Preclinical Medical Students Research Articles

Supporting students with empathy: the association between empathy and coping strategies in pre-clinical medical students

How medical students cope with stress predicts their mental health and academic/clinical performances, making the promotion of functional copy strategies a relevant outcome for medical educators. Empathy has been reported to be connected with coping. This study wanted to explore the most used coping strategies and whether gender differences existed, and to investigate whether and to what extent empathy affected coping in a sample of pre-clinical medical students. In a cross-sectional study design, the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) and the Coping Orientations to the Problems Experienced - New Italian Version (COPE-NIV) were administered to 398 (53% females) Italian second-year medical students. T-tests and multiple regression analyses were used to explore gender differences and the association between IRI and COPE-NIV scores, respectively. Problem Orientation obtained the highest mean score, whereas Avoidance the lowest one. Females outscored males on Social Support (t = 4.95, p < .001) and Transcendent Orientation (t = 4.04, p < .001). After controlling for gender, Empathic Concern was positively associated with Social Support (β = 0.223, p = .001) and Transcendent Orientation (β = 0.234, p = .001). Perspective Taking was positively and negatively associated with Positive Attitude (β = 0.248, p < .001) and Transcendent Orientation (β = − 0.180, p = .008), respectively. Personal Distress was negatively related to Problem Orientation (β = − 0.250, p < .001). Educational and psychological counselling interventions targeting empathy should be implemented in the pre-clinical years to equip medical students to cope functionally with the emotional distress linked to medical school.

Vertical Transmission: The Patient, the Student, the Teacher

Vertical Transmission:The Patient, the Student, the Teacher Miguel Paniagua He did not ask for this fate, nor did he deserve it, particularly considering the tragic circumstances. Lì presented to the campus health provider one month prior with fatigue, abdominal pain, and jaundice. He and his parents immigrated to the United States from China when he was a child. He was well aware that he had hepatitis B from what is termed "vertical transmission." His mom unknowingly passed on this virus to him during her pregnancy. In most countries with a high prevalence of the virus, prenatal screening is routinely undertaken, and prophylaxis administered. I am not certain this occurred in Lì's case and at this point it did not matter. Lì knew he would live with this for the duration of his life. In fact, he told me he had gone his whole life to this point without any symptoms whatsoever. What is known about chronic hepatitis B infection is that in most people affected, it can be considered a chronic disease where most live a long full life. The risk of advancing to liver cirrhosis or cancer in general is low. This unfortunately was not the case with Lì. What transpired was what they most feared. As he was studying for his final exams, Lì endured days of worsening fatigue, malaise, and nausea. He noticed his skin was a tinge of yellow and he was having some itching that was unusual. He noticed his clothes fitting more loosely and found he had unintentionally lost twenty pounds. He visited the campus health center and after a series of tests and imaging studies, Lì was diagnosed with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, an unfortunate sequela of this chronic infection. It was then that he put school on hold and returned home to get further care. I first met Lì in the hospital as a consultant for the palliative medicine service. "He won't listen." "He is so difficult." "He is in denial." These were examples of some of the care team's exasperated assessments of his demeanor as a patient. What I did not realize prior to visiting him the first time was that Lì was a pre-clinical medical student. When I first met him, he did not want to talk very much; he was preoccupied and distant. In retrospect, I can see that he was suffering on so many levels. His appearance was gaunt and cachectic. The lights in the room cast shadows in the concave areas of his temples and his collarbones were the most prominent feature of his torso through his hospital gown. He glowed yellow from jaundice. When I examined him on this first visit, I noticed that his liver, a now grossly enlarged hard and nodular structure, occupied most of his abdomen. I found that speaking to him as a colleague, even calling him "doctor," helped him feel respected and enabled me to build rapport with him. At one point, I described to him the findings I felt in his abdomen. "I can palpate the edge of your liver here, what seems to be eight centimeters below your costal margin. There are many palpable nodularities on the ventral surface." It was at this point I invited him to palpate what I was feeling. I gently guided his own hand over his abdomen and noticed him studying the features as if they were not his own, like a skilled diagnostician. Over the course of three weeks, I visited with Lì when I was on service. The last time I saw him, he had declined rapidly, his disease progressing [End Page 17] cruelly, and he was very short of breath and becoming more somnolent. I noticed his mother in the room, standing by his bed, and crying inconsolably as he lay suffering. I felt deep anguish and remorse, wondering if she said these words to herself "It is all my fault," considering the source of his initial illness. I cannot even imagine. As I assisted the team in titrating his comfort medications, I sat with him. He shook my hand with all the strength left that he could muster and said, "you are a good doctor." I...

Mental health of pre-clinical medical students in Indonesia during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: A reflection

Mental health of pre-clinical medical students in Indonesia during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: A reflection

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Quality Education of the Medical Young Generation.

(1) Generating the need to impose social distancing to reduce the spread of the virus, the COVID-19 pandemic altered the ways in which the teaching process normally happens. The aim of our study was to determine the impact of online teaching on medical students during this period. (2) Our study included 2059 medical, dental and pharmacy students from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Grigore T. Popa", Iasi, Romania. We used a modified metacognition questionnaire after translation into Romanian and validation. Our questionnaire included 38 items, and it was divided into four parts. Academic results and preferences regarding the on-site or online courses, information regarding practical training, self-awareness in terms of one's feelings such as anger, boredom and anxiety and also substance use linked to online teaching, and contextualization of the relationship with colleagues, teachers, friends and family were among the most important points evaluated. A comparison was made between preclinical and clinical students. A five-item Linkert-like scale was used for rating the answers in the last three parts that evaluated the impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the educational process. (3) Preclinical medical students, compared to preclinical dental students, obtained statistically significant improvements in their evaluation results, with fewer failed exams (p < 0.001) and with similar results being obtained by comparing dental with pharmacy students. All students obtained statistically significant improvements in their academic results during the online evaluation. A statistically significant increase in anxiety and depression with a p-value of <0.001 was registered among our students. (4) The majority found it difficult to cope with this intense period. Both teachers and students found it difficult to adjust on such short notice to the challenges posed by the new concept of online teaching and learning.

Knowledge, Attitudes of Preclinical Medical and Dental Students in Mymensingh towards “COVID-19”: A Cross-sectional Study

In 2020, a new global pandemic Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) emerged, which was caused by a new strain of coronavirus called severe acute respiratory syndrome-corona virus (SARS-COV-2). This study aims to assess the knowledge and attitudes towards COVID-19 among preclinical medical and dental students of Community Based Medical College (CBMC,B) in Mymensingh, Bangladesh. Data were collected in September 2020. The online questionnaire was created using Google Forms after reviewing previously conducted research and posted on several online platforms accessible by the students. Most of the students (93%) were medical students, and the rest 7% were studying Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS). The mean COVID-19 knowledge score was 9.04 (SD: 2.107, Range: 0-12), suggesting an overall 75.33% correct rate. The results showed that knowledge scores are higher in male, MBBS students but the difference are not significant. Analyses showed that the knowledge scores of 1st-year participants were significantly higher than 2nd-year students. Increased knowledge score was noticed in those who were not in direct contact with COVID-19 patients and not infected by COVID-19 than others, though the difference was insignificant (P&gt;0.05). Half of the participants (50.2%) agreed that this disease will finally be successfully controlled. One hundred and sixty-seven participants (65%) had confidence that Bangladesh would get a vaccine soon to prevent the COVID-19 virus. The overall knowledge level of students was generally good. As the global threat of COVID-19 continues to emerge, improvement of knowledge and perceptions among healthcare students is essential.&#x0D; CBMJ 2023 January: Vol. 12 No. 01 P: 53-59

Impact of COVID-19 on Rocky Vista University medical students' mental health: A cross-sectional survey.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought immense changes to medical school curriculums world-wide, such as the widespread adoption of virtual learning. We sought to better understand the impact on medical students' mental health at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Parker, CO, United States. This study assessed the impact the pandemic had on anxiety and depression levels of medical students. It also assessed the impact of several domains on student mental health during the pandemic and how various sub-groups within the studied population were affected. A cross-sectional survey was sent to students through an online anonymous google survey in May to June 2021, centered around the 7-item questionnaire used to screen for Generalized Anxiety Disorder GAD-7, 9-item questionnaire used to screen for depression PHQ-9, and self-designed questions to assess the personal impact of the pandemic. Data obtained were screened for error and analyzed with significance value of p < 0.05. A total of 152 responses were received (25.5% response rate). Of these, 64.1% identified as female, 75.8% were white, 50.3% were between ages 21-25, and 77.8% were first year medical students. During the pandemic, 79.6% of respondents felt more anxious and 65.1% felt more depressed. 67.8% of students reported feeling social isolation amidst the pandemic. Students living with friends were more likely to see a therapist for depression during the pandemic (p = 0.0169) and prescribed an antidepressant (p = 0.0394). Females and students in relationships were more likely to score higher on GAD-7 (p = 0.0194) and (p = 0.0244), respectively. This study investigated the effect of the pandemic on medical students' mental health and the need to address this issue. Results suggest that the pandemic had a negative impact on medical student's mental health and that anxiety and depression levels worsened for pre-clinical medical students at Rocky Vista University. As such, it is imperative to incorporate additional resources to protect the well-being of medical students as they progress through their medical careers.

Assessing contributing factors to fine motor skills in preclinical medical students

Assessing contributing factors to fine motor skills in preclinical medical students

Implementation and evaluation of an elective quality improvement curriculum for preclinical students: a prospective controlled study

BackgroundQuality improvement (QI) is a systematic approach to improving healthcare delivery with applications across all fields of medicine. However, exposure to QI is minimal in early medical education. We evaluated the effectiveness of an elective QI curriculum in teaching preclinical health professional students foundational QI concepts.MethodsThis prospective controlled cohort study was conducted at a single academic institution. The elective QI curriculum consisted of web-based video didactics and exercises, supplemented with in-person classroom discussions. An optional hospital-based QI project was offered. Assessments included pre- and post-intervention surveys evaluating QI skills and beliefs and attitudes, quizzes, and Quality Improvement Knowledge Application Tool-Revised (QIKAT-R) cases. Within-group pre-post and between-group comparisons were performed using descriptive statistics.ResultsOverall, 57 preclinical medical or physician assistant students participated under the QI curriculum group (N = 27) or control group (N = 30). Twenty-three (85%) curriculum students completed a QI project. Mean quiz scores were significantly improved in the curriculum group from pre- to post-assessment (Quiz 1: 2.0, P < 0.001; Quiz 2: 1.7, P = 0.002), and the mean differences significantly differed from those in the control group (Quiz 1: P < 0.001; Quiz 2: P = 0.010). QIKAT-R scores also significantly differed among the curriculum group versus controls (P = 0.012). In the curriculum group, students had improvements in their confidence with all 10 QI skills assessed, including 8 that were significantly improved from pre- to post-assessment, and 4 with significant between-group differences compared with controls. Students in both groups agreed that their medical education would be incomplete without a QI component and that they are likely to be involved in QI projects throughout their medical training and practice.ConclusionsThe elective QI curriculum was effective in guiding preclinical students to develop their QI knowledge base and skillset. Preclinical students value QI as an integral component of their medical training. Future directions involve evaluating the impact of this curriculum on clinical clerkship performance and across other academic institutions.

Stress levels among pre-clinical Medical students and their coping strategies

BACKGROUND &amp; OBJECTIVE: Stress is no doubt prevalent among medical students. Insight into how different personality types cope with this challenge might give the opportunity to healthcare authorities to devise a more standardized guideline for conducting a psychological aptitude test at the time of intake into medical school. Our objective is to look at the stress and anxiety among medical students and how different personality types cope with stress.&#x0D; METHODOLOGY: A Cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out at CMH Kharian Medical College from November 2020 to May 2021. Agha Khan University, Anxiety and Depression Scale was employed to assess stress and anxiety levels among medical students. Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was used to identify personality traits, and the “Brief COPE Inventory Scale” was employed to investigate stress coping styles(approach or avoidant) among students. SPSS was used to analyze the results.&#x0D; RESULTS: Out of 158 participants, 108(68.4%) were females, and 50(31.6%) were males. More than half of the preclinical medical students, 93(58.86%) were having stress [females 73(67.59%), males 20(40%)]. Personality types showed that 100(63.3%) students belonged to the introvert group, while 58(36.7%) students belonged to the extrovert group. Most participants, 144(91%) students, adopted approach coping styles rather than avoidant ones (14 (8.86%). Stress was significantly associated with personality types (p=0.021), coping style (p=0.007), and gender (female) (p=0.001). However, we did not find any association between personality types &amp; coping styles (p=0.936).&#x0D; CONCLUSION: High level of stress and anxiety (58.86%) was found among students and was more prevalent among females and extroverted medical students. Both personality types (extroverts and introverts) used approach coping styles rather than avoidant trends.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the readiness of last year's medical students for clinical rotation

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic affects various aspects of human life. To minimize the impact of lockdown, medical schools used online learning systems. However, online education also impacts student readiness, especially last year's medical students who will soon undergo clinical rotation. Therefore, this article aims to discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the readiness of last year's medical students for clinical rotation. This study was a literature review that used several databases and online sources: Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Pubmed (MEDLINE), and Cochrane Library, to search relevant journals related to the topic. Based on the literature search, the transition from student to doctor has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a substantial impact on medical student education, especially on interruptions of student assistantship that disturb students’ preparation, self-assurance and professional identity. The online education system in the last year of pre-clinical medical students involves changing the medical curriculum, duration of lectures, lecture schedules, and academic material loads, which are carried out through the implementation of online material sources or meeting platforms. However, the online education system also has several barriers that cause learning effectiveness that is not comparable to traditional face-to-face education systems, including the level of ability of both teachers and students to adapt online, time management, supporting infrastructure, integrated communication systems, and student engagement. This also had an impact on both students' theoretical and practical skills. Several factors also affect the student's readiness, including student assistantship interruption, OSCEs, written exams, competence, clerkship orientation, learning style, classroom environment, and mental health.

Colorectal Cancer Screening Decisions From Student-Led Telemedicine Initiative During COVID-19.

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant decrease in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening leading to delayed diagnoses and increased cancer deaths. To mitigate these burgeoning gaps in care, we developed a medical student-led service learning project aimed at improving rates of colorectal cancer screening at the Farrell Health Center (FHC), a primary care practice within the Ambulatory Care Network (ACN) at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. A cohort of 973 FHC patients aged 50-75 years were identified as possibly overdue for screening. Student volunteers reviewed patient charts to confirm screening eligibility and then contacted patients to offer colonoscopy or stool DNA test. Following the patient outreach intervention, medical student volunteers completed a questionnaire to assess the educational value for the service-learning experience. Fifty-three percent of identified patients were due for CRC screening; 67.8% of eligible patients were reached by volunteers. Among the patients reached, 47.0% were referred for CRC screening. No statistical significance was observed between likelihood of CRC screening acceptance and patient age or sex; 87% of medical student volunteers felt that the service-learning project was a valuable educational experience. The student-led patient telehealth outreach program is an effective model for identifying and referring patients overdue for CRC screening and an enriching educational experience for preclinical medical students. The structure provides a valuable framework to address gaps in health care maintenance.

Preclinical and Clinical Medical Student Attitudes Toward the Care of the Dying: Testing the 9-Item Version of the Frommelt Attitude Toward the Care of the Dying Scale.

The demand for palliative care is increasing worldwide. Beyond the acquisition of technical knowledge, the development of adequate personal disposition toward the relationship with the dying is a key aspect of the future training of doctors. This study evaluates the psychometric properties of the 9-Item Version of the Frommelt Attitude Toward the Care of the Dying Scale (FATCOD-9IT) the authors recently developed and its capability to distinguish medical students with different attitudes toward the care of the dying and at different stages of medical training. The study included 595 medical students, 400 at the first and 195 at the fifth year. The Rasch rating scale model was specified to assess scale dimensionality, functioning and measurement invariance. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability and between-group difference sensitivity (first-vs fifth-year students) were evaluated using Cronbach's alpha, Intraclass correlation coefficients, Paired sample t-test and Mann-Whitney U. Scale unidimensionality, rating scale functioning and measurement invariance were established. The scale demonstrated good internal consistency and test-retest reliability, and adequately discriminated between first- and fifth-year students. The study supports the validity and reliability of the FATCOD-9IT. Its effectiveness, simplicity of compilation and score calculation, and gratuitousness encourage its widespread use as fast assessment of the medical student attitudes toward the care of the dying.

Does the Teaching Modality and Exam Proctoring Setting Influence Pre-Clinical Medical Students' Performance? A Retrospective Cohort Study of Student Performance in Remote Versus Face-to-Face Setting, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The intent of this study is to compare the academic performance of pre-clinical medical students in online teaching with online proctoring settings versus face-to-face (F2F) teaching with traditional F2F exam proctoring settings. In 2019, the world was faced with a rapidly progressive pandemic of COVID-19. Consequently, numerous institutions have opted to transform from the traditional F2F teaching method to an online modality, ensuring the safety of their students and maintaining the effectiveness of their educational programs. In particular, medical universities faced a unique challenge in creating a new learning system due to their atypical curriculum, which often involves hands-on training and is not easily adaptable to remote teaching. The core of this study is based on the scores of first-year undergraduate medical students across three academic years from the Mohamed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Dubai (MBRU), United Arab Emirates (UAE). Course and semester grades were collected and compared in both F2F and online teaching modalities as well as exam settings. Our results show that major courses with high-credit courses had no difference in students' performance regardless of the teaching modality, and in low-credit courses, students generally did better in the online teaching modality. Regarding exam settings, no significant difference was observed in students' performance. With few studies examining the variations between F2F and online teaching, the current study in the UAE is the first study comparing academic performance during the COVID-19 era. Our findings illustrate no significant difference between both online and traditional F2F learning. Therefore, given the considerable potential of alternative teaching modalities, future studies are encouraged to explore the efficacy of online learning and proctoring methods.

An Approach to Leadership Development and Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Education in the Context of Professional Identity Formation in Pre-Clinical Medical Students.

Leadership and patient safety and quality improvement (PSQI) are recognized as essential parts of a physician's role and identity, which are important for residency training. Providing adequate opportunities for undergraduate medical students to learn skills related to these areas, and their importance, is challenging. The Western University Professional Identity Course (WUPIC) was introduced to develop leadership and PSQI skills in second-year medical students while also aiming to instill these topics into their identities. The experiential learning portion was a series of student-led and physician-mentored PSQI projects in clinical settings that synthesized leadership and PSQI principles. Course evaluation was done through pre/post-student surveys and physician mentor semi-structured interviews. A total of 108 of 188 medical students (57.4%), and 11 mentors (20.7%), participated in the course evaluation. Student surveys and mentor interviews illustrated improved student ability to work in teams, self-lead, and engage in systems-level thinking through the course. Students improved their PSQI knowledge and comfort levels while also appreciating its importance. The findings from our study suggest that undergraduate medical students can be provided with an enriching leadership and PSQI experience through the implementation of faculty-mentored but student-led groups at the core of the curricular intervention. As students enter their clinical years, their first-hand PSQI experience will serve them well in increasing their capacity and confidence to take on leadership roles.

A Student-Designed Multimodal Sex- and Gender-Based Women's Health Elective Program: Advocacy Curriculum for Medical Students.

The objective of this article is to describe the design and implementation of a multimodal, student-driven, sex- and gender-based women's health (SGBWH) elective with a curricular focus on patient and legislative advocacy. In this single arm, pre/post design, interventional study, we detail and evaluate the use of social media, newsletters, and round-table discussions in conjunction with a traditional lecture-based educational format to engage medical students in a virtual learning environment. We developed a 22-week SGBWH curriculum for pre-clinical and clinical medical students, which included a series of lectures on multi-specialty and gender-inclusive topics related to SGBWH, small group discussions with community leaders and legislators involved in women's health advocacy, and other self-directed resources such as social media, a website, and digital newsletters. Students were surveyed before and after completing the curriculum to assess for increases in self-reported confidence in advocating for their female and gender minority patients. One hundred and one students completed the anonymous pre- and post-elective surveys. There was statistically significant improvement in 8 of the 12 self-reported confidence measures. Eight (8%) participants identified their sex as male. Fifty-five (55%) participants stated future interest in primary care specialties (Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Pediatrics). Our curriculum improved medical students' self-reported confidence in advocating for their female and gender minority patients when controlling for sex and specialty interest of participants. The success of our multimodal approach demonstrates the value in incorporating resources such as social media as tools for education and advocacy in the evolving landscape of medical education.

Results of a controlled study in lifestyle medicine in a cohort of preclinical medical students

Background: Lifestyle Medicine (LM) is an emerging field that can enable providers to educate patients on the impact of their health behaviors. Therefore, LM is emerging as an important component of medical education. But studies investigating the effects of LM education in medical students are sparse. Aims: This paper reports on a controlled study to test the effects of a lifestyle medicine education elective within the medical school curriculum. Methods: The study was IRB approved. Fifty-eight preclinical students gave informed consent. Students completed screening instruments which assessed physical activity, consumption of fats and fruits/vegetables, anxiety, perceived distress, and mood. First-year students were assigned to the control group and were reassessed after three months. Second-year students chose one of three focus groups (nutrition, stress management or physical activity) and set a personal goal for change. Each focus group met a minimum of three times. At the end of the intervention, they were reassessed. The controls had the opportunity to participate in the same focus groups for the same amount of time. Statistical analysis comprised analysis of covariance and paired t-tests. Results: Intervention students performed better than the controls in reducing perceived stress, anxiety, and dietary fat. Paired t-tests comparing baseline and post intervention in all subjects who had the intervention revealed significant improvements in perceived stress, anxiety, mood, dietary fat, fruits and vegetables consumption and number of minutes of physical activity. Analysis of the focus groups pre and post measures showed significant improvements in anxiety and perceived stress in the stress management groups, improvements in both measures of nutrition, but no significant changes in physical activity. Conclusion: It is feasible to add LM concepts and techniques to the medical school curriculum. Medical students significantly improved multiple lifestyle medicine behaviors after being part of the elective. They also experienced the process of setting SMART goals and implementing a plan for change, which can be useful in their future practice.

Self-directed learning readiness among Saudi undergraduate medical students in the pre-clinical versus clinical years

Background: This study aimed to assess the self-directed learning readiness (SDLR) level among the pre-clinical versus clinical years and identify the factors influencing this level. Methods: A validated, cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. SDL Instrument was sent to medical students at Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University using an online survey tool. Participants were asked to rate their learning motivation, planning, implementation, self-monitoring, and interpersonal motivation. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: The findings demonstrate that more than half of the study participants had an above-average level of SDL. Pre-clinical students (80.1 ± 11.1) reported higher total mean scores compared with clinical students (75.3 ± 12.6). The highest scores were for the learning motivation and planning/implementation domains. Female students scored higher (79.3 ± 11.4) than male students (75.1 ± 12.7). A negative correlation in age was observed; however, the grade point average showed a positive correlation with the mean SDL score. Conclusion: Undergraduate pre-clinical medical students felt adequately prepared and motivated in planning and implementing SDL. However, a decreased level of SDLR was observed among students in their clinical years. Further longitudinal studies are recommended to assess the causes of deterioration in SDLR levels among clinical students.

The Medical Student Experience With Prework.

The objective of this study is to better understand the medical student experience with prework to determine what factors influence their motivation to complete prework. Medical education has been shifting to more active learning-type sessions such as flipped classrooms but these activities are unsuccessful when students do not complete the associated prework. The literature is lacking on why students do not complete prework and what would motivate them to do so. This qualitative study aims to answer those questions through the view of expectancy-value motivation theory. Thirteen preclinical medical students participated in a semistructured basic interview study investigating their experience with prework. Interview transcripts were coded, and codes were clustered and analyzed for themes. Students develop particular routines they find successful for their studies. They explain how time in their schedules and the amount of time prework takes to complete plays a role in their study environment which must be favorable in order to complete prework. Students view video prework more favorably compared to reading assignments. Students note how the opinions of their peers influence their decision to complete prework. Each of these factors influences student motivation to complete prework. This study finds that motivation to complete prework is influenced by the environment, format, and use of prework, student interest and prior knowledge, and peer influence. The combination of these factors determines whether a student believes they are capable of completing prework and if they find it valuable. In order to increase motivation to complete prework, faculty should consider how to address these factors in a way that students are able to fit prework into their study routines. This study provides the first step in understanding the medical student experience with prework and suggests directions for future studies to maximize student motivation to complete prework.

Relationship between Hemispheric Preference Score and Academic Performance among Preclinical Medical Students Studying Medicine and Dentistry.

Understanding the style of learning and thinking (SOLAT) of the students is necessary to keep students actively involved in learning, which could influence the academic performance of the students. The objective of this study was to compare the right and left hemisphere preferences for processing information with academic performance of medical students in both theory and practical exams. The hemispheric preference score for learning and thinking style among first year MBBS (95) and BDS (42) students was determined by SOLAT tool prepared by Dr. V. Venkataraman (1994). A comparison of the hemispheric score between high achievers and low achievers in theory and practical exams was performed by using the unpaired Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney U-test. The mean hemispheric scores for the right hemisphere, left hemisphere, and whole brain were 26.51, 14.5, and 6.76, respectively. High achievers in theory exam and practical exam received a higher left-hemispheric score and whole-brain score than low achievers; the difference in the mean value of hemispheric score was statistically not significant. There was no statistically significant relationship between academic achievement and hemispheric preference scores.

Integrating High-Value Care Concepts into Preclinical Medical Education: A Practical Approach.

Although some US medical schools have incorporated high-value care into their preclinical curriculum, there is no standardized approach and major curricular overhaul can be prohibitively onerous. The objectives of this study were to develop a feasible and effective high-value care curriculum, integrate it into an existing pre-clinical course, and assess student and faculty perceptions of the educational value of the curriculum. Between 2019 and 2021, University of Vermont preclinical medical students participating in the Students & Trainees Advocating for Resource Stewardship (STARS) program collaborated with the faculty director of the preclinical pathophysiology course to identify Choosing Wisely® recommendations relevant to course topics. For each recommendation, STARS students created a case-based, multiple-choice question, answer key and rationale to accompany standard course materials. At each year's course completion, participating students and faculty were invited to complete a survey to assess their perceptions of the curriculum. Seventeen case-based questions were integrated into existing pathophysiology course sessions each year. Over the 3-year period, 420 students and 35 teaching faculty participated in the course, and 171 (40.7%) students and 24 (68.6%) faculty completed the post-course survey. Among student respondents, 80% agreed the curriculum increased their awareness of high-value care, 79% agreed they would be more likely to apply high-value care concepts during their medical career, and 92% agreed it was valuable to discuss Choosing Wisely® recommendations during the second year of medical school. A student-led initiative to incorporate high-value care content within an existing pre-clinical course was well-received by medical students, who reported increased awareness of and intention to apply high-value care principles. This model may offer a feasible and effective approach to high-value care education in the absence of an extensive formal curriculum.