Sample Of Undergraduate Medical Students Research Articles

Perceptions of undergraduate medical students on artificial intelligence in medicine: mixed-methods survey study from Palestine

BackgroundThe current applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine continue to attract the attention of medical students. This study aimed to identify undergraduate medical students’ attitudes toward AI in medicine, explore present AI-related training opportunities, investigate the need for AI inclusion in medical curricula, and determine preferred methods for teaching AI curricula.MethodsThis study uses a mixed-method cross-sectional design, including a quantitative study and a qualitative study, targeting Palestinian undergraduate medical students in the academic year 2022–2023. In the quantitative part, we recruited a convenience sample of undergraduate medical students from universities in Palestine from June 15, 2022, to May 30, 2023. We collected data by using an online, well-structured, and self-administered questionnaire with 49 items. In the qualitative part, 15 undergraduate medical students were interviewed by trained researchers. Descriptive statistics and an inductive content analysis approach were used to analyze quantitative and qualitative data, respectively.ResultsFrom a total of 371 invitations sent, 362 responses were received (response rate = 97.5%), and 349 were included in the analysis. The mean age of participants was 20.38 ± 1.97, with 40.11% (140) in their second year of medical school. Most participants (268, 76.79%) did not receive formal education on AI before or during medical study. About two-thirds of students strongly agreed or agreed that AI would become common in the future (67.9%, 237) and would revolutionize medical fields (68.7%, 240). Participants stated that they had not previously acquired training in the use of AI in medicine during formal medical education (260, 74.5%), confirming a dire need to include AI training in medical curricula (247, 70.8%). Most participants (264, 75.7%) think that learning opportunities for AI in medicine have not been adequate; therefore, it is very important to study more about employing AI in medicine (228, 65.3%). Male students (3.15 ± 0.87) had higher perception scores than female students (2.81 ± 0.86) (p < 0.001). The main themes that resulted from the qualitative analysis of the interview questions were an absence of AI learning opportunities, the necessity of including AI in medical curricula, optimism towards the future of AI in medicine, and expected challenges related to AI in medical fields.ConclusionMedical students lack access to educational opportunities for AI in medicine; therefore, AI should be included in formal medical curricula in Palestine.

Does Medical Curriculum Impact on Empathy? A Longitudinal Study in a Sample of Undergraduate Medical Students

Empathy in medical students is receiving increasing attention as it is fundamental to build and develop a functional patient-physician relationship. When looking at its determinants, demographic and academic factors seem to concur in shaping empathy in this population. Although data show strong gender differences and changes in empathy throughout medical school, it is not clear the direction of these changes and whether gender and curriculum features modulate them. This longitudinal study examined changes in empathy and explored gender differences throughout the medical school. Four consecutive cohorts of Italian medical students (N = 336) completed the Jefferson Scale of Empathy – Student (JSE-S) and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) in their second year of study (before any clinical clerkship and communication skills courses) and fifth year of study (after a 2-year clinical clerkship and communication skills courses). Analysis of variance for repeated-measures revealed that, beyond the effect of gender, JSE-S total score and IRI Perspective Taking increased, whereas IRI Personal Distress and IRI Fantasy significantly decreased throughout medical school. No significant change in IRI Empathic Concern emerged over time. Student’s t-tests showed that female students displayed significantly higher mean scores than their male counterparts for all empathy measures in both their second and fifth years of medical training. The findings suggest that the medical curriculum affects self-reported empathy dimensions among undergraduate medical students. Further research is needed to deepen the understanding of the educational factors that promote the changes in empathy levels during medical training.

Prevalence of Smartphone Addiction and its Association with Impulsivity among Undergraduate Medical Students

Aim: With the increasing ubiquity of smartphones and their integral role in modern life, understanding the factors contributing to smartphone addiction, especially in high-pressure academic environments, is crucial. Objective: This study investigates the prevalence and determinants of smartphone addiction among undergraduate medical students in Pakistan. With This research specifically explores the relationship between impulsivity, stress levels, social pressures, and smartphone addiction. Methodology: A structured questionnaire survey, comprising validated scales for each construct, was administered to a sample of undergraduate medical students across various years of study. The study employs a cross-sectional design and uses stratified random sampling for data collection. Results and Findings: The results indicate a significant positive association between impulsivity and smartphone addiction. Furthermore, stress levels and social pressures were also found to be positively correlated with smartphone addiction, suggesting a multifaceted nature of this issue. These findings contribute to the growing body of literature on digital addiction and offer practical insights for educational institutions and policymakers. The study highlights the need for holistic intervention strategies addressing both personal traits and environmental factors to mitigate smartphone addiction. The limitations of the study and recommendations for future research are also discussed. Keywords: Smartphone Addiction, Impulsivity, Stress Levels, Social Pressures, Undergraduate Medical Students, Digital Addiction, Pakistan

Prevalência de comportamento suicida em estudantes de Medicina

Abstract: Introduction: Physicians and medical students constitute groups at risk for suicide and suicidal behavior. Suicidal behaviors encompass phenomena ranging from thoughts, planning, and finally death by suicide. Little is known about suicidal behavior among Brazilian medical students. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of suicidal ideation, planning and suicide attempt in a sample of undergraduate medical students in Brazil, as well as to identify the sociodemographic, student life aspects and health factors most often associated with suicidal behavior. Method: A total of 722 medical students at Unicamp, during 2017 and 2018, voluntarily and anonymously answered a broad questionnaire, including sociodemographic data, aspects of academic life and suicidal behavior. A statistical analysis was performed using the chi-square test, Mann-Whitney test, and multivariate logistic regression. A statistical significance level of 95% was adopted. Results: The lifetime prevalence rates of suicidal thoughts, planning and attempts were respectively 196 (27.3%), 64 (8.9%), and 26 (3.6%). In the 30 days prior to the survey, 36 (5%) seriously thought about ending their own lives, and 11 (1.5%) concretely planned to end their own lives. Bullying, presence of mental disorder, seeking mental health care at the university, use of sedatives without a prescription, low socioeconomic level, living alone, religion (atheists, agnostics and spiritualists) and degree of religiousness are the factors that, together, best explain the chance of suicidal behavior. Conclusion: Medical students show important prevalence rates of suicidal behavior.

A Survey on Undergraduate Medical Students' Perception of COVID-19 Vaccination.

The objectives of this study were to obtain information on medical students’ attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination and to identify the main barriers to its acceptance. We conducted an anonymous online survey on a sample of undergraduate medical students from one main Italian University. The questions were aimed at exploring their attitudes toward vaccination to prevent COVID-19, their perceptions of the risk/threat of COVID-19 and the factors associated with their attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination. A high percentage of students in our sample stated that they had been vaccinated or that they intended to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 coronavirus. A total of 239 questionnaires were analyzed. Age, social, geographic and demographic characteristics, health conditions and interest in vaccination were recorded; 93% of the students declared that they encouraged vaccination and 83% stated that the reason was “Moral responsibility towards the community”. Four students had not yet been vaccinated, mainly because of “Contradictory information on efficacy and safety”. The Likert-type questions revealed high agreement on the importance of vaccination and whether it should be made mandatory (“indispensable tool” and “ethical duty” were cited to explain this position). The results show a high level of acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination among these medical undergraduates who, being halfway through their training and involved in clinical practice, are already in possession of specific scientific knowledge and, to a small extent, come from different areas of Italy.

Associations Between Maladaptive Perfectionism and Life Satisfaction Among Chinese Undergraduate Medical Students: The Mediating Role of Academic Burnout and the Moderating Role of Self-Esteem.

Empirical research has shown that maladaptive perfectionism may lead to lower life satisfaction. However, the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and life satisfaction among medical students and the mechanism underlying this relationship still need to be further explored. The present study used a large sample of undergraduate medical students to examine the associations between maladaptive perfectionism and life satisfaction and to explore the mechanism underlying the associations. Specifically, the present study tried to probe the mediating role of academic burnout and the moderating role of self-esteem in the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and life satisfaction in medical students. We invited 1628 undergraduate medical students from two medical universities in Northeastern China to participate in the survey. Among the students recruited, 1377 medical students (response rate: 84.6%) completed questionnaires including the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (FMPS) maladaptive perfectionism subscales, the Chinese College Student Academic Burnout Inventory (CCSABI), the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and demographic information. Results show that maladaptive perfectionism was significantly negatively related to life satisfaction among medical students and academic burnout played a significant mediating role (β = −0.10, BCa 95%CI: −0.12, −0.07) in this relationship. Moderated mediation analyses reveal that the mediating effect of maladaptive perfectionism on life satisfaction via academic burnout was moderated by self-esteem. Maladaptive perfectionism exerted a stronger effect on life satisfaction via the mediating role of academic burnout for medical students with high self-esteem [β = −0.026, SE = 0.009, 95%CI = (−0.047, −0.011)] than for medical students with low self-esteem [β = −0.019, SE = 0.009, 95%CI = (−0.038, −0.001)]. Medical institutions can implement effective interventions to decrease medical students’ maladaptive perfectionism levels and academic burnout levels, and increase their self-esteem levels in order to enhance their life satisfaction.

Students\u2019 initial perspectives on online learning experience in China during the COVID-19 outbreak: expanding online education for future doctors on a national scale

BackgroundDuring the early stage of COVID-19 outbreak in China, most medical undergraduate programs have to eventually embrace the maneuver of transferring to nearly 100% online-learning as a new routine for different curricula. And there is a lack of empirical evidence of effective medical education curriculum that has been completely implemented in an online format. This study summarizes medical students’ perspectives regarding online-learning experience during the COVID-19 outbreak and presents reflection on medical education.MethodsFrom February 21st to March 14th, 2020, the authors conducted survey of a nationally representative sample of undergraduate medical students from 90 medical schools in China. Participant demographics and responses were tabulated, and independent sample t-tests as well as multiple logistic regression models were used to assess the associations of demographic characteristics, prior online learning experience, and orientation with students’ perspectives on the online learning experience.ResultsAmong 118,030 medical students participated in the survey (response rate 52.4%), 99,559 provided valid data for the analysis. The sample is fairly nationally representative. 65.7% (65,389/99,559) supported great orientation and 62.1% (61,818/99,559) reported that they were satisfied with the ongoing online-learning experience. The most common problem students would encounter was the network congestion (76,277/99,559; 76.6%). Demographics, learning phases, and academic performance were associated with online-learning engagement and perceptions. Formal orientation and prior PU (perceived usefulness of online learning) were significantly positively associated with the satisfaction and evaluation of the online learning experience (p < 0.001).ConclusionsData from this national survey indicates a relatively positive role of online learning as a formal teaching/learning approach in medical education. Considerations should be made regarding such application in aspects of students’ different learning phases. We suggest that further policy interventions should be taken from technological, organizational, environmental, as well as individual aspects, to help improve the outcome of online learning for future doctors.

Medical student empathy and breaking bad news communication in a simulated consultation

ObjectivesThis study examined the relationship between self-reported empathy and breaking bad news (BBN) communication skills performance in a sample of undergraduate medical students (n = 100) in the clinical years of their program. MethodsCorrelational and regression analysis examined the relationship between Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE-S) and Empathy Quotient (EQ) scores, and communication skills performance based on students’ application of the SPIKES protocol to a BBN scenario in a simulated encounter. ResultsHigher BBN communication skills performance was positively correlated with scores on the “Social Skills” EQ sub-scale (r (99) = 0.31, p = 0.002), which measures spontaneous and context-independent use of social skills. Multiple regression confirmed that “Social Skills” sub-scale variation predicted BBN score variation (B = 2.17, 95% CI = 0.65–3.69, p < 0.01). A weak positive association was also observed between BBN score and the “Standing in Patient’s Shoes” JSPE sub-scale (r (99) = 0.22, p = 0.03). ConclusionsFindings suggest that specific aspects of dispositional empathy may moderate BBN communications skills competence in medical students. Practice implicationsA better understanding of the moderating role of personality may lead to more tailored BBN communications skills training interventions and improved transfer of skills to workplace settings.

Knowledge and attitudes of undergraduate medical students in Kenya towards solid organ donation and transplantation: Are Africa’s future clinicians prepared?

Background: Solid organ donation and transplantation remains grossly underdeveloped in most African countries. The knowledge and attitude of tomorrow’s professionals may be key to the improvement of these services. Methods: A sample of undergraduate medical students from all the medical schools in Kenya offering Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees were surveyed using a self-administered, web-based questionnaire, between July and September 2018. Results: Of the 303 participants, 167 (55.1%) were female. Only 8.9% of the students had read the laws governing transplantation in Kenya. An even lower percentage (3.3%) felt that they had learned enough about solid organ donation and transplantation from their medical curriculum. More than half (53%) of the respondents would subscribe as solid organ donors, which reduced to 47% when it came to consenting to donating their relatives’ organs. Less than half of the students (40%) considered they would be comfortable introducing the topic or confident answering questions (23%) related to organ donation and transplantation. Only 9.9% of the sample had ever spoken to a patient about organ donation. There was no significant association between level of study (preclinical versus clinical) and comfort introducing the topic of organ donation (P = 0.206) or experience talking to a patient about the subject (P = 0.102). Conclusion: Undergraduate medical students have significant knowledge gaps regarding organ donation and transplantation and feel ill-prepared to approach a potential donor or transplant recipient.

An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Study on the Relationship between Dispositional Mindfulness and Empathy in Undergraduate Medical Students

Theory There is a growing interest in identifying the psychological variables that promote and sustain empathy in medical students during their studies. Dispositional mindfulness has been shown to be empirically associated with socio-demographic characteristics and empathy among the general population. This research aimed to assess dispositional mindfulness in a sample of undergraduate medical students and to investigate its association with gender, age, and empathy. Hypotheses: It is hypothesized that male medical students would show, on average, higher dispositional mindfulness than their female counterparts, and that older students would exhibit higher dispositional mindfulness than younger ones. Dispositional mindfulness was also expected to be positively associated with the ability to feel compassion for others and to adopt their perspective, and negatively associated with the personal distress in tense interpersonal settings. Method: An exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted. Data were gathered from a large sample (N = 933) of Italian non-meditating second- and fifth-year medical students. Dispositional mindfulness and empathy were assessed using the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, respectively. Gender and age differences in dispositional mindfulness scores were calculated by analyses of variance, whereas hierarchical multiple regression models were used to assess the association between dispositional mindfulness and empathy scores. RESULTS Female medical students were more able to Act with Awareness than males, whereas males had higher levels than females of Describing and Nonreactivity to their feelings. When compared to their older counterparts, younger students scored higher on Observing and lower on Nonreactivity facets. Dispositional mindfulness facets correlated differently with both emotional and cognitive empathy dimensions, beyond the effects of gender and age. Medical students who displayed higher dispositional mindfulness appeared to be less emotionally distressed in tense interpersonal settings and more able to take others’ cognitive perspective. Conclusions: The findings support the notion that dispositional mindfulness is related to empathy and may have implications for the design of mindfulness-based training for use in the medical educational setting. Tailored interventions that cultivate specific dispositional mindfulness facets may be implemented along the medical curriculum to prevent the emotional distress in tense interpersonal settings and to sustain the cognitive capability to take others’ viewpoints among medical students.

Interactions Between Pharmaceutical Companies and Medical Students In Greece

International studies suggest that, besides medical doctors, medical students are exposed to pharmaceutical company marketing and their interactions with industry representatives are augmenting throughout the years of medical school. The aim of our study was to assess, for the first-time in Greece, the interactions between pharmaceutical companies and medical students. A sample of undergraduate medical students completed an anonymous, self-administered, web-based survey. The questions investigated the interaction between the students and the companies asking about gifts and other benefits received. The answers offered were binomial variables “yes” or “no”. The final sample consisted of 412 students (52.7% women, 47.3% men, mean age 22 years) and the overall response rate was 58.9%. Most of the responders (52.2%) were clinical level students. The commonest types of accepted benefits, especially among clinical level students, were low cost non-educational gifts, books, lunch, as well as attending seminars or educational events provided by pharmaceutical companies. 67.4% of the clinical level students had received a low cost non-educational gift from a company, 59.1% had attended a seminar or educational event provided by a company, 33% had received a lunch, 20% a book and 17.2% had attended a conference with the registration fee paid by a company. Most of the students strongly believed that the lectures sponsored by companies are not educational and are biased in favor of the company’s product. However, 47.6% of them stated that companies’ promotional material is useful to learn about new medications. Our study suggests that medical students in Greece are remarkably exposed to the pharmaceutical industry marketing. Interventions are needed to prepare students to be able to manage and evaluate these interactions in a critical way.

Medical students and interns' knowledge about and attitude towards homosexuality.

Background and Rationale:Medical professionals’ attitude towards homosexuals affects health care offered to such patients with a different sexual orientation. There is absence of literature that explores the attitudes of Indian medical students or physicians towards homosexuality.Aim:This study aimed to evaluate Indian medical students and interns’ knowledge about homosexuality and attitude towards homosexuals.Materials and Methods:After IEC approval and written informed consent, a cross-sectional study was conducted on a purposive sample of undergraduate medical students and interns studying in one Indian medical college. The response rate was 80.5%. Only completely and validly filled responses (N = 244) were analyzed. The participants filled the Sex Education and Knowledge about Homosexuality Questionnaire (SEKHQ) and the Attitudes towards Homosexuals Questionnaire (AHQ). SEKHQ consisted of 32 statements with response chosen from ‘true’, ‘false’, or ‘don’t know’. AHQ consisted of 20 statements scorable on a 5-point Likert scale. Multiple linear regression was used to find the predictors of knowledge and attitude.Results:Medical students and interns had inadequate knowledge about homosexuality, although they endorsed a neutral stance insofar as their attitude towards homosexuals is concerned. Females had more positive attitudes towards homosexuals. Knowledge emerged as the most significant predictor of attitude; those having higher knowledge had more positive attitudes.Conclusion:Enhancing knowledge of medical students by incorporation of homosexuality related health issues in the curriculum could help reduce prejudice towards the sexual minority and thus impact their future clinical practice.

Empathy in undergraduate medical students of bangladesh: psychometric analysis and differences by gender, academic year, and specialty preferences.

Empathy is considered to be associated with better patient compliance, satisfaction, and clinical outcomes. The aim of the study is to measure and examine empathy among a sample of undergraduate medical students of Bangladesh. It was a cross-sectional study and all the medical students of first through fifth year enrolled at Chattagram Maa-O-Shishu Hospital Medical College during the study period of 2014 were surveyed. Participants anonymously completed the Jefferson Scale of Empathy Medical Student version translated into Bengali language, a valid and reliable 20-item self-administered questionnaire. Principal component factor analysis with varimax rotation and Cronbach's alpha coefficient were calculated to check validity and reliability of the scale. ANOVA was used to examine the differences in empathy between gender, academic years, and specialty preferences. The mean empathy score was 110.41 ± 13.59. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.88. There were significant associations between gender and empathy scores. The level of empathy in medical students gradually increases after clinical training in medical college. A nonsignificant difference was found between empathy scores and specialty preferences. It is suggested that the medical curriculum in Bangladesh should include more extensive program to promote empathy and other humanistic values among the medical students.

Approaches to studying, personality and examination anxiety

The correlates of approaches to studying (as measured by the Approaches to Studying Inventory) were examined in a sample of undergraduate medical students ( n = 38). It was found that “reproducing’ orientation had a number of trait correlates including Eysenckian Neuroticism (+), and that ‘achievement’ and “meaning’ orientations had correlates including Eysenckian Psychoticism (-) and Extraversion (+). Students were tested on a number of state measures a few weeks before, and again immediately before, an oral examination. Though a clear and meaningful pattern of change emerged, this could not be predicted from approaches to studying.