Preclinical Curriculum Research Articles

Team-Based Learning & Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) to Augment a Preclinical Cardiovascular Physiology Course.

Introduction: There has been increasing interest in point of care ultrasound (POCUS) as a learning tool in preclinical medical anatomy and physiology courses. Few interventions have used team-based learning (TBL) to teach cardiac POCUS. This study investigates a novel TBL exercise designed to integrate cardiac anatomy, physiology, and cardiac POCUS education within a first-year cardiovascular (CV) course called Team-Based Learning - Ultrasound (TBL-US). Methods: The TBL-US exercise consisted of four phases: preparation, individual and team readiness assurance, image acquisition and application, and knowledge assessment. Six second-year students were trained to facilitate the session under physician supervision. Pre- and post-session knowledge assessments were administered to determine knowledge acquisition. Pre- and post-session surveys were administered to assess attitudes, beliefs, and confidence surrounding cardiac POCUS. Final exam scores were compared between participants and non-participants of TBL-US and stratified into high- and low-performing subgroups to account for pre-TBL baseline differences in ability between the groups. Results: A total of 54 first-year medical students completed TBL-US. Students showed significant improvement on the post-knowledge assessment compared to the pre-knowledge assessment (70.5% vs. 54.9% [p< 0.001]) and scored significantly higher on the final CV exam compared to non-participants (low-performing group: 85.92% vs. 81.02% [p=0.039], high-performing group: 89.22% vs. 85.95% [p=0.038]). Between 43.3-72.7% of students reported that TBL-US increased their understanding of CV anatomy, physiology, and cardiac POCUS. Discussion: Students found TBL-US to be a valuable teaching modality and improved student knowledge of CV anatomy, physiology, and cardiac POCUS. TBL-US effectively augments the learning of cardiac anatomy and physiology during the preclinical undergraduate medical curriculum.

A survey of US and Caribbean veterinary schools reveals strengths and opportunities in antimicrobial stewardship and infection prevention and control activities.

To understand antimicrobial stewardship (AS) and infection prevention and control (IPC) activities in veterinary schools. An online survey was completed by representatives from American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges-accredited veterinary schools in the US and Caribbean prior to attending the Inaugural Small Animal Antimicrobial Stewardship Workshop for US Veterinary Schools. Responses were examined to identify patterns among AS and IPC activities and adherence to the AVMA core principles. Half (12 of 24) of the surveyed schools had an AS committee and most (79% [19 of 24]) had an IPC committee. Lack of dedicated staff time was a common barrier to AS (88% [21 of 24]) and IPC (75% [18 of 24]) reported by schools both with and without AS and IPC committees. Eleven of 24 schools (46%) reported performing at least 1 activity focused on each of the AVMA's 5 core principles of AS. Although 79% (19 of 24) of schools incorporate AS into preclinical curricula, training of clinical faculty (17% [4 of 24]), veterinary technicians and support staff (21% [5 of 24]), and house officers (42% [10 of 24]) is less common, despite these individuals engaging in teaching clinical-year veterinary students. Veterinary schools varied in established AS education and AS and IPC practices, though financial and human resources were a common barrier. A collaborative and cohesive approach to AS and IPC among schools to create sustainable frameworks for practice improvement will help combat the global threat of antimicrobial resistance. This is a critical action for settings where future veterinarians are trained.

Longitudinal Outcomes: Student Perceptions of a Third-Party-Resource-Based Pre-matriculation Module.

Medical school is grueling. Students are required to learn large amounts of subject matter in short periods of time, while also participating in extra-curricular activities to become well-prepared and future residents. While many third-party resources can aid students in navigating the curriculum, the process of assessing and selecting these tools can be time-consuming and frustrating. To address this challenge, a pre-matriculation module was developed to introduce students to various third-party resources, enabling them to identify their preferences and understand their learning styles before matriculation. Links to free trials were also provided. Additionally, a supplement to the module featured advice and strategies from top-quartile students (now Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.s)) on how to succeed in the pre-clinical curriculum. The module included voice-over slide presentations that highlighted third-party resources, tips for using these resources effectively, and insights from contributors on succeeding in the pre-clinical phase. To assess the perceived efficacy of the program, surveys were administered to incoming first-year osteopathic medical students (OMS-1) students at several time points: before beginning the first semester and pre-matriculation module, immediately after completing the module, and at the end of the first semester. Further surveys were conducted at the end of the second, third, and fourth semesters. Statistical analysis of the survey data was performed to evaluate students' perceptions of the module's value. Results indicated that students perceived the pre-matriculation module as significantly contributing to their pre-clinical academic success. These findings suggest that early exposure to third-party learning resources and tailored guidance from successful peers may ease the transition into medical school and foster better academic outcomes. Future research should explore the long-term impact of such pre-matriculation interventions on clinical performance and overall medical education. Additionally, investigations into tailoring modules to different learning styles or specific specialties could further optimize the student experience and success in medical education.

A Curricular Review of Radiology Education in a Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program.

Physician assistants/associates (PAs) are expected to be competent in ordering and interpreting diagnostic imaging. However, there are no further details outlining the educational expectations of PAs as it relates to radiology upon graduation. This can result in significant variability in the radiology curricula that PA students are taught and, consequently, hinder PAs' ability to work within their full scope of practice. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to map the radiology curriculum in a Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program to elucidate radiological educational training before graduation. Quantitative curricular mapping was used to assess the 2021 to 2022 MPAS program for radiological involvement. Relevant course and session objectives related to radiology education were identified. In addition, educational learning material was reviewed for diagnostic imaging content. Formal radiological training was observed in 8 of 27 courses in the preclinical curriculum, with 4.35% of the total session objectives directed to radiological education. This formal exposure comprises 18.9 hours (1.71%) of curricular time. Informal diagnostic imaging exposure increased radiology education to approximately 29.5 hours (2.67%) of curricular time. One course (Diagnostic Imaging) focuses exclusively on radiology teaching and accounts for approximately 50% of the total radiologic teaching. X-ray ordering and interpretation received the greatest emphasis throughout the curriculum, while ultrasound received the least attention. Further integration of formal radiological education into PA programs should be considered with specific attention directed toward point-of-care ultrasound exposure and ordering/interpretation skills.

Biometrically measured sleep in medical students as a predictor of psychological health and academic experiences in the preclinical years

ABSTRACT Background Student wellness is of increasing concern in medical education. Increased rates of burnout, sleep disturbances, and psychological concerns in medical students are well documented. These concerns lead to impacts on current educational goals and may set students on a path for long-term health consequences. Methods Undergraduate medical students were recruited to participate in a novel longitudinal wellness tracking project. This project utilized validated wellness surveys to assess emotional health, sleep health, and burnout at multiple timepoints. Biometric information was collected from participant Fitbit devices that tracked longitudinal sleep patterns. Results Eighty-one students from three cohorts were assessed during the first semester of their M1 preclinical curriculum. Biometric data showed that nearly 30% of the students had frequent short sleep episodes (<6 hours of sleep for at least 30% of recorded days), and nearly 68% of students had at least one episode of three or more consecutive days of short sleep. Students that had consecutive short sleep episodes had higher rates of stress (8.3%) and depression (5.4%) symptoms and decreased academic efficiency (1.72%). Conclusions Biometric data were shown to significantly predict psychological health and academic experiences in medical students. Biometrically assessed sleep is poor in medical students, and consecutive days of short sleep duration are particularly impactful as it relates to other measures of wellness. Longitudinal, biometric data tracking is feasible and can provide students the ability to self-monitor health behaviors and allow for low-intensity health interventions.

Radiology Integration Into the Preclinical Curriculum: Ways to Maximize Early Impact

Radiology Integration Into the Preclinical Curriculum: Ways to Maximize Early Impact

‘Teaching should always be a little bit interesting for the teachers, too’: Preceptor experiences of co-teaching ultrasound in a clinical skills course

Purpose Medical schools increasingly incorporate ultrasound into preclinical curricula but face barriers including financial constraints, shortages of qualified instructors, and limited curricular space. This study explored how integrating ultrasound co-teaching into an existing first-year clinical skills course influenced preceptors’ teaching experiences and characterized areas for curricular improvement. Methods Ultrasound instructors rotated through classrooms during small-group physical examination skills sessions with 110 medical students, joining physical examination preceptors who taught remaining session content. Twelve ultrasound and traditional preceptors’ experiences were characterized through focus group interviews paired with inductive thematic analysis. Results Four themes were identified. First, the shared classroom fostered vicarious learning and novel instruction techniques but could feel disruptive to teaching. Second, ultrasound integration prompted physical examination preceptors to adopt a learner role. Third, students appeared to associate ultrasound with anatomy and physiology more than physical examination. Finally, ultrasound integration carries multiple logistical considerations. Conclusions Co-teaching ultrasound within clinical skills courses can promote learning and was associated with multiple effects on faculty preceptors and the teaching process. Those planning similar initiatives should consider strategies to optimize preceptor experiences, minimize disruptive potential, and promote connections between ultrasound and physical examination content.

Integrating Disability Education into the Preclinical Neurology Curriculum

Integrating Disability Education into the Preclinical Neurology Curriculum

Surface and deep learning: a blended learning approach in preclinical years of medical school

BackgroundSignificant challenges are arising around how to best enable peer communities, broaden educational reach, and innovate in pedagogy. While digital education can address these challenges, digital elements alone do not guarantee effective learning. This study reports a blended learning approach integrating online and face-to-face components, guided by the Student Approaches to Learning framework.MethodsThis study was carried out investigating learning in first and second year medical students over two academic years, 2019/20 and 2020/21. We evaluated: (1) comparison of students engaged with blended learning and traditional learning; and (2) student learning engaged with blended learning approach over a two-year preclinical curriculum. A revised two-factor study process questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F) evaluated students’ surface/deep learning before and after an academic year. Learning experience (LE) questionnaire was administered over the domains of learning engagement, and outcomes of learning approach. In-depth interviews were carried out to understand the context of students’ responses to the R-SPQ-2F and LE questionnaires.ResultsThe R-SPQ-2F analysis indicated first year students maintained deep learning but second year students became neutral across the academic year, regardless of learning approach, with workload contributing to this outcome. R-SPQ-2F sub-scales showed that students engaged with blended learning maintained an intrinsic interest to learning, as compared to traditional learning which led to surface learning motives. The LE questionnaire showed students engaged with blended learning had deeper subject interest, and more positive perceptions of workload, feedback, and effectively developed skills and knowledge. However, peer interactions from blended learning were significantly lacking. In-depth interviews revealed that the flexibility and multi-modality of blended learning enabled learning, but the best use of these features require teacher support. Online interactions could be cultivated through intentional institutional efforts.ConclusionsThis study highlights the importance of designing blended learning that leverages technology-enabled flexibility while prioritising collaborative, learner-centred spaces for deep engagement and knowledge construction.

Evaluation of dermatologic diagnostic ability on skin of colour in preclinical medical students.

Various studies have revealed that there is a disproportionately low representation of skin of colour (SOC) in medical school dermatologic curriculum and board study resources. First-year and second-year medical students were emailed an 18-question survey regarding (1) identifying correct diagnoses of dermatologic conditions on either White skin or SOC and (2) their confidence in identifying dermatologic conditions on SOC. 15% of the images of dermatologic conditions included in the institutional preclinical curriculum show images of patients with SOC. Regarding overall scores for diagnosing dermatologic diseases, students performed similarly on both the White image survey (61.73%) and SOC image survey (66.20%) with no statistically significant differences between surveys (p=0.14). Second-year medical students performed better than first-year medical students overall (p=0.01) and on White skin image survey scores (p=0.02) but not on people of colour image survey scores (p=0.09). Students largely agreed that they were more comfortable identifying dermatologic diagnoses on White skin and that their school could benefit from increased SOC dermatological resources. The overall low scores for the diagnosis of common skin conditions on both the White image and SOC image survey by first- and second-year students are not surprising given the results of a prior study and support the need for re-exposure to dermatology presentations in all skin types during the preclinical curriculum. The low scores support the need for changes in the pre-clinical dermatology curriculum to improve diagnostic ability. Second-year students performed better at diagnosing dermatologic conditions overall and on White skin compared to SOC at the end of their didactic years, possibly due to an underrepresentation of SOC images in institutional and outside educational resources. Attitudes towards school-specific dermatologic SOC education demonstrated a clear desire amongst students for more exposure to dermatologic conditions in various skin colours throughout the curriculum.

Broadening the View of Holistic Care: Integrating Arts and Humanities Into Physician Assistant Education.

The integration of arts and humanities (A&H) into physician assistant (PA) preclinical curriculum may enhance student performance and improve their patient rapport. Arts and humanities content could promote the personal and professional qualities we desire in clinicians including competence, compassion, and empathy. The aim of this research was to determine what PA students report learning from A&H modules designed to foster personal insight and perspective-taking. The "Introduction of Humanities & Arts into Physician Assistant Education" (IHAPAE) project is an intercampus collaboration between 2 Midwest Universities. The IHAPAE faculty collaboratively created and delivered A&H-based modules within first-year communication courses. Two cohorts of PA students (N = 130) participated in modules and subsequently attended exploratory focus groups to elicit their perceptions of the A&H curriculum. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach for data analysis, we found that PA students perceived multiple benefits. Specifically, module content promoted reflection and stress reduction, improved their continuity of care notes, provided utility in cultivating empathy in patient communication, and introduced students to A&H approaches they could recommend to patients. The process model that emerged from student perceptions fits well with existing emotional regulation theory and provides empirical evidence for cultivation of empathy and patient-centeredness. Given the positive outcomes of our project, PA programs should consider the value of incorporating the A&H activities into their curriculum to enhance the student experience and develop essential provider attributes and skills.

Preparation for practice: What are students learning for?

Junior doctors often feel inadequately prepared for clinical practice. Current approaches to optimising the pre-clinical to clinical transition generally overlook intrinsic factors, yet motivation and emotional engagement are likely to be important in building clinical competence. To address this gap, we explored the attitudes of medical undergraduates and clinicians towards learning and how these attitudes seemed to affect learning motivation. We conducted semi-structured individual or group interviews with 22 medical undergraduates and eight clinicians. Interviews were transcribed and thematically analysed. Students and clinicians had differing perspectives on the content and context of learning, as well as divergent attitudes towards learning. Students focused on factual knowledge and examination performance, preferably with simple, clear-cut answers, privileged book learning, and equated medical knowledge with clinical competence. Conversely, clinicians focused on soft skills and clinical reasoning, emphasised learning through observation and experience, assessments that acknowledged complexity and context, and saw knowledge as a foundation for practice. Further, clinicians mostly felt that the pre-clinical curriculum over-emphasised factual recall of knowledge that was neither useful nor relevant for clinical practice. We found that students tended to be extrinsically motivated by examination performance, which led to adopting surface learning approaches. This in turn led to a mismatch between the pre-clinical emphasis on factual recall and the higher-order skills necessary for clinical practice. We propose that a shift away from content overload and high-stakes assessment towards patient-centric teaching approaches may help re-orientate students towards intrinsic motivation and more effective learning methods.

Anki flashcards: Spaced repetition learning in the undergraduate medical pharmacology curriculum.

Teaching clinical pharmacology is often a challenge for medical schools. The benefits and popularity of active recall and spaced repetition through Anki flashcards are well-established and can offer a solution for teaching complex topics, but educators are often unfamiliar with this resource. We implemented 501 faculty-generated pharmacology flashcards in five modules across the medical preclinical curriculum, available to 104 first-year students. At the end of each module, students were surveyed on the usefulness of this novel resource. The data from the cohort who had access to flashcards was compared with the previous cohort, without access, to analyse whether student use of Anki flashcards changed students' perceptions of the pharmacology curriculum and whether there were changes in pharmacology exam performance. Seventy-five percent of the respondents rated the Anki pharmacology flashcards as 'very useful' or 'somewhat useful'. Eight hundred and seventy-five responses were analysed with a natural language processing algorithm, showing that fewer students mentioned pharmacology as a difficult topic in the cardiovascular and renal modules, compared with the cohort who did not use Anki flashcards. There was not a statistically significant difference in test scores between the cohorts. Anki flashcards were well-received by medical students, which might have impacted their perception of the curriculum, as evidenced by the decrease in mentions of pharmacology being a difficult topic, maintaining consistency in academic performance. Educators should consider providing flashcards to offer spaced repetition opportunities in the curriculum; an additional benefit could be increasing information equality in medical schools.

Addressing musculoskeletal curricular inadequacies within undergraduate medical education

BackgroundMusculoskeletal (MSK) injuries and diseases place a significant burden on the health care system. Despite this, research indicates that physician training in the area of MSK medicine has historically been inadequate, with a majority of medical students feeling that their training in MSK medicine is lacking. The goal of this investigation was to evaluate the efficacy of a new preclinical MSK curriculum that was implemented within a nationally accredited allopathic medical program.MethodsRetrospective analysis was completed on five consecutive years (2017–2021) of preclinical MSK curricular data for 549 medical students, including mid and end-of-course examinations and end-of-course student satisfaction surveys. Both parametric and non-parametric methods of analysis were used to examine within and between class differences (P < 0.05).ResultsThe new MSK curriculum covered 15 of 16 “core or must know” topics in MSK medicine, and academic performance was consistently high over the 5-year period of analysis (final course marks ranged from 76.6 ± 7.1 to 81.4 ± 8.1; failures/year: range from 0 to 4), being equal or above levels of student performance observed for other courses delivered during preclinical studies. Likert data from end-of-course surveys demonstrated that feedback was overwhelmingly positive (overall course satisfaction ranged from a low of 3.07/4.00 to a high of 3.56/4.00) and indicated that students felt that the new preclinical MSK curriculum did effectively support medical student learning and knowledge retention.ConclusionResults are expected to help advance the current body of knowledge that is dedicated to improving physician learning and knowledge retention in the area of MSK medicine and provides a curricular model that could be used by other nationally accredited medical programs to help enhance MSK learning at the preclinical levels of physician training.

Development and evaluation of a societal core robotic surgery accreditation curriculum for the UK

Standardised proficiency-based progression is the cornerstone of safe robotic skills acquisition, however, is currently lacking within surgical training curricula. Expert consensuses have defined a modular pathway to accredit surgeons. This study aimed to address the lack of a formal, pre-clinical core robotic skills, proficiency-based accreditation curriculum in the UK. Novice robotic participants underwent a four-day pre-clinical core robotic skills curriculum incorporating multimodal assessment. Modifiable-Global Evaluative Assessment of Robotic Skills (M-GEARS), VR-automated performance metrics (APMs) and Objective Clinical Human Reliability Analysis (OCHRA) error methodology assessed performance at the beginning and end of training. Messick’s validity concept and a curriculum evaluation model were utilised. Feedback was collated. Proficiency-based progression, benchmarking, tool validity and reliability was assessed through comparative and correlational statistical methods. Forty-seven participants were recruited. Objective assessment of VR and dry models across M-GEARS, APMs and OCHRA demonstrated significant improvements in technical skill (p < 0.001). Concurrent validity between assessment tools demonstrated strong correlation in dry and VR tasks (r = 0.64–0.92, p < 0.001). OCHRA Inter-rater reliability was excellent (r = 0.93, p < 0.001 and 81% matched error events). A benchmark was established with M-GEARS and for the curriculum at 80%. Thirty (63.82%) participants passed. Feedback was 5/5 stars on average, with 100% recommendation. Curriculum evaluation fulfilled all five domains of Messick’s validity. Core robotic surgical skills training can be objectively evaluated and benchmarked to provide accreditation in basic robotic skills. A strategy is necessary to enrol standardised curricula into national surgical training at an early stage to ensure patient safety.

Introduction and Effectiveness of Early Clinical Exposure Among Dental Students in Pre-clinical Prosthodontics.

Lack of patient contact in the pre-clinical prosthodontics curriculum makes it difficult for the students to comprehend and correlate the series of complex steps involved in complete denture fabrication. Early clinical exposure in the second year of the undergraduate program will facilitate a smooth transition of dental students from pre-clinics to clinics, thereby helping to mitigate the lacunae existing in the present curriculum. A non-randomized prospective educational interventional study was conducted among 50 second-year dental students. Early clinical exposure in the form of clinical demonstration for complete denture steps of border molding and jaw relation was given subsequent to the completion of didactic and laboratory sessions. Pre- and post-multiple-choice question tests were conducted to explore students' knowledge. Student perception towards early clinical exposure was assessed using a self-administered anonymous questionnaire, while faculty perception was gauged with the help of in-depth interviews. A statistically significant difference was observed when pre- and post-multiple-choice question test mean scores were compared, showing an overall improvement in students' knowledge following early clinical exposure. Students and faculty held a positive perception towards the program and found it to be useful in enhancing the overall learning experience of the students.Faculty expressed their concern regarding limited manpower, paucity of time, and difficulty in integrating early clinical exposure into the present timetable. Early clinical exposure can be integrated into the traditional pre-clinical prosthodontics curriculum with appropriate time and manpower allocation. Faculty sensitization and training workshops need to be conducted before implementing this program.

Perspectives of a non-medically and a medically qualified early career anatomy academic on facilitating case-based learning sessions for undergraduate medical students.

Case-based learning (CBL) is a student-centered pedagogy where medical students are given a real-world clinical problem. At St George's University of London (SGUL), anatomy academics can volunteer to facilitate CBL sessions for pre-clinical undergraduate medical students. The major benefits of facilitating CBL sessions from the perspective of a non-medically qualified early career anatomy academic (ECAA) include exposure to clinical cases that help the academic develop an understanding over key clinical cases at the context of clinical anatomy and other disciplines including physiology, pathology, and pharmacology. Furthermore, facilitating CBL sessions assists in the acquisition of basic knowledge over history taking, the conduction of clinical examinations, the investigations performed for the diagnosis of a condition as well as how it is managed. The major benefits of facilitating CBL sessions from the perspective of a medically qualified ECAA include staying in touch with the clinical aspect of medicine and becoming familiar with the country's healthcare system and its professional standards. Perceived benefits shared by both the non-medically and medically qualified ECAA include the opportunity to become familiar with the structure and key elements of the pre-clinical medical curriculum as well as gain experience in facilitating small group teaching sessions. Overall, facilitating CBL sessions can help non-medically and medically qualified ECAAs in different contexts that may help them with their individual career goals, can encourage collaborative discussions between clinical and non-clinical anatomy academics as well as help bridge the gap between the anatomy teaching approaches employed by non-medically qualified and medically qualified anatomy academics.

Perceptions of the Final Year Medical Students and Recent Graduates of a Medical School in Sri Lanka Regarding the Application and Relevance of Preclinical Sciences in their Clinical Training and Practice

Objective: This study was conducted to determine perceptions regarding retention, application, and relevance of pre-clinical sciences in clinical training and practice, among final-year medical students and intern medical officers (IMOs) who graduated from the Rajarata University of Sri Lanka.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire, and the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and t-test.Results: A total of 211; 110 final-year students (52.1%) and 101 IMOs (47.9%) responded. Perceived knowledge retention was highest in Physiology (5.73+1.81/10), followed by Anatomy (5.12+1.7/10) and Biochemistry (3.99+1.97/10). The majority reported higher retention of clinically relevant concepts (79.6%) and a gradual decline in retained knowledge during clinical years (75.8%). Content areas with the highest perceived clinical relevance were neuroanatomy, abdomen, pelvis and perineum, radiological anatomy, and head and neck in Anatomy, blood, gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary, and endocrine Biochemistry and physiology of cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, urinary, gastrointestinal and reproductive systems. Knowledge on biomolecules, metabolism, molecular genetics, histology, embryology and genetics were considered least clinically relevant. Pre-clinical sciences were perceived as fundamental for clinical training by the majority. They perceived that Anatomy and Physiology were applied more in diagnosis and patient management than Biochemistry. The majority expressed the need to revisit and re-evaluate Anatomy and Physiology during the clinical phase.Conclusion: A high level of relevance of pre-clinical sciences in many content areas was perceived by the participants. The study highlights the need for an early introduction to the clinical concepts within the preclinical curriculum and revisiting preclinical sciences during clinical training.

A Novel, Mutually Beneficial Student-Faculty Partnership to Develop Real-Time Formative Assessments Aligning with the Preclinical Undergraduate Medical Curriculum.

A shortage of curriculum-aligned formative multiple-choice questions (FMCQs) remains despite their known learning benefits in preclinical medical education due to limitations on teaching faculty time and other reasons. In response, students often use extramural resources such as commercial or collaborative question banks; however, these options are often expensive and cannot be aligned with the content of each school's unique curriculum. In addition, students need feedback on their learning in a manner that parallels the format of summative assessments. In this pilot, the authors aimed to enhance student learning by creating an intramural formative practice resource that was developed as the curriculum unfolded under the direction of the faculty leading the concurrently running curricular units. The authors developed a workflow known as Professor-Reviewed Exam Practice (PREP) in 2023. PREP partnered preclinical medical students and faculty to create vignette-style, single best response FMCQs with feedback for every lecture and self-guided learning module in multiple preclinical blocks of The Ohio State University College of Medicine undergraduate medical curriculum. PREP established a sustainable, student-led, faculty-guided workflow that created high-quality, curriculum-aligned FMCQs for student use in the preclinical medical curriculum over a 14-month period. Usage rates were high across multiple preclinical blocks, reflecting high student demand for FMCQs of this nature and their value as a study aid. Survey data showed faculty agreed that their time commitment and role in the PREP workflow was appropriate. Future work will evaluate the benefits of PREP to students by exploring the potential impact of PREP FMCQs on summative assessment performance and if writing FMCQs confers benefits to PREP team members. Faculty survey indicated that performance data from PREP FMCQs could be used to tailor upcoming teaching and learning methods, which is an area for future inquiry.

Leveraging a Podcast Series for Nutrition Education in Medical Curriculum

Background: Malnutrition is a worldwide problem. Despite the paradoxical global prevalence of both an obese and underfed population, physicians have historically fallen short in their efforts to combat this epidemic. Unfortunately, medical education has only recently prioritized nutrition curriculum, and its incorporation has been slow. The Culinary Medicine Interest Group (CMIG) at New York Medical College (NYMC) aims to expand access to nutrition education in medical school. Methods: The CMIG podcast was conceived as an adjunct to the preclinical curriculum. Podcasts were distributed via the NYMC learning-management system in parallel with pre-clinical curriculum and made widely available via Spotify, YouTube, and Google Podcasts. A pre-podcast survey was conducted to establish a baseline of nutrition knowledge in the NYMC student population, and a post-podcast survey was also distributed. Results: During 2022-2023, twelve episodes covering various nutrition-related subspecialty topics were released. We received 76 pre-podcast survey responses which made the need for nutrition curriculum clear: 37% reported no experience with nutrition, less than half took coursework that covered nutrition, 59% were uncomfortable discussing eating disorders, and only 21.5% reported feeling comfortable discussing diet in relation to menopause. Post-podcast survey responses could not be analyzed due to low participation. Conclusion: Limited survey responses hinder conclusions about the podcast's potential impact; we believe this is related to the lack of value conferred upon content beyond the scope of mandated material. Nevertheless, baseline data support the need for more nutrition curriculum; we present a novel approach to expanding access to nutrition curriculum in medical education.