the performance of Gemini, GPT-3.5, and GPT-4 in the Korean National Dental Hygienist Examination. The accuracy of answering the examination questions in both Korean and English was assessed. This study used a dataset comprising questions from the Korean National Dental Hygienist Examination over 5 years (2019-2023). A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was employed to investigate the impacts of model type and language on the accuracy of the responses. Questions were input into each model under standardized conditions, and responses were classified as correct or incorrect based on predefined criteria. GPT-4 consistently outperformed the other models, achieving the highest accuracy rates across both language versions annually. In particular, it showed superior performance in English, suggesting advancements in its training algorithms for language processing. However, all models demonstrated variable accuracies in subjects with localized characteristics, such as health and medical law. These findings indicate that GPT-4 holds significant promise for application in medical education and standardized testing, especially in English. However, the variability in performance across different subjects and languages underscores the need for ongoing improvements and the inclusion of more diverse and localized training datasets to enhance the models' effectiveness in multilingual and multicultural contexts.

RE-AIM evaluation of accreditation process in Turkey

BackgroundEffects of accreditation on various areas of medical education were studied in literature. However, data about comprehensive evaluation of accreditation activities is limited. This paper aims to present how an accreditation agency self-evaluates its own accreditation activities.MethodsAssociation for Evaluation and Accreditation of Medical Education Programs (TEPDAD) is an accreditation agency in Turkey. RE-AIM evaluation framework was used to evaluate TEPDAD’s activities. The accreditation processes were evaluated through indicators set for each of five RE-AIM evaluation framework dimensions (reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance). Data for evaluation for each dimension were gathered from the documents available in TEPDAD website and archives. Qualitative and quantitative analysis methods were used when necessary to investigate the degree of achievement for each indicator.ResultsSeventy-five (83%) of 90 medical schools meeting the application criteria are registered in the accreditation system. Effectiveness analyses revealed that medical education programs improved in eight areas (education program, student representation, documentation, assessment, infrastructure/facilities, faculty development, educational management). Accreditation processes were well adopted by medical schools and TEPDAD volunteers. The number of medical education programs registered in the accreditation system has gradually increased over years. For the accreditation implementation process, medical schools and TEPDAD evaluators provided positive feedback. Medical schools and TEPDAD invested efforts to maintain the accreditation process over time and changing conditions. All of the previously accredited schools have applied for reaccreditation for the second or third cycles to maintain their status. TEPDAD has maintained its recognition status by national and international authorities by several times. The accreditation standards have been continuously reviewed and renewed when necessary. The organizational structure of TEPDAD has been changed in time considering feedback and past experiences. TEPDAD also arranges meetings to promote and maintain its activities.ConclusionsTEPDAD has achieved significant success in terms of reaching majority of the Turkish medical schools, leading to prominent developments in medical education programs without any significant problems related to process, procedures and maintenance. There are still areas of improvement for TEPDAD such as reaching all targeted schools and guiding medical schools to improve quality in diverse elements of medical education programs.

Post competency training in standardized training of resident physicians and integrated postgraduates

We focus on the importance and necessity of post-competency-based training in medical education alongside its current challenges and opportunities. Integrating post competency training into standardized educational frameworks is increasingly recognized as a critical component of preparing residents and postgraduates for real-world clinical practice. Post competency training represents a commitment to excellence in medical education, striving to produce competent, skilled practitioners to meet the challenges of modern healthcare.

When I say … haunted curriculum.

As medical and health professions education (HPE) fields shift towards frameworks of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI), there has been an increased focus on addressing the environments of learning to understand hierarchies of power and create better learning experiences for students who have historically been marginalised in these fields. We propose the haunted curriculum as an evocative conceptual framing to engage with the aspects of medical and HPE that are toxic and troubling to learners and to understand how violent histories continue to loom large and permeate the present. The haunted curriculum examines how forms of oppression and injustice, such as racism and ableism, are always ever-present and often arise in unexpected ways during training. The haunted curriculum also helps to uncover how environments of training and professionalisation may themselves inflict these forms of oppression and injustice and may be ideal spaces to counter them.

Determinants affecting the medical students adoption of mobile learning: extended UTAUT

BackgroundThis research investigates the fundamental factors which may stymie or simplify the adoption of m-learning by medical college educators in Sudan. We made use of the Extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use Technology (UTAUT) with COVID-19 fear (CF) and social isolation (SIS) as exogenous components.ObjectiveThis research aims to find out factors impacting medical students’ behavioural intention to use mobile learning.MethodsData was gathered from 499 undergraduate learners from different universities in Sudan. Partial Least Square (PLS) and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to examine the data.The resultsShowed that expected performance, effort expectancy (EE), social influence (SI), facilitation condition (FC), COVID-19 fear, and social isolation (SIS) are predictors of behavioural intentions (BI). In addition, our findings show that COVID-19 fear and social isolation increase student adoption of mobile learning during the COVID-19 epidemics in developing countries.ConclusionsThe study unveiled that the suggested framework, derived from UTAUT, effectively discerns the factors impacting students’ intentions in mobile learning during pandemics. Sudanese medical students’ can strategize and execute effective classroom environments based on these findings.

Comparing readiness for self directed learning in undergraduates of private and public medical colleges

Objective: To measure the readiness for self-directed learning among medical undergraduates of private and public medical colleges, and to evaluate their performance and strategies. Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted in Lahore, Pakistan from February to July 2023, and comprised medical undergraduate students of either gender from 1 private and 1 public academic institution. Data was collected using a pre-validated structured questionnaire having self-management, desire for learning, and self-control domains to explore self-directed learning readiness. Data was analysed using SPSS 26. Results: Of the 330 subjects, 166(50.3%) were females and 164(49.7%) males, while 166(50.3%) were from the private institution and 164(49.7%) were from the public institution. There were 183(55.4%) students in the 3rd year, 89(27.0%) in the 4th year and 58(17.6%) in the final year of their coursework. Self-directed learning readiness was significantly higher in students from the private institution (p<0.05). Conclusion: There was a significant correlation between self-directed learning readiness in private and public medical education institutions, with readiness being higher in the private sector. Key Words: Self-directed learning, Self-control, Experiential learning, Problem-based learning, Active learning.

Considerations of equity, diversity and inclusion in peer reviews conducted for Medical Education.

Considerations of equity, diversity and inclusion in peer reviews conducted for Medical Education.

Evolving Patterns in Inpatient Pediatric Consultations to Allergy/Immunology at an Academic Medical Center

Background: Consultations to pediatric allergy/immunology are of benefit to many hospitalized inpatients, but there is limited current information about how T-cell receptor excision circles (TREC) screening may have changed these patterns for pediatric populations. We aimed to determine the types of consults being requested and their relative frequencies for primary pediatric allergy/immunology consults under an academic fellowship program since the start of TREC screening in 2016. Information gained could help identify focal concepts for pediatric allergy inpatient training curricula for fellowship and graduate medical education programs. Methods: Under an IRB approved study of an academic allergy fellowship consultation log, we retrospectively reviewed electronic medical records of pediatric allergy and immunology consults and categorized consultations by their primary indication. Results: Three-hundred and eighty-three pediatric allergy/immunology consultations were seen between September 4, 2016 to November 24, 2022. In terms of frequency, the most common consultation was for immunodeficiency evaluation or treatment, n=205 (53.5%), followed by drug allergy n=55 (14.4%), general allergy concerns n=43 (11.2%), skin allergy n=35 (9.1%), and less commonly inflammatory syndromes, n=26 (6.8%) and food allergy, n=19 (5.0%). Questions related to TREC screening comprised 21% of all immunodeficiency consults, at n=43. Conclusion: At an academic allergy center where all allergy/immunology service lines are currently provided, the most common reason for pediatric consultations were for help with immunodeficiency evaluation/treatment and drug allergy. TREC screening is a new key indication for consultation. Fellowship programs may benefit from focusing on these content areas for the pediatric inpatient setting.

Enhancing clinical reasoning skills for medical students: a qualitative comparison of LLM-powered social robotic versus computer-based virtual patients within rheumatology.

Virtual patients (VPs) are increasingly used in medical education to train clinical reasoning (CR) skills. However, optimal VP design for enhancing interactivity and authenticity remains unclear. Novel interactive modalities, such as large language model (LLM)-enhanced social robotic VPs might increase interactivity and authenticity in CR skill practice. To evaluate medical students' perceptions of CR training using an LLM-enhanced social robotic VP platform compared with a conventional computer-based VP platform. A qualitative study involved 23 third-year medical students from Karolinska Institutet, who completed VP cases on an LLM-enhanced social robotic platform and a computer-based semi-linear platform. In-depth interviews assessed students' self-perceived acquirement of CR skills using the two platforms. Thematic analysis was employed to identify themes and sub-themes. Three main themes were identified: authenticity, VP application, and strengths and limitations. Students found the social robotic platform more authentic and engaging. It enabled highly interactive communication and expressed emotions, collectively offering a realistic experience. It facilitated active learning, hypothesis generation, and adaptive thinking. Limitations included lack of physical examination options and, occasionally, mechanical dialogue. The LLM-enhanced social robotic VP platform offers a more authentic and interactive learning experience compared to the conventional computer-based platform. Despite some limitations, it shows promise in training CR skills, communication, and adaptive thinking. Social robotic VPs may prove useful and safe learning environments for exposing medical students to diverse, highly interactive patient simulations.

Academic Coaching in Entry-level Doctor of Physical Therapy Education.

Learners face a variety of academic and personal challenges that may impact performance in Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs. Academic coaching has emerged as a student support model within undergraduate medical education but has not yet been evaluated in DPT education. The purpose of this method/model presentation was to describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of 2 coaching programs. Two hybrid DPT programs implemented a coaching approach to support students. The coaching framework was centered around an individualized relationship between the learner and faculty coach to promote reflection, growth, agency, and persistence in educational and professional development. Faculty members were prepared and supported to serve as coaches. Coaches met with their assigned students at regular intervals throughout the program, including clinical experiences. The coaching programs were assessed through program exit surveys and an alumni survey. Graduates from both programs reported that the coaching program was effective and supported a sense of belonging or connectedness within their DPT program. They reported several specific activities that were part of the coaching program structure that supported its effectiveness, including group-based orientation activities and 1:1 meetings with their coach. Graduates also provided suggestions for program improvement including increased structure and more opportunities to connect with their peers and coaches in a nonacademic setting. Two DPT programs successfully implemented coaching as their student support model. With appropriate preparation, planning, and support, coaching programs have the potential to provide individualized and meaningful support for DPT students.

Perceptions of medical students at Najran University on the effectiveness of problem-based learning and team-based learning

BackgroundTeam-based learning (TBL) and problem-based learning (PBL) are two effective educational approaches used in medical education for increasing knowledge acquisition, learning motivation, and collaborative and communication skills among students. Few studies have been conducted in Saudi Arabia to evaluate medical students’ perceptions of these approaches.Aim of the studyThe present study aimed to evaluate the perceptions of current or previous preclinical students at the College of Medicine, Najran University (NU) about the effectiveness of PBL and TBL and to assess students’ perceptions regarding the strengths and limitations of both educational approaches and their preferences.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted on 106 preclinical students at NU, Saudi Arabia. The survey questionnaire was validated by a pilot study and designed based on Kirkpatrick’s evaluation model. Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the collected data through IBM SPSS Statistics 2.0.Results73.6% of participants enjoyed PBL and found it motivating compared to TBL and classic lectures. PBL was reported as more effective for knowledge acquisition (50%), teamwork (62.3%), and high academic performance (58%).ConclusionIt is concluded that PBL was more favored by the students regarding the learning outcomes. TBL was reported to need more individual preparation and effort and require lecturer involvement, suggesting the need for structured facilitation in this learning approach and potentially indicating the challenges associated with coordinating team-based activities.

Improving Hospital-to-Home for Medically Complex Children: Views From Spanish-Speaking Caregivers.

Children with medical complexity (CMC) experience increased risk of adverse events during and after hospitalization, and these risks are even greater for CMC whose caregiver has a preferred language other than English. Because many adverse events for CMC may be attributable to communication challenges, understanding caregiver and physician perspectives may help prevent adverse events. We conducted semistructured interviews with Spanish-speaking caregivers of hospitalized CMC and their inpatient attending physicians. Each interview was conducted 24 to 72 hours after hospital discharge. Interviews continued until thematic sufficiency was reached. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and translated verbatim. Investigators independently coded and reconciled codes using constant comparison to develop themes via inductive thematic analysis. We conducted 28 interviews (14 caregivers, 14 physicians). Three themes were identified: (1) barriers exist in providing language-concordant care in planning for transitions from hospital-to-home; (2) both physicians and caregivers perceived logistical challenges in using interpreters at the point of care; and (3) many caregivers felt uncomfortable asking physicians questions related to their child's medical management because of their language barrier. Participants also offered strategies to improve the transition from hospital to home: (1) empower families to ask questions and take notes, (2) consider the use of medical educators, and (3) improve the ability of hospital-based physicians to follow up with patients after discharge. Physicians strive for language-concordant care at each stage of discharge planning. However, unresolved gaps such as the lack of interpreter availability during medical-device education, require attention to promote safe transitions from hospital to home.

Evaluation of a Large Language Model on the American Academy of Pediatrics' PREP Emergency Medicine Question Bank

Background Large language models (LLMs), including ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer), a popular, publicly available LLM, represent an important innovation in the application of artificial intelligence. These systems generate relevant content by identifying patterns in large text datasets based on user input across various topics. We sought to evaluate the performance of ChatGPT in practice test questions designed to assess knowledge competency for pediatric emergency medicine (PEM). Methods We evaluated the performance of ChatGPT for PEM board certification using a popular question bank used for board certification in PEM published between 2022 and 2024. Clinicians assessed performance of ChatGPT by inputting prompts and recording the software's responses, asking each question over 3 separate iterations. We calculated correct answer percentages (defined as correct in at least 2/3 iterations) and assessed for agreement between the iterations using Fleiss' κ. Results We included 215 questions over the 3 study years. ChatGPT responded correctly to 161 of PREP EM questions over 3 years (74.5%; 95% confidence interval, 68.5%–80.5%), which was similar within each study year (75.0%, 71.8%, and 77.8% for study years 2022, 2023, and 2024, respectively). Among correct responses, most were answered correctly on all 3 iterations (137/161, 85.1%). Performance varied by topic, with the highest scores in research and medical specialties and lower in procedures and toxicology. Fleiss' κ across the 3 iterations was 0.71, indicating substantial agreement. Conclusion ChatGPT provided correct answers to PEM responses in three-quarters of cases, over the recommended minimum of 65% provided by the question publisher for passing. Responses by ChatGPT included detailed explanations, suggesting potential use for medical education. We identified limitations in specific topics and image interpretation. These results demonstrate opportunities for LLMs to enhance both the education and clinical practice of PEM.

Evaluation of a pathology resident wellness initiative: Initial establishment and subsequent expansion through a time of high stress, the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recent studies have shown that the pathology workforce is at risk of decreased workplace well-being, which may lead to decreased job satisfaction, increased attrition, burnout, depression, anxiety, and suicidality, but there has been relatively little research on well-being initiatives designed for pathologists, pathology trainees, and laboratory professionals. Some studies have suggested that well-being initiatives may decrease burnout and increase workplace satisfaction and engagement. Here we describe the creation of a Pathology Wellness Committee in a large residency program. Interventions included emotional, social, and physical well-being interventions as well as system-based improvements. Additional initiatives were introduced in response to the increased stress, isolation, and social distancing guidelines during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program's impact was measured by an annual House Staff Council Resident Wellness Survey over 4 years. The annual surveys showed improvements in workplace and residency program satisfaction and emotional well-being following system-based improvements and well-being initiatives. Physical and social well-being showed slight but not statistically significant decreases over the 4-year period. Results from the annual Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Survey were also evaluated. We found that dedicated well-being initiatives in conjunction with system-based interventions may help improve overall well-being in pathology residents.