Medical Science Educator最新文献

Introduction: Most medical schools offer students the opportunity to conduct independent research projects in order to learn about evidence-based medicine. This study aimed to explore the experience of students, graduates, and supervisors during an independent research project through the lens of self-directed learning.

Methods: Students and recent graduates were asked to complete an anonymous survey about their experiences. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with a purposeful sample of 11 students, 14 graduates, and 25 supervisors. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. An inductive thematic analysis was conducted and themes were refined through the lens of self-directed learning.

Results: Most participants agreed that the independent research project could enable students to develop valuable self-directed learning skills. Participants commented on the importance of the research mentor, faculty support structures, and membership of a research team. Participants who were not well supported described feeling distressed and isolated.

Discussion: Medical student involvement in independent research projects can develop self-directed learning skills in the presence of a one-to-one mentoring relationship with a research supervisor, structured guidelines and support from the faculty, and membership of a research team. The development of self-directed learning skills should be part of the learning outcomes of any independent student research project.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-024-02054-4.

We have developed a peer-teaching program for student assistants involved in medical education. The offer comprises (1) an inventory of potentially relevant courses offered by other institutions at our university and (2) our own peer-teaching curriculum on pedagogy and teaching methodology. We describe a pilot scheme to implement the curriculum.

Medical Laboratory Scientists contribute to pathology organizations to provide medical testing for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. To meet patient medical testing demands in Australia, an employment projection of moderate growth by 2026 in Medical Laboratory Scientists is predicted. This requires an experienced academic workforce that is competent in Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) teaching supported by MLS research to graduate skilled MLS students to fill this void. However, there is little known about the academics that teach undergraduate MLS and whether there is a shortage of experienced educators and graduates. A mixed-method descriptive cross-sectional study design was used to identify 125 MLS academics to recruit and collect quantitative and qualitative survey data from 2019 to 2021. Over half of the survey respondents had never worked as a Medical Laboratory Scientist, and less than a third had an undergraduate degree in MLS. The breadth and depth of academic teaching and research interest were wide and covered both MLS and non-MLS themes. The retention of MLS academics remained stable. There was a meagre growth in new appointments over 3 years which was likely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic which also impacted student enrolment and graduate data. It is unclear from these results if the 2026 predicted growth will be achievable.

Moral reasoning skills among medical students have regressed despite the implementation of ethics teachings in medical education curricula. This inability to retain moral reasoning capability is attributed to difficulty transitioning to the principled thinking stage of moral reasoning as well as worsening of ethical decision-making skills during clerkship education due to the "hidden curriculum." Prior studies have examined the efficacy of individual strategies for moral education, but there is insufficient analysis comparing multiple educational interventions and moral reasoning assessment tools. The role and impact of these instruments in medical curricula for the advancement of health equity is reviewed.