Modern Medical Curriculum Research Articles

Learning cardiac embryology on YouTube-What videos are there to view?

In modern medical curricula, embryology is typically taught through lectures, with a few institutions providing tutorials. The use of 3-D videos or animations enables students to study these embryological structures and how they change with time. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of cardiac embryology videos available on YouTube. A systematic literature review regarding the use of YouTube in teaching or learning cardiac embryology identified no papers that examined this specific question, and next, a systematic search of YouTube was performed. A total of 1200 cardiac embryology videos were retrieved using 12 specific search terms, with 370 videos retrieved under two or more search terms and excluded. A further 511 videos were excluded under additional, specific criteria. The remaining 319 videos were evaluated with the YouTube Video Assessment Criteria (UTvAC), with 121 rated as "useful." Videos on YouTube are uploaded with a wide audience in mind, from children to cardiologists, and content control is imperfect. Multiple videos were identified as duplicates of videos from original channels, typically without attribution. While 49 videos showed operations or human material, none contained an ethical statement regarding consent, and only 10 of these included an age restriction or graphical advisory. While there are useful videos for medical students studying cardiac embryology on YouTube, intuitive search strategies will also identify many with irrelevant content and of variable quality. Digital competence and search strategies are not innate skills, so educators should teach students to assess information so as to avoid overload or "filter failure."

Sustainable quality improvement: An essential ingredient for sustainability in modern medical curricula?

Health care delivery contributes a significant carbon footprint in the United Kingdom, and paradoxically climate change is linked to poorer human health outcomes. New General Medical Council (GMC) requirements mandate medical graduates must be able to apply sustainable care to their practice. Implementation of sustainable health care (SHC) teaching is a new challenge for medical schools, and there are several identified barriers including an overcrowded curriculum, lack of expertise within faculties, lack of institutional support and inadequate assessment techniques. We established a new SHC curriculum spiralling throughout the overall medical curriculum, and as part of this introduced a sustainable quality improvement (susQI) project to our final year cohort. SusQI considers the environmental, social and financial impacts as well as patient and population outcomes. Our students undertook this in their final year GP assistantships. We sought multi-sourced data through focus groups, formal end of placement feedback, informal feedback and external feedback. We applied thematic analysis to focus group transcriptions and triangulated with the other data sources. We identified some common themes: First, susQI was enjoyed and valuable; second, it allowed meaningful participation; third, it created a co-learning environment; and fourth, timing and curriculum placement are important when integrating susQI. SusQI can implement SHC into the overcrowded medical curriculum in a low cost, low resource manner without the need for experienced faculty. SusQI is empowering for students and grants them an active team role. Expansion into secondary and tertiary care is feasible, and we contend that susQI can be placed in other health care curricula.

Relevancy of Embryology in Modern Medical Curriculum

Traditionally, embryology is considered a valuable part of the medical curriculum. Over the last few decades, the time allocated for anatomy teaching has reduced significantly with embryology suffering the most compared to other disciplines of anatomy. Consequently, some medical schools around the world have excluded embryology from their curriculum. In this commentary, we evaluate the relevance of embryology in the current medical curriculum including exploring the current state of embryology teaching and learning as well as student perceptions towards embryology.

Creation of 21st century anatomy facilities: designing facilities for integrated preclinical education in the Middle East

BackgroundThe establishment of new anatomy facilities needs to accommodate a combination of modern teaching modalities that best align with evidence-based best teaching practices. This article describes the process in which our state-of-the-art anatomy laboratories were designed and implemented, and how these facilities support aspects of modern anatomy education.MethodsA list of best practices for anatomy education in a modern medical curriculum was summarized from the literature. To assess student satisfaction, a survey related to student perception of the anatomy facilities (5-point Likert scale) was conducted.ResultsOur educational modalities include a broad range of teaching approaches. The Instructional Studio houses prosected and plastinated specimens, and cadaveric dissections are performed. Each of our three Dry Laboratories allow for active learning and interaction between small student groups. The Webinar Room acts as a conference room for departmental and online meetings, discussions with students, and dialogues with affiliated hospitals via the internet. The Imaging Center is equipped with a Sectra® medical educational platform, CAE Vimedix® Virtual Medical Imaging Ultrasound Training System, and Philipps Lumify® Ultrasound devices to train students to conduct and interpret sonographic images. Moreover, the Complete Anatomy® program is made available to all our students.ConclusionThe layout of our newly created Anatomy Facilities allows for all aspects of modern medical education mentioned in the literature. These educational modalities and teaching approaches are highly appreciated by our faculty and students. Moreover, these technologies allowed for a smooth transition from on-site anatomy teaching to online education during the COVID pandemic.

Winter Walk.

Winter Walk is a photo essay meant to be an inspirational commentary on emergency medicine's role in meeting the needs of our most vulnerable patients. Oftentimes, the social determinants of health, now well reviewed in the modern medical school curriculum, become intangible concepts that get lost amongst the busy environment of the emergency department. The photos within this commentary are striking and will move readers in various ways. The authors hope that these powerful images generate a mix of emotion that ultimately motivates emergency physicians to embrace the emerging role in addressing the social needs of our patients both inside and outside the emergency department.

Environmental factors promoting the effective use of a computer-assisted clinical case for second-year osteopathic medical students.

Computer-aided clinical cases (CACC) have the potential to complement and/or supplement other types of problem-based learning exercises in modern medical curricula. Deploying a CACC learning experience requires institutional commitment to technology and a belief by administration, faculty, and students that "climbing a steep growth curve" is worth the effort. Several aspects of the institutional environment at the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCOM) led to the development of the CACC exercise described in this article, including the need to design a uniform, supplemental, Internet-based learning experience and assessment exercises for students doing clinical rotations at off-site facilities. The CACC learning experience was enthusiastically accepted by second-year medical students as an integrative and clinically relevant educational experience. The success of this CACC exercise has helped to promote the development of other innovative applications of technology to medical education at KCOM.

Protocol Development for Digisection: Making a Case for Standardizing Educational Technology Use for Digital Dissection and Anatomical Studies.

The changes that have characterized advancements in anatomical sciences and medical education have significantly influenced pedagogies and the mode of delivery of teaching and training in the context of medical education. Another reality is the impact of educational technology (EdTech) penetration and integration into medical sciences and education. These events have undoubtedly influenced certain traditional practices and pedagogies including dissection. For example, EdTech and innovations have introduced virtual human images and three-dimensional (3D) human body representations for the purposes of teaching and dissection. Another instance includes the fact that the old dissection guides for gross anatomy, which follow the traditional regional anatomy approach, are often challenging to adapt to the relatively modern medical school curriculum that has embraced the integration philosophy. It is apparent that one practical and realistic way to provide an adapted and effective guide for anatomical dissections under various curricular philosophies and contexts would be to develop de novo protocols or adapt existing ones. Protocol development would be a vital component of the modern anatomist toolkit. This article presents the basic considerations and practical approach, including underpinning principles, to developing virtual dissection protocols using a digital 3D dissection facility, the Anatomage table (Anatomage Inc., California, United States of America), as a case study.

Teaching Medical Students to Suture: Evaluation of a Modern Medical School Curriculum

Background: Medical students are traditionally introduced to suturing in a simulated environment using animal products or synthetic materials. However, there is little evidence to support this pedagogy. Our study explored whether a modern suturing curriculum adequately prepares medical students and examined student preference for learning suturing skills. Methods: Suturing performance was recorded and assessed by expert raters. Students also completed a survey that inquired about self-perceived knowledge and confidence in suturing, and preferred pedagogical methods. Results: The majority (79%) of students that completed our suturing curriculum demonstrated competence in basic suturing techniques. There was no correlation between objective abilities and self-perceived knowledge or confidence. Students reported being significantly more confident suturing anesthetized patients and in simulated environments. Students reported a desire for earlier introduction to suturing and more frequent simulation training. Conclusion: A modern medical school suturing curriculum, comprising online modules and in-person simulation-based learning, adequately develops basic suturing techniques.

Anesthesiologists in the modern medical school curriculum: importance and opportunity.

Anesthesiologists in the modern medical school curriculum: importance and opportunity.

Role of a Learning Management System in Medical Curriculum; Students’ initial perception about the use of LMS-Moodle at Fazaia Ruth Pfau Medical College

The modern medical curriculum has to deliver a great amount of educational content and knowledge to the learners as changes in content delivery are occurring at a very high speed. New technology and tools are introduced each day for this purpose. MS Moodle helps in students` learning mainly through tools which provides students` interactions like discussions forums, timed assignments, and use of computer-based testing as e-assessment tools. During implementation of e-learning platform LMS-Moodle, it was felt necessary to examine students’ perception about Moodle. Objectives: To assess students initial perception of about the use of the learning management system Moodle in integrated modular systems at FRPMC. Methods: The study design was cross-sectional and observational in nature with a quantitative data collection method . The study was conducted at Fazaia Ruth Pfau Medical College during 2021 to 2022. Total number of participants was 100. The instrument used in the research was a questionnaire consisted of 17 statements presented with 1-5-point Likert scale for responses. The Cronbach alpha test was employed for reliability test. The analysis was done by SPSS version 23. Results: By analyzing overall received feedbacks of participants, the cumulative mean on 5-point Likert scale was 3.3 where 1 considered as strongly disagree and 5 as strongly agree. Conclusions: It was concluded that majority of participants studying in Fazaia Ruth Pfau Medical College have positive perception and experience of using Learning Management System Moodle in medical curriculum

Emotional Intelligence and Good Medical Practice: Is There a Relationship?

Emotional intelligence (EI) is defined as the ability to perceive and manage the emotions of oneself and others. Despite being one of the most highly used psychological terms in popular nomenclature, its understanding in the context of clinicians remains poor. There is a dearth of literature on this topic, and this submission examines the relationship between a clinicians’ EI and the key domains of “Good Medical Practice” guidelines from the General Medical Council, United Kingdom. It aims to review and critically analyse the existing literature on EI and Good Medical Practice while attempting to establish a relationship between the two.This submission thus examines the relationship between emotional intelligence and a clinician’s on-the-job performance. The findings demonstrate how emotional intelligence can aid the clinician in all aspects of their working life in the context of practising in line with General Medical Council (GMC) guidance. The authors also recommend exploring the possibility of inclusion of EI within a modern medical curriculum, as it may lead to improved practice in clinicians.

Importance of Cadaveric Dissection in Learning Anatomy For Medical Students: A Review

Cadaveric dissection has been used for centuries to explore anatomy. The role of dissection in modern medical curricula has been a topic of intense debate. Anatomical education has been undergoing reforms in line with the demands of medical profession. Despite the rise of modern technology and evolved teaching methods, dissection continues to remain a cornerstone of the anatomy curriculum. Dissection helps to build discipline independent skills which are essential requirements of modern healthcare setup. Its utility is also reflected in the perception of students who believe that dissection provides them a foundation to develop clinical skills. Objections to the use of cadavers had led to other alternatives including virtual dissection of computer models. The current state of dissection in anatomy is deteriorating. Present study aims to assess the importance of traditional method like cadaveric dissection in teaching and learning anatomy at the present time when medical schools are inclining towards integrated and clinical application of learning methods.

ПРЕПОДАВАНИЕ АНАТОМИИ ЧЕЛОВЕКА В СВЕТЕ НОВЫХ ИНФОРМАЦИОННЫХ ТЕХНОЛОГИЙ

The modern medical curriculum in the teaching of anatomy is associated with the integration of basic and clinical sciences. In this article we tried to identify the factors influencing the process of assimilation of anatomical knowledge and assessed modern learning models.

Knowledge and attitude on biostatistics in medical curriculum among medical students

Background: Medical biostatistics has got an important role in the modern medical science curriculum. The present study was planned to assess the knowledge and attitude among medical graduates regarding the role and utility of biostatistics in medical science.Methods: A cross-sectional study among 120 medical students of MBBS final professional of Saraswati Medical College, Lucknow was conducted by using a pre-designed, pre-tested and semi-structured questionnaire. A Chi-square test was applied to find a statistical association. A p value of <0.05 is considered to be significant.Results: Most of the students considered biostatistics is important and helps them in their UG/PG curriculum and thesis/dissertation. Fifty-seven per cent of the study participants are aware of any software used in the analysis of data. Males used at least anyone statistical software more than females (p=0.017). The majority of males (70.3%) and females (67.4%) expressed that it is difficult to understand the concepts of biostatistics. Almost all males (97.30%) and majority females (84.80%) reported that biostatistics textbooks need to be written in simple language (p value=0.026).Conclusions: The role of biostatistics among medical students is of utmost importance as research purpose and importance is increasing in all domains of medical sciences, moreover, the basics of biostatistics should play a pivotal role in the current medical curriculum.

P20 Anatomical Education during Covid-19: Ramifications for Students’ Learning

IntroductionThe world is experiencing an ongoing and serious pandemic, and as both an anatomy student and anatomy demonstrator, I felt it necessary to comment on the impact this pandemic has had and is having on students’ anatomical education, and on my concerns about the implications it might have on the future of current anatomy students.MethodsIn the form of an extended Letter to the Editor, I present some of my reflections on the above matter and suggest a number of points for anatomy students, demonstrators and institutions to consider as we move forwards.ResultsWhen students lost access to dissection rooms, they lost access not only to cadavers, but also to a range of other optimal learning modalities: prosections, models, pathology specimens, skeletons, and others. Previous authors have highlighted that the modern medical curriculum already restricts students’ exposure to anatomy, and indeed this pandemic has further shortened the contact time current students have received. As a result, current anatomy students are being taught anatomy without access to practical-based learning materials, be that cadavers, prosections, or models.ConclusionWhilst the educational disruption caused by the pandemic is clearly severe, it also presents an opportunity for pedagogical evolution and innovation. Here, I have offered a host of recommendations to those involved in anatomical education. The lasting impacts of the pandemic are still unknown, but the anatomical community has responded creatively and adaptively.

Classic clinical descriptions of disease: curing medical education with a dose of the past

The importance of clinical skills, including obtaining patient history and performing physical examination, has been de-emphasized in the modern medical school curriculum. With advancements in diagnostic technologies, the clinical presentation of diseases in medical textbooks has been simplified, diminished, and largely replaced with detailed pathophysiology and laboratory findings. The implementation of the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) Step 1 has also contributed in pushing medical education toward classroom-based learning rather than emphasizing clinical experience. Clinical skills competency is crucial to accurately diagnose patients and simultaneously lowers health care costs by not relying on unneeded diagnostic tests. To address this gap in medical knowledge, a group of students at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, have created a website documenting classic clinical disease descriptions written by some of the renowned physicians from the 19th and 20th centuries, including Osler, Flint, Gowers, etc. This website will continue to grow and will be a useful tool for professors, physicians, and medical students.

Musculoskeletal anatomy: evaluation and comparison of common teaching and learning modalities

Anatomy teaching has traditionally been based on dissection. However, alternative teaching modalities constantly emerge, the use of which along with a decrease in teaching hours has brought the anatomy knowledge of students and young doctors into question. In this way, the goal of the present study is to a. compare the efficacy of the most common teaching modalities and b. investigate students’ perceptions on each modality. In total, 313 medical students were taught gross anatomy of the upper limb, using four different learning modalities: dissection (n = 80), prosections (n = 77), plastic models (n = 84) and 3D anatomy software (n = 72). Students’ knowledge was examined by 100 multiple-choice and tag questions followed by an evaluation questionnaire. Regarding performance, the dissection and the 3D group outperformed the prosection and the plastic models group in total and multiple-choice questions. The performance of the 3D group in tag questions was also statistically significantly higher compared to the other three groups. In the evaluation questionnaire, dissection outperformed the rest three modalities in questions assessing students’ satisfaction, but also fear or stress before the laboratory. Moreover, dissection and 3D software were considered more useful when preparing for clinical activities. In conclusion, dissection remains first in students’ preferences and achieves higher knowledge acquisition. Contemporary, 3D anatomy software are considered equally important when preparing for clinical activities and mainly favor spatial knowledge acquisition. Prosections could be a valuable alternative when dissection is unavailable due to limited time or shortage of cadavers. Plastic models are less effective in knowledge acquisition but could be valuable when preparing for cadaveric laboratories. In conclusion, the targeted use of each learning modality is essential for a modern medical curriculum.

A Novel Approach to Gross Dissection of the Human Pelvis and Perineum.

Progressive curricular changes in medical education over the past two decades have resulted in the diaspora of gross anatomy content into integrated curricula while significantly reducing total contact hours. Despite the development of a wide range of alternative teaching modalities, gross dissection remains a critical component of medical education. The challenge posed to modern anatomists is how to maximize and integrate the time spent dissecting under the current curricular changes. In this study, an alternative approach to the dissection of the pelvis and perineum is presented in an effort to improve content delivery and student satisfaction. The approach involves removal of the perineum en bloc from the cadaver followed by excision of the pubic symphysis, removal and examination of the bladder and associated structures, examination and bisection of the midline pelvic organs in situ, and midsagittal hemisection of the pelvis for identification of the neurovasculature. Results indicate that this novel dissecting approach increases the number of structures identified by 46% ± 14% over current dissecting methods. Survey results indicate that students were better able to integrate lecture and laboratory concepts, understand the concepts, and successfully identify more structures using the new approach (P<0.05). The concept of anatomic efficiency is introduced and proposed as a standard quantitative measure of gross dissection proficiency across programs and institutions. These findings provide evidence that innovative solutions to anatomy education can be found that help to maintain critical content and student satisfaction in a modern medical curriculum.

An Innovative STI Curriculum for Medical Students

PROBLEM: Student feedback regarding the 50-minute didactic session on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the Ob-Gyn Clerkship was poor, and students wanted more interactive instruction methods in our curriculum. INTERVENTION: We created a new curriculum for STIs that is more interactive and appropriate for adult learners. Students begin with a self-directed assignment, where they are referred to specific resources and national guidelines to build their fund of knowledge. We replaced the previous didactic lecture with an interactive case-based session that demonstrates clinical application of the material. Small groups of students discuss four clinical vignettes: STI screening, a patient with a genital ulcer, a woman with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), and a victim of sexual assault. To assess the effectiveness of our method, we will review student feedback on the new curriculum and student performance on the National Board of Medical Examiners subject exam for Obstetrics and Gynecology. We are also conducting a survey for fourth year students that asks how they would manage a patient with PID and a patient requesting STI screening. CONTEXT: Screening, diagnosis, and treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are critical areas of competency for medical students, and interactive teaching methods are increasingly utilized in the modern medical curriculum. OUTCOME/LESSONS LEARNED: The current session has been very positively received by students. There has not been a significant change in exam scores. We will conduct our fourth-year survey in the coming academic year to determine whether there is a significant difference in approach to the two vignettes.

Dissection in the Modern Medical Curriculum: An Exploration into Student Perception and Adaptions for the Future.

For centuries cadaveric dissection has been a cornerstone of medical anatomy education. However, time and financial limitations in modern, compressed medical curricula, coupled with the abundance of alternate modalities, have raised questions about the role of dissection. This study was designed to explore student perceptions of the efficacy of a dissection program for learning musculoskeletal anatomy, and possible adaptations for appropriate inclusion of dissection in the modern medical curricula. A paper-based questionnaire was used to collect data from 174 medical students after completion of cadaveric dissections. Data were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Students strongly believed that cadaver-based learning is essential to anatomy education and modern teaching modalities only complement this. Moreover, most students reported that dissection provided an additional, immersive learning experience that facilitated active learning and helped in developing manual competencies. Students with previous dissection experience or an interest in anatomy-related specialties were significantly more likely to attend dissection sessions. Students found that the procedural dissection components enhanced the knowledge of applied anatomy and is beneficial for the development of clinical skills. They welcomed the idea of implementing more procedure-based dissections alongside lectures and prosections-based practical (PBP) sessions. Cadaveric dissection plays an integral role in medical anatomy education. Time restraints and an increased focus on clinical significance, however, demand carefully considered adaptations of existing dissection protocols. The introduction of procedure-based dissection offers an innovative, highly engaging and clinically relevant package that would amalgamate skills essential to medical practice while retaining the benefits that have allowed dissection to stand the test of time.