Self-assessment Quizzes Research Articles

35126 Education to improve general medical doctors’ dermatology referrals

General hospital doctors often find it challenging to correctly diagnose and appropriately refer common benign and malignant skin lesions. A series of dermatology images of melanoma, nonmelanoma malignancies, actinic keratosis and benign lesions was presented in a quiz format to general medical doctors in a model 3 hospital. Dermatology experience, confidence in lesion recognition and decision for dermatology referral was surveyed pre-teaching. A teaching session with follow-up quiz and self-assessed confidence of lesion recognition and diagnosis was surveyed. Comparison pre and post quiz scores were analyzed. Twenty-four medical doctors ranging from intern to consultant participated in this study. 96% (n = 23) had no prior dermatology experience. Following teaching, 61% (n = 14) expressed feeling confident in their diagnosis of presented images, compared with 17% (n = 4) preteaching. The follow-up quiz showed a global 24% increase in lesion recognition. Correct referral of actinic keratosis improved from 79% to 100%, acral melanoma improved from 75% to 90%, melanoma referral improved from 77% to 93% and BCC referral improved from 88% to 100%. 91% (n = 21) found the teaching session helpful for future practice. The teaching session improved the ability to correctly identify features of common benign, premalignant and malignant skin lesions. The follow-up quiz demonstrated improvement in appropriate referrals for premalignant and malignant lesions. Regular dermatology teaching with images and self-assessment quizzes should improve the confidence of general hospital doctors to correctly recognize and refer to dermatology services. This study demonstrates the need for dermatology teaching to general medical doctors to improve the accurate diagnosis and referral of common skin lesions.

Evaluating the Efficacy of an Online Learning Tool for EEG Teaching: A Prospective Cohort Study.

To determine the effectiveness of a 6-month, interactive, multimodal, Web-based EEG teaching program (EEGonline) in improving EEG analysis and interpretation skills for neurologists, neurology residents, and technologists, particularly in resource-limited settings. Between June 2017 and November 2018, 179 learners originating from 20 African countries, Europe, and the United States were registered on the EEGonline course. Of these, 128 learners (91% African) participated in the study. Pre- and postcourse multiple choice question (MCQ) test results and EEGonline user logs were analyzed. Differences in pre- and posttest performance were correlated with quantified exposure to various EEGonline learning modalities. Participants' impressions of EEGonline efficacy and usefulness were assessed through pre- and postcourse satisfaction surveys. Ninety-one participants attempted both pre- and postcourse tests (71% response rate). Mean scores improved from 46.7% ± 17.6% to 64.1% ± 18%, respectively (p < 0.001, Cohen d 0.974). The largest improvement was in correct identification of normal features (43.2%-59.1%; p < 0.001, Cohen d 0.664) and artifacts (43.3%-61.6%; p < 0.001, Cohen d 0.836). Improvement in knowledge was associated with improved subjective confidence in EEG analysis. Overall confidence among postcourse survey respondents improved significantly from 35.9% to 81.9% (p < 0.001). Lecture notes, self-assessment quizzes, and discussion forums were the most utilized learning modalities. The majority of survey respondents (97.2%) concluded that EEGonline was a useful learning tool and 93% recommended that similar courses should be included in EEG training curricula. This study demonstrated that a multimodal, online EEG teaching tool was effective in improving EEG analysis and interpretation skills and may be useful in resource-poor settings.

Pathology Residents as Testing Personnel in the Hematology Laboratory.

Clinical laboratories and the training of pathology residents are tightly regulated environments. Compliance with regulatory requirements must be addressed when developing entrustable professional activities (EPAs) for pathology residents. To describe the development of EPAs for peripheral blood and body fluid review in compliance with Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments and College of American Pathologists personnel and testing requirements. To examine the impact of EPA implementation on the workflow in a busy hematology laboratory. A training program was designed to prepare pathology residents to function as independent testing personnel in compliance with Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments. After a series of lectures, hands-on microscopy sessions, self-assessment quizzes, and achievement of a passing score on a training assessment exam, residents were deemed competent to release certain results independently. The volume and the turnaround time of hematology tests were compared before and after residents were integrated into the laboratory workflow. Faculty and residents were surveyed to assess satisfaction with the training. Empowering residents to independently release noncritical results from peripheral blood and body fluid reviews had no adverse impact on test turnaround time. The resident contribution to workflow resulted in a corresponding decrease in the number of cases that required attending pathologist review. Faculty and residents viewed the EPAs as beneficial to service and education. The implementation of the EPAs had a beneficial effect on the laboratory, the trainees, and faculty. Our experience may be helpful to other training programs as EPAs become more widely implemented in residency training.

Outcomes of blended learning for capacity strengthening of health professionals in Guinea

BackgroundQuality human resources constitute an essential pillar of an effective health system. This paper analyzes the outcomes of blended learning for post-Ebola capacity strengthening of health professionals in Guinea.MethodsTwo courses lasting 3 months each (7–8 modules) were developed and implemented: one in Primary Health Care (eSSP) and the other in Sexual and Reproductive Health Services Management (eSSR). Both eSSP and eSSR courses were offered online on the Moodle platform, followed by a face-to-face capacity-building workshop. A cross-sectional study using a mixed-methods approach was conducted in 2018–19. As outcomes, we described learners’ sociodemographic characteristics, course completion and success, and perceptions of the courses and support from the instructors, analyzed the factors associated with learners’ successful completion and reported on learners’ feedback on their blended learning experience. Quantitative data were analyzed using the STATA 15 software, and qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis.ResultsOverall, 282 health professionals were enrolled for both eSSP and eSSR courses. The completion rate was 69.5% (196/282). The success rate for learners who completed the courses was 80% (156/196), and the overall success rate for enrollees was 55% (156/282). The dropout and abstention rates were 22 and 9%, respectively. On both eSSP and eSSR courses, the success rate of women enrolled was higher than or equal to men’s. The success rate of medical doctors enrolled (53% for eSSP and 67% for eSSR) was higher than for other health professionals, in particular nurses (9% for eSSP) and midwives (40% for eSSR). Course type was associated with success (AOR = 1.93; 95% CI = 1.15–3.24). Most learners strongly agreed that the courses are relevant for targeted health professionals (81 to 150/150), pdf course materials are well-structured and useful (105/150), the content of the modules is relevant, comprehensible, and clear (90/150), self-assessment quizzes are helpful (105/150), summative assessment assignments are relevant (90/150), the course administrators and IT manager were responsive to learners’ concerns (90/150), they will recommend the courses to colleagues and friends (120/150).ConclusionTwo blended courses for capacity strengthening of health professionals were successfully developed and implemented in Guinea.

Usability testing of an e-learning resource designed to improve medical students’ physical activity prescription skills: a qualitative think-aloud study

ObjectiveAn e-learning resource (MEdic GAming, MEGA) was developed based on the contents of the Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine exercise prescription booklet. This study aimed to (i) explore medical...

Building Entrustable Professional Activities In Residency Training: Peripheral Blood Smear And Body Fluid Analysis

Abstract Introduction/Objective Entrustable professional activities (EPAs) are defined as specialty-specific tasks representing a unit of professional practice that can be entrusted to unsupervised performance by a trainee following attainment of sufficient task-specific competence. EPAs and periodic competency assessments also provide a framework for evaluating relevant ACGME milestones. We describe our experience creating EPAs for peripheral blood smear (PBS) and body fluid (BF) analysis through which residents became qualified to act as laboratory testing personnel. Methods Training occurred during a 6 week “boot camp” for PGY2 and PGY4 residents in July-August 2018 and July-August 2019. Training for PBS included didactic lectures in automated hematology and RBC morphology (2 hr) and WBC and platelet morphology (2 hr); faculty-guided microscope reviews of RBC (2 hr) and WBC morphology (2 hr) using a training checklist; completion of RBC and WBC self-assessment quizzes; and a 40 question graded exam that covered cell identification, lab protocols, and case scenarios. Training for BF included didactic lectures (2 hr); faculty-guided microscope review of BF slides using a training checklist; completion of a BF self-assessment quiz; and a 40 question graded exam that covered cell identification, lab protocol, and case scenarios. Following successful completion of the graded exam residents were deemed competent to perform unsupervised review of cases initially flagged as abnormal by laboratory technologists; they were required to obtain attending review prior to release of results in defined situations. Formal competency assessments according to CLIA standards were done at 6 and 12 months after initial training. Impact on laboratory workflow and turnaround time was assessed before and after training. Conclusion We successfully created EPAs for PBS and BF analysis through which residents became qualified to act as laboratory testing personnel. There was no adverse impact on laboratory turnaroud time, and the number of PBS and BF cases requiring attending pathologist review decreased. Residents appreciated this tangible opportunity to gain graduated responsibility that prepared them for future practice. Periodic competency assessments provide an opportunity to evaluate relevant ACGME milestones. Our training and assessment program and EPAs can serve as a template for other residency programs.

Effectiveness of blended learning in radiological anatomy for first year undergraduate medical students.

The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of blended learning modules for radiological anatomy among first-year medical students by estimating knowledge gain and evaluating student perceptions. A single-group, pre- and post-test study design was utilized. Five radiological anatomy modules consisting of online presentations and self-assessment quizzes were developed for the upper limb, lower limb, head and neck, thorax, and abdomen and pelvis. The content of the modules was uploaded on to a learning management system called TYRO. Each module focused on the normal anatomical features observed on plain and contrast radiographs. Other relevant imaging modalities and clinical contexts were also introduced. During the classroom session, the students were instructed to peruse the modules and answer the self-assessment quiz. The teacher in the classroom acted as a facilitator and was available to the students for any clarifications. A pre- and post-test was administered to the students before and after exposure to the modules, respectively. A paired t test was used to estimate differences in the pre- and post-test scores. Students' perceptions were assessed using a questionnaire. One-hundred students attended both the tests. The mean and standard deviation of pre- and post-test scores were 17 ± 5.5 and 26 ± 7.6, respectively, and this difference was significant. Students' perceptions about the intervention were on the whole positive. A significant improvement in the knowledge of radiological anatomy was noted after exposure to five blended learning modules of radiological anatomy. The modules were well received by the students.

The Flipped Classroom: An Innovative Approach to Medical Education in Ophthalmology.

The aim of the study is to report the creation of a flipped ophthalmology course and preclinical medical student perceptions and knowledge gains before and after a flipped ophthalmology course. The form of the study discussed is an observational study. The subjects involved in the study are second-year (U.S.) United States medical students at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine (n = 401). Second-year medical students participated in a 1-week "flipped classroom" ophthalmology course geared toward primary care providers at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine. Eleven hours of traditional classroom lectures were condensed into 4.5 hours of short videos with self-assessment quizzes, small group discussions, and a large group case-based discussion. Fifty-seven short videos (<9 minutes) focused on major ophthalmology topics and common conditions were viewed by the students at their leisure. Students completed a pre- and post-course evaluation on their perceptions and opinions of the flipped classroom approach. Final exam scores in the flipped classroom cohort were compared with the final exam scores in the traditional didactic format used in years prior. The main outcome measures include: student final exam performance; student satisfaction, opinions, and perceptions. Over the course of 2 years, 401 second-year U.S. medical students participated in the flipped classroom ophthalmology course. The majority of students enjoyed the flipped classroom experience (75.3%) and expressed interest in using the approach for future lessons (74.6%). The flipped classroom videos were preferred to live lectures (61.2%). Over 90% of students stated the self-assessment quizzes were useful, 79% reported that the small group discussions were an effective way to apply knowledge, and 76% cited the large group case-based discussion as useful. Pre-course knowledge assessment scores averaged 48%. Final examination scores in the flipped group (average ± standard deviation [SD] = 92.1% ± 6.1) were comparable to that of the traditional group when evaluating identical questions (average ± SD = 91.7% ± 5.54), p = 0.34. The flipped classroom approach proved to be a well-received and successful approach to preclinical medical education for ophthalmology. This was achieved using 35% less course time than our traditional course. This innovative approach has potential for expansion to other medical schools, medical education abroad, and for other medical school modules.

Industry-Practice-Based Engineering Hydrology Education at USQ, Australia

Engineering education must embrace several challenges, such as increased numbers of work-based students, increased demand for online education, mismatches in employability skills and industry requirements, and lack of student engagement. The hydrology course at the University of Southern Queensland attracts more than 100 students every year, where more than 70% of students are off-campus and most of them are work-based. This study explored how an online hydrology course can embrace industry practice and engage students in order to achieve learning outcomes. Industrial careers in hydrology involve extensive use of hydroclimatological data and modeling applications. The course modules, learning objectives and outcomes, and assessment tools have been designed to align with industry practices. Active participation of students was observed in self-assessment quizzes and discussion forums. The course was rated very well in achieving learning outcomes and in overall student satisfaction. Students appreciated the well-structured real-world and professional practice in the course.

The Self‐Assessment Dilemma: An Open‐Source, Ethical Method using Matlab to Formulate Multiple Choice Quiz Questions for Online Reinforcement

INTRODUCTIONStudent self‐assessment using computer‐based quizzes has been shown to increase subject memory and engagement. Some types of self‐assessment quiz can be associated with a dilemma between 1) medical students who want the self‐assessment quiz to be clearly related to upcoming summative assessments or curated by the exam‐setters, and 2) university administrators and ethics committees who want clear guarantees that the self‐assessment quizzes are not based on the summative assessments or made by instructors familiar with the exam bank of items. One possible way past this apparent ethical impasse was to use a computer to design the self‐assessment questions, with the input to the algorithm being information that was freely available to the students in the course learning materials (i.e. criterion‐referenced from learning outcomes). Here we describe how a computer can formulate large numbers of these basic, rote‐memorization, MCQs; we further add a brief description of whether such questions were found to be satisfactory by students, and whether students engaged with our projectMETHODSAn algorithm in Matlab was developed to formulate multiple choice questions for both ion transport proteins and pharmacology. A schematic of the Matlab process is shown in Figure 1. Matlab scripts and sample materials have been made available online for free (https://github.com/harry‐witchel/Ion‐Channel‐MCQs and https://github.com/harrywitchel/Pharmacology‐MCQs). Instructor‐verified question/items were uploaded to the Synap.ac online self‐quiz web platform, and 48 year 1 United Kingdom undergraduate medical students engaged with it for 3 weeks. Anonymized engagement statistics for students were provided by the Synap platform, and a paper‐based exit questionnaire with an 80% response rate (n = 44) measured satisfaction.RESULTSFour times as many students primarily accessed the quiz system via laptop compared to phone/tablet (Figure 2). Of 391 online questions/items, over 11,749 attempts were made. Data of usage showed that self‐assessment usage peaks occurred in days immediately before summative assessments and that troughs occurred on the days of assessments. Numerical subjective responses to the exit questionnaire were in a Likert format (1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = neither agree nor disagree, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly agree). Greater than 80% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with each of the positive statements ("I found the quiz software enjoyable to use", "I found it easy to use", "I engaged more with the study material because of the online quizzes", "I felt I learned more by using these quizzes"). The most positively answered numerical question was "I would like these kinds of quizzes to be extended to other modules", where 77% of the respondents strongly agreed. Subjective responses are shown in Figure 3.CONCLUSIONSDespite simplistic questions and rote‐memorization, the questions developed by this system were engaged with and received positively. Students strongly supported extending the system.Support or Funding InformationBrighton and Sussex Medical School Independent Research Project ProgrammeThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Ass or Fail? Prediction of Students’ Exam Outcomes from Self-reported Measures and Study Activities

Technical educations often exhibit poor student performance and consequently high rates of attrition. Providing students with early feedback on their learning progress can assist them in self-study activities or in their decision-making process regarding a change in educational direction. In this paper, we present a set of instruments designed to identify at-risk undergraduate students in a Problem-based Learning (PBL) university, using an introductory programming course as a case study. Collectively, these instruments form the basis of a proposed learning ecosystem designed to identify struggling students by predicting their final exam grades in this course. We implemented this ecosystem and analyzed how well the obtained data predicted the final exam scores. Best-subset-regression and lasso regressions yielded several significant predictors. Apart from relevant predictors known from the literature on exam scores and drop-out factors such as midterm exam results and student retention factors, data from self-assessment quizzes, peer reviewing activities, and interactive online exercises helped predict exam performance and identified struggling students.

The self-assessment dilemma: an open-source, ethical method using Matlab to formulate multiple-choice quiz questions for online reinforcement.

Student self-assessment using computer-based quizzes has been shown to increase subject memory and engagement. Some types of self-assessment quizzes can be associated with a dilemma between 1) medical students who want the self-assessment quiz to be clearly related to upcoming summative assessments or curated by the exam-setters, and 2) university administrators and ethics committees who want clear guarantees that the self-assessment quizzes are not based on the summative assessments or made by instructors familiar with the exam bank of items. An algorithm in Matlab was developed to formulate multiple-choice questions for both ion transport proteins and pharmacology. A resulting question/item subset was uploaded to the Synap online self-quiz web platform, and 48 year 1 medical students engaged with it for 3 wk. Anonymized engagement statistics for students were provided by the Synap platform, and a paper-based exit questionnaire with an 80% response rate ( n = 44) measured satisfaction. Four times as many students accessed the quiz system via laptop compared with phone/tablet. Of 391 questions/items, over 11,749 attempts were made. Greater than 80% of respondents agreed with each of the positive statements (ease of use, enjoyed, engaged more, learned more, and wanted it to be extended to other modules). Despite simplistic questions and rote memorization, the questions developed by this system were engaged with and were received positively. Students strongly supported extending the system.

Deprescribing in Psychiatry

With the growth of polypharmacy across medicine, the concept of <italic>deprescribing</italic>—reducing or eliminating the use of medication—is gaining traction among prescribers in a range of specialties. Applying this concept to psychiatry is more complex than in other fields of medicine and requires expanding the intervention to include consideration of psychological, social, environmental, and cultural factors. Taking a recovery-oriented and strengths-based approach, this book outlines the need for deprescribing in psychiatry and expands on the intervention to look at barriers and strategies for addressing them, as well as specific considerations for classes of psychotropic medications. The book is explicitly not against the use of medications but instead promotes a rational approach to considering the reduction of medications when indicated and when agreed upon by both prescriber and patient by promoting the use of shared decision-making and working to minimize risk while maximizing quality of life. The book includes learning objectives, self-assessment quizzes, and case examples to support the reader and provide concrete illustrations of implementation. It is geared toward all prescribers of psychiatric medications and is useful as well for patients, family members, and other mental health practitioners interested in learning more about approaches to making the best, most judicious use of psychiatric medications in mental health.

Virtual Pathology Learning Resource: A Promising Strategy in Teaching Pathology to Allied Health Science Students

Aim/Purpose: The objective of this study was to concept test a new instructional aid called Virtual Pathology Learning Resource (VPLR), which was used as a vehicle to communicate information and enhance teaching and learning of basic sciences (Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathology) to allied health science students at a South Australian university. Background: Pathology was traditionally taught using potted specimens to review disease manifestations independently. However, this approach was found inadequate and ineffective. VPLR is a new teaching platform comprising of digitised human normal and human pathology specimens (histology, histopathology), patient case studies, short answer and critical thinking questions, and self-assessment quizzes. Using authentic learning theory as an educational pedagogy, this learning resource was developed to enhance the teaching and learning of Pathology. Methodology: Cross-sectional study design was used. A survey, given at the end of the course, gathered qualitative and quantitative data concerning the perceptions and experiences of the students about VPLR and its components. The online tool SurveyMonkey was utilised so that students could respond anonymously to a web link that displayed the questionnaire. The perceived impact on students was assessed using an 18-item questionnaire seeking agreement or disagreement with statements about VPLR, multiple choice and open-ended questions querying the best things about VPLR, benefits to be derived, and areas for improvement. Descriptive and frequency analyses were performed. Contribution: The VPLR approach involved rich learning situations, contextualised content, and facilitated greater understanding of disease concepts and problems. Findings: In a sample of 103 Medical Radiation students, 42% of students (N=43) responded to the post-intervention survey. The majority of students reported highly positive effects for each component of the VPLR. The overall results indicated that this tool was a promising strategy in teaching Pathology as it assisted students’ gaining knowledge of the science, facilitated connections between sciences, and allowed students to make better links with professional practice and skills. Recommendations for Practitioners: As students found VPLR to be beneficial, it is recommended that the same approach is applied for the teaching of Pathology to other health science students, such as Nursing. Other universities might consider adopting the innovation for their courses. Recommendation for Researchers: Applying VPLR to teaching other allied health science students will be undertaken next. The innovation will be appropriate for other health science students with particular emphasis on case-based or problem-based learning and combined with clinical experiences. Impact on Society: In reshaping the way of teaching a science course, students are benefited with greater depth of understanding of content and increase motivation to study. These are important to keep students engaged and ready for practice. VPLR may impact on education and technology trends so that exploration and possibilities of initiatives are ongoing to help students become successful learners. Other impacts are the new forms of learning discovered, the renewed focus on group work and collaboration, and maximising the use of technology in innovation. Future Research: Future directions of this research would be to conduct a follow-up of this cohort of students to determine whether the impacts of the innovation were durable, meaning the change in perceptions and behaviour is sustained over time.

Applying the Moodle Platform in Online Student Self-Assessment

Abstract Taking into consideration the importance of information and communications technology in higher education both as part of the teaching and grading process, but also the limitations in its application in higher education in the Republic of Serbia, this paper outlines the possibilities which the Moodle platform offers for the definition and use of online self-assessment tests and quizzes in the preparation and simulation of the entrance exam for the Faculty of Economics of the University of Niš. To indicate the importance of egrading for the increase in the effectiveness of learning, the paper analyses the number of created accounts and the number of visits, while a statistical analysis of the candidates′ results on the simulated entrance exam, from 2014 to 2016, was used to test the hypothesis on the significance of formative assessment for effective learning. The obtained t-test results indicate that formative assessment in this specific instance contributes to the improvement of the candidates’ learning process and that the application of such a means of student self-assessment in other areas of study would significantly contribute to the increase in the effectiveness of learning. On the other hand, statistical analyses of individual responses to questions represent a significant source of feedback for teachers, which can be used for the purpose of redefining tests.

Self‐Assessment Quiz Taking Behaviour Analysis in an Online Course

Abstract Self-assessment is vital for online learning since it is one of the most essential skills of distance learners. In this respect, the purpose of this study was to understand learners’ self-assessment quiz taking behaviours in an undergraduate level online course. We tried to figure out whether there is a relation between self-assessment quiz taking behaviours and final exam scores or not. In addition, we investigated how self-assessment quiz taking behaviour differs with respect to learner profile. In line with this purpose, 677 students’ 6092 test events across Project Culture course on Sakai CLE LMS were analyzed. For the analysis of the quantitative data, one-way ANOVA, Chi-Square test of independence, independent-samples t-test and descriptive statistics were utilized. The results revealed that learners who attended self-assessment quizzes regularly had higher final exam scores than others who did not attend those quizzes. Also, they were more satisfied with the course than others study field. In addition, learners who attended selfassessment quizzes regularly had a higher degree of perceived learning. However, number of attempts to those quizzes does not have an effect on final exam scores. On the other hand, a statistically significant relationship was found between attempt number and gender in favour of female learners.

Levelling the playing field

SkillBox, a curated, self-assessed, self-paced multimedia resource was developed for use by students as a way to increase their knowledge and confidence specific topics such as statistics, basic mathematics or referencing that are required in many tertiary subjects. A SkillBox uses adaptively scaffolded text, video and self-assessment quizzes, and is provided to students as an optional supplementary resource. We surveyed students and staff to evaluate the success of SkillBox across three teaching sessions. We found that engaging with SkillBox increased students' confidence attitude and knowledge in the topic area covered in that SkillBox, and that both students and staff found the addition of SkillBox useful and would recommend its use in other subjects. Although more research is needed, we suggest that a resource such as SkillBox can positively contribute not only to student knowledge and confidence in a range of topics, but also to equity, retention, engagement and academic performance in the subjects where a SkillBox is promoted.

Web Alert

Radiology Masterclass Tutorials: http://radiologymasterclass.co.uk/tutorials/tutorials/ Radiology Masterclass is a UK-based web site where educators will find value in materials on the basics of musculoskeletal X-ray. The site provides excellent free content that can be used to teach learners at the medical student level and below. The most valuable material is the descriptive X-ray overlays that clearly define normal anatomy and pathology. It is worth noting that there are some compatibility issues with certain browsers when viewing the images — it would be worth exploring the tutorials in detail before referring learners to the site. In addition to the free content, visitors to the site also can purchase online assessments (price, £67 to 115 per assessment) accredited by the Royal College of Radiologists, London, UK. Cost: Free and paid content. Soc Doc: http://sock-doc.com/ Soc Doc is a web site founded by holistic provider Stephen Gangemi who holds chiropractic and nutrition degrees along with a certification in kinesiology. The site is a lay resource for athlete self-diagnosis of common sport-related injuries. Emphasis is placed on lower body injuries and nutrition pertaining to the endurance athlete. Media includes articles, podcasts, and videos. Visitors also can sign up for a newsletter, participate in the web site’s forum, and sign up to follow Mr. Gangemi on the social media platform of their choosing. Sports medicine providers will find value in the site as a place to refer patients for information on conservative approaches to sport-related health concerns common to the endurance athlete. Cost: Free. Drug Free Sport: http://www.drugfreesport.com/index.asp This is the home web site of The National Center for Drug Free Sport (NCDFS), an organization offering independent drug-testing program management for institutions and organizations. In addition to drug-testing services, the NCDFS also offers assistance in drug policy development and drug program audits. Visitors can subscribe to the NCDFS’s Resource Exchange Center, a database providing up-to-date information on dietary supplements and banned substances. Free educational information for athletes, coaches, administrators, and providers is available under the “myPlaybook Resources” section. Information on the comprehensive myPlaybook educational programs for high school and college athletes also can be found on the site. Team physicians in the process of establishing or revamping their institution’s drug-testing program will be the providers most interested in what this site has to offer. Cost: Free with several subscription-only services. Scuba Doc: http://scuba-doc.com/ Scuba Doc is a free web site with a wealth of information about dive-related medical issues such as decompression sickness, condition-specific considerations, and dive emergency action plans. The information contained on the site will appeal to a wide audience ranging from the nonmedical diver to the physician specializing in dive medicine. Full citations are provided for the contents. Self-assessment quizzes are available for most topics. Perhaps the only weaknesses of this comprehensive web site are the outdated interface and the fact that it was last updated in 2014. Cost: Free. The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Physical Activity Guidelines: http://health.gov/paguidelines/ The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) is a U.S. government office within the Department of Health and Human Services. One of the roles of the ODPHP is to maintain physical activity guidelines, with their most recent comprehensive set published in 2008. In addition to providing easy access to the guidelines, the web site contains reports on physical activity, a list of resources from other governmental organizations such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. Department of Agriculture, and a regularly updated blog. The site will appeal most to administrators and public health providers interested in promoting exercise within the populations they care for. Cost: Free.

Moving towards Preceptorship Model and Blended Learning Methodologies in Baccalaureate Nursing Education in Pakistan

Clinical practice is the backbone of every nursing curriculum in which students experience application of theoretical concepts in the field sites to prepare them for their role and responsibilities in the community. In Pakistan, the preceptor-ship model will be applied for the first time for a course entitled “Advanced Concept of Community Health Nursing in the undergraduate Post RN BScN program (ACCHN)”.Using a blended learning format this course used clinical placements both in Karachi and Hyderabad. The course had a blend of face to face and online components including: online modules, moderated discussion forums and activities, selfassessment quizzes, and podcasts. An exploratory qualitative study design was utilized by focus group discussions to appraise the effectiveness of the trio model used in this course by students, faculty as well as the preceptors, and to measure the outcome of the blended learning methodology. The key findings included preceptors where instrumental in facilitating clinical practicums and the move towards blended learning methodology was seen as an innovative teaching pedagogy by the faculty with the potential to improve learning. Students reported that utilization of preceptors allowed for deeper learning and preceptors should be allowed to grade a portion of the student assessment.

IPads in the Cadaver Lab – A Complement to Dissection and Study

We developed an iBook‐based Human Anatomy lab manual with step‐by‐step dissection photos, self‐assessment quizzes, and written instructions in order to streamline the dissection procedures and provide an interactive study tool for students.Although other anatomy labs have used iBook‐based manuals, ours (entitled 'The Anatomist's Guide: A Complement to Dissection and Study') is composed primarily of photos taken during 4 cadaveric dissections (two males and two females) completed by our faculty. We generated a photo bank of over 3600 digital images and more than 900 of these were incorporated into the 27 chapters of this iBook‐based manual. The dissection assignments in each chapter have photo galleries showing initial skin cuts, muscle reflections, nerves or blood vessels that may be at risk during the exposure process, major organs, and landmarks. All photos have captions and markers indicating caudal/rostral orientation and prone vs. supine positioning. In addition to the photos, every chapter includes written dissection instructions, a list of structures to identify, and self‐assessment quizzes.The Anatomist's Guide iBook was successfully integrated into Gross Anatomy courses offered in our Colleges of Medicine and Health Professions. During each lab period there is one iPad provided per dissection table. There are also 4 iPads permanently secured in accessible locations throughout the lab, and 5 iPads on reserve in the library for study purposes.We found that the addition of iPads to the cadaver lab has proven to be a successful complement to the dissection experience and a study tool well utilized by the students.Funding was provided by our institution: Medical Alumni Association, Dean of the College of Medicine, and Educational Communications department.