The social lottery of emotional development in medical training: Why relationships determine who develops emotional competence.

Can ChatGPT Teach Tendon Repair Suturing? A Comparison With Video Instruction in a Simulation-Based Environment: A Pilot Study.

This study aims to evaluate indicators of continued research involvement and activity among hand fellowship faculty. Specifically, we assess the impact of research publication counts during different stages of medical training and geographic factors on the academic productivity of hand surgeons. A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from all fellowships listed on the American Society for Surgery of the Hand Fellowship Directory from June 2024 to July 2024. Faculty names were collected, and an algorithm was used to automate searches for research publication output across preresidency, residency, fellowship, and postfellowship periods. PubMed and Scopus databases were used to compile publication counts and H-indices. Data were categorized by geographic regions (Northeast, Midwest, South, West) and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and negative binomial regression to determine the relationship between publication counts during training and total career publications. The analysis included 94 hand fellowship programs and 645 physicians. Major regional differences were observed in publication counts during fellowship, postfellowship, and overall medical careers, with the Midwest showing the highest averages. A negative binomial regression revealed that publication counts during residency and fellowship, as well as the length of the medical career, independently predicted total career publications. Finally, Southern programs had the highest area deprivation index values, whereas Western programs had the highest Hirsch index to area deprivation index ratios, indicating increased productivity regardless of the area's socioeconomic status. Research publication counts during hand surgeon training, particularly during fellowship, serve as key indicators of continued research leadership. Geographic variations suggest regional differences in research productivity and resource availability. These findings underscore the importance of early and sustained research involvement for academic success in hand surgery. Prognostic III.

Testing the Implementation and Acceptance of Generative Artificial Intelligence to Augment Vascular Surgery Journal Club.

Differential attainment has previously been demonstrated in Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP) outcomes of General Surgery Specialty Registrars (STRs). We aim to investigate whether differences by trainee characteristic can be observed in trainee operative recording and operative independence. Data from the intercollegiate surgical curriculum program (ISCP) and eLogbook were analyzed between January 2018 and December 2023. Trainee monthly and annual total operation, total index procedure, and supervision level counts were modelled using a multivariate negative binomial regression model, adjusting for other available trainee demographics, deanery, and working patterns. All results are presented as incident risk ratios (IRR) based on number of procedures performed in each category per calendar month. Data from 1,231,187 operations recorded by 1689 trainees were analyzed. Female trainees in General Surgery recorded 7% fewer index procedures, and 2% fewer total procedures per month, significantly fewer than their male peers (IRR 0.93, 95% Confidence Interval [95% CI] 0.97-0.99; and IRR 0.98, 95% CI 0.92-0.94 respectively). Older trainees (over 30 on starting StR) recorded 1% more index procedures and 3% more procedures overall compared to younger trainees (IRR 1.02, 95% CI 0.99-1.02; and IRR 1.03, 95% CI 1.02-1.04 respectively). Female trainees recorded 19% fewer procedures as "performed," and 24% fewer as "Training a Trainee." Female trainees record fewer operations per month than their male counterparts and are less likely to document themselves as performing procedures independently or supervising junior trainees. This suggests gender-based disparities in operative experience, with potential consequences for the development of procedural independence and surgical competencies. Differential attainment (DA) has been demonstrated in multiple aspects of both undergraduate and postgraduate medical training in the UK. In Surgical training DA has been demonstrated at the Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP) and in postgraduate examinations. Differential Attainment perpetuates systemic inequalities and undermines the validity of that training, as well as impeding efforts to develop a safe and competent workforce which reflects the population it serves.

Introduction: Palliative care is a multidisciplinary approach designed to enhance the quality of life of patients with lifelimiting illnesses. Despite its growing importance, palliative care remains insufficiently represented within Indian postgraduate medical training, leading to gaps in knowledge, attitudes, and clinical practice. Aim: To assess the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) of postgraduate medical students regarding palliative care in selected medical Institutions across Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Goa. Materials and Methods: This multicentre, cross-sectional observational study was conducted between August 2021 and January 2022 in tertiary care medical colleges across Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Goa, India A structured, validated online questionnaire was distributed to 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-year postgraduate students using Google Forms and Survey Monkey. The survey captured demographic characteristics, levels of KAP, and previous exposure or training in palliative care. Data were analysed using EpiInfo version 7.2. Descriptive statistics summarised variables; Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests assessed associations between categorical variables; Student’s t-test and one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were applied to continuous variables. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and K-means clustering were used to identify learner profiles. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Of 500 invited students, 345 (69.0%) responded, and analysis was performed on these respondents (n=345). Most participants were aged 24-35 years, 87 (25.22%), with balanced gender distribution males, 179 (51.87%), females, 166 (48.13%). Internal medicine, dental sciences, and orthopaedics were the most represented specialties. Knowledge levels were predominantly average in 182 students (52.75%), attitudes were largely neutral in 194 students (56.23%), and practice levels were moderate in 168 (48.7%) of respondents. Misconceptions persisted, particularly regarding opioid use and the World Health Organisation (WHO) analgesic ladder. Practical exposure was limited, with only 46.96% having participated in palliative rounds. PCA revealed three distinct learner clusters varying in readiness and confidence. Conclusion: Although foundational knowledge was adequate, gaps in attitude, misconceptions, and limited clinical exposure highlight the need for structured, competency-based palliativecare training within postgraduate curricula.

This paper examines how the concept of dyslexia, a problem that was once considered to be both rare and highly salient, has now been broadened to such an extent that many adults with successful educational histories, and without any history of significant reading difficulty, receive a dyslexia diagnosis only after having progressed to higher education, training, or employment. It is argued that the basis of the problem lies largely in conceptual and scientific misunderstandings. While there is a wide consensus that dyslexia represents a severe, complex, and persistent difficulty in learning to decode text, many have placed undue emphasis upon a wide variety of cognitive processes as diagnostic indicators. The primary error stems from conflating the greater likelihood of finding such difficulties in groups of struggling readers with the belief that these can be adjudged to be markers of dyslexia in the case of a given individual. This misconception has been exacerbated by a growing emphasis upon self-reported difficulties and the use of lived experience as primary means of understanding the nature of the condition. The dangers that result for scientific advance and for evidence-led educational policy and practice are highlighted. It is contended that the expansion of the dyslexia construct, and the misuse of assessment data, particularly when employed with adults, has in part been fueled, not by scientific research, but by the misunderstandings, interests, and motivations of those receiving and providing diagnostic services. Illustrative examples from the domains of adult higher education, medical training, and employment tribunals are offered as illustration.

Hospitalists are well-positioned to teach ethics to trainees at the bedside, traversing the chasm between preclinical instruction and real-world patient care. This paper proposes a structured, generalizable approach to ethics education for hospitalists. Rooted in principles from the One-Minute Preceptor approach, the NAME framework-Name the ethical issue, Anchor the discussion in ethical standards, Map relevant values and uncertainties, and Engage trainees in supervised action and reflection-emphasizes practical ethical reasoning as an important part of clinical care. This framework is illustrated across common inpatient scenarios to show how hospitalists can explicitly teach ethics without disrupting established structures of rounds.

Abstract Introduction Weight bias among physicians remains a significant barrier to equitable healthcare for patients with obesity. One possible contributing factor is the absence of a structured curriculum addressing weight bias within medical education. Methods This project explored medical students’ and faculty members’ understanding of weight bias and identified gaps within the medical school curriculum. Participants’ responses were subsequently used to inform the development of e-learning modules for implementation within a medical school curriculum. Semi-structured focus groups were conducted with stakeholders, including medical students and faculty from a private osteopathic school of medicine. Transcripts of these discussions were analyzed using Colaizzi’s method for qualitative analysis. Results Five key themes emerged: (1) curricular gaps and structural barriers to comprehensive weight bias and obesity education, (2) impact of clinical exposure on reinforcing or challenging bias, (3) need for targeted communication and clinical skills training, (4) value of experiential and interactive learning modalities, and (5) empathy, bias awareness, and holistic understanding of obesity. Discussion These findings highlight the need and desire for structured education on weight bias during medical school. Results also identified preferred educational features within an e-learning context that can deliver impactful and engaging education. Integrating targeted e-learning and experiential strategies into the medical school curriculum is a promising educational modality to improve core knowledge, build empathy, and improve communication techniques, promoting an inclusive, patient-centered focus among future physicians when treating patients with obesity.

Competency-based medical education (CBME) has become a central organizing framework in undergraduate medical education (UME), emphasizing observable performance and developmental progression rather than time-based advancement. This transition carries important implications for foundational disciplines, particularly the anatomical sciences. Historically delivered as a concentrated preclinical experience, anatomy must now function within integrated curricula that prioritize clinical application, longitudinal assessment, and entrustment decisions. This commentary examines how CBME reframes anatomy from a front-loaded knowledge domain to a longitudinal clinical capability, where it constitutes a foundational discipline that shapes clinical competence, patient safety, and procedural reasoning across medical training. It discusses the need for explicit articulation of discipline-specific anatomical competencies aligned with patient care, reconsideration of assessment strategies that extend beyond written examinations, and support for faculty as their roles evolve toward coaching, observation, and performance interpretation. The paper further argues that effective implementation of CBME in anatomy requires deliberate alignment with established learning theories, including principles of deliberate practice, cognitive load management, experiential learning, and self-regulated learning. Without such theoretical grounding, competency frameworks risk functioning as administrative structures rather than mechanisms for expertise development. By integrating clearly defined competencies, theory-informed pedagogy, and programmatic assessment, anatomical sciences can maintain their central role in preparing clinically competent physicians within contemporary medical education.

Background: Bronchoscopy is a vital diagnostic and therapeutic tool in pulmonary medicine. As digital platforms become primary sources for medical training, YouTube has emerged as a significant repository for procedural videos. However, the educational quality and reliability of this content remain inconsistent. This study aimed to evaluate the engagement dynamics and longitudinal trends of bronchoscopy-related content on YouTube from 2020 to 2026. Methods: Metadata from 300 Turkish-language bronchoscopy videos published between 2020 and 2026 were collected using the "YouTube Scraper" program. Key metrics included view counts, likes, interaction indices (likes/views), and viewing rates (views/upload duration). Statistical analysis was performed using JASP (Version 0.96), employing the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests to assess non-normally distributed data. Results: Video publications peaked in 2025 with 76 videos (25.3%). While the interaction index was highest in 2025, no statistically significant difference was found across the years (p=0.501). Conversely, viewing rates showed significant variation (p=0.001), with a substantial peak in 2024 (mean: 290.6) and a notable increase in 2026 (mean: 126.2). Conclusion: YouTube is a widely utilized resource for bronchoscopy education, showing increasing engagement over time. Despite its popularity, the lack of standardized peer review and the weak correlation between popularity and educational quality necessitate caution. Medical educators should guide trainees toward high-quality, evidence-based content to ensure clinical safety.

Although comprehensive and interdisciplinary medical care for transgender individuals is essential, specialized healthcare services and education during medical training in this field remain limited. This pilot study aimed to assess the current knowledge among gynecologists regarding transgender medicine and to determine their interest in further professional training. In an anonymous online survey conducted during ageneral gynecological training event, only about half of the participants reported feeling adequately informed about the medical management of transgender patients, while the majority expressed adesire for additional educational opportunities on this topic. Following adedicated training session on transgender healthcare, most respondents demonstrated amore positive attitude towards the treatment of transgender individuals and reported an improved understanding of therapeutic options, including fertility aspects. These findings indicate that medical knowledge on transgender healthcare remains insufficient, and targeted educational interventions can enhance both knowledge and attitudes about healthcare for transgender people among healthcare professionals.

Experiential avoidance, engaged living, and burnout in medical students, residents and fellows.

Self-medication is a widely prevalent practice and represents an important public health challenge, particularly among health sciences students. This study aimed to describe the prevalence and patterns of self-medication among medical students at a university in northern Brazil. This was a cross-sectional, quantitative, descriptive-analytical study conducted with 216 students. Data collection was performed using a self-administered, anonymous questionnaire adapted from a previously validated instrument. The investigated variables included frequency of self-medication, motivating factors, drug classes used, sources of advice, and knowledge regarding risks and adverse effects. The majority of participants were female (70.8%). Purchase of medications without a prescription was reported by 94.4% of students, and 80.6% reported seeking advice from pharmacists or pharmacy attendants. Analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs were the most frequently used drug classes. Regarding knowledge of adverse effects, 59.7% reported knowing most of them, while only 12.5% claimed to know all of them. A high prevalence of self-medication was observed among the evaluated students, primarily associated with prior familiarity with medications, lack of time for medical consultations, and the perception of sufficient pharmacological knowledge. The results reinforce the need for educational strategies during medical training focused on rational medication use.

Pediatric radiology training is often limited by short clinical rotations, limited case exposure, and the constraints of traditional instructor-centred teaching. The aim of this study was to design and evaluate an online, case-based educational model to standardize pediatric radiology learning and improve diagnostic competency among radiology residents. Eighteen residents participated in a five-month case-based course (Group 1). The online course consisted of weekly interactive cases delivered through a Telegram channel and a dedicated discussion group, featuring anonymized cases and structured diagnostic questions facilitated by the course instructor. Performance was assessed using pre- and post-course tests. Course perception was further evaluated by comparing the online course with the traditional pediatric radiology course completed by third-year residents (Group 2). High engagement was observed, with 2,557 participant-instructor interactions recorded. Post-test scores showed significant improvement compared with pre-test baselines (P-value < 0.0001). Compared with traditional course, the online format demonstrated a statistically significant advantage in both achievement of learning goal (P-value = .048) and perceived knowledge gain (P-value = .008). Residents preferred the online course for its focus on real-world diagnostic scenarios, lesion description, and increased confidence in imaging interpretation across different imaging modalities. Sustainable postgraduate education requires flexible, digital strategies to support time-constrained learners. This model effectively complements traditional lectures and clinical rotations while providing a scalable approach to help bridge subspecialty gaps, especially in resource-limited settings. These findings suggest the online case-based approach is not merely a pandemic-era substitute but rather a lasting evolution in global medical training.

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces a persistent shortage of skilled health workers, which constrains health system performance and population health outcomes. Although previous studies examine either health workforce density or governance quality separately, little empirical evidence exists on their interaction. This study investigates the relationship between skilled health workforce density and health outcomes in 45 SSA countries over the period 1996-2023, with particular attention to the moderating role of governance quality. Using a dynamic panel approach and the two-step system generalised method of moments (GMM) estimator, the analysis evaluates the impact of health workforce density on life expectancy (LE), maternal mortality and under-5 mortality. The results show that greater availability of skilled health professionals significantly improves health outcomes, particularly by increasing LE and reducing maternal mortality. Furthermore, governance quality strengthens the effectiveness of health workforce investments, indicating that institutional capacity is crucial to translating human resources into better health outcomes. Control variables, such as GDP per capita, government health expenditure and primary education, also contribute to improved population health. The findings highlight the importance of integrating governance reforms with policies aimed at expanding the health workforce. Strengthening institutional quality alongside investments in medical training and workforce retention can provide a sustainable pathway to improving health outcomes in SSA.

Evaluation of Eating Practices and Physical Activity among Post-graduate Medical Trainees at Aga Khan University Hospital

Abstract—Delivering effective palliative care in distributed home settings presents significant challenges, particularly regarding accurate clinical documentation and patient monitoring by field workers (e.g., Asha workers) who may lack formal medical training or proficiency in professional medical English. We present the design and implementation of an AI-powered Palliative Care Assistance System built on the Django web framework. The platform seamlessly integrates Large Language Models (a local MedGemma 4B instance and Google Gemini Vision) to automate clinical translation, converting layman terminology and regional languages (Malayalam) into standardized medical English. Furthermore, the system employs vision-capable LLMs to generate structured summaries of medical images (X-Rays, Lab Reports, Prescriptions) and evaluates patient visit histories to dynamically assess condition severity (Stable, Moderate, Severe). Supported by a robust backend managing bilingual visit logs, material allocations, and role-based portals, the system significantly reduces documentation overhead and enhances clinical decision-making for doctors and headnurses. Index Terms—palliative care, large language models, generative AI, medical translation, clinical assessment, Django, health informatics, bilingual systems

Introduction Sleep is one of the most important biological functions performed every night by the entire animal kingdom. It is defined as a vital, reversible, and active state of reduced consciousness, metabolism, and sensory activity. And lack of sleep is the simplest definition for sleep deprivation. This review paper evaluates whether sleep deprivation poses significant risks to academic performance. This is becoming increasingly prevalent among adolescents and young adults in or entering higher education often due to academic pressures and social engagements leading to compromised rest and poor sleep hygiene. Objectives The primary objectives of this review paper are to methodically review literature on sleep deprivation in higher education, with a focused analysis on high pressure medical training environments. We assess documented consequences for memory, attention, and executive function, discuss the broader implications for student well-being and healthcare systems, and gather practical advice for educational institutions and students alike to improve sleep health and productivity. And finally we identify critical gaps to aid future research on this topic. Methodology A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar for studies examining sleep deprivation and cognitive function in medical students. Keywords included terms related to sleep, medical education, and cognitive/academic outcomes. Eligible studies were primary research or meta-analyses focusing on medical students, reporting cognitive outcomes, and published in English. Selection followed PRISMA guidelines. Conclusion Sleep deprivation clearly harms medical students’ focus, memory, and learning, and is linked to anxiety, lower grades, and poor well-being. To support the next generation of doctors, both students and medical schools must prioritize sleep through better habits, schedules, and policies that treat rest as essential to success and safety.

Background Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly reshaping medical education through personalized learning, adaptive assessments, and advanced simulations. This systematic narrative review synthesizes the theoretical development of AI in medical training, focusing on educational models, frameworks, learning outcomes, and stakeholder considerations. A literature search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar (January 2000–March 2025) identified 1,288 records, of which 48 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in qualitative thematic synthesis. No statistical meta-analysis was conducted due to methodological heterogeneity. Results Five major AI domains emerged: Intelligent Tutoring Systems, Simulation-Based Medical Education, Adaptive Learning, Generative AI, and Explainable AI. These domains align with established instructional theories and contribute to improved engagement and learning efficiency. However, concerns persist regarding learner deskilling, academic integrity, and algorithmic bias. AI integration influences multiple stakeholders, including trainees, educators, clinicians, policymakers, and patients. The field has progressed from rule-based approaches to data-driven machine learning models, enabling personalized instruction. Responsible implementation necessitates addressing pedagogical, ethical, and practical challenges, while also reducing the global digital divide. Conclusions This systematic review provides guidance for educators, researchers, and policymakers on integrating AI effectively and ethically into medical education.