Medical Teacher最新文献

Background: Working effectively with medical interpreters is an increasingly valuable skill for clinicians to provide high-quality medical care. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of existing training programs that teach optimal collaboration practices between clinicians and interpreters during patient encounters.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, and Cochrane Central for studies published from 1945 through June 21, 2022.

Results: Out of the 1689 studies screened, we identified 19 studies that met inclusion criteria. Participants were from diverse professions, medical specialities, and training levels. Interpreter involvement in the development or delivery of the program was mentioned in 63% of the evaluated studies. There was substantial variability in training design, assessment methods, and reported outcomes. Only 10 of the programs included an objective knowledge or skills assessment. Only one study conducted a longitudinal assessment of skill maintenance over time. The training programs were generally well received.

Conclusions: There is a critical need for structured programs to train clinicians to effectively collaborate with medical interpreters to reduce healthcare disparities. An effective training program should involve interpreters in the development and delivery of the program, practical skills development through interactive activities, structured clinical skill assessment, and both in-person and virtual components.

Purpose: This research assessed support for parents studying undergraduate medicine at a New Zealand medical school and identified requirements for additional support.

Method: Support documentation was sourced from Student Affairs and university and medical school websites. The Medical Deans of Australia and New Zealand Medical Students Outcome and Longitudinal tracking Project was retrospectively examined for data specific to medical student parents. Student parents and medical school staff were also surveyed for their knowledge and perceptions around organisation and effectiveness of available support, and suggestions for additional support.

Results: Parents and expectant parents formed a consistent, likely growing sub-group studying medicine from 2008 to 2020, yet no formal student parent support policy existed until 2019. Prior to this, 67% of student parents and 47% of staff lacked knowledge of available support. Since 2020, calls for greater visibility of parenting policies and flexibility in the curriculum have been operationalised by the medical school.

Conclusion: Formalising policies and procedures, maximising access to parenting support resources and introducing flexibility in medical curricula can help students balancing families and medical training. This is relevant for sustainability of medicine as a career option for medical students wanting children, especially considering over half of all medical students are female.

Purpose: Psychomotor skill performance is central to effective clinical practice across health professions. These complex skills are challenging to teach, particularly in the novice learner. As many health professions programs have increased blended course offerings, educators must establish best practices for teaching psychomotor skills in this evolving learning environment. The purpose of this paper is to describe the innovative application of an evidence-based framework to teaching psychomotor skills to novice learners in a blended learning environment.

Materials and methods: Using a modified 9-step framework, two novice clinical skills courses in a Doctor of Physical Therapy Program were redesigned to teach psychomotor skills in a blended format, using online and in-person class sessions. Online coursework consisted of synchronous and asynchronous learning activities that preceded an immersive lab experience. Formative and summative assessments occurred during lab immersion.

Results and conclusions: The learning framework provided a central evidence-based pillar for novel course design, guiding development of learning activities for teaching psychomotor skills to novice learners in a blended learning environment. Initial student outcomes appear favorable when compared with previous traditional course structures and satisfaction was high. These preliminary findings align with prior research using similar frameworks for learning complex skills and provide an archetype curricular model for a blended learning environment.

Purpose of the article: As editorial boards (EBs) of medical education journals (MEJs) hold substantial control over framing current medical education scholarship, we aimed to evaluate representation of women as well as geographic and socioeconomic diversity on EBs of these journals.

Materials and methods: In our cross-sectional study, Composite Editorial Board Diversity Score (CEBDS) was used to evaluate diversity at gender, geographic region, and country income level. Websites of MEJs were screened for relevant information. Job titles were categorized into 3 editorial roles and data were analyzed using SPSS version 26.

Results: Out of 42 MEJs, 19 journals (45.2%) were published from the Global South. Among 1219 editors, 57.5% were men. Out of 46 editors in chief (EICs), 34.7% were women, and 60.9% were based in high income countries. No EIC belonged to low-income country. The proportion of female advisory board members was found to be positively correlated with the presence of a female EIC. Moreover, 2 journals achieved the maximum CEBDS. All editors belonged to the same World Bank income group and geographic region for 12 and 8 journals respectively.

Conclusions: In order to allow a truly global perspective in medical education to prevail, diversity and inclusivity on these journals become important parameters to address. Thus, promoting policies centered on improving diversity in all aspects should become a top priority.

What was the educational challenge?Medical student abuse within work-integrated learning (WIL) is well-reported, with negative consequences for wellbeing, motivation, and learning. Conversely, workplace dignity, described as respecting the worth of others and self, has positive impacts on wellbeing, learning, and relationships for WIL students and supervisors. Stakeholders often struggle to articulate what workplace dignity means, and can downplay or do nothing in the face of WIL indignities.What was the solution and how was this implemented?We created an innovative research-informed online learning resource about WIL dignity to improve stakeholders' understandings and help them get the best from WIL placements ensuring these are dignified, safe, and educationally productive. The resource included three topics: (a) workplace dignity and why it matters; (b) upholding dignity; and (c) strengthening dignity.What lessons were learned?We conducted a pilot qualitative evaluation involving 13 semi-structured interviews with students and supervisors to elicit their views and experiences of the resource. Our key findings across three overarching categories were: (1) perceived benefits (motivations to complete the resource; content of the resource; online pedagogies); (2) potential applications of learning (reinforcing existing knowledge; developing new knowledge; promoting reflection; changing workplace practices); and (3) suggested improvements (barriers to resource use; resource content; online pedagogies; timing of resource implementation; embedding the resource in broader learning).What are the next steps?Although we identified numerous perceived benefits, and applications of learning, the findings suggested opportunities for further development, especially improving the resource's social interactivity. We recommend that further resource implementation includes student-educator and student-peer interactivity to maximise learning, and longitudinal evaluation of the resource.

Purpose: Engagement in research and publication helps medical students develop the skills to improve healthcare through evidence-based medicine. The qualitative evidence-base for the medical student experience of publishing is limited. This study aims to explore medical students' publication practices and understand their experiences of research and publication.

Methods: The study is based on a mixed-methods convergent design. A survey questionnaire was distributed to medical students in UK medical schools by social media and email communication. We recruited volunteer participants through the survey and interviewed a sample whilst the survey was open. We purposively selected the sample to ensure representation from research-intensive and other universities.

Results: Survey results indicated that 21.3% (27/127) of respondents had a publication. The most common publication type was a conference abstract. The main motivation to publish was career progression and the main barriers were lack of opportunity or support to submit an article. There was no significant association between attending a research-intensive university and submitting an article. The interviews revealed that contributing to academic advancement was also a motivation to publish. Participants expressed receiving differing levels of support from supervisors and their institutions.

Conclusions: Data from the interviews suggested that the most commonly perceived barriers identified in the survey (lack of opportunity and support to conduct and publish research) may vary in prevalence between different medical schools. Further research is required to explore how different types of support offered by medical schools affect student engagement in publishing research.

While feedback is essential for learning in the health professions, clinical teachers rarely get feedback on their teaching, and the existing feedback is often non-specific and distant from teaching encounters. To enhance clinical teaching, we created a peer assessment program for clinical faculty. This program has been well-received and sustained for five years despite the challenges of faculty turnover and the pandemic. In this article, we identify twelve tips for creating and sustaining a peer assessment program for clinical faculty based on this experience. These tips focus on how to create a culture that supports peer assessment, on how best to implement a peer assessment program in practical terms, and on how to sustain a peer assessment program long-term. We hope these tips help educators receive better feedback about their clinical teaching and improve the future care delivered by our learners.

Purpose: Recruitment and retention of medical practitioners to rural practice is an ongoing global issue. Rural longitudinal integrated clerkships (LIC) are an innovative solution to this problem, which are known to increase rural workforce. Crucially this association increases with time on rural placement. This study examines factors that promote retention in a Rural LIC.

Methods: A two-phased, sequential design qualitative study in a cohort of students enrolled in a rural LIC at Griffith University, Queensland, Australia. Phase I consisted of an open-ended questionnaire and phase II follow-up focus groups from the same cohort. Data was transcribed and analysed using an iterative, six-step thematic analysis process to identify salient themes.

Results: Twenty-four students were invited to participate, of which eight respond in phase I and thirteen participated in phase II. Participants described retention being driven by connectivity within three broad themes: current practice, future practice (immediate internship and career intention), and social networks. Participant proposals to increase connectivity were also suggested including peer-led solutions and short rotations in metropolitan hospitals.

Conclusion: Connectivity is key to retention on rural longitudinal integrated clerkships. Programs which enhance connectivity with current practice, future practice, and social networks will increase retention on rural medical programs.