Korean journal of medical education最新文献

Purpose: To develop and validate a structured oral clinical assessment (SOCA) tool to evaluate pharmacotherapy competencies among medical students during clinical clerkships.

Methods: The instrument was designed around seven core pharmacotherapy domains. A total of 30 pharmacology experts participated in the face and content validity assessments. The cognitive complexity was evaluated using Bloom's taxonomy. Nine trained examiners assessed 77 clerkship students using the SOCA tool. Construct validity was tested using Spearman correlation, whereas inter-rater reliability was analyzed using Cohen's kappa and Krippendorff's alpha. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha.

Results: All items showed strong content validity (item-level content validity index and face validity index=1.00). Most questions reflected moderate to high cognitive complexity (Bloom's C2-C5). Construct validity was supported by significant domain-total score correlations (r=0.406-0.750; p<0.05). Inter-rater reliability was substantial (kappa=0.651-0.830; Krippendorff's alpha=0.639-0.834), and internal consistency was acceptable (Cronbach's alpha=0.759).

Conclusion: The SOCA tool has strong validity and reliability for evaluating pharmacotherapy competence through oral clinical examination. It offers a structured, feasible alternative to existing formats and has the potential for broader use following external validation.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of burnout and determine the predictive factors among the residents in the three major healthcare specialties in Syria (medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy).

Methods: A web-based cross-sectional survey was used to investigate the experienced burnout among residents. The Maslach Burnout Inventory was used as a self-reported scale. Seven burnout-related factors were investigated and included in the survey.

Results: The overall reported prevalence of burnout was 73% (149/204 respondents) in the total sample. Residents in medicine reported the highest values, followed by the residents in dentistry. The residents in pharmacy reported the lowest burnout prevalence. The prevalence was statistically different in selected domains of burnout according to the type of specialty, satisfaction with monthly income, marital status, gender, existence of night shifts, and was inversely correlated with age (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Burnout rates among Syrian healthcare residents are high and concerning. Residents in medicine reported the highest percentage. Predictive factors should be considered by the directors of every medical program and the residency administrators.

Purpose: This study investigated how socio-cultural characteristics, including gender, age, socioeconomic status, religiosity, and parental education, influence the gender perceptions of medical students and how these perceptions are influenced by medical education.

Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 380 volunteer medical students who completed a questionnaire comprising sociodemographic items, the validated Nijmegen Gender Awareness in Medical Scale, and the Perception of Gender Scale (PGS). Statistical significance was set at p<0.05.

Results: Mean PGS scores were significantly higher among first-semester students compared to sixth-semester students (101.94±19.40 vs. 95.52±19.83, p=0.013) and among female compared to male participants (106.51±13.28 vs. 87.71±19.94, p<0.001). Self-reported "very religious" participants demonstrated significantly lower PGS scores compared to other religious categories in both female (p<0.001) and male (p=0.002) subgroups. Gender Role Ideology towards Doctors scores showed a moderate negative correlation with PGS scores (r=-0.459, p<0.001).

Conclusion: Female gender, younger age, urban living, higher income, and higher levels of maternal and paternal education supported a positive gender perspective. Towards the end of medical education, gender perceptions tend to become less egalitarian. These findings highlight the potential for medical education to negatively impact gender perceptions and underscore the need for integrating gender awareness training into medical curricula to promote more equitable attitudes among future physicians.

Purpose: Leadership in healthcare is vital, but it remains fragmented within medical school curricula. It is often confined to isolated courses lacking cohesive integration. Using the Medical Leadership Competency Framework (MLCF), this study examines leadership curricula and competencies in Korean medical schools, providing a foundation for educational strategies that enhance leadership development.

Methods: We conducted survey among professors responsible for leadership education in medical schools. Our questionnaire assessed leadership competencies and curriculum content. We analyzed responses from 34 medical schools using frequency and content analysis.

Results: Leadership-related content in institutional missions, educational objectives, and graduation competencies predominantly aligned with MLCF domains 1 and 2. Leadership courses were primarily offered at the premedical and medical stages, with a strong emphasis on these domains. However, perceptions of the necessity of leadership subcompetencies varied by educational stage, with most considered essential during clinical clerkships. High priority competencies included domains 1 and 2, particularly 2.2 (building and maintaining relationships), 2.4 (working within teams) and 1.4 (acting with integrity). While 61.8% of respondents intended to develop leadership curricula, they emphasized the need to define medical leadership within the Korean context, specify leadership competencies, and design tailored curricula.

Conclusion: This study underscores the need for medical leadership education and the development of competency-based curricula that reflect Korea's healthcare landscape. A well-integrated leadership curriculum can better equip medical students to become future healthcare leaders.

Purpose: This study examines the implementation of the competency-based curriculum (CBC), which has become the primary educational model in Korean medical schools. It also presents valid evaluation criteria developed through expert consensus to support ongoing improvements in curriculum quality.

Methods: This study examines the implementation of the CBC, which has become the primary educational model in Korean medical schools. It also presents valid evaluation criteria developed through expert consensus to support ongoing improvements in curriculum quality.

Results: Three rounds of Delphi surveys were completed to validate the valid evaluation criteria. Criteria with lower content validity ratios were revised and supplemented based on expert feedback. Ultimately, the process resulted in the identification of five evaluation areas, 16 evaluation items, and 51 evaluation indicators. Among these, the indicators focusing on learner achievement were found to be the most significant.

Conclusion: This study developed an evaluation model and valid evaluation criteria specifically designed for the curricula of Korean medical schools. These were created based on expert consensus, which adds to the strength and relevance of the proposed framework. The establishment of valid evaluation criteria is expected to enhance evaluation practices, promote educational quality, and support the continuous improvement of medical education.

Purpose: This study analyzed the career paths of medical school graduates in the Daejeon, Sejong, and Chungcheongnam-do (DSC) region of South Korea, focusing on career choice factors at each career path. The ultimate goal was to derive practical insights to improve career guidance in the medical field and enhance professionalism.

Methods: Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 10 medical school graduates working in the DSC region. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to explore their career paths, and factors influencing their career decisions. The collected qualitative data were analyzed using the constant comparative method to identify themes and categories.

Results: The study results categorized career stages into three phases: "entering medical school," "choosing a specialty after graduation," and "choosing a workplace after training." Career choice factors were classified into "personal factors," "social factors," and "job and work environment factors." The factors influencing career choices differed across each career path.

Conclusion: This study holds significance in its in-depth analysis of career choice factors across different career paths from a long-term perspective. The findings suggest that effective support for career decision-making in the medical field requires a tailored approach that considers the distinct needs and influencing factors at each career path.

Purpose: Addressing health inequities is an integral part of contemporary medical education (ME), yet traditional lecture-based formats often fail to develop students' deeper understanding and engagement. This study examined how a project-based learning (PjBL) approach influenced students' learning experiences related to health equity.

Methods: This was a qualitative phenomenology study. We designed an elective course on health equity using the PjBL approach and active learning methods. All participating students were asked to complete a group project aimed at addressing a specific health inequity issue from the surrounding community. Data were collected through reflective writing at the end of the course and analyzed using deductive thematic analysis. Twenty-seven codings were identified from 259 meaningful quotes (interrater agreement 99.62%) and grouped into four categories: character, role, competence, and learning experience.

Results: Three major themes emerged from data analysis: (1) key learning experiences during the ME course (active learning, role-modeling, collaborative learning, comprehensive learning, and affective learning); (2) topics that facilitated students' understanding of health inequities and physicians' roles, particularly in addressing health inequities in Indonesia; and (3) the influence of the ME course on students' outlook and beliefs.

Conclusion: Although this study did not introduce a novel method of instruction, it underscores the value of PjBL in enhancing students' capacity to understand and tackle health inequities.

Simulation is an educational approach that promotes the mastery of technical skills while advancing the development of non-technical competencies, both of which are widely acknowledged as essential in clinical practice. This review aimed to synthesize findings on the impact of simulation in enhancing critical thinking and reflection among nursing and medical students. Following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), a systematic review was conducted by searching the following databases: PubMed, Science Direct, and Scopus. The quality of the included studies was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. The protocol was previously registered in the PROSPERO registry (CRD42022371971). From 1,323 studies identified in primary research, 16 were included in this review, involving a total of 1,283 students. Of the 16 studies, seven investigated the impact of simulation on critical thinking and reported a positive effect compared to traditional teaching methods. For student reflection, only one study addressed this theme and reported a positive effect on nursing students. This review demonstrated that simulation has a positive impact on critical thinking; however, its impact on reflection remains inconclusive. Further research is essential to explore its effects across diverse populations, including those in developing countries, to maximize its educational potential in health professions education.