Perceptions Of Medical Students Research Articles

Perception of Undergraduate Medical Students about Integrated Modular Curriculum and Factors Affecting

Aim: To explore the perceptions of undergraduate medical students about integrated modular curriculum and to identify the factors affecting it. Study design: Mixed method study Place and duration of study: King Edward Medical University (KEMU) from 1st November 2021 to 30th April 2022. Methods: The questionnaires were distributed to 391 MBBS students. In depth interviews were conducted from 16 students and audio-recorded. Results: Three hundred and fifty seven (91.3%) considered integrated curriculum a useful approach, 88% preferred this approach over traditional, more than 70% considered it useful for clinical insight and improvement in academic performance. Many (43%) of the students complained that the institutional environment was not helpful regarding implementation of integrated curriculum which was further explored by in-depth interview. Conclusion: The majority of students have shown a positive response to the modular integrated curriculum .It has helped them in improving academic performance and clinical insight. There is a need to improve university environment to implement integrated assessment more effectively. Keywords: Integrated modular curriculum, undergraduate, medical students, perception

Assessment of knowledge, perception, attitude, and use of performance-enhancing substances among students of Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt: a pilot study

BackgroundThe market for performance enhancement substances (PESs) is currently one of the fastest expanding sectors. Most studies have always concentrated on athletes in terms of PESs’ misuse, ignoring a critical segment of the community: the future health-care workers. Thus, the aim of the study was to probe the knowledge, perception, and attitude of medical students regarding the misuse of PESs in sports and medical academic study. A cross-sectional study was conducted among students of Alexandria Faculty of Medicine, Egypt. Data were collected via self-administered electronic survey from 208 students of both sexes (aged from 18 to 26 years old). Analysis of factors affecting the consumption of PESs like gender differences, and their prior knowledge and perception was performed using logistic regression models.ResultsMore than half of the participants have no idea about law concerning the use of doping substances. There were no significant disparities in knowledge and perception between males and females. Female students, on the other hand, consistently reported having a better understanding of the negative impacts of PESs’ misuse. Surprisingly, females are more prone to consume PESs for cognitive enhancement rather than the physical performance.ConclusionsThe study is the first to explore the awareness of the medical students, their attitude, and perception towards different ethical scenarios confronted in the daily practice. This finding pinpoints that the common trend of striving for fitness and an ideal body shape and weight has produced a shift in the prevalence of the PESs use according to gender in Egypt. Moreover, females in medicine academics are more prone to use PESs to improve the cognitive functions albeit it is nonsignificant statistically. Therefore, efforts should be directed to raise the awareness of medical practitioners of diverse categories of these substances, health hazards, laws, and penalties. More importantly, policy measures for their production, marketing, and misuse among university students should be reconsidered by the government.

Perception of Medical Students on Current Medical Education in Bangladesh

Introduction A modernized and relevant medical curriculum is the backbone of an effective medical education. A healthy and efficient medical academic environment is crucial for effective implementation of any medical curriculum. This study was performed with the aims and objectives of determining medical students’ perception of ongoing medical curriculum, teaching and learning methodologies and academic resources. Methodology: A cross sectional descriptive analytical study was conducted with a self-administered questionnaire to determine the perception of medical students about current medical curriculum, teaching-assessment methodology and learning academic environment. A total of n= 268 medical students from 4 different medical colleges participated in the study. The questionnaire consisted of 5 questions. The first two questions (Q1 and Q2) addressed students’ views ongoing medical curriculum and each were Likert type on a 1 to 5 scale (from strongly disagree to strongly agree). There were 6 items under Q1 and 4 items under Q2. Views were recorded on Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5 (No idea to strongly agreed). The third question was on preference for duration of lecture class. The last two questions (Q4 and Q5) were multiple- response-test-based questions for determining the preferred responses on factors affecting medical exam results/scores and medical curriculum contents. Results: The majority of the students for the Q1, poorly rated the first item labeled as,” your own college standard is at par with international standard” with a mean ±SD of 2.9±.97 and the third item as,” Current teaching practices is sufficient to prepare for international exams (USMLE, PLAB)” with a mean ±SD of 2.7±0.83. Most of the students under Q2 predominantly chose the statement “agree” or “disagree” and the item score mean ±SD is ≥ 4.5±0.5 for each of the four items. Regarding major preference of lecture duration, 126 (47.0%) opined for 45 minutes followed by 107 (39.9%) for 60 minutes and 35(13.1%) for 30 minutes lecture. For Q4, the multiple response test, the majority of the responses (31.4%) was for betterment of lectures and for more practical classes (30.3%). To the Q5 multiple response test, the majority of responses (18.3%) was for increased motivation, 16.3% for provision of well-equipped library and laboratories as well as 16.1% for increased hands-on-skill training. There was also statistically significant difference between the public and private medical colleges on opinion regarding the factors, “decreased student teacher ratio” (31.7% vs 18.7%) with a χ 2 = 10.08, d =1 and p=0.001& for factor, “research training in curriculum” (29.5% vs 19.8%) with χ 2 =4.40, df=1 and p=0.03. Conclusion: This study has elicited the perception of medical students on various issues related to curriculum, and academic environment and resources and methods reflecting the areas that needs to be addressed for improvement. It is imperative that every country focus on building and implementing curriculum and exam system that amplifies professional competence and social values, expands setting for efficacious and sustainable medical education programs, trains the medical teachers as educators and encourages life-long self-learning practices. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Education Vol.13(2) July 2022: 13-25

What is the perception of medical students about eLearning during the COVID-19 pandemic? A multicenter study in Peru

Introduction: As face-to-face medical education was restricted during the pandemic; digital tools have been deployed to continue education showing a good educational impact in most countries. However, the perception of medical students in Peru on eLearning has not yet been investigated. This study assessed the perception of 440 medical students from two national universities in Peru on the characteristics and limitations of eLearning during 2021. Materials and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using the self-administered survey Encuesta Virtual en Tiempos de COVID-19 (EVI-CV19) on students between the second and sixth medical year of the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM) and the Universidad Nacional San Luis Gonzaga (UNSLG, n=325). Results: The majority of students were under 30 years of age (93.9% vs. 97.2%, p=0.084), and female (67% vs. 64%, p=0.107). Of the total, 63.9% and 81.5% UNMSM and UNSLG students considered the virtual platform effective in favouring feedback with recorded lectures (85.2% vs. 85.5%) and the organization of documents (61.7% vs. 80.9%), respectively (p>0.05). Seventy per cent and 46.8% of UNMSM and UNSLG students perceived that teachers were not trained (p=0.063), and 26.1% and 17.2% of students perceived that the virtual modality affected their academic performance a lot, respectively (p=0.003). About 38% of students from both universities perceived the virtual platforms as very secure. We found differences between UNMSM and UNSLG students on whether the virtual exams were fair (28.7% vs. 52.3%, p<0.001). Conclusions: This study reported a favorable perception of medical eLearning with clear differences in the limitations of the virtual environment.

Medical student perceptions of reflective practice in the undergraduate curriculum

Introduction: Reflective practice (RP) forms a core component of medical professionalism but, despite its benefits, it remains largely undervalued among medical students. The aim of this study was to explore medical students’ attitudes and barriers to engagement with RP in the undergraduate programme at a UK based medical school. Methods: This was a qualitative study based on the methodology of phenomenology. All penultimate year medical students at University College London Medical School (n=361) were approached for this study and altogether thirteen participants were recruited, with data collected through two focus group discussions. Thematic analysis was used to generate the coding framework. Results: Five key themes emerged around student attitudes to RP, which were grouped into three domains: ‘value of RP’, ‘barriers to engagement’, and ‘strategies for enabling RP’. ‘Value of RP’ centred on the themes of humanising medicine and developing empathy, developing professionalism and RP as a tool for sense-making. ‘Barriers to engagement’ centred on the purpose and tokenism of RP and in the third domain, ‘strategies for enabling RP’, the theme of student agency in RP emerged strongly. Conclusion: Overall, the value of RP was not fully appreciated until students began their clinical placements. Potential strategies identified by participants for optimising engagement included student co-design and positioning RP within a broader pastoral role early in the undergraduate curriculum.

O021 Evaluating the impact of neurosurgical rotation experience in Africa on the interest and perception of medical students towards a career in neurosurgery: a continental, multi-centre, cross-sectional study

Abstract Introduction Africa has the second-highest neurosurgical workforce deficit globally, and many medical students in Africa lack exposure to the field. This study aims to assess the impact of a neurosurgical rotation during medical school in shaping the perception and interest of students towards a career in neurosurgery. Methods This is a continental, multi-centre, cross-sectional study. A Google Form e-survey was disseminated to African clinical medical students between February 21st and March 20th, 2021. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and adjusted logistic regression modelling. Results Data was received from 539 students in 30 African countries (n=30/54, 55.6%). The majority of participants were male (n=289/539, 53.6%) and were from Kenya (n=83/539, 15.4%). Most students had undertaken a clinical neurosurgery rotation (n=278/539, 51.6%); the majority reported a rotation length of four weeks or less (n=181/278, 65.1%). Students with clinical experience were less likely to pursue the specialty (p=0.02) and had a stronger perception that it is more difficult for women to pursue neurosurgery (p=0.0001) when compared to those without clinical experience. However, after adjusting for other factors, students with greater than four weeks of neurosurgical exposure were more likely to express a career interest in neurosurgery (odds ratio [OR]=1.75, p&amp;lt;0.04) and men were more likely to express interest in a neurosurgical career compared to women (OR=3.22, p&amp;lt;0.001). Conclusion Our findings support standardised, continent-wide, curriculum development, and advocacy supporting improved gender inclusivity in education and policy-making to improve the quality of neurosurgical exposure during medical school and tackle the workforce deficit across Africa. Take-home message A continent-wide, standardised curriculum guide to neurosurgical rotations, and advocacy for gender inclusivity in education and policy-making efforts across the African continent is required to shape the perception and interest of medical students towards a career in neurosurgery.

Students’ Perception of the Educational Environment at Hawler College of Medicine, Erbil, Iraq

BACKGROUND: Medical education and training vary considerably across the world. Various teaching methodologies have been adopted in medical education. AIM: This study aimed to elicit the perception of medical students at Hawler College of Medicine about their educational environment. METHODS: The study participants included all 152 students in their final year of study at Hawler College of Medicine, Erbil, Iraq. An anonymous questionnaire containing 27 items about the quality of their education, preparedness for residency, students’ affairs, and behaviors experienced or witnessed during medical school with a five-point Likert scale was used for data collection. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences program was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Of 140 students participated in the study, 73 (52.1%) said that the final year was helpful in their preparation for residency, 67 (47.8%) were satisfied with the quality of their education, and 65 (46.4%) said that basic science coursework had sufficient illustrations of clinical relevance. Overall the students mostly were dissatisfied with the relaxation spaces, study space, health services, and response to their problems. Fifty-six (40%) were frequently publicly embarrassed, 45 (32.1%) believed that they received lower evaluations or grades solely based on gender rather than performance, and 27 (19.1%) were denied opportunities for training or rewards based on gender. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the students were satisfied with their education but unsatisfied with study space, relaxation space, and health services in the college.

Concept maps in immunology: A metacognitive tool to promote collaborative and meaningful learning among undergraduate medical students.

Introduction: Concept maps are graphical representations of knowledge that connect concepts, ideas, and relationships. The present study aims at assessing the perception of medical students in utilization of concept maps as a tool to foster their lifelong learning skills in immunology.Methods: The current study was approved by Institutional Ethics and Review Committee. Third-year undergraduate (MD3) medical students of the academic year 2021-22 were sensitized about the concept map study and included after obtaining their informed consent. The students worked in teams to find answers and link the different words or phrases of the concept maps. At the end of the immunology course, students’ perception on concept map-based learning strategy was assessed. A pre-designed, self-administered questionnaire, pre-validated by subject experts for relevance and feasibility, was used for the study. The questionnaire included some quantitative questions assessed by using 3-point Likert Scale and an open-ended question to receive students’ comments on concept map-based learning strategy. The responses were collected and analyzed using SPSS version 22. Descriptive statistics was used for the quantitative variables, tabulated as numbers and percentages while the qualitative data was analyzed by thematic analysis. The quantitative data results were prioritized but supported by students’ comments on open ended question.Results: Out of 133 eligible participants, 109 students who volunteered and completed the study were included. Majority of our participants (>80%) welcomed the concept map-based learning strategy. Almost 4 out of 5 expressed that concept maps are interesting and enjoyable, encourage active participation, peer discussion, and enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills. More than 80% of the students agreed that concept maps promoted deep understanding of the topic and lifelong learning. Nearly 3 out of 4 students suggested including concept maps in many immunology topics in future. Majority of students penned down positive comments indicating concept map tool facilitates metacognitive skills.Conclusion: From the study, it can be concluded that concept maps are effective active learning strategies to improve the metacognitive domain of medical students in immunology course, thus assisting them to become better lifelong learners.

Virtual Town Hall Meetings to Convey Emergency Medicine Residency Program Information to Students.

BackgroundApplying to emergency medicine (EM) residency programs as a medical student is challenging and complicated in a normal year, but the 2020/2021 application cycle was further complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the decrease of in-person opportunities for students to connect with residency programs, virtual “town-hall” meetings were developed. In this study our primary objective was to determine whether attendance at a virtual residency program information session improved the perceived knowledge of curriculum information and program exposure to medical students applying to an EM residency.MethodsFour study sites hosted a total of 12 virtual events consisting of residents, faculty, or both. Standardized pre-event/post-event surveys were conducted to capture medical student perceptions before/after each of the virtual sessions. Apart from measuring the improvement in students’ perceived knowledge of a program by gauging their responses to each question, we used a 10-question composite score to compare pre- vs post-event improvement among the participants.ResultsThe pre-event survey was completed by 195 attendees, and the post-event survey was completed by 123 attendees. The median and mean composite score to this 10-question survey improved from 32.19 to 45, and 31.45 to 44.2, respectively, in the pre- to post-event survey.ConclusionThis study showed improvement of medical students’ perceived knowledge of residency programs (reflected as increased agreement from pre- to post-event survey). The data demonstrates through question responses that students not only obtained information about the programs but also were able to gain exposure to the culture and “feel” of a program. In a non-traditional application season in which students are unable to pursue their interest in a program through audition rotations, virtual town hall events, along with other asynchronous events, may be a reasonable approach to increasing medical student understanding and awareness of a program and its culture.

Perception of Medical Students Regarding TU-IOM MBBS Curriculum and Teaching Learning Methods in Nepal

Background The present Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) curriculum under Tribhuvan University - Institute of Medicine (TU-IOM) was last revised twelve-years back. Though the curriculum was built upon internationally approved recommendations on curriculum design, it is ineffectively practiced in most medical schools of Nepal with major focus on didactic teaching-learning. The curriculum, hence, needs effective implementation and revision.&#x0D; Objective To identify the strengths, weaknesses, and areas of improvement in the medical curriculum through student-based feedback and outline the possibility of incorporating newer evidence-based teaching-learning methodologies in Nepal.&#x0D; Method This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study. With appropriate ethical approval, a questionnaire was developed and disseminated virtually to all medical students of Nepal under TU from MBBS fourth year onwards. The questionnaire comprised of Likert and close-ended questions. The data analysis was followed after receiving the filled questionnaire through Google forms.&#x0D; Result A total of 337 respondents participated in the study. The most effectively implemented components out of the SPICES model were Integrated learning (I) and Community-based learning (C), with 73.89% and 68.84% responses. There were 94.7% (319) students who favored the incorporation of research in the core curriculum. Only 34.2% (115) students found PowerPoint lectures, the most utilized form of teaching-learning in Nepal, as engaging. The respondents (84.6%) showed a high degree of readiness to incorporate newer evidence-based teaching-learning tools such as flipped learning, blended learning, and peer-to-peer learning.&#x0D; Conclusion This study shows that effective interventions must be rethought on various aspects of the curriculum, taking students’ feedback on the table while considering curricular revision.

Perception of medical students regarding E-learning during lockdown in COVID–19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study in a medical college, North Kerala

Background: The digital learning in this pandemic era of COVID-19 evolved out in a perplexed environment as a viable alternative to offline or traditional classes. The e-learning carries its own merits as well as demerits, but however, this happened to be the only possible solution in this dreaded situation. With respect to medicos, as they are prone to be exposed to environments connected with Covid infected patients, additional care including online classes turned to be the better option. Aim and Objective: To determine the perception of medical students regarding e-learning during lockdown in COVID-19 pandemic. Settings and Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students of all the batches in a private medical College, Kozhikode. Methods and Material: Primary data were collected using structured Google questionnaire. Stratified sampling method has been adopted and the sample size was 400. Statistical analysis used: Data analysed using SPSS 18 software. Results: Majority of the participants used Zoom as modality of learning and half of the total participants got adapted to the system over time. During e-learning sessions, most of the medicos expressed their concerns regarding lack of clinical exposure, in addition to their losses in social communication skills. Factors such as the legitimate requirements of clinical phase students, issues of poor internet connectivity and health problems were inclined to demand traditional learning, which were statistically significant. Conclusion: Even though they were subjected to both online and offline methods of education, majority of respondents preferred traditional learning.

Breastfeeding perception among Medical students of Islamic International Medical College (IIMC) in relation to COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: Breastfeeding is crucial for the development &amp; growth of the infant in the early years of life. Unfortunately, the incidence of breastfeeding is very low in our part of the world. Doctors play a critical role in the public awareness of the benefits &amp; importance of breastfeeding. This study is done to find out the perception, knowledge and attitude of medical students about breastfeeding and its implications during COVID 19 pandemic.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Islamic International Medical College (IIMC) from 10 November 2021 to 30 November 2021. An online questionnaire was sent to the students of MBBS from first to final year via email. Results were analyzed on SPSS version 21.&#x0D; Results: A total of 316 students participated. The majority of students were aware of the initiation, duration and advantages of breastfeeding. 88% of students answered that breast milk is an ideal food for a baby. 77.2% had the perception that breastfeeding increases mother-infant bonding. 71.51% of students answered that breastfed babies have fewer health-related issues compared to formula-fed babies. 40 % of students were of the idea that there is a risk of transmission of COVID 19 from mother to baby if breastfed fed while 42% believed that breastfeeding protects against COVID 19.&#x0D; Conclusion: The majority of the students of IIMC were aware of the benefits of breastfeeding but most of them lacked knowledge of breastfeeding by mothers suffering from COVID 19. The medical curriculum should have more emphasis on nutrition counselling for both mothers and children and information regarding breastfeeding particularly during situations like COVID 19 pandemic.

Attitudes and Perceptions Regarding Sexual Health History Taking; A Cross-Sectional Study Among Undergraduate Medical Students of College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Oman

Background: Sexual health has been recognised as an essential dimension of health. Therefore, sexual health training of health care providers assumes a significant role. The present study was conducted to assess the attitudes and perceptions of final-year medical students regarding sexual health history taking at a medical college in Oman. Methods: The present cross-sectional survey was conducted among 81 final-year medical students. Demographic characteristics, attitudes and perceptions of the participants regarding sexual health history taking were collected using a self-administered questionnaire after obtaining informed consent. Prior approval was obtained from the institutional research and ethics committee. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 20.0 Results: The mean age of the participants was 24.19 ± 1.03 years. Most of the participants (97.6%) opined that it was important for doctors to know how to elicit a sexual health history. Most of the participants were aware of their limitations in eliciting sexual health history and recognizing gender and cultural differences (67.9%) as barriers while communicating sexual health problems with the patients. About 50%of the participants responded that they had satisfactory understanding of sexual health (50.7%); a similar number had an adequate understanding of sexual health problems (53.1%). Majority (65.4 %) of the participants were interested in learning about sexual health. Conclusion: The present study revealed that medical students recognised the importance of sexual health history taking and their strengths and limitations regarding the same. The study revealed the barriers to effective communication between students and patients in matters of sexual health, which pave the way to improve teaching-learning programs and ultimately contribute to providing effective holistic health care.

The Perceptions of Non-native Medical Students Towards Language Barrier on Clinical Teaching and Learning: a Qualitative Study from Saudi Arabia.

Patient-doctor communication is essential for achieving the best healthcare quality for the patients. Saudi Arabia hosts a variety of healthcare providers from diverse cultures and languages, making language barriers distinctive towards effective communication for a predominantly Arab population. There is limited research on the challenges associated with language barriers among non-native medical students. The current qualitative study aims to explore the perceptions and experiences of non-native medical students during clinical encounters with Arabic speaking patient population at a private university in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This is a qualitative case study employing non-native medical students in clinical years to explore their perceptions and experiences towards language barriers. Participants attended four focus group discussions, following a brief regarding the concept of the challenges that language barriers pose. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. A thematic framework analysis was employed to analyze the data. Twenty-two non-native medical students participated in the study. We identified four broad themes constituting problems in patient interaction, development of clinical skills, managing and overcoming language barriers, and student recommendations to overcome language barrier. Participants suggested improvements in available Arabic language courses and the introduction of a professional skills course in Arabic for non-native students. Non-Native medical students perceived language barriers as an obstacle to a meaningful clinical experience. They identified implications for clinical learning environment, professionalism, empathy, and patient care. Recommendations for advanced occupation-related Arabic language courses to facilitate doctor-patient interactions were made to improve patient-student interactions between native patients and non-native medical students.

Perception of Medical Students on the Need for End-of-Life Care: A Q-Methodology Study.

End-of-life care and the limitation of therapeutic effort are among the most controversial aspects of medical practice. Many subjective factors can influence decision-making regarding these issues. The Q methodology provides a scientific basis for the systematic study of subjectivity by identifying different thought patterns. This methodology was performed to find student profiles in 143 students at Cantabria University (Spain), who will soon deal with difficult situations related to this topic. A chi-square test was used to compare proportions. We obtained three profiles: the first seeks to ensure quality of life and attaches great importance to the patient’s wishes; the second prioritizes life extension above anything else; the third incorporates the economic perspective into medical decision-making. Those who had religious beliefs were mostly included in profile 2 (48.8% vs. 7.3% in profile 1 and 43.9% in profile 3), and those who considered that their beliefs did not influence their ethical principles, were mainly included in profile 3 (48.5% vs. 24.7% in profile 1 and 26.8% in profile 2). The different profiles on end-of-life care amongst medical students are influenced by personal factors. Increasing the clinical experience of students with terminally ill patients would contribute to the development of knowledge-based opinion profiles and would avoid reliance on personal experiences.

Flipped Classroom for Pharmacology Teaching in a Malaysian Medical School using Online Tools during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Knowledge Gained and Student Perception

Introduction: The usage of a flipped classroom to instruct medical students is becoming more common. During the COVID-19 epidemic, this method of teaching and learning proved to be effective. This study aims to analyse the knowledge gained and perceptions of medical students who were taught pharmacology in a flipped classroom utilising online tools.&#x0D; Methodology: A total of 50 second-year medical students took part in the research. Local anaesthetics and adverse drug reactions were the two topics covered in the flipped classroom. A few weeks before the session, pre-reading materials were distributed, which included voice-over PowerPoint videos and AMBOSS links. Students were given pre and post-tests using Microsoft forms to assess their knowledge gained during the face-to-face session. Higher-order thinking questions were uploaded as a Kahoot session, and the questions were also posted using Microsoft PowerPoint in an interactive session. A validated questionnaire was used to collect feedback, and the responses were graded on a 4-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data.&#x0D; Results: There were 18 females and 32 males among the 50 students. The students' average age was 21.4±0.6 years. When the pre and post-test scores were compared, statistically significant results were obtained (P-value .000). The students had a favourable attitude about flipped classrooms. Most students said that the flipped classroom increased their understanding of the subject (mean score 3.760.44). They also thought the flipped classroom was a fun way to learn (mean score 3.710.47). The overall perception of the flipped classroom was excellent (53%).&#x0D; Conclusion: The knowledge gained by the students during the flipped classroom session in pharmacology was significant. The students had a favourable opinion of the flipped classroom method of teaching pharmacology.

Amplifying the Student Voice: Medical Student Perceptions of AΩA.

Recent literature has suggested racial disparities in Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society (AΩA) selection and raised concerns about its effects on the learning environment. Internal reviews at multiple institutions have led to changes in selection practices or suspension of student chapters; in October 2020, the national AΩA organization provided guidance to address these concerns. This study aimed to better understand student opinions of AΩA. An anonymous survey using both multiple response option and free response questions. Medical students at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Descriptive statistics and logistic regressions were used to examine predictors of student opinion towards AΩA. Free responses were analyzed by two independent coders to identify key themes. In total, 70% of the student body (n=547) completed the survey. Sixty-three percent had a negative opinion of AΩA, and 57% felt AΩA should not exist at the student level. Thirteen percent believed AΩA membership appropriately reflects the student body; 8% thought selection processes were fair. On multivariate analysis, negative predictors of a student's preference to continue AΩA at the student level included belief that AΩA membership does not currently mirror class composition (OR: 0.45, [95% CI: 0.23-0.89]) and that AΩA selection processes were unfair (OR: 0.20 [0.08-0.47]). Self-perception as not competitive for AΩA selection was also a negative predictor (OR: 0.44 [0.22-0.88]). Major qualitative themes included equity, impact on the learning environment, transparency, and positive aspects of AΩA. This single-institution survey demonstrated significant student concerns regarding AΩA selection fairness and effects on the learning environment. Many critiques extended beyond AΩA itself, instead focusing on the perceived magnification of existing disparities in the learning environment. As the national conversation about AΩA continues, engaging student voices in the discussion is critical.

Emergency contraception: knowledge and perceptions in PUMHS University population.

Introduction: Rising population is the one of hot issue of Pakistan that contributesto poverty, hunger, shortage of natural resources, decrease economy growth andeducation. Unacceptance of contraception is major reason; resulting in unplannedpregnancy where emergency contraception method seems to be an attractive option. This study done to assess knowledge, perception and attitude of medical students of PUMHS University.Objectives: To assess the perception, knowledge and attitude about emergencycontraception (EC) among the senior undergraduate’s student (fourth and finalyear) of PUMHS.Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted by Department of gynecology &amp;obstetrics unit 1 at People medical and health science university ShaheedBenazir Abad (PUMHS) from August 2019 to November 2019. We select 211 subjects via convenience sampling technique from senior classes. Data collected on 22item questionnaire and analyzed on SPSS version 20.Results: The mean age of study participants was 22.2± 36.435 years. Usingknowledge score (1-10) mean score was 3.09 ±1.707. 75.36% showed positive attitude towards EC methods.Conclusion: Medical undergraduate, as a health care provider and counselor expected to have greater knowledge than corresponding age group with less education but unfortunately information about different aspects of emergency contraception among this cohort in inadequate.&#x0D; Key words: Emergency contraception, KAP, University population.

Perceptions of Medical Teachers and Students about Barriers and Capacities in Distance Learning

Background: Currently, distance learning is booming and requires adaptation from students, teachers, and faculty. Identifying constraints is essential as inputs for faculty development. Purposes: to identify teacher and medical student perceptions of barriers and capacity in distance learning. Methods: This research was conducted using a cross-sectional survey of 42 medical teachers and 613 students Faculty Medicine and Health, Universitas Muhammadiyah Jakarta students. It utilized secondary data from the Quality Assurance Unit in October 2020. Six variables were studied in this research, i.e., technical constraints of distance learning, teachers' perceptions of the essential components in distance learning, student self-perceptions, teachers' and students' perceptions of web conference effectiveness, and teachers' self-perceptions and students' satisfaction. Results: The top 5 technical constraints of distance learning complained were signal interference, internet data plan, limited e-literatures, and lack of communication with the faculty. According to the teachers, the essential components were faculty commitment (90%), regulation (85%), technical support (79%), course management, and teaching-learning guidelines (77%). Most students experience learning difficulties during distance learning. However, only 45% of students felt their independent learning method is effective. Teachers and students agreed that web conferencing is ineffective for learning clinical skills but disagreed on cognitive knowledge. 74% of teachers stated that the presentation was engaging. Meanwhile, more than 25% of students were dissatisfied. Conclusion: The top 4 technical constraints were signal interference, internet data plan, limited e-literatures, and lack of communication with the faculty. The important components of distance learning were faculty commitment (90%), 83% of students experienced learning difficulties during distance learning.

COVID-19 Pandemic Psychological Impact and Volunteering Experience Perceptions of Medical Students after 2 Years.

Undergraduate healthcare students were mobilized to support healthcare systems during the COVID-19 pandemic, but we have scarce information regarding their experience and its impact on their wellbeing. An anonymous online survey was conducted among undergraduate students and recently graduated physicians of a medical university in Spain, regarding their symptoms and volunteering experience during the initial months of the Spanish COVID-19 pandemic. Respondents showed a high prevalence of perceived stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, measured by the PHQ-9 and GAD-7. 14.5% reported healthcare-related volunteering tasks. Volunteering was a satisfactory experience for most of the respondents and the majority felt ready to do volunteering tasks (66.6%). Yet, 16.6% acknowledged not getting appropriate specific-task education before starting, 20.8% reported not having appropriate supervision, and 33.3% feel they did not have proper protective equipment. More than half of volunteers feared getting infected, more than 70% feared infecting their relatives or friends, and 54.2% reported stigmatization. Volunteers showed significantly higher stress, anxiety, and depression scores than the rest of the respondents, and 32% reported a highly traumatic event during volunteering, with high scores on the IES-R in the 16% of volunteers. Our results should help guide future potential volunteering processes in emergencies, enhance academic programs at medical schools and provide valuable data for psychological support services.