Practice-based Learning Research Articles

Comparison of Education in New Zealand and Indonesia in Science Subjects in Primary School

In New Zealand, science education is also tailored to the local context and Maori culture, which provides an additional dimension to science learning in primary school. On the other hand, Indonesia has a different approach to science education in elementary schools. The purpose of this study is to understand the differences in science education approaches in New Zealand and Indonesia and their implications for student learning outcomes in elementary schools. This study uses a comparative descriptive approach to evaluate the differences in the approach to science education in primary schools between New Zealand and Indonesia. The results of this study show that there are significant differences in the approach of science education in primary schools between New Zealand and Indonesia, which has an impact on students' learning outcomes and scientific understanding. New Zealand implements an inquiry-based learning approach supported by adequate laboratory facilities and a more ideal teacher-student ratio. This allows students to engage directly in experiments and observations, which helps them develop critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of science. In Indonesia, the science learning approach tends to focus on memorization and theory, with limited laboratory facilities and a large number of students per class, which limits the implementation of practice-based learning. As a result, Indonesian students have lower scientific comprehension scores, as seen in the PISA results. Differences in the quality of educational facilities, teaching methods, and time allocation for science learning in both countries are the main factors that affect student learning outcomes.

Characteristics of Student-Led Clinics in the Allied Health Professions: Protocol for a Scoping Review.

Student-led clinics can provide students from allied health professions with the opportunity to gain valuable placement experience as an integral component of their preregistration program, enabling them to develop their competencies, professional skills, and administrative and leadership skills. Student-led clinics have the capacity to help meet the demand for appropriate practice-based learning opportunities, as there is an expectation that all allied health professions students should have high-quality learning experiences, ensuring the future workforce is fit for purpose. An overview of existing student-led clinics will increase our understanding of key characteristics, assisting education providers who may be considering the development of their own clinics. This will include key factors to ensure that this model of practice-based learning meets the needs of service users, students, and education providers. This scoping review aims to increase our understanding of the characteristics of student-led clinics by answering the questions (1) what student-led clinics exist in the allied health professions, and (2) what are their characteristics? This scoping review has been developed in conjunction with Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. We will consider studies and publications that include student-led clinics as an integral part of the preregistration curriculum for allied health professions students as defined by the Health and Care Professions Council. An extensive search of electronic databases will be conducted, including PubMed, MEDLINE, and CINAHL, among others. Search strategies, including the identified keywords and index terms, will be modified for each included database used. Reference lists of all included evidence will be screened for additional relevant studies. Studies published in English with no date limitations will be included. Relevant sources will be imported into Covidence for screening conducted by 2 reviewers (SR and KB). Data extraction will be conducted by 2 reviewers using a piloted data extraction tool, and data will be charted and tabulated using the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) checklist. Data will be presented with a narrative summary and illustrated by graphs and figures. The scoping review will be reported in conjunction with the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses extension for scoping reviews) and the STORIES (Structured Approach to the Reporting In health care education of Evidence Synthesis) statement for health care education evidence synthesis. An initial limited search was conducted in February 2024. The study will be conducted in 2025. Publication of the results is expected in late 2025. This scoping review will provide key information regarding the characteristics of student-led clinics and will be of interest to preregistration education programs within the allied health professions who have an interest in exploring opportunities to address placement capacity issues. PRR1-10.2196/58084.

Pharmacogenomics Concierge Service as an Opportunity for Pharmacist Reimbursement and Practice-based Learning

ObjectiveTo assess the feasibility of a pilot pharmacogenomics concierge service that incorporates student practice-based learning opportunities and a survey to determine the patients’ interest and willingness to pay. MethodsParticipants in the pilot study (n = 34) completed a survey to determine their willingness to pay for concierge services. Six participants indicating the highest level of interest were selected to participate in the program free of charge. Students conducted preliminary genetic testing to assess the potential value of a pharmacogenomics service. For the subset of participants (n = 6) invited to the concierge service, confirmatory genetic testing was completed by a third-party laboratory. A layered learning model allowed senior students to mentor and train junior students in the area of pharmacogenomics. ResultsSix invited participants completed the concierge program and third-party pharmacogenomic testing, and the majority (83%) received pharmacogenomic consultation with the pharmacist. Completed surveys from participants in the pilot program (n = 34) indicated a willingness to pay $25 to $50 per month to have continued access to a pharmacist. Surveyed individuals rated their likelihood of utilizing the concierge service at a mean rating of 8.6 (SD 1.88) on a scale of 1 to 10, although this rating dropped significantly when insurance did not cover the cost. The pilot program offered opportunities for practice-based learning through a layered learning model. ConclusionThis pilot concierge program presented several successes and challenges which may help others avoid common pitfalls and spur discussion on optimal ways to develop new pharmacy services and experiential opportunities for students.

National Study Examining Excellence and Value in Physical Therapist Residency Education: Part 1-Design, Methods, and Results.

A challenge in health professions is training practitioners to navigate health care complexities, promote health, optimize outcomes, and advance their field. Physical therapist residency education offers a pathway to meet these needs in ways that "entry-level" (professional) education may not. Identifying key aspects of excellence in residency education and understanding its value in developing adaptive expertise will help devise strategies to enhance program, resident, and patient outcomes. The objective of this study was to examine current physical therapist residency education practices to identify and describe examples of excellence and value. A multi-site, multi-specialty qualitative case series was conducted, examining exemplary physical therapist residency programs and their contextual environments using a social constructivist theoretical lens. Six residency programs operating 20 individual residencies that were considered exemplar were selected for the study to participate in site visits. Qualitative case studies were generated from individual interviews, focus groups, review of artifacts, and field observations. The residencies were diverse in specialty area of practice, setting, and geographic location. A conceptual framework was generated grounded in the domains of excellence and value. These domains were connected by 3 signature indicators: (1) atmosphere of practice-based learning, (2) embodiment of professional formation, and (3) elevated practice. These signature indicators represent the aggregate effects of the interchange between the excellence and value domains which sustain residency education. This study builds upon the work of the Physical Therapist Education for the 21st Century (PTE-21) study and identifies key elements of excellence in residency education, the value of such education, and related outcomes. Findings from this study substantiate the need for a postprofessional phase of physical therapist education founded in practice-based learning encapsulated in residency education. Results from this study could have compelling and powerful implications on the dialogue and strategic direction in physical therapist residency education.

Harnessing Asynchronous Digital Simulations of Problem-based Lessons to Support Mathematics Teachers’ Professional Development: A Design-based Approach

AbstractThe complexity of mathematics teaching is especially evident in lessons where teachers build on students’ genuine ideas, such as problem-based lessons. To enhance teachers’ capacity for rich discussions in problem-based instruction, we have developed a unique approximation of practice: digital asynchronous simulations where teachers make subject-specific decisions for a virtual teacher avatar. The simulations are based on materials and principles from a practice-based professional development (PD) program, implemented with small groups of teachers. The self-paced simulation model offers flexibility and scalability, allowing more teachers to participate on their own schedules, but it lacks key affordances of collaborative PD. To examine how to leverage the affordances of collaborative, practice-based PD, this paper uses a design-based research approach to explicate the mechanisms in which digital simulations can support mathematics teachers’ learning about problem-based lessons. We focus on two cycles of design, implementation, analysis, and revisions of the simulation model, drawing on data from focus groups with mathematics teacher educators, prospective teachers’ performance, and teachers’ reflective assignments. The analysis illustrates how two design principles – Authenticity to the teacher’s work, and Nuanced feedback – were transformed to better reflect aspects of practice-based teacher learning. We argue that self-paced, asynchronous simulations with indirect feedback can effectively emulate aspects of collaborative, practice-based PD in supporting teachers’ growth. The paper also contributes to the literature on mathematics teachers’ noticing and decision-making, examining how the two interact in simulated environments. We suggest implications for designing practice-based asynchronous digital simulations, drawing on emerging technologies.

Exploring the "led" in health professional student-led experiences: a scoping review.

To support a complex health system, students are expected to be competent leaders as well as competent clinicians. Intentional student leadership development is needed in health professional education programs. Student-led experiences such as student-run clinics and interprofessional training wards, are practice-based learning opportunities where learners provide leadership to clinical services and/or address a gap in the system. Given the absence of leadership definitions and concepts, this scoping review explored how student leadership is conceptualized and developed in student-led experiences. The review was conducted in accordance with best practices in scoping review methodology within the scope of relevant practice-based student-led experiences for health professional students. The research team screened 4659 abstracts, identified 315 articles for full-text review and selected 75 articles for data extraction and analysis. A thematic analysis produced themes related to leadership concepts/theories/models, objectives, facilitation/supervision, assessment and evaluation of curriculum. While responding to system gaps within health professional care, student-led experiences need to align explicit leadership theory/concepts/models with curricular objectives, pedagogy, and assessments to support health professional education. To support future student-led experiences, authors mapped five leadership student role profiles that were associated with student-led models and could be constructively aligned with theory and concepts. In addition to leveraging a student workforce to address system needs, student-led experiences must also be a force for learning through a reciprocal model of leadership and service to develop future health professionals and leaders.

Implementation of research, education and leadership placements into Operating Department Practitioner training: A 4-pillar practice-based learning approach.

Practice-based learning has traditionally focused on clinical practice in pre-registration courses. However, recent national strategies emphasise the importance of incorporation of all four pillars, clinical, education, leadership and research, into practice-based learning (placements). This article details the introduction of practice-based learning in research, education and leadership alongside clinical placements for BSc Operating Department Practice students at Sheffield Hallam University. It provides insights into the benefits of this approach, outlines the components of each placement with examples of completed projects, shares feedback from students and practice partners and addresses challenges. The authors advocate for adoption of this approach across all pre-registration Operating Department Practice courses, to ensure a workforce capable of meeting evolving health care needs and driving the Operating Department Practice profession forwards.

Gender Differences in Clinical Performance Assessment of Internal Medicine Residents: A Longitudinal Analysis of the Influence of Faculty and Trainee Gender.

Competency-based medical education relies on equitable assessment. This study examined the influence of faculty and trainee gender on assessments of internal medicine (IM) resident performance over time. A longitudinal analysis of clinical performance assessments from 7 U.S. IM residency programs (July 2014-June 2019) was conducted. Core competency scores (patient care [PC], medical knowledge [MK], practice-based learning and improvement [PBLI], systems-based practice [SBP], professionalism [PROF], and interpersonal and communication skills [ICS]) were standardized across programs. Cross-classified mixed-effects linear regression evaluated the relationship between gender and standardized competency scores within training programs, while adjusting for multiple variables including IM In Training Examination percentile rank. Data included 9,346 evaluations by 1,011 faculty (552 [55%] men, 459 [45%] women) for 664 residents (358 [54%] men, 306 [46%] women). Initially, women residents' scores were significantly lower than men's in PC (estimated difference [standard error ] -0.097 [0.033], P = .004), MK (-0.145 [0.034], P < .001), and PBLI -0.090 [0.040], P = .022). PC, MK, PBLI, and SBP scores increased more over time for women residents than men (PC: 0.050 [0.015], P = .001; MK: 0.052 [0.015], P = .001; PBLI: 0.036 [0.018], P = .048; SBP: 0.036 [0.016], P = .027). PROF and ICS scores were comparable across gender. There was a significant interaction between faculty gender and postgraduate year (PGY) across all competencies but none between resident gender, faculty gender, and PGY, indicating that men and women faculty rated residents differently over time but were consistent in how they rated men and women residents. Gender-based assessment differences were variable across competencies and time. Women residents had lower scores initially but greater gains in "hard skill" (MK, PC, and PBLI) than in "soft skill" (ICS and PROF) competencies, suggesting assessment inequities. Efforts to ensure equitable assessment are needed.

Centering reciprocity: lessons learned from a university–school partnership

PurposeSchool–university partnerships are important in teacher education to ensure PK-12 preservice teachers gain teaching experience prior to becoming teachers of record. Drawing on Ball and Cohen’s (1999) concept of “practice-based teacher education,” this three-year qualitative study examines the results of an intentionally reciprocal school–university partnership centered on a practice-based learning, field-based course. The following question guided this research: Having designed and facilitated a school–university partnership centered on reciprocity, what factors contributed to and/or took away from this commitment?Design/methodology/approachThe current study examined three data sources, namely: (1) seven semi-structured focus group interviews with a teacher educator, sixth-grade teachers (n = 4) and a principal; (2) eight question/answer sessions between preservice teachers and partnering secondary teachers and (3)one focus group between the two authors. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.FindingsThis study’s findings highlight the reciprocal nature of the school–university partnership, showcasing the positive outcomes and challenges faced by stakeholders. Clear communication and ongoing dialogue were identified as key elements to establishing and maintaining a reciprocal relationship. Additionally, emphasis on shared learning experiences between partners were found valuable and important to maintaining benefit to all partners. Relationship development also remained an important and positive outcome of this partnership. Additionally, there were challenges related to time, and schedule constraints were evident in the partnership. Moreover, ongoing reflection and a willingness to adjust and change based on experiences and lessons learned ensured participants recognized the importance of ongoing iteration and calibration to address challenges and enhance the partnership.Research limitations/implicationsBecause of the chosen research approach, the research results may lack generalizability.Originality/valueThe paper includes implications for the development of other school–university partnerships that prioritize reciprocity, highlighting an often assumed, but not always examined, component necessary to the success of school–university partnerships.

Teaching patient safety in remote consulting

ABSTRACT A significant proportion of primary care consultations now happen remotely. Although the vast majority occur safely, a recent study highlighted areas of risk which may be compounded by the limited training many GPs have received in remote consulting. To provide safe remote services, consideration needs to be given to adapting practice workflow to optimise remote care. Patients less suitable for remote consulting, either due to disease, extremes of age, disability or for social reasons should be identified and prioritised for face-to-face encounters. Training supports both the development of individual communication skills for remote care, and effective team working. Practice-based group learning events can be used to share experiences, identify resources, and consider the risks in remote care and how they can be mitigated. The paper presents some fictionalised cases, illustrating where patients came to harm, as a result of a remote consultation, and where harm was averted due to actions taken by practice teams. These can be used to support critical thinking and discussion within practice development meetings and tutorials with trainee GPs and other practice staff. Using the paper as a basis for reflection, teaching and action can facilitate the delivery of safer remote care.

Digital Competencies and Training Approaches to Enhance the Capacity of Practitioners to Support the Digital Transformation of Public Health: Rapid Review of Current Recommendations.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted gaps in the public health workforce's capacity to deploy digital technologies while upholding ethical, social justice, and health equity principles. Existing public health competency frameworks have not been updated to reflect the prominent role digital technologies play in contemporary public health, and public health training institutions are seeking to integrate digital technologies in their curricula. As a first step in a multiphase study exploring recommendations for updates to public health competency frameworks within the Canadian public health context, we conducted a rapid review of literature aiming to identify recommendations for digital competencies, training approaches, and inter- or transdisciplinary partnerships that can enhance public health practitioners' capacity to support the digital transformation of public health. Following the World Health Organization's (2017) guidelines for rapid reviews, a systematic search was conducted on Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), and Web of Science for peer-reviewed articles. We also searched Google Scholar and various public health agency and public health association websites for gray literature using search terms related to public health, digital health, practice competencies, and training approaches. We included articles with explicit practice competencies and training recommendations related to digital technologies among public health practitioners published between January 2010 and December 2022. We excluded articles describing these concepts in passing or from a solely clinical perspective. Our search returned 2023 titles and abstracts, of which only 12 studies met the inclusion criteria. We found recommendations for new competencies to enable public health practitioners to appropriately use digital technologies that cut across all existing categories of the core competencies for public health framework of the Public Health Agency of Canada. We also identified a new competency category related to data, data systems management, and governance. Training approaches identified include adapted degree-awarding programs like combined public health and informatics or data science degree programs and ongoing professional certifications with integration of practice-based learning in multi- and interdisciplinary training. Disciplines suggested as important to facilitate practice competency and training recommendations included public health, public health informatics, data, information and computer sciences, biostatistics, health communication, and business. Despite the growth of digital technologies in public health, recommendations about practice competencies and training approaches necessary to effectively support the digital transformation of public health remain limited in the literature. Where available, evidence suggests the workforce requires new competencies that cut across and extend existing public health competencies, including new competencies related to the use and protection of new digital data sources, alongside facilitating health communication and promotion functions using digital media. Recommendations also emphasize the need for training approaches that focus on interdisciplinarity through adapted degree-awarding public health training programs and ongoing professional development.

A dearth of disability-related competencies in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's Milestones 2.0.

Despite the high prevalence of disability and the frequency with which people with disabilities encounter the health care system, physicians report inadequate knowledge regarding caring for their patients with disabilities. To determine the number and type of disability-related competencies in the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's Milestones 2.0. Cross-sectional analysis of publicly available data to identify, via key word search, the presence of disability-related competencies using disability-related terms derived from the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health. Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's Milestones 2.0. N/A INTERVENTIONS: N/A MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Presence of disability-related competencies. Over one-third (37.5%) of specialties had zero disability-related competencies. Nineteen (59.4%) included an Interpersonal and Communication Skills Milestonethat mentions disability as a potential barrier to communication. No specialties had Systems-Based Practice or Practice-Based Learning and Improvement disability-related competencies. Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) had six disability-related competencies, preventive medicine occupational and environmental medicine had three, and otolaryngology and transition year each had two. A minority of medical and surgical specialties had disability-related competencies outside of the Interpersonal and Communication domain. With the rising prevalence of disability and the lack of physicians with expertise in the care of people with disability, the time is now to integrate disability competencies into residencies, especially for the primary care specialties.

Pre-registration student research placements within KNOWBEST: a service evaluation

Pre-registration student placements have traditionally been based in clinical settings. Recently, practice-based learning has evolved to include additional settings, including research, leadership and management. The KNOWBEST (Knowledge, Behaviours And Skills Required of the Modern Physiotherapy Graduate) project incorporated research placements for five pre-registration students. The aims of this project were to develop, implement and evaluate research placements within a UK pre-registration physiotherapy program, to add to the limited information available for HEI and supervisors. The paper includes placement content, reflections and evaluations from the perspective of the students, supervisors and Practice Team Lead. Students and staff were highly positive about research placements. Student’s spoke of the importance of their immersive experience on placement, valuing the variety of learning experiences, opportunities to lead and the development of transferable skills. Students found that research and clinical placements, whilst different, were also similar in important ways. Students appreciated how research placements developed their abilities to provide evidence-based practice as clinicians. This paper does not provide definitive placement guidance, it provides information gleaned from direct experience for teams planning research placements. It identifies and reports areas the team found challenging, to facilitate discussion and debate as the profession actively diversifies and expands practice-based learning.

Medical students’ experience and learning outcomes of overseas community involvement project: a qualitative study

BackgroundMedical students in Singapore engage in short term medical missions, locally known as Overseas Community Involvement Projects (OCIPs). Little is known about the learning outcomes of an OCIP and how this complements their medical education back home. Understanding this can help the medical educators structure the OCIP to optimise its learning value.ObjectivesThis study aims to gain an in-depth understanding of the experiences and learning outcomes of the medical students who participated in the OCIP.MethodsThis was a qualitative study involving Singaporean students from one medical school travelling to Nepal. Data was collected from reflective journals, overall group reflections and two focus group discussions. The data was thematically analysed using the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical (ACGME) core competencies for medical professionals.ResultsThe data could be classified under various themes within the six domains of the ACGME framework. The study revealed themes of: humanism, socioeconomic and cultural determinants of health under the domain of patient care, application of medical knowledge, investigating and evaluating the needs of a population and feedback to drive improvement under the domain of practice-based learning and improvement, use of non-verbal cues and communicating across language barriers under the domain of interpersonal and communication skills, healthcare systems and delivery, resourcefulness and adaptability, health equity and accessibility under the domain of systems-based practice, ethics, role-modelling, teamwork and leadership skills, interprofessional skills and resilience under the domain of professionalism. Understanding the students’ motivations, utilising reflections, and following the patients’ journey facilitated attainment of these outcomes.ConclusionsThis OCIP experience translated to learning outcomes aligned with the ACGME framework. There is great potential for the experiential learning from a well-structured OCIP to help with personal and professional development and global health education.

Predicting Surgical Resident Performance With Situational Judgment Tests.

Situational judgment tests (SJTs) have been proposed as an efficient, effective, and equitable approach to residency program applicant selection. This study examined how SJTs can predict milestone performance during early residency. General surgery residency program applicants during 3 selection cycles (2018-2019, 2019-2020, 2020-2021) completed SJTs. Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education milestone performance data from selected applicants were collected in March and April 2019, 2020, and 2021 and from residents in March 2020, August 2020, March 2021, September 2021, and March 2022. Descriptive statistics and correlations were computed and analysis of variance tests performed to examine differences among 4 SJT performance groups: green, top 10% to 25%; yellow, next 25% to 50%; red, bottom 50%; and unknown, did not complete the SJT. Data were collected for 70 residents from 7 surgery residency programs. Differences were found for patient care ( F3,189 = 3.19, P = .03), medical knowledge ( F3,176 = 3.22, P = .02), practice-based learning and improvement ( F3,189 = 3.18, P = .04), professionalism ( F3,189 = 3.82, P = .01), interpersonal and communication skills ( F3,190 = 3.35, P = .02), and overall milestone score ( F3,189 = 3.44, P = .02). The green group performed better on patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, professionalism, and overall milestone score. The yellow group performed better than the red group on professionalism and overall milestone score, better than the green group on interpersonal and communication skills, and better than the unknown group on all but practice-based learning and improvement. The red group outperformed the unknown group on all but professionalism and outperformed the green group on medical knowledge. SJTs demonstrate promise for assessing important noncognitive attributes in residency applicants and align with national efforts to review candidates more holistically and minimize potential biases.

Re-exploring Dental Education During the COVID-19 Era: A Look Through the Challenges Faced, Solutions, and Their Impact on Traditional Methods.

December 2019 brought to the world one of the worst pandemic diseases to exist - COVID-19. The pandemic led to worldwide lockdowns and quarantine, affecting the entire cycle of the world. The education system was one of the severely affected systems. Dental education, which is a practice-based learning system, faced complications due to the pandemic. E-learning methods were adapted in order to restrict the spread of the virus. E-learning has its own advantages and disadvantages. Althoughdental education is not possible by virtual means, there exist some methodologies that could be incorporated into routine teaching methods. The mixture of traditional learning methods along with newer methods adopted during COVID-19 can prove to improve the understanding procedure. The main aim of this article is to highlight these hybrid methods and encourage their incorporation to enhance the learning experience.

Benefits and Challenges of Online Teaching Learning from the Students’ View

Background: Online learning is the major concept in education which converts the traditional educational shape into a new form that transforms in person or physical learning into a virtual approach of learning. It is an alternative to traditional classroom learning and involves using primarily the internet and one or more other technologies. Objective: This study explores the perception of students regarding its benefits and challenges and recommendations. Materials and method: Data were collected from 273 students of 1st and 2nd year MBBS from January 2021 to February 2021 at Enam Medical College, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh, using a predesigned validated questionnaire. Results: The findings of the present study revealed that most of the students lack in academic or institutional knowledge regarding the ICT tools used in online learning process. The benefits included its flexibility regarding the time and place, sharing of information is easy and cost effective and allows mass audiences. Whereas, less effective in practice-based learning, instant feedback is difficult, lack of attentiveness, disturbance of physical health and diminished social interaction were identified as major disadvantages Conclusion: Online learning has its own set of advantages and disadvantages as other teaching methods. The purpose of this study was to assess the current state of online learning activities from the students’ perspective. Delta Med Col J. Jan 2021;9(2): 69-74

Supporting students to return to study following course interruption (SuTuRe).

The pre-registration BSc Nursing course in the UK is renowned for being challenging due to its requirement for 2300 hours each for theoretical and practice-based learning. It is therefore inevitable that some students may need to interrupt their study at some point during the course. In many cases, these students do not return and leave the course, which has an impact on the future nursing workforce. To examine the reasons why pre-registration student nurses interrupt their studies and consider ways to enable them to return successfully and complete the course. The research project was based in one higher education institution (HEI) in the North West region of England. Interrupted students due to return to study in semester 1 of the 2022/23 academic year (n=95) were invited to participate in semi-structured interviews. Health, including mental health was the dominant factor leading to the interruption of study for the students. This research has led the HEI to introduce an improved support package for students. Alongside other recommendations it is hoped the changes will reduce attrition and lead to an improved interruption/return-to-study experience.

Impact of colloidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) added for their antimicrobial efficacy on the compressive strength of poly(methyl methacrylate)-based acrylic denture base resin subjected to two different curing cycles: An in vitro study

Abstract Introduction: Colloidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been incorporated into acrylic resins to induce antimicrobial properties. However, as additives, they can influence the mechanical properties of the final product. The aim of the present study was to evaluate compressive strength of acrylic denture base resin incorporated with different concentrations of AgNPs subjected to two different curing cycles. Materials and Methods: Lucitone 199 acrylic denture base resin was used in the present in vitro study design because of its high-impact strength, while AgNPs were incorporated at 0.5% and 5% concentration by polymer mass. Specimens devoid of AgNPs were used as controls. The specimens were fabricated according to the American Dental Association specification No. 12 for denture base resin: Second revision, BS specification 2482 and tested for compressive strength using universal testing machine. Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Descriptive statistics was used to compare two different curing cycles; while one-way analysis of variance and Kruskal–Wallis H-test were used for statistical analysis. P &lt;0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Colloidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) incorporation at 0.5% concentration increased the mean compressive strength in both the short and long curing cycles by 5.3% and 8.3% respectively when compared with the control group. Conclusions: The findings of the present study suggested that the mean compressive strength of acrylic denture base resin modified with 0.5% concentration of AgNPs was above the control group, both in the short and long curing cycles. However, at 5% concentration of AgNPs, decrease in compressive strength compared to the control group was observed, both in short and long curing cycles, giving it a questionable prognosis, while the results were found to be statistically significant. The following core competencies are addressed in this article: Practice-based learning and improvement, Patient care and procedural skills, Systems-based practice, Medical knowledge.

“Environmental wellness” in family adoption program: A preassessment of awareness among 1st-year medical students

Abstract Introduction: In India, the National Medical Commission, introduced the concept of “Environmental health and wellness,” in the medical curriculum in the year 2020, to equip the future doctors in addressing complex issues such as climate change and health. As a part of the “Family adoption Program,” the students are required “to carry out and be a part of the environment protection and sustenance activities.” The study was done to assess the knowledge and practices of “environmental wellness (EW)” of 1st-year medical students. Materials and Methods: Using a cross-sectional study design, the study was conducted using a semi-structured, self-administered, online questionnaire, with sections on demographics, climate change, environmental laws, and wellness, after institutional ethics committee approval. Responses on aspects of EW were rated and scored as “never,” “rarely,” “sometimes,” “regularly,” and “always” from lowest to highest. Results were presented as frequency, proportion, percentages, and mean scores; Chi-square, F-test, and t-test were used as tests of association; P &lt; 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Of the 250 students, 212 were present during the preawareness generation session; 179 consented, with a response rate of 84.4%. Their mean age was 19.79 ± 1.76 years and 70.94% were females; 84.9% knew about appropriate state-level laws regarding environmental pollution. 77.65% had excellent, 16.20% good, and 6.15% had a fair level of EW scores. The females had a better attitude (P = 0.004) and practice (P = 0.037) in comparison to male students with regard to different aspects of EW. Conclusion: The students were well aware of EW, with the female students having better practices. Inculcating these good practices with regard to EW would help them to spread awareness regarding the same in the community, thereby helping them achieve the competency required in the field visits, which would help them with regard to percolating the importance of the environment in health and wellness, at the community level. The following core competencies are addressed in this article: Practice-based learning and improvement, Medical knowledge, Systems-based practice, and Professionalism.