Skills Curriculum Research Articles

Qualitative study of the feasibility and acceptability of implementation, and potential mechanisms of Learning Together for Mental Health, a whole-school intervention aiming to promote mental health and wellbeing in secondary schools.

Despite high rates of adolescent mental-health problems, there are few effective whole-school interventions to address this. Whole-school interventions offer a feasible and sustainable means of promoting mental health. We previously evaluated the Learning Together (LT) intervention which was effective in preventing bullying (primary outcome), promoting mental well-being, psychological functioning, and reducing substance use (secondary outcomes). We adapted LT to develop Learning Together for Mental Health (LTMH) with a new menu of evidence-based actions to address mental health and an enhanced SEL curriculum. We undertook a feasibility study of LTMH, a whole-school intervention featuring needs assessment, student and staff participation in decision-making via action groups selecting actions from an evidence-based menu, restorative practice, and a SEL and resilience skills curriculum between 2022 and 2023. This article examines the feasibility, acceptability, and potential mechanisms of LTMH, qualitatively, drawing on interviews and focus groups with 49 students in years 8 and 10, and 20 staff across four state secondary schools in southern England. The intervention was feasible and acceptable to implement. In terms of feasibility, the SEL curriculum was the most challenging to implement and was not prioritised by schools that had existing social and emotional learning lessons. Training and external facilitation were well-rated. Some schools struggled with the resourcing and workload implications of implementing actions from the evidence-based menu. Some aspects were not clear. Some staff were not aware that the various components worked together. Needs reports were not easy to understand for all. Students were generally supportive of restorative practice and SEL lessons. Data supported a potential mechanism involving increased school belonging and developing practical knowledge and skills to manage emotions and relationships. The intervention has little potential for harm. The intervention is ready for phase III trial with minor adaptations. A phase III trial of effectiveness is justified. ISRCTN15301591 https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN15301591.

A Novel Pediatric Clinical Skills Curriculum to Prepare Medical Students for Pediatrics Clerkship

Abstract Introduction Medical students feel poorly prepared to examine pediatric patients during clerkship. Our institution’s introduction to clinical skills course lacked practice with pediatrics physical examination skills. We developed a novel clinical skills curriculum to increase students’ confidence in examining pediatric patients. Methods Ericsson’s deliberate practice conceptual framework guided curriculum design. We utilized a flipped-classroom model to teach the newborn examination. Students watched a video, then practiced with manikins and patients. For the child examination, students attended a lecture and practiced with hospitalized children and facilitators. Students then participated in a Home, Education, Eating/Exercise, Activities/Employment, Drugs, Suicidality, Sexuality, Safety (HEEADSSS) didactic and role play activity. Before and after participation, students completed REDCap surveys ranking confidence in performing pediatric examinations and identifying normal examination findings on a Likert scale (1 = “Not at all confident,” 4 = “Extremely confident”). We analyzed data using Wilcoxon rank sum tests. Results A total of 97 students participated in the curriculum. Respectively, 56 (58%) and 32 (30%) students completed pre- and post-participation surveys. Post-participation, students reported increased confidence in identifying normal infant (median [interquartile range]; (2 [2,2] vs 4 [3,4]; p < 0.001) and child (2 [2,2] vs 3 [3,4]; p < 0.001) examination findings as well as HEEADSSS assessment components (2 [1.5,2] vs 4 [3,4]; p < 0.001), and had significantly higher scores on confidence performing infant (2 [2,2.5] vs 4 [3,4]; p < 0.001), child (2 [2,2] vs 3 [3,4]; p < 0.001), and HEEADSSS assessment (2 [2,3] vs 4 [3,4]; p < 0.001). Discussion This multi-modal curriculum emphasizing pediatric examination skills improved students’ confidence in pediatric-specific knowledge and skills prior to clerkship.

Evaluation of a school-based health promotion intervention in a resource-constrained community

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome of a school-based health promotion intervention that was implemented in three primary schools in a resource-constrained community in Bronkhorstspruit, South Africa, among Grade 4 to 6 learners. I accordingly investigated the learners’, teachers’ and parents’ experiences, perceptions and potential behavioural changes in terms of healthy food practices after the implementation of the Win-LIFE (Wellness in Lifestyle, Intake, Fitness and Environment) intervention. The study forms part of a broader institutional project. I followed an evaluation research design, applying Participatory Reflection and Action (PRA) principles, an interpretivist paradigm and a qualitative approach. The conceptual framework was based on Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) bio-ecological theory and Bandura’s (1986) social cognitive learning theory. A purposeful sample of 31 learners, 18 teachers and 31 parents participated in PRA-based data-generation and documentation activities. In addition, I used observation-as-context-of-interaction, field notes, research diaries and audio-visual techniques. In terms of results, the teacher-participants valued the PRA-based nature and their involvement as partners in developing and implementing the intervention. They also perceived the intervention as valuable to others, experienced some challenges during the implementation and made certain recommendations for future implementation. The parent-participants indicated that they gained knowledge about healthy food practices because of the Win-LIFE intervention. They started applying their newly gained knowledge yet required additional guidelines. Finally, the learner-participants’ experiences (reported as part of two master’s studies) of the enriched Life Skills curriculum (Bentley, 2016) and Natural Sciences and Technology curriculum (De Vos, 2017) were positive. They valued the experiential and cooperative learning approach and supportive facilitators, resulting in positive learning outcomes and their application of the newly gained knowledge, despite some challenges they identified. The findings thus indicate that the Win-LIFE intervention was valuable to teachers, learners and parents, increasing their awareness of, as well as their knowledge and skills regarding healthy eating practices (food choice, production, preparation and storage) and healthy living, thereby enabling them to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Furthermore, the teachers’ repertoire ofteaching strategies was extended. The learners, on the other hand, began to engage in their own learning more actively, based on the confidence, discipline and ability that they gained to retain information. Learners also transferred their knowledge and skills to their parents and other family members.

'Let's work together to pass medical school': a qualitative study of medical student attitudes to teamwork, competition and collaboration.

Teamwork is vital to all types of work, and graduates of higher education programmes must be prepared to contribute to a wide variety of professional teams. This is especially true in healthcare, where graduates will work in multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) under considerable pressure. This study is a follow-up to a previous study, where we described how competition between students is a barrier to constructive teamwork. Since then, we have made considerable enhancements to our transferable skills curriculum, moved away from norm referencing, and there have been national changes to the way that graduate Foundation training places are allocated. Here we present findings from a qualitative study of students from all six stages of our medical degree programme (5 years plus predegree foundation year). We explored whether there had been changes in how students perceived the importance of teamwork, their own teamwork development and how they collaborated with their peers. Following analysis of in-depth, semi-structured interviews, five themes emerged: (a) competition between students; (b) importance of teamwork; (c) what makes effective teamwork; (d) preparing for work in MDTs; and (e) recommendations for teamwork education. Competition between students was perceived as both positive and negative, but there has been a shift since our last study towards collaboration, with students now more willing to help each other succeed. Students also show more insight into their teamwork development, and were able to discuss what aspects of the programme, and higher education more broadly, were most valuable in helping them develop.

Successful Development and Implementation of Communication Skills Simulation Training Within Pediatric Hematology-oncology Fellowship Education.

Difficult discussions with patients and families are a primary component of pediatric oncology care. We report our experience in the development and implementation of a longitudinal simulation-based Communication Skills Curriculum within a pediatric hematology-oncology fellowship training program. A 6-session simulation curriculum was created for fellows to practice difficult oncology related discussions with a standardized patient (SP). This program was implemented in 2017 and continues presently. Throughout fellowship training the scenarios progress in content and scope. Each simulation was observed and recorded, and written and verbal feedback was provided. The Gap-Kalamazoo Communication Skills Assessment Form was used to assess communication skills in each session. A total of 15 fellows (100% of possible participants) have participated in this curriculum to date. Across all domains of communication skills assessed, the ratings given by the physician evaluators and self-evaluations improved over the course of the scenarios completed throughout fellowship training. This type of simulation-based communication skills curriculum within a pediatric hematology-oncology fellowship training program is feasible to implement. This training is useful to fellows beyond training in improving communication skills, which has the potential to directly benefit the future patients they care for.

Emotional Intelligence and Teacher Productivity and Performance in Public Elementary Schools: An Input for a School-Based Intervention Program

Emotional intelligence (EI) is crucial to every individual's well-being. It is a significant factor in establishing positive relationships, especially in the post-pandemic era. Teachers play vital roles in education as they are the front liners who directly interact with learners, parents, and stakeholders. Therefore, they should have a strong EI to employ constructive approaches in managing their school environment. Therefore, educational leaders and school administrators must recognize how personal challenges impact teachers' emotional intelligence, particularly during the pandemic, by establishing reliable support mechanisms that foster a positive learning atmosphere. These resources can help teachers manage personal issues and empower them to support their students effectively. The study analyzed the impact of Emotional Intelligence on teachers’ productivity and performance as input for a school-based intervention program. This descriptive research utilized a quantitative correlation approach. A simple random sampling technique was employed to determine the population sample size. The questionnaire was sent to 655 target respondents from two sub-offices of the Division of Laguna, Department of Education, Philippines, through two methods: via a Google link or using paper and pen, with the permission of their school heads. The questionnaire was sent to the target participants in two ways: through a Google link or through paper-and-pen with the permission of the participants’ school heads. The results revealed that the respondents demonstrated high emotional intelligence but average stress management. On the other hand, they were both at high levels in terms of productivity and performance. The relationship between emotional intelligence and teachers’ productivity exhibited moderate correlations, while there was a strong correlation between Emotional Intelligence and Teaching Performance. Finally, some demographic factors influenced the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and Teaching Performance. Most school interventions focus on skill development, curriculum development, teaching methodologies, or student support systems, and Emotional Intelligence is often neglected. Providing emotional support to teachers is important for recognizing how their emotional states impact their effectiveness and the learning environment. This support can help to continually enhance productivity and performance, leading to better learning outcomes.

THE INFLUENCE OF INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING ON INTEGRATED SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS OF COLLEGE STUDENTS IN TAGUM CITY: BASIS FOR AN INTERVENTION PLAN

The study aimed to determine the influence of inquiry-based learning on integrated science process skills. The result of the study was used to craft an intervention plan that will help enhance science process skills among college students. A descriptive- correlational design was employed. The 249 college-level respondents, enrolled in laboratory courses, were selected through stratified random sampling from four schools and universities in Tagum City. The study used two adapted and validated research questionnaires. Mean, standard deviation, Pearson r, and linear regression analysis were used as the statistical treatment of the study. The overall mean on the level of inquiry-based learning has resulted in 4.49 with a standard deviation of 0.67. The descriptive equivalent for the level of inquiry-based learning is very high. The homogeneity of responses has a computed standard deviation of 24.39 and a moderate descriptive equivalent which means that the indicator science process skills is fairly manifested. The result revealed that there is no significant relationship between inquiry-based learning and science process skills among college students in Tagum City. Based on the study results, an intervention plan has been developed to enhance students’ integrated science process skills. This plan includes strategies for teachers to promote integrated science process skills among students, such as alternative teaching methods, targeted skill development, teacher training, curriculum integration, assessment and feedback mechanisms, student engagement techniques, and ensuring resource availability. KEYWORDS: Science Education, inquiry-based learning, integrated science process skills, descriptive and correlational design, Tagum City, Davao del Norte, Philippines

Patient-resident physician communication – a qualitative study to assess the current state, challenges and possible solutions

BackgroundPatients perceive effective patient-doctor communication as an important metric when evaluating their satisfaction with health systems. Hence, optimal patient-physician communication is fundamental for quality healthcare. High-income countries (HICs) have extensively studied patient-resident communication. However, there is a dearth of similar studies in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Therefore, we aimed to explore the current state of and barriers to practicing good patient-resident communication and explore possible solutions to mitigate these challenges at one of the largest Academic Medical Centers in an LMIC.MethodsThis study employed an exploratory qualitative study design and was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Pakistan. Through purposive maximum variation sampling, 60 healthcare workers from diverse cohorts, including attendings, fellows, residents, and medical students, participated in eight focus group discussions.ResultsWe identified three key themes from the data: Status-quo of residents’ communication skills and learning (Poor verbal and non-verbal communication, inadequate training programs, and variable sources of learning), Barriers to effective communication (Institutional barriers such as lack of designated counselling spaces, lack of resident insight regarding effective communication and deficits in intra-team communication), and the need for developing a communication skills curriculum (Design, implementation and scaling to other cohorts of healthcare workers).ConclusionsFindings from this study show that multifaceted factors are responsible for inadequate patient resident-physician communication, highlighting the need for and importance of developing a formal communication skills training curriculum for residents. These insights can be used to create standardized training for equipping residents with adequate skills for effectively communicating with patients which can improve healthcare service delivery and patient outcomes.

Development and evaluation of a societal core robotic surgery accreditation curriculum for the UK

Standardised proficiency-based progression is the cornerstone of safe robotic skills acquisition, however, is currently lacking within surgical training curricula. Expert consensuses have defined a modular pathway to accredit surgeons. This study aimed to address the lack of a formal, pre-clinical core robotic skills, proficiency-based accreditation curriculum in the UK. Novice robotic participants underwent a four-day pre-clinical core robotic skills curriculum incorporating multimodal assessment. Modifiable-Global Evaluative Assessment of Robotic Skills (M-GEARS), VR-automated performance metrics (APMs) and Objective Clinical Human Reliability Analysis (OCHRA) error methodology assessed performance at the beginning and end of training. Messick’s validity concept and a curriculum evaluation model were utilised. Feedback was collated. Proficiency-based progression, benchmarking, tool validity and reliability was assessed through comparative and correlational statistical methods. Forty-seven participants were recruited. Objective assessment of VR and dry models across M-GEARS, APMs and OCHRA demonstrated significant improvements in technical skill (p < 0.001). Concurrent validity between assessment tools demonstrated strong correlation in dry and VR tasks (r = 0.64–0.92, p < 0.001). OCHRA Inter-rater reliability was excellent (r = 0.93, p < 0.001 and 81% matched error events). A benchmark was established with M-GEARS and for the curriculum at 80%. Thirty (63.82%) participants passed. Feedback was 5/5 stars on average, with 100% recommendation. Curriculum evaluation fulfilled all five domains of Messick’s validity. Core robotic surgical skills training can be objectively evaluated and benchmarked to provide accreditation in basic robotic skills. A strategy is necessary to enrol standardised curricula into national surgical training at an early stage to ensure patient safety.

CALMER Conflict: A Novel Curriculum for Graduating Medical Students to Manage and Defuse Patient-Provider Conflict.

Workplace violence disproportionately affects healthcare workers and verbal aggression from patients frequently occurs. While verbal de-escalation is the first-line approach to defusing anger, there is a lack of consistent curricula or robust evaluation in undergraduate medical education. To develop a medical school curriculum focused on de-escalation skills for adult patients and evaluate effectiveness with surveys and an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). We implemented this curriculum in the "Get Ready for Residency Bootcamp" of a single large academic institution in 2023. Forty-four fourth-year medical students PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: The curriculum consisted of an interactive didactic focused on our novel CALMER framework that prioritized six evidence-based de-escalation skills and a separate standardized patient practice session. The post-curriculum survey (82% response rate) found a significant increase from 2.79 to 4.11 out of 5 (p ≤ 0.001) in confidence using verbal de-escalation. Preparedness improved with every skill and curriculum satisfaction averaged 4.79 out of 5. The OSCE found no differences in skill level between students who received the curriculum and those who did not. This evidence-based and replicable de-escalation skill curriculum improves medical student confidence and preparedness in managing agitated patients.

Medical Students' Efforts to Address COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Through Motivational Interviewing.

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic reaffirmed health disparities in the United States (US) and highlighted the need for public health strategies to combat vaccine hesitancy, especially amongst vulnerable populations. The Green Family Foundation Neighborhood Health Education Learning Program (NeighborhoodHELP) at Florida International University (FIU) serves a predominantly uninsured population, making it a critical area of opportunity for addressing vaccine hesitancy. Motivational interviewing (MI), a technique that supports individuals in making autonomous health decisions, has shown promise in encouraging vaccine acceptance.Medical students at FIU's Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (HWCOM) are involved in the longitudinal care of the individuals in NeighborhoodHELP and receive training in MI within their clinical skills curriculum, making them optimally positioned to conduct outreach to encourage COVID-19 vaccination. Project goals There were two primary goals of this project: first, to systematically track and improve COVID-19 vaccination rates among individuals in NeighborhoodHELP, andsecond, to equip future physicians with hands-on experience in MI. Methods The COVID-19 Vaccination Promotion Initiative recruited medical students previously trained in MI to conduct outreach to unvaccinated individuals within NeighborhoodHELP. Students engaged in discussions about the COVID-19 vaccine with NeighborhoodHELP members, assisted in scheduling vaccination appointments, and updated medical records. The student team regularly met with faculty advisors to discuss changes in vaccine and public health data and to discuss challenges and successes with outreach efforts. To incentivize participation and enhance vaccine uptake, $25 gift cards were offered to individuals who agreed to receive the vaccine following the outreach conversations. Results From June 2021 to January 2023, the team made an estimated 720-1516 phone calls to NeighborhoodHELP individuals. The team encountered a challenge of low answering rates, with 35% of individuals being unreachable despite multiple attempts. Among those reached, 20% expressed no interest in receiving the vaccine, while 50% were interested in receiving the vaccine or had already been vaccinated. Vaccination rates among NeighborhoodHELP adults rose from 15.2% to 44.3% during this time. Student experiences with MI were generally positive, with many noting success in engaging hesitant individuals. However, the team also encountered challenges, such as growing vaccine apathy within the community and difficulties in reaching patients via cold calls, which limited the overall impact of their outreach efforts. Conclusions By using MI techniques,medical students engaged with community members in meaningful conversations about the importance and safety of COVID-19 vaccination.However,the initiative fell short of the 50% vaccination target, facing challenges such asreliance on unsolicited phone calls and the complexities of incentivizing vaccinations through this outreach method. Future initiatives could benefit from exploring alternative outreach methods, such as in-person engagement at community events or through partnerships with local organizations, to overcome the limitations of phone-based outreach. Additionally, investigating the relative efficacy of in-person versus telephone-based communication in promoting vaccination could provide valuable insights.

Clinical Sociology and Community Interventions

At least 235,000 people experience homelessness in Canada each year, with over 35,000 experiencing homelessness on any given night (Gaetz et al. 2013a). For many, maintaining housing is challenging due to the absence of essential life skills. This paper departs from a community-identified problem with conventional life skills programming and uses sociological tools to address it. Community partners have expressed a need for a life skills curriculum that is inclusive, representing the intersecting needs and experiences of a diversity of clients, and that will address budgetary constraints of not-for-profit (NFP) organizations in the region. The Community-Ideas Factory: The Life Skills Project consists of an interdisciplinary research team and 16 NFPs collaborating to build a comprehensive, inclusive, relevant, and effective online life skills intervention. Adopting a clinical sociological and community-engaged research approach, our findings emphasize the importance of recognizing that essential life skills are diverse and shaped by the larger social, political, and economic context, such as social inequities. Notably, social justice is identified as a crucial life skill, uncovering the intersectionalities that shape individuals' lives and that must be integrated into life skills programming. This ground-breaking finding is facilitated by our methodology, deviating from the positivist research approaches prevalent in life skills studies. Significantly, the entire life skills curriculum is Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)-informed. The intervention addresses immediate financial strains for partner organizations. We anticipate that the intervention will interrupt current cycles of homelessness while holding promise as a preventative measure.

A Microsurgical Skills Curriculum to Develop Unconscious Competence.

The attainment of microsurgical competency is an important milestone for plastic surgery trainees. Technical skill and a practiced disposition are required to successfully perform microsurgical procedures. Microsurgical skills curricula may foster both proficiency with technical movements and facilitate performance with minimal cognitive burden while using the operating microscope. The microsurgical skills curriculum presented in this article focuses on three fundamental principles: intrinsic muscle strength, accuracy and precision of movement, and supervised practice. Progressive operative entrustment of trainees is earned through successful completion of deliberate microsurgical exercises rather than timed anastomosis trials. The overarching goal of this curriculum is to develop unconscious competence in microsurgery.

Foundation phase male teachers’ reflections in teaching of comprehensive sexuality education in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa

Children in their childhood and teenage years can acquire either healthy or unhealthy lifestyles. Without proper guidance, unhealthy lifestyles (e.g. risk-taking, substance abuse, poor family planning) may negatively affect their psychosexual development (i.e. ability to make healthier sexual choices). Male and female teachers can be role models for learners to acquire healthy sexual lifestyles. Historically, the Foundation Phase (FP) has been a highly feminine teaching space. Lately, however, the space has seen an increasing presence and participation of FP male teachers. This paper shares FP male teachers’ reflections in teaching comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) content within the Life Skills curriculum in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Five FP male teachers were engaged in a focus group conversation; data were thematically analysed, underpinned by a feminist post-structural lens. Although the teachers reported a restriction of FP male teachers in teaching CSE-related content, they also indicated that learners showed increased self-exposure to CSE-related content. To counter the censorship of FP male teachers in teaching CSE-related content, the study recommends explicit incorporation of feminist pedagogies to enable FP male teachers to be part of the delivery of SE content as equal stakeholders.

A Study Of Career Aspirations Of College Going Students Pursuing Academic And Professional Undergraduate Courses

ABSTRACT Present study has been conducted on 800 undergraduate students pursuing academic and professional courses in Rohilkhand region. The prime aim of the present study was to explore the impact of nature of course i.e. academic and professional courses on career aspirations of college going students. The results of the study showed the fact that students pursuing professional courses are having higher career aspirations in terms of more clear vision of career goals, higher achievement and leader aspirations and more determination towards their career progression than their counterparts pursuing academic courses. Hence policy makers should take into account while framing policies regarding employability skills in curriculum. Key words: career aspirations, academic and professional courses

Validity evidence for the clinical communication skills assessment tool (CCSAT) from 9 years of implementation in a high stakes medical student OSCE

ObjectivesCommunication and other clinical skills are routinely assessed in medical schools using Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) so routinely that it can be difficult to monitor and maintain validity. We report on the accumulation of validity evidence for the Clinical Communication Skills Assessment Tool (CCSAT) based on its use with 9 cohorts of medical students in a high stakes OSCE. MethodsWe describe the implementation of the CCSAT including information on the underlying model, the tool’s items, domains, scales and scoring, and its role in curriculum. Internal structure is explored through item, internal consistency, and confirmatory factor analyses. Evidence for CCSAT validity is synthesized within prevailing frameworks (Messick12 and Kane13) based on continuous quality improvement and use of the CCSAT for feedback, remediation, curricular design, and research. ResultsImplementation of the CCSAT over time has facilitated our communication skills curriculum and training. Thoughtful case development and investment in standardized patient training has contributed to data quality. Item analysis supports our behaviorally anchored scale (not done, partly and well done) and the skills domains suggested by an a priori evidence-based clinical communication model were confirmed via analysis of actual student data. Evidence synthesized across the frameworks suggests consistent validity of the CCSAT for generalization inferences (that it captures the construct), responsiveness (sensitivity to change/difference), content validity/internal structure, relationships to other variables, and consequences/implications. More evidence is needed to strengthen validity of CCSAT scores for understanding extrapolation inferences and real-world implications. Conclusions and Practice ImplicationsThis pragmatic approach to evaluating validity within a program of assessment serves as a model for medical schools seeking to continuously monitor the quality of clinical skill assessments, a need made particularly relevant since the US NBME no longer requires the Step 2 Clinical Skills exam, leaving individual schools with the responsibility for ensuring graduates have acquired the requisite core clinical skills. We document strong evidence for CCSAT validity over time and across cohorts as well as areas for improvement and further examination.

An Analysis of Incorporation of Soft Skills in MBA Curriculum in MBA Offering Institutes in Amravati Region

An Analysis of Incorporation of Soft Skills in MBA Curriculum in MBA Offering Institutes in Amravati Region

Effectiveness of Teaching Communication Skills in Undergraduate Curriculum at Defence Services Medical Academy Myanmar: Mixed Qualitative and Quantitative Study

Introduction: Good communication is the cornerstone of quality healthcare and it should be patient centered. Communication skills is taught and assessed with surrogates in undergraduate training. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of communication skills taught in undergraduate period in reality. Methodology: It was a combined qualitative and quantitative methods. For qualitative assessment, phenomenology was used. Informal focus group semi-structured interview was done to groups of interns who had completed internship at medical wards. The responses were analyzed interpreted and classified; thematic analysis was done. For quantitative assessments, open ended questions were set by experts in medical education. The questions were answered anonymously; they were grouped into same themes. This study was approved by ‘Hospital Research and Ethics Committee’ of No(1) Defence Services General Hospital. Informed consent was taken from each intern. Results: A total 20 interns were included. Four themes were formed after thematic analysis: (1) the extent of applicability of communication skills they were taught in undergraduate days;(2) self-admitted confidence and degree of satisfaction; (3) the challenges/gaps they faced in reality; and (4) their suggestions on undergraduate teaching to fill the gaps. All interns admitted that the communication skills they taught was 100% applicable in practice. And they were confident out of proportion to their medical experience. They were satisfied with communication skills they were taught in undergraduate days. The challenges faced were as follows; difficulty in understanding volume and clarity of language when dealing with some nationality; low education level of patients leading to difficulty in understanding the information they have given; difficulty in getting trust from patient being youngest doctor in the team; and, taking long time due to emotional reaction of patient in breaking bad news. They admitted that they need to fill their knowledge gaps to answer the questions raised by patients particularly in explanation of diagnosis and management. They realized the importance of facial expression and tone of voice to express sympathy and empathy especially in breaking bad news. To improve communication skills in practice, they suggested to teach with real patients with real scenario. Conclusion: Teaching communication skills in undergraduate period was effective. The interns had good self-reported confidence. The interns need more training and self-directed learning. The challenges faced by interns were acceptable/logical. We should find better teaching method/media in undergraduate teaching to promote communication skills.

Vascular Anastomoses and Dissection: A Six-Part Simulation Curriculum for Surgical Residents.

As surgical technologies grow, so too do demands on surgical trainees to master increasing numbers of skill sets. With the rise of endovascular surgery, trainees have fewer opportunities to practice open vascular techniques in the operating room. Simulation can bridge this gap. However, existing published open vascular simulation curricula are basic or based on expensive models. We iteratively developed an open vascular skills curriculum for second-year surgery residents comprising six 2-hour sessions. We refined the curriculum based on feedback from learners and faculty. The curriculum required skilled facilitators, vascular instruments, and tissue models. We evaluated the latest iteration with a survey and by assessing participants' technical skills using the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) form. Over the past 10 years, 101 residents have participated in the curriculum. Nine of 13 residents who participated in the latest curricular iteration completed the survey. All respondents rated the sessions as excellent and strongly agreed that they had improved their abilities to perform anastomoses with tissue and prosthetic. Facilitators completed 18 OSATS forms for residents in the fifth and sixth sessions of the latest iteration. Residents scored well overall, with a median 26.5 (interquartile range: 24-29) out of a possible score of 35, with highest scores on knowledge of instruments. This simulation-based curriculum facilitates open vascular surgical skill acquisition among surgery residents. The curriculum allows residents to acquire critical vascular skills that are challenging to learn in an increasingly demanding operative setting.

Nursing students’ stressors and coping strategies during their first clinical training: a qualitative study in the United Arab Emirates

BackgroundUnderstanding the stressors and coping strategies of nursing students in their first clinical training is important for improving student performance, helping students develop a professional identity and problem-solving skills, and improving the clinical teaching aspects of the curriculum in nursing programmes. While previous research have examined nurses’ sources of stress and coping styles in the Arab region, there is limited understanding of these stressors and coping strategies of nursing students within the UAE context thereby, highlighting the novelty and significance of the study.MethodsA qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews. Overall 30 students who were undergoing their first clinical placement in Year 2 at the University of Sharjah between May and June 2022 were recruited. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim and analyzed for themes.ResultsDuring their first clinical training, nursing students are exposed to stress from different sources, including the clinical environment, unfriendly clinical tutors, feelings of disconnection, multiple expectations of clinical staff and patients, and gaps between the curriculum of theory classes and labatories skills and students’ clinical experiences. We extracted three main themes that described students’ stress and use of coping strategies during clinical training: (1) managing expectations; (2) theory-practice gap; and (3) learning to cope. Learning to cope, included two subthemes: positive coping strategies and negative coping strategies.ConclusionsThis qualitative study sheds light from the students viewpoint about the intricate interplay between managing expectations, theory practice gap and learning to cope. Therefore, it is imperative for nursing faculty, clinical agencies and curriculum planners to ensure maximum learning in the clinical by recognizing the significance of the stressors encountered and help students develop positive coping strategies to manage the clinical stressors encountered. Further research is required look at the perspective of clinical stressors from clinical tutors who supervise students during their first clinical practicum.