Quality Of Medical Education Research Articles

A graduate medical education (GME) quality improvement curriculum leads to improved knowledge and participation in high quality improvement projects by trainees

BackgroundThere is increased awareness about the need for quality improvement (QI) education for trainees within clinical training programs. However, formal integration of a QI curriculum into graduate medical education (GME) remains a work-in-progress. We describe the creation and implementation of a novel, virtual QI curriculum complemented by virtual-based workshops. ObjectiveTo determine the impact of a GME QI curriculum on 1) trainee QI knowledge; 2) Quality of QI projects. MethodsThe GME Quality Improvement curriculum was transitioned to an optional formal curriculum in 2020. It is led by three faculty with expertise in QI training and education. The team developed four, web-based learning modules that focused on fundamental QI concepts. These modules are completed monthly and are paired with virtual workshops that facilitate applying learned QI concepts to project development.We evaluated the effectiveness of the curriculum by assessing participants’ performance on knowledge-based quizzes before and after each online module. We used IBM SPSS (version 28), to conduct a two-sided paired samples t-test, comparing each post-session test scores with their corresponding pre-session scores. The alpha, or statistical threshold significance threshold, was 0.05.Additionally, two independent judges with expertise in QI evaluated the quality of the projects presented at the annual QI showcase using a standardized scoring rubric. The poster evaluation forms included 8 questions, rated on a scale from 1 to 5. Projects were graded into 4 quartiles (poor, fair, good, excellent). ResultsIn the knowledge assessment quiz, the difference between the mean pre- and post-session quiz scores was statistically significant (p < 0.01). The average score of the quality of the projects presented at the annual showcase was 31, in the fourth quartile which was graded as “excellent” quality. ConclusionA GME-led QI curriculum was effective in improving knowledge of QI concepts and producing high-quality scholarly projects.

Effects of Entry Grades on Students' Academic Performance Under Homogeneous Educational Resources.

A minor difference in college entrance examination scores can result in vastly different educational resources in China, so it has been debated whether it is the difference in the student population or the difference in educational resources that causes the difference in medical graduates. We aimed to evaluate the effects of entry grades on students' academic performance under homogeneous educational resources. Students in grade 2016 with 13-point difference in the average admission scores of 2 medicine schools in Sun Yat-sen University were educated in mixed classes and were taught with the same educators during the 5 years of undergraduate period. The grades, graduation, and postgraduate enrollment rates of the students were compared between the two campuses. The average admission scores for Shenzhen Campus (SZC) students are 13 points lower than those of Guangzhou North Campus (GZNC) (613 points vs 626 points). After 5 years of homogeneous education, comparing the GZNC students with the SZC students, there were no significant differences in the average total score (80.2 ± 4.6 vs 80.0 ± 5.6, P = 0.691), the average compulsory course (78.9 ± 3.4 vs 78.4 ± 6.1, P = 0.438), the average core course score (78.8 ± 7.4 vs 78.7 ± 5.0, P=0.860) and the average clerkship score (85.1 ± 7.2 vs 84.6 ± 2.7, P=0.275). However, the completion rate for SZC was higher than for GZNC (93.94% vs 86.27%, P=0.009). There was no statistical difference in postgraduate enrolment between the two institutions (P=0.758). Given the same educational resources, more medical students with lower entrance scores completed their studies and achieved the same percentage of postgraduate acceptance. This finding suggests that a key component of improving the quality of medical higher education in China may be to further rationalize the allocation of high-quality educational resources, rather than to pursuing students with high entrance examination scores.

강의계획서에 기반한 의과대학 교육과정 분석

This study aims to analyze the syllabi of all courses in the A Medical School curriculum, including basic medicine, preclinical, clinical practice, medical humanities and social sciences, and student research programs. The purpose is to evaluate the appropriateness of each component and utilize the results as a basis for curriculum improvement. The main research findings are as follows. First, the curriculum objectives present clinical competence, competence as a medical scientist and educator, and competence as a professional and leader in order to achieve the graduation outcomes of the medical school. However, there are not many courses dealing with professional and leadership competencies in the basic medicine and preclinical education courses, so they need to be strengthened through curriculum improvement. Second, various teaching methods such as lectures, PBL, practice, discussion, and presentation are utilized. Appropriate teaching methods are used according to the characteristics of each course. Third, student assessment is conducted through written exams, assignments, practice, and learning attitude to evaluate knowledge, skills, and attitude. Written exams, learning attitude, and attendance are mostly included in all courses. Fourth, feedback is an essential element of competency-based education. A Medical School plans feedback for each course, and the feedback plan was more than 80%. When feedback was planned as a group, it mainly consisted of quizzes and problem solving, and the proportion of individual feedback was high in the clinical practice and student research courses. Although most courses have feedback plans, it is necessary to specify the timing and method of feedback. Through the results of the study, it was confirmed that the A Medical School curriculum has a foundation for competency-based education, but some courses need improvement. It is expected that the quality of medical education will be improved if the syllabi are appropriately established and implemented in the future.

ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЕ ИСКУССТВЕННОГО ИНТЕЛЛЕКТА В ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНОЙ ЯЗЫКОВОЙ ПОДГОТОВКЕ СТУДЕНТОВ МЕДИЦИНСКОГО ВУЗА

The article examines the possibility of using artificial intelligence in the professional language education of medical students. The aim of the study was to determine the advantages and disadvantages of using artificial intelligence in teaching foreign languages to medical students. Based on the contextual methodological approach, methods of theoretical analysis and summarization of scientific literature on the study problem were used, as well as empirical methods including pedagogical observation and analysis of the author's own experience. The study confirmed the potential value of using artificial intelligence in the education of medical students. Key advantages of artificial intelligence were identified, such as the possibility to organize personalized learning, instant feedback, and access to a large amount of data. The noted disadvantages were the need to adapt artificial intelligence systems to the specificity of the medical field and to develop systems for forming complex skills and abilities, such as empathy, etc. Student opinions were assessed through a survey in which 110 students of Ryazan State Medical University participated. The majority of respondents expressed a positive attitude towards the conducted experiment and expressed a desire to use artificial intelligence not only in language education but also in other medical disciplines to improve the level of knowledge and create an interactive and more attractive educational environment. The study emphasizes the high significance of integrating artificial intelligence technologies into the educational process to improve the quality of medical education and prepare future specialists. Currently, there is a need for collaboration between education specialists and artificial intelligence technology developers for more effective use of artificial intelligence in the field of education.

SAEM systematic online academic resource (SOAR) review: Gastrointestinal illnesses.

Free open access medical education (FOAM) has become an essential tool for emergency medicine (EM) education and can be valuable to clinicians as a point-of-care resource. The development of the revised Medical Education Translational Resources Impact and Quality (rMETRIQ) tool provides a standardized means of quality assessment. Previous entries of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine systematic online academic resource (SOAR) series have focused on renal, endocrine, and sickle cell disorders. In this iteration, we strive to identify, curate, and describe FOAM topics specific to acute gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses. We searched 389 keywords across 11 GI topics that were modified from the 2019 Model of the Clinical Practice of EM (EM Model) using the search engine Google FOAM and within the top 50 websites listed on Academic Life in Emergency Medicine's Social Media Index. The sites underwent preliminary screening to eliminate resources that were not relevant to EM or GI illnesses. Identified resources were evaluated with the rMETRIQ tool by five board-certified EM physicians who received rMETRIQ tool rater training. After duplicates of the initial 39,505 resources were eliminated, 8059 remained. Primary screening resulted in a final 1202 resources. The most common categories were large bowel (18%), small bowel (13%), stomach (11%), esophagus (11%), biliary (11%), and liver (10%). Many resources covered multiple topics and subtopics. The final mean intraclass correlation coefficient among the five physicians was 0.95 (95% CI 0.92-0.98) for rMETRIQ scoring. We identified 256 sites considered "high quality" with a rMETRIQ score of 16 or higher as designated in prior reviews. This iteration of the SOAR review resulted in the highest number of high-quality resources compared to other SOAR reviews, with 21% of resources thus far scoring ≥ 16. A final list of high-quality resources can guide trainees, educator recommendations, and FOAM authors.

Perception of clinical teachers about their roles and current practice at affiliated hospitals of medical universities in China

ABSTRACT Phenomenon: The increase in clinical and teaching workload has brought enormous pressure to clinical teachers. Clinical teachers play an extremely important role in the quality of higher medical education and the cultivation of medical talents. However, few studies have examined the attitudes and practices of clinical teachers regarding the role of teachers in China. This study aimed to investigate clinical teachers’ perceptions about their roles and current practices at affiliated hospitals of medical universities in China. Approach: Responses from 312 Chinese clinical teachers were included in the analyses. The data were collected using the questionnaires of perception and practice regarding the role of teachers which consisted of 12 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree), and scored by calculating the mean. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 22.0 (IBM SPSS Corp). Findings: The mean score of perception of clinical teachers regarding the role of teachers was 4.51 (SD = 0.72), and the mean score of practice was 3.69 (SD = 1.17). Multivariable binary logistic regression model showed that undertaking very few/few clinical teaching workload, ‘thinking it is my obligation to carry out teaching work seriously’ and ‘thinking it is my duty to train medical talents’ were not only significant determinants of good perception but also good practice. Additionally, ‘thinking hospital attached great importance to clinical teaching’ was the significant determinant of good perception. Insights: Chinese clinical teachers demonstrate less positive perception and practice regarding the roles of teacher than clinical teachers in developed countries. Affiliated hospitals of medical universities should hold training sessions regularly and take targeted intervention measures to enhance clinical teachers’ perception and practice regarding the roles of teacher.

Prevalence and quality of medical Spanish education in US osteopathic medical schools: a national survey.

Spanish is the language in the United States with the greatest language-concordant physician deficit. Allopathic medical Spanish programs have proliferated, but the national prevalence of medical Spanish education at osteopathic medical schools has never been evaluated. The objectives of this study are to describe the medical Spanish educational landscape at US osteopathic schools and evaluate program adherence to previously established basic standards. Between March and October 2022, surveys were sent to all 44 member schools of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM). For nonrespondents, data were obtained from publicly available websites. Primary surveys were sent to deans or diversity, equity, and inclusion officers at each osteopathic school to determine whether medical Spanish was offered and to identify a medical Spanish leader. Medical Spanish leaders received the secondary survey. The main measures of this study were the prevalence of medical Spanish programs at osteopathic schools and the extent to which existing programs met each of the four basic standards: having a faculty educator, providing a curricular structure, assessing learner skills, and awarding institutional course credit. We gathered medical Spanish information from 90.9 % (40/44) of osteopathic schools. Overall, 88.6 % (39/44) offered medical Spanish, of which 66.7 % (26/39) had formal curricula, 43.6 % (17/39) had faculty educators, 17.9 % (7/39) assessed learner skills, and 28.2 % (11/39) provided course credit. Only 12.8 % (5/39) of osteopathic schools with medical Spanish programs metall basic standards. Urban/suburban schools were likelier to offer medical Spanish than rural schools (p=0.020). Osteopathic schools in states with the highest Spanish-speaking populations were more likely to offer student-run initiatives (p=0.027). Most osteopathic schools provide medical Spanish education, but work is needed to improve consistency, quality, and sustainability. Future research should focus on osteopathic student language proficiency assessment, improve medical Spanish accessibility for students at rural programs, and explore the unique content areas of osteopathic medical Spanish education.

TEACHERS’ PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE DEVELOPMENT AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF HIGHER MEDICAL EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES AND UKRAINE

Abstract. The article is dedicated to the research and comparative analysis of the processes involved in the development of professional competence among teachers in higher medical educational institutions in the United States and Ukraine. Contemporary approaches to the training of teachers are examined, while common and distinctive characteristics of this process in the two countries are analyzed. The primary focus is on the importance of developing pedagogical skills, medical knowledge, and effective teaching methods to enhance the quality of medical education. By conducting a comparative analysis of the educational systems and approaches to preparing medical professionals in these countries, the article examines the principal strategies and initiatives aimed at enhancing the qualifications of teachers in the medical field. It delves into an analysis of current teaching principles at medical universities and colleges in the United States, highlighting the use of advanced pedagogical methods, innovative technologies, active engagement in scientific research, and practical skills in the educational process. The article also addresses the necessity of improving educational programs, implementing modern teaching approaches, and the importance of stimulating the scientific and pedagogical activities of teachers in medical institutions in Ukraine. Through this comparative analysis, the aim is to identify best practices and provide recommendations for further refining the training of teachers in these countries.

Assessing methodological quality in dental education research using MERSQI: Analysis of publications from two journals.

The Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI) has been used frequently to assess the methodological quality of medical education but not for dental education. The present study aimed to assess the methodological quality using MERSQI scores of articles published in the Journal of Dental Education (JDE) and the European Journal of Dental Education (EJDE). A cross-sectional assessment of the quality of manuscripts published in 2012, 2017, and 2022 JDE and EJDE was conducted. MERSQI data, numbers of authors, first and corresponding author degrees, geographic origins, and funding information were also extracted for each included study. Descriptive and analytical statistics were conducted, and significance level was set at α<0.05. Four hundred ninety-five articles met the inclusion criteria. The most common study design was a single-group cross-sectional or single-group posttest and conducted in one institution for all studied years. In all journals and years, studies were assessed mainly by participants. The study outcome was mostly satisfaction, attitudes, perceptions, opinions, and general facts. The total mean MERSQI score for each journal and year varied. Year and geographic origin significantly affected the total MERSQI score. Papers originating from Asia had the highest score, followed by South America, Europe, North America, Oceania, and Africa. MERSQI score is applicable to the assessment of the methodological quality of dental educational research. The MERSQI score for most of the domains was similar for both journals. The MERSQI score was affected by publication years and geographic origins.

Advancing Auscultation Education: Signals Visualization as a Novel Tool for Enhancing Pathological Respiratory Sounds Detection

Abstract Introduction: Auscultation remains a pivotal diagnostic modality for various respiratory pathologies. To augment its clinical relevance, the continuous expansion of our understanding of pulmonary acoustics, coupled with the advancement of auscultation recording and analysis methodologies, is imperative. Material and methods: We investigated how the bimodal presentation of auscultatory signals (sound and visual cue perception) influences the subjective efficacy of pathological respiratory sound detection, which is a critical step in the development of a new auscultation tool. Recordings of pediatric breath sounds were presented in three different forms - audio only, visual representation only (spectrogram) or audiovisual (both together). The F1-score, sensitivity and specificity parameters were calculated and compared to the gold standard (GS). Subsequent to the detection experiment, participants completed a survey to subjectively assess the usability of spectrograms in the procedure. Results: Over 60% of all responders ranked the spectrogram as important (40.8%) or very important (21.1%). Moreover, 11.3% of all participants found this new form of presentation of auscultation results to be more useful than the evaluation of sound only. The addition of visual information did not statistically significantly change the evaluation of the sounds themselves, an observable trend implies that enhancing audio recordings with visualizations can enhance detection performance. This is evident in the 4 p.p. and 2 p.p. sensitivity increments for physicians and students, respectively, even without specialized visual training. Conclusions: Our research findings indicate that the integration of spectrograms with conventional auditory assessment, albeit based on observed trends and survey responses, presents a promising avenue for improving the precision and quality of medical education, as well as enhancing diagnosis and monitoring processes.

HARNESSING MEDICAL INNOVATION: THE IMPACT OF ROBOTIC SIMULATORS AND VIRTUAL REALITY (VR) IN IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF MEDICAL EDUCATION

Medical education stands at the cusp of a transformative revolution, driven by the integration of cutting-edge technology. This article explores the profound impact of robotic simulators and virtual reality (VR) in enhancing the quality of medical education. Traditional medical education methods have their limitations, often constrained by a lack of hands-on experience and patient safety concerns. In response to these challenges, robotic simulators and VR have emerged as powerful tools, offering realistic, immersive, and safe learning environments for aspiring medical professionals. We delve into the world of robotic simulators, dissecting their mechanisms and outlining their versatile applications across various medical disciplines. These simulators provide aspiring medical professionals with hands-on experience, bridging the gap between theory and practice while eliminating the risks associated with real patient interactions. In the realm of virtual reality, we explore the innovative applications of VR in medical education. VR's immersive environments offer a unique platform for medical students and professionals to practice, learn, and refine their skills, all within a controlled and safe setting. We present case studies and learning activities that illustrate the efficacy of these technologies in teaching safety competencies, reducing medical errors, and improving patient outcomes. Keywords: Simulation-Based Medical Education, Virtual Reality, Robotic Simulators, Artificial Intelligence, Patient Safety, Healthcare Technology, Healthcare Innovation, Medical Simulation, Education Technology.

The Role of Medical and Dental Consultants' Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) in Enhancing Competency of Graduating Medical Students and Preventing Disruptions in Academic Calendars in Nigeria: A Review.

In Nigeria, the medical education system faces challenges ranging from inadequate infrastructure to a lack of qualified personnel. These challenges not only affect the competency of graduating medical students but also lead to disruptions in academic calendars. The role of the Medical and Dental Consultants' Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) in addressing these issues is crucial. This review examines the impact of MDCAN in enhancing the competency of graduating medical students and preventing disruptions in academic calendars in Nigeria. It discusses the importance of maintaining academic continuity and explores the reasons why disruptions in academic calendars are not viable options for pressuring the government to improve doctors' and lecturers' welfare packages. Through an analysis of relevant literature, this review underscores the significance of collaboration between stakeholders to ensure the quality of medical education and the smooth functioning of academic institutions in Nigeria. Ultimately, this paper proffers some solutions to mitigate the negative effects of strikes and improve the quality of undergraduate medical education.

How to create a successful mobile learning strategy for medical education during lockdowns?

Mobile learning has played an important role during the COVID-19 pandemic and medical schools now consider it as an effective educational method in current and future crises. In this qualitative study, an attempt was made to demonstrate the principles of designing a mobile learning strategy in medical education from the perspective of experts. The study was conducted by the qualitative content analysis method. The data were collected from July 2022 to Feb 2023. Twelve participants were included in this study from Iran's medical universities, consisting of two members of the Higher Council of Virtual Education, three educational directors, three clinical faculty members, two faculty members specializing in e-learning and medical education, an educational vice, and a dean. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed by Granheim and Lundman's (2004) method. Out of twelve participants in the study, eight (66%) were males and four (44%) females. Data were classified into eight categories and one theme. Based on the participants' experiences, the main theme, that is, "the principles of medical education design in mobile learning," included pedagogical component, interactive design, effective and comprehensive analysis, achieving objectives with the mobile learning platform, generating micro- and interactive e-content, teaching-learning interactive methods, course implementation and interactive evaluation at both micro- and macro-levels. Data analysis revealed that in addition to the eight principles in the medical education design in mobile learning, the participants prioritized the two principles of pedagogical component and interactive design over other principles in educational design. Using a successful mobile learning strategy in situations of restrictions limiting physical presence may improve the quality of medical education.

A survey on practices of embalming techniques and usage of soft embalming methods in Indian medical institutes

BackgroundSoft cadavers are becoming increasingly popular for surgical skills development in competency-based medical education curricula. However, few studies evaluate this strategy's viability, dependability, and validity, particularly in India. This study intends to investigate embalming procedures and procedural skills practices at medical institutions. MethodsA validated questionnaire gathered information on demographic details, embalming practices, surgical skill training, willingness to adopt modern embalming techniques and awareness and practice of soft embalming methods. A total of 350 Indian medical institutions were forwarded the questionnaire via email. Responses were analyzed using SPSS version 16, and the Chi-square test was used to examine the association between the two categorical variables. ResultsA study of 350 Indian medical institutions found a 62% response rate. In the studied population, 53.5% (N = 116) of institutes demonstrated procedural skills in undergraduate education as a part of early clinical experience. A total of 54.4% (N = 118) of institutes conducted hands-on surgical training. For postgraduates in surgical departments, voluntary cadaver dissection was offered at 53.9% (N = 117) of institutes. In 78.3% (N = 170) of the institutes, surgical training was performed on formaldehyde-embalmed cadavers. Institutions used proprietary solutions, fresh frozen approaches, Thiel solution, phenol, and saturated salt solutions for embalming. ConclusionThe study highlights disparities in undergraduate teaching and surgical skill training in medical institutes, emphasizing the need for re-evaluating embalming practices to ensure the safety and educational quality. It also highlights underutilization of soft embalming methods, highlighting need for improved training programs and strategies to enhance medical education quality.

Development of Somaliland national harmonised medical curriculum

Background and objectives The rational for the Somaliland national harmonised curriculum (NHC) was driven by shared concern about the quality of medical education. Process The Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Health Development produced a Medical Education Policy 2018. Policy objectives included the development of the NHC and accreditation for medical schools that met the standards of the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME). Two bodies were asked to oversee these aims: the National Health Professions’ Commission (NHPC) and the National Commission of Higher Education (NCHE). Between 2018 and 2020, a collaborative approach between the Somaliland government, medical school stakeholders, King’s Global Health Partnership’s (KGHP) volunteers and the Tropical Health Education Trust (THET) team was used to design the 6-years NHC. The NHC structure, content and delivery were grounded by WFME standards, health needs of the local population, student focused and active learning methods, and feasibility of implementation in medical schools. Outcomes The NHC comprises details about the educational outcomes, curriculum model and framework, educational principles, instructional and learning methods, core as well as optional content, and assessment strategy. Conclusions The approach used to develop the NHC ensured it is bespoken for Somaliland. Ongoing evaluation of patient and population needs, each medical school’s review of programme implementation and outcomes will inform continuous revision and renewal.

Medical Students Understanding of The Scope of Plastic Surgery.

Background Plastic surgery has developed to benefit in a variety of challenging areas formerly handled by other disciplines. Medical students do not have a clear picture of plastic surgery as a career due to lacking scope, clinical practice, and understanding of plastic surgery as a clinical area of expertise, including general practitioners, nursing staff, medical trainees, and the general public, and misconceptions about the extent of reconstructive and plastic surgery. Methods A cross-sectional observational study was conducted on Kuwait University Medical students (2nd-7th Years) over a period of 1 month. A questionnaire and a consent form were provided to eligible students. The inclusion criteria were Kuwait University Medical students from 2nd to 7th Years with signed consent form. The response was collected via email sent in coordination with the Vice Dean of Student Affairs in the Faculty of Medicine. Using statistical package for the social sciences, responses were statistically analyzed. Pearson's chi-square test was used to calculate p -values, where p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results A total of 244 eligible medical students, 121 males and 123 females, were included in the study, with a mean age of 21 (±2) years. Similarly, 126 (51.6%) were preclinical students (2nd-4th-year students), while 118 (48.4%) were clinical students (5th-7th-year students). About 79.8% of medical students believed that plastic surgery plays an essential role in trauma management, whereas 9.2% did not consider plastic surgery significant for trauma management. This study found that only 15.5% of medical students were interested in enrolling in plastic surgery residency after graduation, while 47.1% of students did not consider plastic surgery residency after graduation. However, 37.4% were uncertain. The two most driving factors in deciding on plastic surgery residency were expected income (61.8%) and lifestyle (14.3%). Conclusion Improving medical students' education quality can enhance their perception and awareness of plastic surgery. Students should be taught the broader scope of plastic surgery. The inclusion of formal training during undergraduation is the essence of time and should be added to or improved during plastic surgery rotations with more emphasis on reconstructive and hand/peripheral nerve surgery. Student-led interest groups can be a useful tool for educating students about their specialty.

The Relationship Of Motivation For Entering The Faculty Of Medicine And Dentistry On Students' Academic Achievement

Education is essential in modern society, both politically and economically. Medical training plays a critical role in producing qualified doctors. Competent doctors, the result of training provided by quality medical education institutions, provide quality health services to the community. Motivation is significant in determining learning success. This research aims to determine the relationship between motivation for entering medical and dental faculties and student's academic achievement. An online survey was used to collect data for this research. The sample population of the research was medical and dental students from Prima Indonesia University. The strength of the Motivation for Medical Students (SMMS) instrument, translated into Indonesian, was used to collect data for student motivation. 123 out of 493 medical and dental students participated in this research. Survey results show that suitability and interest are why students enter medical and dental faculties. The Spearman's rho correlation test shows no significant relationship between motivation variables and GPA, with Sig. (2-tailed) of 0.303 where p &gt; 0.05. The Mann-Whitney test shows no statistically significant difference between the two genders with Sig. (2-tailed) of 0.558 where p &gt; 0.05. This study shows that although there are various reasons and motivations for entering medical and dental faculties, there is no relationship between the above and academic achievement.

A Medical Education Research Library: key research topics and associated experts

ABSTRACT When clinician-educators and medical education researchers use and discuss medical education research, they can advance innovation in medical education as well as improve its quality. To facilitate the use and discussions of medical education research, we created a prefatory visual representation of key medical education research topics and associated experts. We conducted one-on-one virtual interviews with medical education journal editorial board members to identify what they perceived as key medical education research topics as well as who they associated, as experts, with each of the identified topics. We used content analysis to create categories representing key topics and noted occurrences of named experts. Twenty-one editorial board members, representing nine of the top medical education journals, participated. From the data we created a figure entitled, Medical Education Research Library. The library includes 13 research topics, with assessment as the most prevalent. It also notes recognized experts, including van der Vleuten, ten Cate, and Norman. The key medical education research topics identified and included in the library align with what others have identified as trends in the literature. Selected topics, including workplace-based learning, equity, diversity, and inclusion, physician wellbeing and burnout, and social accountability, are emerging. Once transformed into an open educational resource, clinician-educators and medical education researchers can use and contribute to the functional library. Such continuous expansion will generate better awareness and recognition of diverse perspectives. The functional library will help to innovate and improve the quality of medical education through evidence-informed practices and scholarship.

COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Practice and Education of Emergency Medicine Residents

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has negatively influenced several aspects of medical education (ME). Objectives: We aimed to assess the perception of emergency medicine (EM) residents of COVID-19 impacts on the quality of ME and their wellness. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted in Tehran, Iran. A questionnaire consisting of 33 questions (5 on hospital experience, 5 on clinical experience, 12 on education, and 11 on wellness) and 1 open-ended question were designed based on the elements found in the existing literature. Face and content validity were determined by an expert panel. The baseline and demographic data were recorded, and the viewpoints of EM residents about different items in the questionnaire (ME and wellness) were evaluated. Results: The mean age of residents was 36.4 ± 7.3 years, and 64.8% and 71.8% of the participants were female and married, respectively. Most residents (81.7%) had a previous history of COVID-19 infection (mainly mild and outpatient). We observed that 90.1% of the residents had concerns about transmitting the virus to their families. Most residents agreed on the negative impacts of COVID-19 on the EM residency program and routine clinical care in hospitals. COVID-19 led to a decrease in the diversity of other diseases and bedside learning opportunities. They added that virtual learning and online programs were comfortable and flexible despite some unpleasant outcomes. EM residents experienced anxiety and stress due to the change in physical and social activities and sleep habits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: Emergency medicine residents declared that despite the positive attitudes developed after the pandemic, COVID-19 had non-negligible and negative effects on ME. They were also exposed to greater anxiety and worriedness during the mentioned period.

Features of medical university students’ professional value orientations

Objective. To identify the features of medical university students’ professional value orientations.Material and methods. Methods of theoretical analysis of philosophical, psychological and pedagogical literature on the research problem were used; G. E. Leevik’s questionnaire “Value orientations of personality 8” (VOP-8); methods of statistical analysis of empirical data (generalization and grouping of data, Spearman’s rank correlation method).Results. The analysis of professional value orientations of junior medical university students showed that the participants of the study are characterized, first of all, by such value orientations as labor and material values, the desire to be financially secure, a good specialist, to have a vast professional experience, to improve themselves in the profession. At the same time, there is an underestimation of the importance of moral and moral qualities of effective professional communication of a doctor.Conclusion. To ensure high quality of professional medical education it is important to form in students value orientations and professionally important qualities, which are necessary for successful professional activity and effective communication with patients, their relatives, colleagues and administration of medical institution.