Prematriculation Program Research Articles

Assessing the benefits of an online prematriculation anatomy workshop on knowledge acquisition and anatomy competency in a Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

Preparing students for the transition to graduate-level education with greater learning demands in a condensed time frame is a challenging process for health professions educators and incoming students. Prematriculation programs offer a solution for exposing students to the foundational sciences in preparation for the academic rigor of a doctoral program. This retrospective study assessed whether incoming students enrolled across 3 yr of a 2-day online anatomy workshop, offered in July and August before the start of their first semester resulted in improved anatomy knowledge. Whether this acquired knowledge translated to improved anatomy outcomes in the first semester of a Doctor of Physical Therapy program was also assessed, while also accounting for variables of gender, ethnicity, and grade-point average. Knowledge acquired during both days of the workshop resulted in statistically significant improvements in anatomy postquiz scores compared to the baseline prequiz (P < 0.001). Multivariate regression analyses demonstrated statistically significant relationships between the first-semester anatomy practical score and workshop participation (P = 0.04) as well as a predictive value of gender (P = 0.01). Evaluating a timing effect on the predictive value of the online anatomy workshop demonstrated statistically significant effects of the prematriculation workshop on both first-semester anatomy practicals for August (P = 0.03 for practical 1; P = 0.04 for practical 2) but not July workshop participants. Findings from this study support the utility of an online prematriculation anatomy workshop to prepare students for graduate-level anatomy learning expectations in a doctoral allied health program.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This paper presents the findings of a retrospective study examining the effectiveness of an online prematriculation anatomy workshop on knowledge acquisition and first-semester anatomy competency following the success of a previously offered peer-led onsite workshop. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an online prematriculation program that successfully introduces graduate-level learning expectations and access to anatomical resources leading to improved anatomy competency in an allied health professional program.

Integrated Case-Based Learning Session for Breast and Upper Limb Anatomy.

Medical students are frequently introduced to medical school curricula through anatomy coursework, which often includes histology and embryology content. As medical education has increasingly emphasized integration of content areas, use of activities such as case-based learning (CBL) sessions has grown. Little published work has demonstrated the effectiveness of CBL sessions in integrating anatomy, embryology, and histology on first-year medical students' ability to improve content mastery and adapt their study techniques. We developed a CBL session that included anatomy, embryology, and histology content covering the upper extremity and breast pathology that was taught to incoming first-year medical students (N = 51) during a prematriculation program in the summers of 2022 and 2023. The session involved completion of an individual pre- and postsession quiz; group completion of clinical cases involving image interpretation, matching exercises, and construction of diagrams, flowcharts, or tables; and a postsession survey with Likert-style and free-response questions about preparation and session effectiveness. Postsession quiz scores significantly improved (p < .001). On the postsession survey (response rate: 59%), students commented that they enjoyed the real-life application and integration of the cases and that the sessions improved their understanding of the connections between content areas. Other comments demonstrated that students were evaluating and adapting their study approach in preparation for the sessions, often using techniques introduced and practiced in the sessions. CBL sessions can provide opportunities to incoming first-year medical students to practice, adapt, and evaluate study techniques while delivering integrated content.

Transitioning to Medical School: An Innovative Pre-matriculation Program.

Medical schools use pre-matriculation programs consisting of knowledge-based curricula to prepare at-risk students. There is limited evidence showing the direct benefit of these programs with long-term success. We propose a pre-matriculation program focused on professional development and wellness to facilitate student acclimation and, in turn, academic success.

Olsen's "Standard Book of British Birds"? Selecting Appropriate Resources for Pre-matriculation Programs

Olsen's "Standard Book of British Birds"? Selecting Appropriate Resources for Pre-matriculation Programs

Pilot Study Exploring the Feasibility of Incorporating Radiation Oncology Into Pre-existing Early Pathway Programs for Diverse Premedical Students

Many medical schools in the United States have affiliated pathway, preparatory, and/or prematriculation programs that enroll a high percentage of students historically underrepresented in medicine (URiM). The purpose of this pilot study was to better characterize exposures to radiation oncology (RO) among students in these programs and determine the feasibility of incorporating a radiation oncologist within their pre-existing format if nonexistent. During the summers of 2021 and 2022, a radiation oncologist gave a presentation about basic principles of cancer care to 18 unique student groups in 12 premedical programs affiliated with 8 medical schools. Participating students were asked to complete an anonymous postpresentation questionnaire. Descriptive statistics are reported. A total of 467 students attended the presentations, and 241 completed the questionnaire (response rate 52.0%). The majority of participants reported being female (63.5%), URiM (66.4%), and low income (57.3%). Students were less likely to report previous teaching from a radiation oncologist (11.2%) than a surgical (17.0%) or medical oncologist (18.3%). Prior clinical shadowing with a radiation oncologist (2.9%) was also less likely than shadowing a surgical oncologist (5.0%), medical oncologist (6.6%), or any other physician (53.1%). Students were also less likely to previously believe that radiation could cure cancer (65.8%) compared with surgery (74.9%) or chemotherapy (89.3%). After the presentation, 168 students (69.7%) were more interested in a career in RO, and 211 students (87.6%) responded that the presentation was either quite or extremely valuable (median Likert-type score, 5; interquartile range, 4-5). Many of the students in premedical programs lack prior exposure to RO or knowledge of multidisciplinary cancer care, which was ameliorated by a simple yet effective presentation across a variety of different types of programs in this study. Longitudinal assessment of different types of educational initiatives and students' ultimate career trajectory will help optimize future RO initiatives among premedical URiM students.

Integration of Gross Anatomy, Histology, and Pathology in a Pre-matriculation Curriculum: A Triple-Discipline Approach.

In recent years, many schools have cut back on their teaching and laboratory hours, and courses in the anatomical sciences are more integrated into the horizontal and longitudinal curriculums. Traditionally, teaching in anatomical science classes consists of lectures and laboratory sessions. Usually, gross anatomy and histology are the two main courses in pre-matriculation programs. The summer pre-matriculation program at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) was designed to better prepare students for success in their first year of medicine and dentistry. The course provided these students with an opportunity to study gross anatomy and histology ahead of time and develop their learning skills for the coming academic year. Historically, gross anatomy and histology courses have been taught separately with a different emphasis. We have designed a new approach to implement gross anatomy, histology, and pathology-all three disciplines-in a single lecture in the organ section of the histology course. This triple-discipline (triple lecture) approach allows three professors in anatomy, histology, and pathology to work together in a two-and-a-half-hour review lecture. This approach allows students to develop their critical thinking skills and better prepares them to transfer basic anatomic knowledge into their future clinical practice. Students indicated this was their first experience with the triple-discipline approach, and they remarked that it helped them integrate anatomy and histology as well as demonstrate the clinical importance of the structures and organs. This approach can be used at different stages of medical education and helps faculty and students better integrate various disciplines and is more suitable in the modern curriculum. A similar approach was used in our fourth year course in medical histology.

Pilot Study Exploring the Feasibility and Value of Introducing Diverse Students in Premedical Programs to Multidisciplinary Oncology

<h3>Purpose/Objective(s)</h3> The radiation oncology (RO) workforce has less racial and ethnic diversity than most medical specialties. Some important components of cultivating students' interest in RO include early access to the specialty, development of sustained mentor and sponsor relationships, and publication of oncology research. However, because RO is uncommonly incorporated into curricula at US medical schools, there is potentially value in efforts to expose premedical students to RO. Many US medical schools have affiliated pipeline, preparatory, and/or prematriculation programs that enroll a high percentage of students historically underrepresented in medicine (UIM), but only approximately one-fourth of academic RO departments report interacting with these programs. We hypothesize that it will be feasible for radiation oncologists to proactively engage students in these programs, and students' perceived interest in oncology will increase because of it. <h3>Materials/Methods</h3> Leaders of 6 premedical programs designed primarily for UIM students affiliated with 4 US medical schools (each of which had an affiliated RO department) were emailed to assess their interest in a 45-minute virtual presentation introducing multidisciplinary cancer care. All programs lacked any similar didactic, and agreed. A presentation titled "Translating Scientific Principles into Practice in the Care of Patients with Cancer" was given to each program individually. An electronic survey of multiple choice and Likert-type questions was used to capture data from participating students. Descriptive statistics are reported. <h3>Results</h3> 96 students completed the survey, out of 284 attendees (response rate 34%). 66 students were female (69%). 34 students self-identified as Black (55%), 26 Asian (27%), 13 white (14%), 10 multi-racial (10%), and 18 other race (19%). 27 students identified as Hispanic ethnicity (28%). 46 students (48%) were post-baccalaureate medical school pre-matriculants, 18 (19%) were in college, 32 (31%) were in high school or younger. 88 (92%) plan to attend medical school. 61 participants (64%) were previously aware of the field of RO, whereas 9 (9%) had previously heard a presentation from a radiation oncologist. After the presentation, 74 students (77%) expressed increased interest in a career in oncology (including 64% more interested in RO, 68% in medical oncology, and 55% in surgical oncology). 77 students (80%) desired further clinical shadowing, 60 (63%) an oncology research project, 30 (31%) attending a tumor board, and 35 (36%) more virtual oncology educational content. <h3>Conclusion</h3> RO participation in premedical programs with predominantly UIM students was feasible in all programs contacted, and inspired interest in oncology among the majority of students. Future work will expand this outreach at similar programs affiliated with more US medical schools.

Trailblazers in Medicine: First-Generation Students' Sense of Belonging at Indiana University School of Medicine.

Purpose: As medical schools work to diversify the field, it is important to understand the experience of First Generation (First Gen) students. The majority of medical students have a parent with a college degree, and many have a physician parent. This creates an uneven playing field for First Gen students, who make up to 20% of the medical student population; half of these students are also underrepresented in medicine. 1 As the first in their family to graduate from college, these students often do not have access to the same social capital as their peers. Compared with the general population, First Gen students have increased levels of stress, fatigue, financial worries, and a lower quality of life and social support ratings. 2 When medical students feel supported by their medical school, they report higher engagement in self-care and decreased stress levels. 3 This study evaluated the level of support experienced by First Gen students at Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM) and their sense of belonging. IUSM currently has a First Gen student group and annual programs and this study was developed to determine tangible solutions to provide better support for first-generation students in medical school. Given the dearth of research on First Gen medical students, this study can provide insight to other professionals on factors to be reviewed when developing a holistic approach to First Gen student support. Method: Our research questions were: How are first-generation students in medical school supported or not supported at IUSM, and where are there areas for improvement at IUSM? Which factors, if any, contribute to first-generation students in medical school’s sense of belonging at IUSM? We conducted 16 qualitative Zoom interviews with each interview ranging between 15 and 45 minutes with First Generation medical students at IUSM. Interviews consisted of 6 structured questions and 1 question for additional information. Results: We discovered that students found a sense of belonging through pre-matriculation programs, peer mentors, lead advisors, and through the First Generation Committee. Students did not feel a sense of belonging due to a lack of resources curated specifically for First Generation students, an increased need for specialized training for staff and faculty to better support first-generation students, and more in-person community building events with those who share the first-generation identity. Discussion: To cultivate a diverse workforce, medical schools should provide an increased focus on specialized support services and advising strategies for staff and faculty as they work with First Gen students. To develop a sense of community, schools should collaborate to create more intentional social programming for this subpopulation of students to contribute to greater levels of sense of belonging and support. A registry of First Gen students, faculty, and staff can aid in community building. Schools should consider developing an intentional mentorship through family clusters and peer mentorship pairings with other First Gen community members. Finally, resources explaining the “hidden curriculum” must be developed. Significance: First Gen students are a strength to the profession, often possessing resiliency and an ability to connect with diverse patients. Yet, topics that educators assume students understand—such as Step exams, health care systems, what is an ICU, how much they should expect to pay for study materials—must instead be taught. To support First Gen student wellness and academic performance, new structures must become embedded within undergraduate medical education. Acknowledgments: The authors wish to thank the first-generation medical students at Indiana University for sharing their time and experiences with us.

Influences of Medical School Admissions Practices on Primary Care Career Choice.

Medical schools should understand how to matriculate students who are more likely to enter primary care specialties and put admissions processes into place that achieve this result. However, there are no existing reviews that have systematically evaluated medical school admission practices and primary care specialty choice. We conducted a narrative synthesis utilizing a systematic literature search to evaluate the effectiveness of medical school admission strategies designed to increase the percentage of graduates entering primary care specialties. We included 34 articles in the narrative review. Multiple prematriculation programs that appear to produce students with a high likelihood of entering primary care have been described in the literature. However, all of these studies are from single institutions, were observational, and limited by selection bias. Applicants who self-identify an interest in primary care, grew up with a rural background, and are older at matriculation are more likely to enter primary care, with stated interest in primary care being most predictive. Gender and race have been associated with primary care specialty choice in some studies, but not all. Insufficient literature on admissions policies and procedures exists to draw conclusions about best practices. Medical schools that want to increase the percentage of graduates entering primary care should consider developing a prematriculation program that attracts and prepares motivated and talented students with primary care interest. Admissions committees should understand which demographic criteria are associated with increased likelihood of entering primary care. The most important identifiable trait is an applicant's stated interest in primary care.

An Integrated Anatomy Pre‐Matriculation Program for At‐Risk Medical Students

IntroductionEntering medical school can be a stressful transition for students. Similarly, few students have experience in anatomical coursework. To ease this burden, pre‐matriculation programs, particularly focusing on anatomy, have been created at other universities. In 2021, the Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM) implemented a pre‐matriculation program (termed the Leadership and Academic Development Scholars; LEAD Scholars) targeting under‐represented students in medicine (URiM). Disadvantages resulting in academic performance disparities have been observed at IUSM for URiM students. The goal of this study was to identify medical students’ preparedness for anatomy and determine the impact of this program on diminishing disparities in student success.MethodsIn an IRB‐approved study, matriculating medical students identified as URiM or demonstrated other risk factors for diminished access to educational resources were invited to participate in the LEAD Scholars program; 25 accepted. The program lasted four weeks prior to the start of the first semester and mostly covered content presented in the first unit of the medical integrated anatomy course. The program concluded with a no‐stakes final exam. Mann‐Whitney analyses compared LEADS with non‐LEADS student performance throughout the integrated anatomy course in the professional curriculum. LEADS students were also asked to complete questionnaires to determine prior anatomy experience and perceived benefits of this experience.ResultsOnly 27% of LEADS students had undergraduate anatomy experience. Prior dissection experience was primarily isolated to individual organs (68%) followed by frogs and fetal pigs (41%), and human cadavers (36%). LEADS students reported feeling equally prepared (36%) and unprepared (36%) for the LEADS program, while 24% felt somewhat prepared. Following completion of the LEADS program, 100% of students recommended taking an anatomy course prior to medical school. Finally, there was no significant difference between the performance of LEADS students and non‐LEADS students in the professional anatomy course for all combined unit exams (n=3) and a cumulative anatomy NBME exam.ConclusionOverall, LEADs students performed equal to the non‐LEADs cohort in the medical program, suggesting success of the LEADs program as traditionally these students struggle academically. LEADs students did not have extensive anatomy experience, with prior dissection experience focusing on non‐human specimens. Following completion of the program, 100% of students recommended taking anatomy prior to medical school, which demonstrates students’ recognition of the importance anatomy experience prior to medical school. Further qualitative analyses will be done on questionnaire and interview data to integrate student perceptions.SignificanceTo our knowledge, this is the first pre‐matriculation program of its kind that attempts to target URiM and academically disadvantaged students entering medical school.

Developing a well-received pre-matriculation program: the evolution of MedFIT

BackgroundThe transition to medical school marks a very stressful time for matriculating students. Despite this challenging transition period, intellectually rigorous pre-matriculation programs are not a common component of the curriculum at many medical schools across the country. Students are often not given the opportunity to learn about the high expectations of medical school before being thrown into classes. Thus, more time and attention should be devoted to curricular interventions that target this critical window in medical education.MethodsMedFIT is a robust, 1.5-week orientation program that introduces matriculating students to the rigors of medical school in a low-stakes environment. This program provides students with a preview of the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med) curriculum through hands-on learning sessions in addition to exposing them to extracurricular opportunities and research initiatives. Furthermore, MedFIT connects incoming students with second-year mentors, laying the foundation for longitudinal peer mentorship.FindingsQualitative survey feedback from each subsequent class has been increasingly positive, demonstrating MedFIT’s effectiveness in improving students’ academic and interprofessional transitions into medical school. Despite the program's hybrid format in 2020 due to COVID-19, overall ratings were as positive as the previous year. Additionally, students had decreased rates of remediation, repeated years, and withdrawal, and had better Match outcomes when compared to students who participated in UNR Med’s previous orientation program.Discussion and conclusionsMedFIT remains a well-received, adaptable entity that is continuously modified every year to best supplement student needs and mirror the pre-clinical curricular landscape present at that time.

An On-Ramp to Student Success: A Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluation of a Developmental Education Reform at the City University of New York

Most community college students are referred to developmental education courses to build basic skills. These students often struggle in these courses and college more broadly. CUNY Start is a prematriculation program for students assessed as having significant remedial needs. CUNY Start students delay matriculation for one semester and receive time-intensive instruction in math, reading, and writing with a prescribed pedagogy delivered by trained teachers. The program aims to help students complete remediation and prepare for college-level courses. This article describes the results of an experiment at four community colleges (n ~ 3,800). We estimate that over 3 years, including one semester that students spent in the program and two-and-a-half years after the program was complete, CUNY Start substantially increased college readiness, slightly increased credit accumulation, and modestly increased graduation rates (by increasing participation in CUNY’s highly effective Accelerated Study in Associate Programs [ASAP]).

A Virtual Interdisciplinary and Interprofessional Educational Program (VIP) for Pre‐Matriculated Doctor of Pharmacy Students to Bridge Prerequisite Pharmacology Content

COVID-19 vastly disrupted education across the globe, creating unique challenges for health professions education (HPE) programs. While in some instances, COVID was perceived to serve as a potential driving force for transformative change in HPE through necessary “disruptive innovation”, a number of challenges have been identified, particularly for pharmacy education in countries as diverse as Japan, Nigeria, the United States, and United Kingdom. Worldwide adoption of online education in response to the pandemic's disruption need careful and long-term evaluation to ensure that adequate learner acquisition of skills-based and didactic curriculum occurred during this time. Nowhere is this need more urgent than for curriculum associated with interprofessional pre-matriculation programs. In 2018, we created an interdisciplinary, one-week-long pre-matriculation program to help incoming pharmacy students be adequately prepared for the rigors of a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program. In summer 2020, we modified and expanded this pre-matriculation program by adding primers introducing interprofessional education, and cross-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary aspects related to pharmacy school and conducted a case-controlled, retrospective, single-blinded (blinded to the teaching faculty) study analysis through a comparison of learning metrics between 2019 and 2020. The two-week-long virtual program, co-taught by ten faculty members, was offered for six hours daily during the summer of 2020 in the week preceding orientation week for first professional year students in our Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program. Case Based Learning and aspects of Team Based Learning were incorporated to engage twenty-two pre-matriculation students enrolled for our Doctor of Pharmacy program. This virtual program was designed to overcome diversity in pre-requisite course content and identify and address gaps in students’ abilities to relate foundational science knowledge with pharmacy subjects. The following subjects were included: cardiovascular, neuro, and renal pathophysiology and pharmacology, and skills-based courses such as introduction to simulation, clinical decision making, interprofessional education, graduate writing. The third area we focused on included emotional and mental health and resiliency in the current pandemic. Mixed method evaluation was used including comparing student perceptions of their learning on a twenty-question survey instrument and comparison of the post-activity quiz data. Seventy-seven percent of the attending students from 2020 agreed and 22 percent strongly agreed that the virtual program helped them connect the dots between pathophysiology and pharmacology and pharmacology and skills-based courses such as interprofessional education. Post-activity quiz results did not show any significant difference between the two cohorts suggesting that the online learning environment was at least as effective as the in-person environment. The major limitation was the small class size, paucity of time for specific topics, and familiarity with technology.

A Career Eulogy Reflective Exercise: A View into Early Professional Identity Formation

Beginning medical students have a very early idea of what their physician identity will be. Providing a brief structured opportunity to reflect on the end of their career can be an important first step in identity formation. A reflective exercise was used in the summer prior to beginning medical school as each class of students at a regional rural medical school began a summer prematriculation program from 2015-2019. Students wrote what they wished to be said about them at the end of their career using a “Career Eulogy.” Identifiers were removed and narratives were coded into recurring text clusters by the authors. The students, on an anonymous evaluation, strongly agreed that the exercise facilitated the accomplishment of the program goals. Reflections from 42 entering medical students indicated a preference to be remembered for compassion, passion, quality, and patient relationships. Men more frequently mentioned family and enjoying life, and women more frequently mentioned patient relationships. Rural students included quality and being a teacher of medical students more frequently, and those with a physician parent included passion and community more frequently. Those who later chose family medicine as a specialty more often included references to enjoying life and family. This reflective exercise provided useful insight into early professional identity formation among these medical students and served to encourage group discussion. It could be used with larger, more diverse groups to determine its value and clarify true differences among the demographic and specialty choice patterns. This exercise could also be used annually for each student, providing a longitudinal view of identity formation.

Alignment of roles of near-peer mentors for medical students underrepresented in medicine with medical education competencies: a qualitative study.

BackgroundMedical student learning experiences should facilitate progressive development of competencies required for practice. Medical school training opportunities have traditionally focused on acquiring medical knowledge and patient care competencies while affording less opportunity to receive feedback on practice-based improvement and system-based practice competencies. The Prematriculation program at the University of Minnesota Medical School Duluth Campus (UM MSD) utilized near-peer mentors to support the transition of students underrepresented in medicine, including American Indian/ Alaska Natives (AI/AN) and those from rural backgrounds, into medical school. The purpose of this study is to better define the role of near-peer mentors and explore the alignment of near-peer mentorship with the ACGME core competencies.MethodsAn important component of the Prematriculation program, designed to prepare incoming under-represented students for medical school, was the inclusion of near-peer mentors. The six near-peer mentors participated in semi-structured interviews or focus groups within 1 year of serving as a near-peer mentor. Themes emerged from open-coding of the transcripts.ResultsThe near-peer mentors drew on their own experiences to transmit information that supported the socialization of the matriculating students into medical school. Direct benefits to the mentors included solidifying their own understanding of medical knowledge and execution of procedural skills. Mentors provided examples of benefits related to their own development of interpersonal communication and professionalism skills. Operating in the context of the program provided opportunities to engage mentors in practice-based improvement and system-based practice.ConclusionsServing as a near-peer mentor offers significant benefits to medical students from backgrounds underrepresented in medicine. By taking on the peer mentoring leadership role, students progressed toward the competencies required of an effective physician. Given the importance of acquiring these competencies, it is worth considering how near-peer mentoring can be applied more broadly across the medical school curriculum.

Implementation, Revisions, and Student Perceptions of a Pre-Matriculation Program in a School of Pharmacy

Objective. To characterize the development, revision, and student perceptions of a pre-matriculation program entitled Pharmacy Readiness and Enrichment Program (PREP) in a school of pharmacy. Methods. The program was first implemented in June 2013 for the incoming class of 2016. The main components of PREP were curriculum and scientific content review, professionalism, time management, critical thinking, and personal interactions. Entering student pharmacists were surveyed immediately and six or more months after PREP concluded. Statistical analysis was performed to determine if participation in PREP affected students' academic performance. Results. Student perceptions regarding the program and its components were favorable immediately after PREP but less favorable six or more months later. Statistical analysis showed that students who completed PREP had significantly higher cumulative grade point average (GPA) in pharmacy year one and year two. Conclusion. It is possible to implement a two-day pre-matriculation program with a wide range of components and deliver it prior to the start of the first professional year. It is also possible to deliver some PREP components during the first professional year rather than prior to matriculation into the program. The PREP may serve as a model for other schools of pharmacy that are considering the implementation of a pre-matriculation program, or that have a pre-matriculation program in place and are seeking to modify or update their program.

Factors related to academic failure in preclinical medical education: A systematic review

Introduction:Identifying the learners’ problems early enough and providing advice from the beginning is definitely an important investment in the training and progress of future practitioners. The current review aimed at examining factors related to academic failure of the preclinical medical students. Methods:The study was carried out as a systematic search of publications in the following databases published from January 1987 to January 2018: PubMed, Web of Knowledge, Educational Resources, Information Center and Scopus. No language limitation was set for searching the resources. As a comprehensive search, the following keywords were used for the abstract, title and keyword sections: academic performance, academic failure, academic achievement, drop out, academic engagement, learning disorder, medical student, struggle student and problem learner. A valid tool (STROBE) was used to determine the quality of the articles. Results: Most articles discussed personal causes, 7 discussed learning style, 7 discussed personality traits, 6 discussed motivational strategies and self‐efficacy, 4 discussed quality of sleep, 4 discussed the effect of stress, 9 discussed demographic factors, 3 discussed physical activity, 1 discussed coping strategies, 2 discussed class attendance and 4 discussed study strategy. Twenty-five articles described instructional design cause, 3 described teaching strategies, 2 described course assessments, 1 described the course structure, 3 described critical thinking, 3 described blended learning, 13 described predictive courses, 14 described admission tests, 1 described the learning environment, 2 described curriculum planning and 3 described the pre-matriculation program. Conclusion:Medical teachers often do not know which students are problem learners or what causes academic failure. The goal of this systematic review was to determine the origin of problems in learning to identify problem learners. The results indicates that managers, policymakers, instructors and counselors can monitor student academic achievement by careful planning of instructional design, attention to an educational environment, use of active teaching methods, continuous assessment of students and consideration of personal factors.

A summer prematriculation program to help students succeed in medical school.

Medical schools with a diverse student body face the challenge of ensuring that all students succeed academically. Many medical schools have implemented prematriculation programs to prepare students from diverse backgrounds; however, evidence on their impact is largely lacking. In this study, we analyzed participants' demographics as well as the impact of the prematriculation program on Year 1 performance. Predictive validity of the program was assessed and compared to other traditional predictors, including grade point average (GPA) and Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) scores and subscores. Linear mixed effect models determined the impact of the prematriculation program, and linear regression analysis assessed the predictive value of the overall score in the prematriculation program and other traditional predictors. Demographics of students participating in the prematriculation program from 2013 to 2015 (n=75) revealed a significantly higher prevalence of academically disadvantaged students including older students, students with lower GPA and MCAT scores and students of racial and ethnic populations that are underrepresented in medicine, compared to non-participants (n=293). Participants performed significantly better in Year 1 courses that were covered in the prematriculation program compared to courses that were not covered. The overall performance in the prematriculation program correlated significantly with Year 1 performance and was found to be a strong predictor for Year 1 performance. This study suggests that a prematriculation program can help students to succeed in the first year of medical school. The results have implications for medical schools seeking to implement or evaluate the effectiveness of their prematriculation program.

The Impact of the Summer Pre-matriculation Program on Student Approaches to Studying in Gross Anatomy Course

To support early success in medical or dental school, respectively, the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) offers a six-week pre-matriculation program for academic performance and social adaptation to students accepted despite some variance in their academic records (a lower DAT or MCAT score, grade point average, or other academic gap). These students are offered a preview of first year basic science courses, including biochemistry, histology, and gross anatomy. A 2014 pilot study suggests the program’s benefits, but does not examine student approaches to studying across its challenging curriculum. To investigate whether or not the program currently supports effective study approaches, we examined (1) students’ approaches to studying before and after the six-week summer pre-matriculation program; (2) the relationship between the academic performance and approaches to studying; (3) changing patterns of approaches to studying for high- and low-performing students. Our data showed that 20% of students changed their dominant approach to studying after the summer program, with an overall positive shift towards deep approach to studying. Despite the absence of any significant correlation between academic performance and any type of approach to studying, differential adjustments were noted between high- and low-performing students and further analyzed. Overall, the summer pre-matriculation program fostered a positive shift to the preferred deep approach to studying; however, educators should monitor and mentor individual students, especially the low-performing students, so as to better guide their academic adaptations.

Are Clinical Vignette Questions Harder than Traditional Questions in Gross Anatomy Course?

The increased integration of clinical scenarios throughout the first-year gross anatomy course is widely supported in the USA. This early introduction of clinically relevant material has created a need for new assessments of relevant knowledge that include questions based on clinical vignettes. However, little is known about how dental/medical students handle these clinical vignette questions (CVQ) in gross anatomy examinations. Thus, using meaningful ways to compare CVQ with traditional questions (TQ) could justify validation of the CVQ assessment format for this course. This study compared student performance on matched sets of CVQ and TQ test items before and after training on CVQ items in a summer 2014 and 2015 pre-matriculation program gross anatomy course. The subject matter for this course consisted of two blocks (back and upper limb; head and neck), accompanied by cadaveric dissection. Our data show that, in comparison with the TQ format, students fared poorly in the CVQ format (P < 0.05) under two conditions: (1) no advanced training on this format, or (2) unprepared for the test. However, an encouraging finding of our study suggests that training on CVQ items before testing may greatly improve student performance on this specific format for high-performing groups (grades ≥ 70). Training did not seem to exert any beneficial effect on low-performing groups (grades < 70) in this study. Thus, our current study recommends the early familiarization/training on CVQ items in the gross anatomy course and possibly other basic science courses.