Medical School Faculty Members Research Articles

Exploring the challenges to development and institutionalization of E-learning content as perceived by faculty members of medical schools in Iran: A qualitative content analysis study

Electronic learning (E-learning) is a method of acquiring knowledge by using information technology. In this regard, faculty members of medical schools play an important role in the design, development and institutionalization of electronic content education and face many challenges. Hence, the present study was performed to explore the challenges to the development and institutionalization of e-learning content as perceived by faculty members of medical schools in southern Iran. The present study is a descriptive qualitative study. Purposeful sampling was performed. Based on this, 23 individual and in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 faculty members of medical schools. Granheim and Lundman's approach was used for data analysis. Three themes and eleven subthemes were extracted based on the qualitative data analysis results. Three main themes included individual challenges, organizational management challenges, and course design challenges. Based on the results of the present study, we should keep in mind that electronic teaching methods and preparation of e-learning content by professors are different from traditional educational methods. Hence, the senior managers of educational system should make necessary arrangements and plans for methodological support, technological and technical support, and all kinds of organizational support and create continuous professional development opportunities for professors to minimize the negative effects caused by the rapid changes of electronics era and educational environments on professors, and consequently on the quality of educational contents and processes.

Development and Evaluation of a Direct Care Hospitalist Service Internal Medicine Sub-internship Rotation.

Direct Care Hospitalist Services (DCHS) can increase internal medicine (IM) sub-internship rotation availability while providing hospitalists additional teaching opportunities. Implement and evaluate a DCHS sub-internship. Urban Academic Medical School. IM sub-interns, hospitalists. One to two sub-interns were paired with three hospitalists on 3 weeks of day service and five nights in an apprenticeship model. Sub-interns admitted and followed patients on days and cross-covered and admitted on nights. DCHS sub-intern rotation satisfaction and skills preparedness were surveyed over 2 years. Sub-interns rotating on resident-covered service (RCS) were surveyed in year 2, and results compared to DCHS. Hospitalists were surveyed year 1 to rate satisfaction. Year 2 DCHS cross-cover paging data was tabulated to evaluate clinical content. DCHS and RCS sub-interns rated satisfaction and preparedness similarly. DCHS sub-interns rated time management (3.86 vs 4.33, p = 0.19) and calling consults (4.4 vs 4.8, p = 0.56) lower, but cross-cover higher (4.14 to 3.67, p = 0.34) than RCS. DCHS sub-interns averaged 39.4 (SD 4.1) nightly cross-cover pages with most related to acute symptoms (46%). Hospitalists were highly satisfied with their rotation experience. Sub-interns were highly satisfied with DCHS sub-internship. Future work will target gaps in preparedness for urgent patient care issues.

SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Experience at an Academic Medical Examiner's Office.

The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in a great deal of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Since most deaths related to COVID-19 are currently considered natural, and they tend to occur following a clinically recognized illness, many medical examiner/coroner offices within the United States do not take jurisdiction over the majority of COVID-19 deaths. In this review, we present the experience of a medium-sized medical examiner's office affiliated with an academic medical school institution, over the first 15 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to a 15-month period that immediately preceded the pandemic, our office experienced a significant increase in the total number of reported deaths, scene investigations, full autopsies, natural deaths, accidents, homicides, and drug-related deaths, but a decrease in the number of suicides. Overall, our office performed 5 autopsies during the study period where COVID-19 was considered the primary cause of death, 4 cases where COVID-19 was considered a contributory cause of death, and 28 cases where COVID-19 testing was positive, but COVID-19 was not contributory to death. The COVID-19 pandemic was accompanied by a sizeable increase in work volume within our academic medical examiner's office. Although this increased workload was not related to a large number of COVID-19-related deaths investigated by the office, there were numerous areas of increased workload that were likely secondarily related to the conditions associated with the pandemic.

Undergraduate Medical Education Curriculum Reforms in Pakistan: A Mixed Methods Study of Academic Leadership Perspectives.

Periodic revision of undergraduate medical education (UGME) curricula is an essential part of evidence-based educational practices. Pakistan's national UGME curriculum, last updated in 2005, was reviewed, and recommended updates were made in 2022. The authors explore academic medical school leaders' perspectives about the proposed reforms, gaps within the existing curriculum, and how to ensure the reform implementation is effective, collaborative, and feedback-driven. Using a mixed methods approach, data were collected from April to July 2022. Academic leadership (principals, who could designate vice principals or medical educators) at all medical schools across Pakistan (n = 117) were invited. Agreement with each of 20 proposed reforms was measured via a survey employing a Likert scale. A semistructured interview guide expanded on the survey questions with probes. Eighty-eight survey responses, from private (59; 67.0%) and public (29; 33.0%) institutions, were obtained (75.2% response rate). Participants recommended most of the proposed reforms. The 3 reforms that received the highest agreement were teaching professionalism as an integral part of the curriculum (83; 94.3%), mandating bedside procedural skills training (80; 90.9%), and including patient safety in the UGME curriculum (79; 89.8%). Including multidisciplinary tumor boards and surgical oncology had the lowest agreement (26; 29.5%). Fifteen interviews were conducted, which revealed 3 major themes: perceptions about changes to the curricular content, limitation of human and financial resources as barriers to reform implementation, and recommendations for effective implementation of an updated curriculum. The findings reflect an overall positive attitude of academic medical school leadership toward the 20 proposed UGME curriculum reforms, which could aid with on-the-ground implementation. However, major limitations, such as a lack of trained faculty and financial resources, must be addressed. The authors propose future research on the resources required for implementing UGME reforms and the reforms' impact after national implementation.

Job stress and burnout affecting the mental health of Korean medical faculty members: constructing causality among latent variables.

This study aims to examine whether perceived levels of job stress, burnout, and mental health are different according to demographic characteristics and working conditions and to investigate the direct and indirect effects of job stress and burnout on the mental health of medical faculty members. The study sample consists of 855 faculty members in 40 medical schools nationwide in the 2020 Burnout of Faculty Members of Medical Schools in Korea data with a grant from the Korean Association of Medical Colleges. This study employed structural equation modeling to construct causality among latent variables in addition to t-test, analysis of variance, and correlation coefficients for bivariate analyses. Perceived job stress, burnout, and mental health levels of medical faculty members showed significant group differences by demographic characteristics and working conditions. Job stress directly affected mental health (β=0.215, p<0.01) and indirectly affected mental health via burnout (β=0.493, p<0.001). Thus burnout significantly mediated the relationship between job stress and the mental health of medical faculty members. This study found that job stress has direct and indirect effects on the mental health of medical faculty members, and burnout partially mediated this relationship. Further studies need to intervene in job stress and burnout to prevent the adverse mental health of medical faculty members and to introduce proper measures to improve working conditions affecting job stress and burnout.

Trends Among Women in Academic Medicine Faculty Ranks.

Introduction: Similar proportions of women and men have entered medical school since 2003. However, career advancement and promotion for women continues to be fraught with disparities and inequalities. Building on current literature, this study explores the rates of change of female faculty in faculty ranks over the last 10 years to gain a more comprehensive view of the faculty trends of women in academic medicine. Methods: Using the Faculty Administrative Management Online User System database, counts by gender and faculty rank at each Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) academic medical school were obtained. Statistical analysis was done using generalized estimating equations modeling to assess rates of change for each gender from 2012 to 2021. Results: Higher proportions of female faculty are concentrated at the Instructor and Assistant Professor level and lower proportions at the Associate Professor and Professor rank compared to male faculty. Over the study period, female faculty showed increased rate change compared to male faculty of 1.007 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.002-1.012) for Associate Professor rank and 1.012 (95% CI: 1.007-1.016) for Professor rank. At the Instructor and Assistant Professor levels, female faculty decreased at a relative rate of 0.980 (95% CI: 0.969-0.990) and 0.995 (95% CI: 0.992-0.997) each year, respectively. Conclusion: Female faculty continue to be concentrated at the junior faculty rank. Rate changes at the senior faculty rank for female faculty have slightly improved over the last 10 years compared to male faculty. However, this improvement is minimal, and work is still needed to achieve true gender equity in academic medicine.

Evaluation of Blended Learning in Terms of the Perceptions of Medical Students: A Mixed Method Study.

The ongoing 4.0 industrial evolution, characterized by the rise of digital technology, has had a massive impact on human lifestyles worldwide. Faculty members in medical school are expected to respond to this industrial revolution by implementing teaching strategies, one of which is Blended learning as a suitable solution to overcome the limitations of space and time in the teaching process. For effective utilization of blended learning, it is important to conduct extensive studies on its implementation. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of implementing blended learning in the faculty of medicine in Hasanuddin University from the students' perspective. This study used a sequential explanatory mixed method approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative part involved 782 undergraduate medical students from the first, second, and third years. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey distributed among the students. The qualitative part of the research was conducted through focus group discussions involving 13 students based on the questionnaire scores, representing both high and low scores. The results of the quantitative and qualitative research were collected and integrated. Based on the results, the majority of students agreed that blended learning provided many advantages to their learning (Mean±SD: 3.79±0.78). Also, they reported e-learning platform significantly contributed to their learning process (Mean±SD: 3.88±0.67). The workload of blended learning method was still considered quite heavy by students, and good time management was highly needed (Mean±SD: 3.45±0.84). As for qualitative part, some positive results were obtained; they reported that it increased motivation for learning, enhanced the efficiency of learning and gaining adaptability, while the negative opinions were the network error in e-learning, erratic e-learning display, and video quality problem. Most of the students expressed positive opinions about the advantages of blended learning; according to them, learning was more efficient and effective, it enhanced learning motivation, and it provided comprehensive accessible learning materials.

Developing an effective and comprehensive communication curriculum for undergraduate medical education in Poland – the review and recommendations

BackgroundThe recognition of the importance of effective communication in the healthcare system has been growing. Given that communication courses must be adjusted to the specificity of a particular culture, language, and other contextual issues, many countries and communities sharing a common language have proposed their recommendations for a communication curriculum for undergraduate medical education. To date, no recommendations have been developed for either any Central and Eastern Europe countries or for regions where Slavic languages are spoken. Their specificity of post-communist transformation should be acknowledged. This study aims to review communication curriculums and offer recommendations for medical communication training for undergraduate medical students in Poland.MethodsThe recommendations were developed through an iterative consultation process with lecturers, faculty members of medical schools, and education coordinators. PubMed and Google Scholar databases were searched to identify full text English and Polish language articles on communication curriculum for undergraduate medical education. Additionally, the new Regulation of the Polish Minister of Science and Higher Education, defining educational standards for undergraduate medical education was analysed in search of learning outcomes that could be applied in communication skills teaching. The authors extracted the most relevant communication skill competencies, as determined by the process participants, discussed current challenges, including those of the COVID-19 pandemic era, and indicated best practices.ResultsA review was conducted, and a set of recommendations was developed pertaining to the scope and methodology of teaching communication skills. The study included: (1) definition, (2) education content, (3) learning outcomes, (4) the recommended teaching methods. The recommendations are in concord with the graduate profile, as well as the current structure of medical studies. The authors listed and discussed the basic communication competencies expected of medical graduates, as well as medical communication course content viewed from different perspectives, including clinical, psychological, sociological, legal, and linguistic.ConclusionsDetailed recommendations aimed at integrating best practices into a comprehensive communication curriculum may promote successful teaching, learning, and assessment of medical communication.

Building Approachable Surgical Experiences (BASE) in High School Populations

Pipeline programs are often set up to bring more diverse candidates to medical schools with the goal of diversifying the physician workforce in the years to come. All too often, these programs begin in college, long after many students of diverse backgrounds have been left behind through a myriad of barriers that exist between entering high school and matriculating to medical school. The Building Approachable Surgical Experiences (BASE) outreach program was designed to showcase healthcare careers, with an emphasis on surgical subspecialties, to historically underserved high school students. This pilot program's goal was to increase high school students' interest and confidence in pursuing future medical and surgical careers and provide a platform to initiate mentorship. Local high school students from underrepresented in medicine (URiM) populations or medically underserved communities were invited to spend the day at an academic medical school campus. These students engaged in hands-on clinical and basic operative skill workshops led by third- and fourth-year medical students. They also engaged in small group conversations centered on mentorship with surgical residents and faculty. Program implementation took place at an academic medical center school of medicine in an urban city. Forty high school students, 16 medical students, and 2 surgery faculty participated in this pilot program. This event allowed early exposure for high school students to surgical and medical specialties, clinical techniques, and surgical mentorship. From the connections made, students have developed mentorship relationships and have felt comfortable reaching out with questions regarding the steps required to seek entrance to medical school. Mentors are currently resident or attending physicians, which provides students from underrepresented populations an opportunity for direct insight and guidance to and through the path to becoming a physician. Based on qualitative feedback from students, their high school teachers, and administrators, this pilot program succeeded in providing a window into healthcare, using a format that was encouraging to students long beyond their time on the school of medicine campus.

The Role of Videotaped Clinical Skills Aggregated Peer Evaluations in the Enhancement of Evaluation Skills of Individual Medical School Faculty Members.

The conventional methodology for appraising medical students has some limitations like inherent subjectivity, unstructured nature, and bias.Implementing the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) can mitigate these shortcomings.However, the OSCE presents challenges, including substantial financial costs and time-intensive processes, particularly when assessing a large cohort of students.Consequently,an alternative assessment was needed to keep the advantages of OSCE and mask its limitations, especially in resource-constrained settings.In addition, many scholars have expressed concern over medical students' and interns' inadequate interviewing and physical examination competencies in recent years. Due to easy availability, videotaping is a convenient method for objectively observing students for aggregate review by faculty in order to ascertain what exactly faculty are assessing during medical student evaluations.This technique allows for aggregate faculty group improvement inthe ability of educators to assess students' technical proficiency, data collection capabilities,standardized patient interaction demeanor, and strategies for fostering standardized patient comfort.Nonetheless, aggregate evaluation of videotape recordings for faculty assessment development or reliance on verbal feedback from medical students about faculty's ability to assess student skill is a matter of debate. Due to increased subspecialization, the subspecialist or specialist examiners face difficulties in assessing students' skills in specific and/or generalized domains.Despite these challenges, assessing the ability of faculty members' observation and subsequent evaluation of medical trainees remains a vital aspect of assessment throughout various specialties.This paper presents the concept of faculty members individually observing and rating premade recordings of standardized students performing clinical skills for evaluation so that when the individual faculty members' ratings are aggregated and summarized collectively for evaluation by the faculty members as a group, both the group and the individual faculty members will gain a greater understanding of what are appropriate ratings versus outlier ratings.

Evaluation of medical school faculty members' educational performance in Korea in 2022 through analysis of the promotion regulations: a mixed methods study.

To ensure faculty members' active participation in education in response to growing demand, medical schools should clearly describe educational activities in their promotion regulations. This study analyzed the status of how medical education activities are evaluated in promotion regulations in 2022, in Korea. Data were collected from promotion regulations retrieved by searching the websites of 22 medical schools/universities in August 2022. To categorize educational activities and evaluation methods, the Association of American Medical Colleges framework for educational activities was utilized. Correlations between medical schools' characteristics and the evaluation of medical educational activities were analyzed. We defined 6 categories, including teaching, development of education products, education administration and service, scholarship in education, student affairs, and others, and 20 activities with 57 sub-activities. The average number of included activities was highest in the development of education products category and lowest in the scholarship in education category. The weight adjustment factors of medical educational activities were the characteristics of the target subjects and faculty members, the number of involved faculty members, and the difficulty of activities. Private medical schools tended to have more educational activities in the regulations than public medical schools. The greater the number of faculty members, the greater the number of educational activities in the education administration and service categories. Medical schools included various medical education activities and their evaluation methods in promotion regulations in Korea. This study provides basic data for improving the rewarding system for efforts of medical faculty members in education.

Community-Academic Partnerships: A Report on the COVID Support Our Schools (SOS) Initiative.

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic disrupted the delivery of education in our school systems and exacerbated pre-existing health and educational disparities. School administrators and staff from underserved communities struggled with continuously changing medical guidance, ensuring equitable education by virtual platforms, and re-opening schools safely. The Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine (HMSOM) partnered with statewide resource-limited school districts to create the COVID Support Our Schools (SOS) initiative. This consisted of a physician advisory board, medical student task forces, and community leaders. Numerous sessions were hosted by the COVID SOS team to answer questions, address community needs, and carry out initiatives to meet identified needs. Surveys, including Likert scale questions and open-ended feedback, were administered to all participating school districts. In total, 100% of respondents strongly agreed or agreed that the COVID SOS program was dedicated to community needs and provided timely support with necessary resources. Open-ended feedback described that the K-12 school districts valued our partnership as well as found the opportunity to engage with other districts informative and rewarding. The partnership between our academic medical institution and community school districts is mutually beneficial, providing an opportunity for medical student service learning as well as imparting medical expertise in times of need.

Incidence Of Restless Leg Syndrome Among Medical School Faculty Members

Restless leg syndrome is a neurological disorder in which there is unpleasant sensations in the legs. In medical school faculty members RLS is highly incident due to their working hours and therefore daytime sleepiness occur. Objective: The aim of the study is to find out incidence of RLS in medical school faculty members of Lahore working in government and private sectors. Methods: This was a cross sectional study. In which population size of medical faculty members was 149. Data was collected from medical faculty members of MBBS, BDS, Pharmacy and Physiotherapy, working in government and private institution of Lahore through questionnaire which consists of demographics, RLS diagnostic criteria, IRLSSG, and Epworth rating scale. Descriptive statistics was applied to extract result. Results: The incidence of RLS among medical school faculty members is 51%, in which 38.2% are in MBBS department, 19.7% are in BDS department, 17.1 in Pharmacy department and 25.0% in Physiotherapy department. RLS severity showed significant association with daytime sleepiness which is p = 0.00. Conclusions: Hence it is justified that RLS is highly diagnosed condition among medical school faculty members.

Valuing the Partnership Between the Veterans Health Administration and Academic Medicine.

Valuing the Partnership Between the Veterans Health Administration and Academic Medicine.

Comparison of perinatal outcomes after frozen or fresh embryo transfer: separate analyses of singleton, twin, and sibling live births from a linked national in vitro fertilization registry

To determine whether perinatal outcomes following frozen vs. fresh embryo transfer (ET) differ within singletons, within sets of twins, and between siblings. Population-based retrospective cohort study. Academic Medical School PATIENT(S): 200,075 live births in 151,561 women who underwent invitro fertilization with frozen or fresh ET between 1992 and2017. Gestational age at birth, birthweight, congenital anomaly, and healthy baby (≥37 weeks of gestation, birthweight 2,500-4,000 g, no congenital malformations). There were 200,075 live births in 151,561 women including 132,679 singletons, 33,698 sets of twins, and 5,723 pairs of singleton siblings. In singletons, frozen ET was associated with a lower risk of very preterm birth (adjusted relative risk [aRR], 0.83; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.73, 0.94), preterm birth (aRR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.88, 0.97), low birthweight (<2,500 g) (aRR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.68, 0.77), small for gestational age (aRR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.62, 0.70) and congenital anomaly (aRR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.78, 0.94), but higher risk of high birthweight (>4,000 g) (aRR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.58, 1.72) and large for gestational age (aRR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.55, 1.70) in comparison with fresh ET. In twins, frozen ET was associated with lower risk of very preterm birth (aRR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.73, 0.97), and low birthweight (aRR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.68, 0.77), but with a higher chance of a healthy baby (aRR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.06, 1.16) compared to fresh ET. Singletons conceived following frozen ET had a lower risk of low birthweight (aRR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.44, 0.74) and being small for gestational age (aRR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.42, 0.68) than a singleton sibling born after a fresh ET. Frozen ET also was associated with higher risk of high birthweight (aRR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.54, 2.24) and being large for gestational age (aRR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.50, 2.20), and also were less likely to be preterm (aRR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.67, 0.99). Our key finding is that singletons born following a frozen ET are less likely to be small for gestational age than a singleton sibling born following fresh ET but are more likely to be large for gestational age.

Domestic tethers: Gender differences in career paths and domestic responsibilities of top-research medical school graduates.

IntroductionGendered differences in career paths of medical graduates persist globally. We aim to explore the impact of domestic tethers on the career paths of physicians by studying gendered differences in domestic burdens of physicians as well as differences in perceptions around the impact of domestic work on professional advancement.MethodsA web-based survey including 38 questions was sent to all 3866 physician alumni of the top academic medical school in Lebanon. Data was collected between November 2018 and January 2019, with up to three invite reminders. Overall, 382 were included in the final analysis, 124 women (32%), 258 men (68%).ResultsThe study had a response rate of 10.4%. Findings show that a greater percentage of men were married and had children (77.5% vs 62.1%, p = 0.004, 77.9% vs 51.6%, <0.001, respectively). Majority of both women and men held full-time positions (82.1% and 87.1%), having children however reduced the odds significantly [OR = 0.2, 95% CI: (0.1–0.6), p = 0.01]for women, while only older age reduced it for men (OR = 0.1,95% CI: (0.04–0.2), p<0.001]. Among full-time physicians, men and women spent similar time on professional activities (60.2hrs/wk vs 58.3hrs/wk, p = 0.32). Women spent more time on parenting and household work (23.5hrs/wk vs 10.4hrs/wk, <0.001; 8.9hrs/wk vs 6.0hrs/wk, p = 0.001, respectively). Women physicians’ spouses contributed to 14.5 hours/week of total time on domestic activities whereas men physicians’ spouses spent two folds more time on domestic activities (35.0 hours/week, P<0.001). Of physicians with children, a higher percentage of women than men reported that children prevented their career advancement or their participation in development opportunities (43.8% vs 15.9%, p<0.001; 50.0% vs 19.4%, p<0.001, respectively). A greater percentage of women than men scaled back their career after first child (31.3% vs 3.5%, <0.001). Of married/partnered physicians, fewer women than men reported their career took priority over their partner’s when conflicts arose, (52.0% vs 86.0%, p<0.001).ConclusionThese findings highlight the heavier impact of domestic tethers on the career paths of women physicians than men physicians. Men are more likely than women to hold full-time positions in the early advancement defining phases of their careers. Full-time women shoulder more domestic work than men and experience more professional advancement concessions. Closing persistent gender gaps in medicine requires addressing inequities in domestic burdens through strategies that include mentorship on domestic tethers, support of on-site child-care and advocacy for parental leave policies that encourage shared care-work.

Preparing for the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery Exam: A Survey of Residents in Obstetrics & Gynecology

To describe the actual work-load and experience for first-time resident test takers preparing to meet the new high stakes cognitive and technical skills testing requirement for board certification in Obstetrics and Gynecology. A retrospective observational study. Participating residents completed a 2 page questionnaire about their preparation for the exam. Results are reported in aggregate. This study was conducted at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, an academic medical school affiliated with both a private and public tertiary hospitals. Residents in obstetrics and gynecology who have completed their Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) certification exam between September 1, 2018 and September 31, 2019. Thirty-three PGY-2 and PGY-3 residents completed the survey. Participants spent an average of 6.7 ± 3.1 hours viewing online modules over an average of 3.6 ± 2.1 nonconsecutive days. Utilizing the campus simulation center, residents spent an average of 2.1 ± 2.1 hours on each of the 5 tasks to practice to the established proficiency score. Twenty-two out of 31 residents rated the ligating loop the easiest skill to master and 13/31 residents rated the precision cut the most difficult. The pass rate for the technical skills portion was 100% (33/33 residents) and for the cognitive portion was 93% (31/33 residents). Our data suggest that residents spent upward of 10 hours practicing to proficiency on the simulation tasks, in addition to time spent watching FLS-provided training videos. The 100% pass rate for the technical skills portion at our program may be impacted by a required technical skills curriculum that residents must complete prior to registering for the FLS exam. Obstetrics and gynecology residents and training programs will benefit from understanding the time and resources required for first-time resident test takers preparing to take the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery exam.

Burnout of Faculty Members of Medical Schools in Korea.

BackgroundThere is no national survey on medical school faculty members’ burnout in Korea. This study aimed to investigate burnout levels and explore possible factors related to burnout among faculty members of Korean medical schools.MethodsAn anonymous online questionnaire was distributed to 40 Korean medical schools from October 2020 to December 2020. Burnout was measured by a modified and revalidated version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Service Survey.ResultsA total of 996 faculty members participated in the survey. Of them, 855 answered the burnout questions, and 829 completed all the questions in the questionnaire. A significant number of faculty members showed a high level of burnout in each sub-dimension: 34% in emotional exhaustion, 66.3% in depersonalization, and 92.4% in reduced personal accomplishment. A total of 31.5% of faculty members revealed a high level of burnout in two sub-dimensions, while 30.5% revealed a high level of burnout in all three sub-dimensions. Woman faculty members or those younger than 40 reported significantly higher emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Long working hours (≥ 80 hours/week) showed the highest reduced personal accomplishment scores (F = 4.023, P = 0.018). The most significant stressor or burnout source was “excessive regulation by the government or university.” The research was the most exasperating task, but the education was the least stressful.ConclusionThis first nationwide study alerts that a significant number of faculty members in Korean medical schools seem to suffer from a high level of burnout. Further studies are necessary for identifying the burnout rate, related factors, and strategies to overcome physician burnout.

Determining the Attitudes of Medicine Faculty Instructors Toward LGBT Individuals.

It has been shown that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) patients are not able to receive the health care they need due to in part homophobia among health care providers. The aim of this study is to determine the attitudes toward LGBT people by medical school faculty members, the educators of the health care providers. The study was designed as cross-sectional, using the Hudson-Ricketts homophobia scale and a questionnaire prepared by the researchers and conducted in two different medical schools. A medium level of homophobia was found among the faculty of medical schools. A greater tendency to homophobia was found in men, assistant professors, those working at the university smaller in size, and those think who believe that there is no discrimination against LGBT students. Recognizing homophobic attitudes of medical faculty and lack of LGBT health issues in the medical curriculum are problems needing resolution.

The Virtual Summer Research Program: supporting future physician-scientists from underrepresented backgrounds.

Physician-scientist training programs expect applicants to have had extensive research experience prior to applying. Even at the best of times, this leaves individuals from underserved and underrepresented backgrounds at a competitive disadvantage, especially those remote from major academic centers. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated that disadvantage by closing research laboratories and suspending summer research opportunities. The Virtual Summer Research Program (VSRP) was designed to combat this shortfall by helping participating students become better informed and better prepared for applying to MD/DO-PhD programs. 156 participants were recruited from historically black colleges and universities and from national organizations for underrepresented trainees. Participants were paired with medical school faculty members and current MD/DO-PhD students from 35 participating institutions. The program lasted for at least 4 weeks and included a short research project, interactive sessions, journal clubs, social events, and attendance at a regional American Physician Scientists Association conference. In follow-up surveys, participants reported improvements in their science-related skills and in their confidence in becoming a physician-scientist, applying to training programs, and navigating mentorship relationships. A follow-up study completed one year later indicated that participants felt they had benefited from an enhanced skill set, long-term relationships with their mentors, and connections to the physician-scientist community at large. The results suggest that VSRP met its primary goals, which were to provide a diverse group of trainees with mentors, provide skills and resources for MD/DO-PhD application and matriculation and to support the development of longitudinal relationships between VSRP mentees and APSA. VSRP provides an approach that can be applied at an even larger scale when the constraints caused by a global pandemic have lifted.