Small Group Setting Research Articles

Dialectical behaviour therapy skills training: A feasibility study with active duty military

LAY SUMMARYThis study looked at the use of dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) skills group training with military personnel. DBT skills group training teaches coping skills to manage emotions; it has been well researched and used effectively with civilians and Veterans, but less is known about its use with military personnel. The General Mental Health (GMH) clinic receives a large volume of referrals for military personnel who have difficulty with coping skills and managing emotions. On the basis of previous research, a modified DBT skills group therapy program was developed for the clinic to offer an efficient, effective treatment program for these clients in this busy clinic. Military personnel may be a particularly good fit for this type of group-based treatment because they are familiar with working in small group settings. This treatment can also allow for a timelier return to work, minimizing interruptions to military deployments and operations. Study results showed that program participants had lower levels of depression and a greater ability to manage emotions and cope more effectively after the program. Treatment gains were largely maintained at six-month follow-up. This research suggests that DBT skills group training may be an effective treatment for military personnel.

Group Vestibular Rehabilitation Program: A Cost-Effective Outpatient Management Option for Dizzy Patients.

This study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of our novel group vestibular rehabilitation therapy (G-VRT) and to analyze the factors affecting outcomes. Retrospective case series. Tertiary referral center. Patients with chronic dizziness who received G-VRT between December 2019 and July 2020. The G-VRT program consisted of a 1-hour physical therapy session by an otologist in a small group setting. Dizziness Handicap Inventory, visual analog scale, functional level scales, and video head impulse test, as well as the compliance to the program, were evaluated. All scores of dizziness questionnaires were significantly improved after G-VRT ( p < 0.001). The overall vestibule-ocular reflex gain calculated by video head impulse test increased compared to the initial scores, whereas the average PR scores of all three semicircular canals significantly decreased from the initial scores, indicating enhanced vestibular compensation ( p < 0.05). Enrolled patients showed high compliance to the program. G-VRT program is a cost-effective and efficient way to provide relief for chronic dizzy patients. Further case-control studies in a larger group, as well as comparative studies with generic or customized vestibular exercise, will be needed to validate the clinical value of G-VRT.

Soft skills for success for job seekers with autism spectrum disorder

BACKGROUND: Direct Skills Teaching (DST) is a method for distilling a skill into digestible components for ease of teaching and learning of a new skill. Job retention is a complex phenomenon requiring numerous social competencies that include verbal and non-verbal fluency among others. Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often struggle with social communication and therefore are at a disadvantage in employment settings; even when otherwise qualified for the position. OBJECTIVE: This preliminary pilot study tested the feasibility of a DST group intervention to assist individuals with ASD with work-related soft skills, with a particular focus on informal conversational skills. METHODS: Eight master’s level Rehabilitation Counseling students facilitated groups of adults with autism spectrum disorder seeking employment. Student facilitators followed the Conversing with Others manualized curriculum, designed to teach workplace based informal conversational soft skills. Participant feedback was sought both pre and post intervention, and student facilitators recorded their observations of each group session. RESULTS: The initial findings support the feasibility of soft-skills training for work-related conversational skills teaching for job seekers with ASD. The results also supported the need for significant adjustments to the intervention as well as any future studies of the small group intervention Conversing with Others. CONCLUSIONS: Workplace conversational skills can be facilitated in a small group setting. Master’s level counselors-in-training, were able to follow a manualized DST soft-skills small group.

Increasing Access to Diabetes Education in Rural Alabama Through Telehealth.

The high prevalence of diabetes in Alabama and the limited diabetes education available to patients in that state suggest that new interventions are needed. To that end, the authors developed a project to assess whether the use of telehealth technology to deliver diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) in a small group setting is an effective and acceptable way to increase access to such education by underserved individuals. Certified diabetes educators, RNs, and telehealth services at three rural county health departments in Alabama implemented a DSMES program. Data were collected from participant registration forms, pre- and postintervention surveys, and telehealth surveys to assess participants' baseline and postintervention diabetes knowledge, self-care, and sense of self-efficacy. Blood pressure, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, and weight were also measured before and after the intervention. Forty-two people attended the DSMES program and participated in its evaluation. The findings demonstrated that for this sample, telehealth was an effective and acceptable way to conduct DSMES. The substantial improvements in health status, coupled with the fact that most participants had never participated in a DSMES program before, highlight the untapped potential of such programs to increase access to diabetes education in underserved areas.

Feasibility of a Combined Neuromodulation and Yoga Intervention for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Chronic Pain: Protocol for an Open-label Pilot Trial.

BackgroundMild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and chronic pain often co-occur and worsen rehabilitation outcomes. There is a need for improved multimodal nonpharmacologic treatments that could improve outcomes for both conditions. Yoga is a promising activity-based intervention for mTBI and chronic pain, and neuromodulation through transcranial magnetic stimulation is a promising noninvasive, nonpharmacological treatment for mTBI and chronic pain. Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) is a type of patterned, excitatory transcranial magnetic stimulation. iTBS can induce a window of neuroplasticity, making it ideally suited to boost the effects of treatments provided after it. Thus, iTBS may magnify the impacts of subsequently delivered interventions as compared to delivering those interventions alone and accordingly boost their impact on outcomes.ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to (1) develop a combined iTBS+yoga intervention for mTBI and chronic pain, (2) assess the intervention’s feasibility and acceptability, and (3) gather preliminary clinical outcome data on quality of life, function, and pain that will guide future studies.MethodsThis is a mixed methods, pilot, open-labeled, within-subject intervention study. We will enroll 20 US military veteran participants. The combined iTBS+yoga intervention will be provided in small group settings once a week for 6 weeks. The yoga intervention will follow the LoveYourBrain yoga protocol—specifically developed for individuals with TBI. iTBS will be administered immediately prior to the LoveYourBrain yoga session. We will collect preliminary quantitative outcome data before and after the intervention related to quality of life (TBI-quality of life), function (Mayo-Portland Adaptability Index), and pain (Brief Pain Inventory) to inform larger studies. We will collect qualitative data via semistructured interviews focused on intervention acceptability after completion of the intervention.ResultsThis study protocol was approved by Edward Hines Jr Veterans Administration Hospital Institutional Review Board (Hines IRB 1573116-4) and was prospectively registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04517604). This study includes a Food and Drug Administration Investigational Device Exemption (IDE: G200195). A 2-year research plan timeline was developed. As of March 2022, a total of 6 veterans have enrolled in the study. Data collection is ongoing and will be completed by November 2022. We expect the results of this study to be available by October 2024.ConclusionsWe will be able to provide preliminary evidence of safety, feasibility, and acceptability of a novel combined iTBS and yoga intervention for mTBI and chronic pain—conditions with unmet treatment needs.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04517604; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04517604International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/37836

Generating meaningful peer-to-peer engagement through a mentor-led, small group social learning experience on the evolving standards of care for advanced HER2+ breast cancer.

11040 Background: Although the COVID-19 pandemic quickly created a spotlight on distance learning, identifying models that can deliver effective educational programs and best serve the needs of oncology clinicians remains a significant challenge. Methods: We conducted an educational program on the evolving standards of care for advanced HER2+ breast cancer hosted on a novel digital platform that offers a personalized social learning experience which prioritizes engagement, peer-to-peer learning, and mentorship within a small group setting. Results: 87 learners within 10 groups of professionally-connected clinicians participated. Learners progressed through foundational self-study modules, collaborated on asynchronous group challenges, and participated in synchronous live group discussions over six weeks (approximately 4 hours total). Quantitative and qualitative analysis of data extracted from these components highlights the impact of this program (Table). Notably, the learner population was more specialized and engaged than could be expected of a traditional CME program. Feedback suggests strong impact of the live group discussions on learners’ intended practice changes. Additionally, analysis of group challenges and live group discussions revealed several key insights into learner thinking about treatment guidelines, including their differing opinions about the role of surgery/radiation in patient care, uncertainty about the mechanisms of action (MOAs) of discussed therapies, and their apprehension about implementing therapies that may impact the heart and lungs. Conclusions: The outcomes from this analysis highlight the utility of this type of social learning platform to create a safe, supportive learning environment that encourages multiple real-time and asynchronous interactions and shared experiences between clinicians who treat patients with advanced HER2+ breast cancer, as well as offering unique and convenient mentoring opportunities for clinicians interested in leading these digital small groups. Program impact.[Table: see text]

Fostering Dual Language Learners’ Participation in Head Start Classroom Conversations Through Code-Switching in Whole Group and Small Group Settings

ABSTRACT Research Findings: Children’s oral language skills lay the foundation for later literacy and can be fostered through responsive conversations with teachers. However, such conversations are rare in preschool, particularly between teachers and dual language learners (DLLs), or students who speak a minoritized language at home. DLLs benefit when their home language is used and instruction is provided in small groups, but few studies have explored the degree to which preschool teachers code-switch, or alternate between languages within a single group context. This study draws on 10 transcribed video-recorded observations of Head Start preschool classrooms to describe five teachers’ flexible use of Spanish and English with their Spanish-English DLL students across whole and small group contexts. DLL students’ language use was examined to explore the role of group context and teacher code-switching in fostering DLLs’ participation in classroom conversations. While relative Spanish use varied widely, all teachers code-switched more frequently in small group than in whole group. The 25 DLL students spoke more, took longer turns, and used more Spanish in small group versus in whole group. Practice or Policy: Our results suggest that teacher code-switching and small group instruction create contexts that are conducive to DLLs’ participation in classroom conversations.

Purposes, Places, and Participants: A Systematic Review of Teacher Language Practices and Child Oral Language Outcomes in Early Childhood Classrooms

ABSTRACT Research Findings: Early childhood teachers’ talk is a key ingredient in children’s early language and literacy development, but there has been little systematic synthesis of observational studies that examine relationships between teacher talk and child oral language. In this systematic review of 54 studies, we investigate and synthesize the kinds of teacher language practices and children’s oral language outcomes that have been studied to date. We identify four key strands of teacher language practice types: 1) conceptual talk, 2) interactive talk, 3) linguistic features, and 4) management and literal talk, and find that the majority of studies use vocabulary assessments as a proxy for assessing children’s oral language development. Next, we apply the idea of language registers, drawn from systemic functional linguistics, to identify the patterns of teacher language practices used for particular purposes, in particular places, and with different participants that were associated with growth in children’s oral language development. Practice or Policy: Findings indicate that early childhood teachers can support children’s oral language development using strategies tailored to specific settings, including the use of conceptual talk during shared book-reading and the use of elicitations during play and small group settings.

Opioid Use Disorder Curriculum: Preclerkship Pharmacology Case-Based Learning Session.

IntroductionDuring the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, over 93,000 Americans lost their lives to a preventable overdose. Medications for opioid use disorder (OUD) have been shown to decrease mortality in OUD but are underutilized. Through this case-based learning exercise, first-year medical students applied physiologic and pharmacologic principles to the diagnosis and treatment of OUD.MethodsFaculty facilitated a case discussion over a 1-hour large-group case-based learning (CBL) session. Facilitators utilized PowerPoint slides to illustrate graphs and figures while discussing the case. To evaluate students on the CBL learning objectives, three pharmacology exam questions were administered; students also evaluated the CBL's effectiveness in meeting educational objectives on three Likert-scale questions and via open-ended feedback.ResultsFirst-year medical students (n = 200) completed the CBL. The mean score on the exam questions was 91%. Students agreed or strongly agreed that the CBL was an effective way to learn pharmacology principles (69%), that it reinforced pharmacologic fundamentals (70%), and that it showed how pharmacology fundamentals were important in the real world of clinical medicine (86%). Qualitative feedback on the CBL was generally positive, including satisfaction with the small-group setting and practical applications of pharmacology to clinical practice.DiscussionThis CBL exercise contains content critical for preparing students to combat the modern opioid epidemic. The exercise provides an opportunity for learners to review fundamental pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic principles so as to ready them for clinical clerkships and beyond.

Incorporation of virtual enhancement in anatomy, physiology and clinical pathology instruction in medicine and veterinary medicine basic sciences

Classic anatomic dissection of humans and animals has been an essential element of the gold standard in medical and veterinary medical education for many decades, but in recent years has encountered previously unforeseen obstacles including the COVID‐19 pandemic and restrictions in laboratory and classroom participation. Included among the factors are a decreasing availability of cadaver donations to medical schools, combined with increasing costs of obtaining suitable cadavers. Specifically, class sizes and individual participation have waned over time, as has student interest in participating in the traditionally months‐long cadaveric dissection labs, and the attendant potential chronic exposure to the noxious embalming preservatives and their possible health risks from inadvertent over‐exposure. In addition, a decreasing trend in the prevalence of graduate education in gross anatomy, a primary source of new anatomy faculty. While physical cadavers have proven their spectacular function in providing anatomy content for medical and veterinary students for decades, their limitations of delivering adequate physiology and clinical pathology content under current requirements are more limited. To this end, we redeveloped our anatomy lab to include SPOC (Small Platform Online Course) and didactic lectures in anatomy, physiology, and clinical pathology, including targeted virtual instruction in small group settings both during cadaveric dissections and with the Anatomage®, and culminating with an abbreviated cadaveric dissection employing fresh, unembalmed cadavers over structured 2 day‐long dissections with small groups of now well‐prepared students with surgical microscopy and 3‐D fabrications. The additions to this lab have provided great benefits to veterinary anatomy instruction, which can now include up to two hundred different animal species and exposure to rare species not easily visualized in an academic laboratory setting. A pioneer in medical education, William Harvey was one of the most influential physicians of all time, and recognized the crucial role of cadaveric dissections in anatomy learning and their applications to clinical medicine, but the physiologic and pathologic implications were more limited in content and application than are needed in today’s instruction. The fields of medicine and veterinary medicine have now made extraordinary advances in content and detail, requiring inclusion of ever more content at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels within the constraints of a traditional four‐year curriculum, and where the outcomes and expectations have also increased to meet the demands and vigor of current practice standards soon after graduation. The results of our incorporation of extensive virtual anatomy and physiology modules in our curriculum have demonstrated significant increases and improvements in student participation and in content retention upon entering later phases in their academic programs.

A Novel Narrative Medicine Approach to DEI Training for Medical School Faculty

Problem : Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) trainings for medical school faculty often lack self-reflective and pedagogically focused components that may promote incorporation of anti-racism and social justice into medical school curricula. Intervention : A four-session Narrative Medicine (NM) anti-racism program was designed for medical school faculty using critical race theory, phenomenology, and NM methods. Each workshop consisted of a lecture on key NM concepts and a small-group breakout session incorporating group discussion, close reading, and reflective writing. Context : This NM anti-racism program was developed and implemented in April 2021 by two medical students for faculty at an institution in the southeastern U.S. The program was supported by the Office of Inclusive Excellence at the institution and held in collaboration with the institution’s medical education teaching academy. Program evaluation consisted of pre- and post-program surveys, which queried participants’ previous experiences with DEI and medical humanities programs, perceptions of self-identity and privilege, and confidence in teaching concepts of anti-racism. Of the total program participants (n = 32), 19 completed both surveys (54.3%). Survey data were analyzed using bivariate testing methods and qualitative thematic analysis. Impact : Post-program surveys showed 13 (68.4%) participants felt “somewhat more” or “more” comfortable engaging in concepts of race, and 12 (63.2%) participants felt “somewhat more” or “more” comfortable including topics of race into their teaching compared to before the program. Five themes were generated following qualitative analysis: (1) the value of longitudinal narrative reflection in a small-group setting for DEI work; (2) desire to commit more time to DEI, anti-racist, and social justice work while balancing busy teaching and clinical schedules; (3) the value of storytelling in DEI and anti-racism programming; (4) an understanding of deconstructive and reconstructive work of anti-racism in medicine; and (5) an increased ability to educate and enact change through teaching, activism, and institutional cultural and policy changes. Lessons Learned : This novel NM DEI training for medical school faculty was successful in increasing comfort discussing and teaching concepts of race in the medical school classroom, while providing a uniquely reflective space for personal growth. Participation in this longitudinal reflective experience was limited by physician schedules, therefore efforts to make time to participate in similar longitudinal interventions must be undertaken.

How to teach ethics to the undergraduates in clinical context?

Teaching ethics to undergraduates is no more a part of hidden curriculum rather it is a norm to be incorporated in the formal curriculum. Regarding instructional strategies, the consensus is stagerry and mainly based on the institutional choices. To develop moral reasoning and address the social value system, Cognitive part is delivered through lecturing while affection part is discussed via reflective practices in small group settings through deliberate moral case teachings and portfolio note book writings. However the outcome of such practices is yet to be known. However we suggest that the ethical curriculum should base on the reflective practices, social constructivism and experiential learning. Further customization could be done assessing potential ethical conflicts and legal accountability specific to our profession. We cannot merely focus on student preparation but also must focus on the organizational culture to be conducive for ethical practice and quality to match with what is being preached.

Maximising access to reading intervention: comparing small group and one‐to‐one protocols of Reading Rescue

Reading Rescue (Reading Rescue), a research and evidence-based programme for struggling readers (Ehri et al. 2007; Miles et al. 2018), was developed by an academic in response to the cost and lack of explicit letter, phonemic awareness and phonics instruction in Reading Recovery. Reading Rescue represents a pathway from research to practice. An academic advisor works closely with the nonacademic partner that trains school staff to deliver the programme in order to maintain alignment of the curriculum with research from the reading science field. In this study, the academic and nonacademic partner evaluated the effectiveness of small-group delivery of Reading Rescue, which has previously only been evaluated in a one-to-one delivery mode. This study therefore provides an illustration of how academics and practitioners can work together to achieve practical outcomes. This study compared the performance of two cohorts (N = 146; 104) of randomly assigned first-graders who received 50 sessions of Reading Rescue in a one-to-one or a small group setting compared with a control group. Results showed that intervention groups outperformed the control group (for most associations, p < .05) and performed similarly to each other (for most associations, p > .05), suggesting the small group protocol is as effective as one-to-one, enabling the programme to serve substantially more students. Discussion focuses on the importance of collaboration between academics and practitioners in expanding the reach of evidence-based programmes. The collaboration in this study serves as a model for how academics, and practitioners can join forces and leverage their expertise to reach more students.

Remote Microphone Systems for Cochlear Implant Recipients in Small Group Settings.

Cochlear implant (CI) recipients often experience speech recognition difficulty in noise in small group settings with multiple talkers. In traditional remote microphones systems, one talker wears a remote microphone that wirelessly delivers speech to the CI processor. This system will not transmit signals from multiple talkers in a small group. However, remote microphone systems with multiple microphones allowing for adaptive beamforming may be beneficial for small group situations with multiple talkers. Specifically, a remote microphone with an adaptive multiple-microphone beamformer may be placed in the center of the small group, and the beam (i.e., polar lobe) may be automatically steered toward the direction associated with the most favorable speech-to-noise ratio. The signal from the remote microphone can then be wirelessly delivered to the CI sound processor. Alternately, each of the talkers in a small group may use a remote microphone that is part of a multi-talker network that wirelessly delivers the remote microphone signal to the CI sound processor. The purpose of this study was to compare the potential benefit of an adaptive multiple-microphone beamformer remote microphone system and a multi-talker network remote microphone system. Twenty recipients, ages 12 to 84 years, with Advanced Bionics CIs completed sentence-recognition-in-noise tasks while seated at a desk surrounded by three loudspeakers at 0, 90, and 270 degrees. These speakers randomly presented the target speech while competing noise was presented from four loudspeakers located in the corners of the room. Testing was completed in three conditions: 1) CI alone, 2) Remote microphone system with an adaptive multiple-microphone beamformer, and 3) and a multi-talker network remote microphone system each with five different signal levels (15 total conditions). Significant differences were found across all signal levels and technology conditions. Relative to the CI alone, sentence recognition improvements ranged from 14-23 percentage points with the adaptive multiple-microphone beamformer and 27-47 percentage points with the multi-talker network with superior performance for the latter remote microphone system. Both remote microphone systems significantly improved speech recognition in noise of CI recipients when listening in small group settings, but the multi-talker network provided superior performance.

Fostering Joy in Reading: Implementing Culturally and Historically Responsive Book Clubs with Black Girls with Disabilities

ABSTRACT Educational research shows the value of culturally responsive pedagogies; however, special education research typically centers reading interventions that focus primarily on foundational skills. These sorts of programs rarely take learner identities into account in their design, and provide little opportunity for readers to make connections to their own lives or events in their communities and worlds. A culturally and historically responsive literacy (HRL) framework recommends teaching toward the pursuits of identity, skills, intellect, and criticality. This article uses analytic autoethnography and qualitative data to examine the ways that a group of Black girls identified as having disabilities engaged in a book club reading Jacqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming. Findings show that students engaged in joyful and engaged discussions about their cultural identities and historical events while simultaneously developing literacy skills and knowledge. Suggestions are made for implementing culturally and historically responsive book clubs in a resource room or small group setting as an alternative to traditional reading intervention programs.

Anatomy of the physical examination: A small group learning approach for increasing engagement and learning in a medical gross anatomy course.

The ability to perform and interpret the physical examination requires an understanding of human anatomy and how to apply that content in the clinical setting. Previous work has shown that students understand and retain information more effectively when they are actively engaged in the learning process and it is clearly linked to other coursework and their future needs. We developed a series of learning activities, based on the general physical examination, designed to enhance engagement and encourage durable learning of anatomical principles that are important in performing and interpreting the physical examination. Activities were designed for use in small group settings with faculty supervision and input as needed. We describe these activities and provide comments from students regarding the perceived value of these learning activities. Students reported that the applied anatomy learning activities were engaging and aided in their learning of human anatomy. Additionally, students appreciated the connection between the applied anatomy activities and the skills being learned in concurrent coursework focusing on the physical examination. We observed that applied human anatomy exercises modeled after components of the general physical examination and embedded in an anatomy course enhanced student engagement and helped students appreciate the importance of anatomical principles. We note that sensitivity to and acceptance of personal preferences and religious matters must be shown when using learning activities that involve close physical interactions to teach anatomical topics.

Virtual Social Events: An Integral Component of Recruitment in the New Era of Graduate Medical Education.

Virtual Social Events: An Integral Component of Recruitment in the New Era of Graduate Medical Education.

Effectiveness of remote simulation-based learning for periodontal instrumentation: A non-inferiority study.

While numerous virtual/remote simulation-based learning (SBL) modules were implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic, limited data on their effectiveness are available. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a remote SBL module for periodontal instrumentation compared to traditional onsite SBL modules. Calibrated faculty members have instructed in all modules. Synchronous remote SBL activities using a secure videoconferencing application, which replaced onsite practices, were conducted in a small group setting in the remote SBL module for the class of 2023. After the class took the onsite second-year practical examination, a set of multiple and logistic regression analyses (N=389) were conducted to test if the second-year practical examination scores and the passing rates were significantly different between the remote SBL (class of 2023) and onsite SBL I and II (class of 2019 and 2022) groups. Both mean practical examination score and passing rate from the remote SBL group (class of 2023) were significantly higher than those from the onsite SBL II group (class of 2022) when their first-year practical examination scores were not considered (p<0.05). Once the first-year practical examination scores were considered, the remote SBL group was not significantly different from the onsite SBL I and II groups with respect to the mean second-year practical examination score and the passing rate. The proposed remote SBL module achieved the comparable student learning outcomes compared to the onsite SBL modules while it utilized less staff, time, and material expenditure.

A unique and effective method of anatomy education: Small-group learning with prosected plastinated specimens.

At the New York University College of Dentistry, we are faced with the challenge of teaching Head and Neck Anatomy to a class of approximately 380 first-year students. We have developed an innovative anatomy curriculum that has proven effective in facilitating students' learning and long-term retention of the material. It has the added benefit of being time- and cost-efficient. Here, we share the structure of our curriculum and examine the student outcomes and student feedback. In this paper, we describe the evidence-based methods used in our course and present measures of student success. We also surveyed students about aspects of the anatomy curriculum. Our curriculum efficiently manages cost, instructional time, and classroom space, while promoting student success. Over the last 9 years, NYU Dentistry students have achieved a mean first-time pass rate of 98.6% and an average anatomy score of 1.74 standard deviations above the national mean on the National Board Dental Examination Part I. Students agree with instructor assessments of which features of the curriculum are valuable and state that the course helps them prepare for clinical courses. We believe that the main factors in the success of our course are the small group setting, the benefits of spaced repetition and frequent quizzes, and the use of plastinated specimens in place of wet cadavers.

Acute Cardiometabolic and Perceptual Responses to Individual and Group-Based Body-Weight Resistance Exercise in Girls.

To compare acute responses to treadmill-based HIIE (TM) and body-weight resistance exercise circuit (CIRC) and to CIRC performed in a small-group setting (group CIRC). Nineteen girls (9.1 [1.1]y) completed exercise testing on a TM to determine peak oxygen uptake, peak heart rate (HRpeak), and maximal aerobic speed. The TM involved eight 30-second sprints at 100% maximal aerobic speed. The CIRC consisted of 8 exercises of maximal repetitions performed for 30 seconds. Each exercise bout was followed by 30 seconds of active recovery. The blood lactate concentration was assessed preexercise and postexercise. The ratings of perceived exertion, affective valence, and enjoyment were recorded at preexercise, Intervals 3 and 6, and postexercise. The mean heart rate was higher during group CIRC (92% [7%] HRpeak) than CIRC (86% [7%] HRpeak) and TM (85% [4%] HRpeak) (ηp2 = .49). The mean oxygen uptake equaled 76% (11%) of the peak oxygen uptake for CIRC and did not differ from TM (d = 0.02). The CIRC elicited a greater postexercise blood lactate concentration versus TM (5.8 [1.7] vs 1.4 [0.4]mM, d = 3.61). The perceptual responses were similar among conditions (P > .05), and only the rating of perceived exertion increased during exercise (ηp2 = .78). Whether performed individually or in a small group, CIRC represents HIIE and may be a feasible alternative to running-based HIIE.