GMS Journal for Medical Education最新文献

Background: The National Competence-Based Catalogue of Learning Objectives (NKLM) aims to set standards for undergraduate medical education programs in Germany. The NKLM 2.0 is currently under revision, and medical faculties have been invited to evaluate this version. This study maps the learning objectives of the Modular Curriculum of Medicine (MCM) of the Charité Berlin to the NKLM 2.0 items using approaches based to those of a previous mapping of NKLM 1.0 to allow comparison.

Methods: A two-step process was used to determine coverage. First, the MCM learning objectives were mapped to the NKLM 2.0 items using the LOOOP curriculum management platform. Next, the degree of coverage of the NKLM 2.0 by the MCM was calculated via three quantitative approaches and one qualitative approach (content comparison). Finally, the results of NKLM 2.0 coverage were compared with the results of the previous NKLM 1.0 mapping.

Results: The mapping process identified 11,879 matches between 4,396 MCM learning objectives and 2,813 NKLM 2.0 items. The degree of NKLM 2.0 coverage, based on a content comparison approach increased to 52% compared with 41% for the NKLM 1.0. While some NKLM 2.0 chapters showed considerable increases (VII +25%, VIII +20%), others showed relevant decreases (V -8%, VI -8%).

Discussion: The coverage of the NKLM 2.0 by MCM learning objectives has improved compared with the NKLM 1.0. However, the low level of coverage by the MCM of only 52% indicates that the content of future revisions of the NKLM needs to be reduced considerably; otherwise, the content cannot feasibly be taught and learned within the regulatory framework for undergraduate medical education in Germany.

Background: While previous systematic reviews have examined specific aspects of the career trajectories of bachelor-qualified nurses, including adjustment strategies, workplace challenges, and support programmes, no comprehensive synthesis exists addressing how these factors interact across the broader early career pathway.This article examines the drivers and barriers influencing entry, role transition, and retention of graduate nurses, providing insights that complement existing research.

Methods: A systematic literature search following the principles of a scoping review was conducted in the professional databases MEDLINE via PubMed and CINAHL via EBSCO in February and May 2022, as well as in August 2024. The characteristics of the included studies were summarised narratively in a pre-consented data extraction table. The synthesis of information was performed inductively and organised into three emergent themes: Career Entry, Role Development, and Retention.

Results: 31 publications from 13 countries were included in the synthesis and presentation of results. Among these, 18 studies examined factors inhibiting career entry, 10 studies explored role transition, and 3 studies investigated factors influencing retention. Barriers included insufficient team support, fear of making mistakes, and increased workload. Facilitators included support structures, such as mentors and peer networks, as well as designated transition periods.

Conclusion: To promote the academic professionalisation of nursing in Germany and integrate of bachelor-qualified nurses into practice, structural frameworks embedded within the nursing process and oriented across multiple levels are essential. These frameworks should address both the barriers and facilitators identified in this review.

Objective: This study examines the teaching motivation of pediatricians working in outpatient settings in Lower Saxony, aiming to promote medical student training in outpatient teaching practices. The focus lies on identifying motivating factors and barriers in order to develop concepts for establishing a "pediatric teaching network".

Methods: A digital, anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted between July and September 2024. The cross-sectional study, based on prior work from general practice, included 27 items addressing intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, as well as barriers related to student teaching. Responses were rated on a four-point Likert scale and supplemented with open-ended questions. Univariate analysis methods were applied, and factors influencing teaching motivation were explored.

Results: A total of 137 complete responses were evaluated. Given the total number of potential respondents, the generalizability of the results may be limited. The average teaching motivation was 7.5 out of 10 points. Intrinsic motives - such as promoting the next generation (99% agreement) and knowledge exchange (98% agreement) - were dominant. Extrinsic incentives, such as recognition as an "academic teaching practice" (78% agreement), were considered relevant, while financial incentives were of lesser importance. The main barrier identified was concern that students might disrupt practice operations (53% agreement).

Conclusion: The strong intrinsic teaching motivation of pediatricians indicates potential for developing pediatric teaching networks. However, targeted collaboration is needed to overcome structural barriers, such as integrating students into routine practice. Strategies to enhance teaching motivation include (medical) didactic training, flexible teaching models, and organizational support.

Background: Digital technologies are increasingly integrated into medical education and healthcare services. Studies have demonstrated the efficacy of e-mental health approaches, offering cost-effective, user-friendly, anonymous, and geographically flexible support.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the needs and demands of medical students regarding the design of an e-mental health application within the context of medical education to foster stress management and personal skills.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2022 to July 2023 at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany. N=229 students were incorporated in the final data evaluation. The survey comprised standardized and established self-generated inquiries. Needs and demands were analyzed descriptively. A cluster analysis was conducted to explore hypothetical subgroups. Differences and similarities of the clusters were compared.

Results: Most students expressed a preference for smartphone or tablet accessibility, with sessions lasting between 10 to 20 minutes during stressful situations and on an as-needed basis. Participants indicated a desire for information and practical exercises related to self- and time-management, self-esteem and confidence, coping with helplessness, learning methodologies, and self-care/resilience. Video, downloadable, and audio content along with access to expert guidance, were deemed valuable. K-medoids clustering revealed a low and high burden cluster.

Conclusions: By aligning with specific needs and demands of target populations, e-mental health apps with enhanced usability and a more user-focused approach can be developed to establish a blueprint for an e-mental health app tailored to their requirements.

Aim: As part of the Erasmus+ project "ELPIS", a compulsory elective course in palliative medicine on handling wishes to die and the desire for suicide was put into place and offered for the first time at the Clinic for Palliative Medicine at RWTH Aachen University in the 2023 summer semester, both as a classroom-based session and an online session. The aim of this project was to provide students with background knowledge, skills and the opportunity to stake out a position in the ongoing debate on assisted suicide.

Method: The course was initially offered to 15 students in a classroom-based format and entailed 120 minutes during which an introductory lecture and an interactive conversation with a simulated patient were held. A pseudonymized online evaluation took place. In addition to 4 items to collect demographic data, the focus was specifically on capturing personal attitudes toward and knowledge about assisted suicide (6 items). The survey also described the global outcome (4 items) and measured gain in learning on the levels of knowledge, skills and attitude (8 items).

Results: The evaluation showed that assisted suicide is viewed as a form of medical care, but suggests at the same time that there are knowledge deficits concerning end-of-life alternatives. The students' self-assessed level of preparedness increased as a result of the intervention, while their fear of being confronted with a wish for assisted suicide decreased. The opportunity to take up a dynamic stance using an athletic playing field as an aid was perceived as helpful. The specific outcome evaluation showed a gain in learning in all of the dimensions.

Conclusion: The participants displayed an open attitude toward assisted suicide as a form of medical care. At the same time, they felt unprepared and fearful of the responsibility that comes with receiving requests for assisted suicide. In order to gain a better understanding of the students' perspectives and fears, a comparative analysis of the digital course and semi-structured student interviews are currently underway.

Introduction: Postgraduate education programs for healthcare professionals have seen rising demand due to socio-demographic shifts, digitalisation, and evolving healthcare models. This trend underscores the need for providers to offer high-quality, innovative teaching and learning opportunities that align with participants' needs and interests. Understanding the motivations behind enrolment is essential for tailoring curricula and didactical methods effectively. This study explores key motivational factors influencing healthcare professionals' decisions to join postgraduate education programs. The findings aim to inform curriculum planning to ensure that programs better meet the specific needs and interests of their learners.

Methods: We conducted a qualitative study with N=23 semi-structured interviews with 13 students from the Master's program in Medical Education (MAS) and 10 with students from the Certificate of Advanced Studies in Palliative Care (CAS). The interviews were thematically analysed to identify common and differentiating motivational factors, with coding conducted independently by two researchers to enhance reliability.

Results: This study identified both general and program-specific motivational factors among MAS and CAS participants. MAS participants frequently mentioned career development, professional advancement, and empowerment as key motivations. CAS participants, on the other hand, placed greater emphasis on content-specific motivations. For both groups, local proximity and the education format played a crucial role in their decision to enrol in these programs. In addition, seven implications for program planning were identified to enhance the alignment of postgraduate education with participants' needs.

Discussion: With the method of qualitative analysis and the focus on post-graduate program-participants' needs and interests, new insights on motivation to attend postgraduate education were gained. The significance of these findings is supported by existing literature. Consequently, these results offer valuable implications for the planning and development of postgraduate education programs.

Objectives: Physicians often avoid discussing sexual and gender-related health with patients due to discomfort and fear of causing offense, leading to incomplete sexual histories and gaps in care, particularly affecting LGBTQI+ patients who face significant health disparities. This project aimed to address this gap by introducing an elective course titled "Sexuality and Society in the Medical Context" to provide German medical students with the skills and knowledge necessary for effective sexual health discussions.

Methods: The course utilized interactive teaching methods, including peer learning and role-playing. Topics covered ranged from sexually transmitted infections to gender diversity and LGBTQI+ health. Student feedback was collected through a structured evaluation to assess the course's impact and effectiveness.

Results: Student feedback was highly positive; with participants highlighting the course's engaging format and relevance to their medical education. The evaluation showed high satisfaction with the course's organization, content, and interactive elements.

Conclusion: Although the elective course was well received, its limited scope suggests the need to integrate similar training into the core medical curriculum. This integration is crucial for enabling future physicians to systematically address sexual health issues, overcome systematic biases, and foster a supportive environment for all patients.

Aim: 2021 saw the publication of the new version (2.0) of the "National Competency-based Catalogue of Learning Objectives (NKLM) in Undergraduate Medicine", which in future will be closely linked to the German medical licensing regulations (ÄApprO). Included in the updated catalogue are specifically defined competencies concerning practical clinical skills. We aimed to determine how residents perceive their competency level to perform selected practical clinical skills in the NKLM 2.0.

Method: In June 2022, all 593 medical residents registered at the competence centers for postgraduate training in primary care in North Rhine, Westphalia-Lippe and Schleswig-Holstein were invited to participate in an online survey. The participants were asked to retrospectively self-assess (1) their proficiency level (5-point Likert scale) at the beginning of their postgraduate training in regard to 36 practical clinical skills from the NKLM 2.0 and (2) where they had gained proficiency in those skills. Of the 164 participating residents, the main focus was on those who had been licensed for less than five years.

Results: The responses of 47 residents were analyzed. For 29 skills, at least 20% of the participants stated that these had not been proficiently mastered at the start of postgraduate training; e.g., examining the spine of an adult (19.6%) or the skin (37.0%). For 14 skills - such as examining female and male genitalia and those of newborns and infants - more than 50% of the participants indicated that they had not been able to perform these skills.

Conclusion: The results provide initial evidence that discrepancies may exist between the level of desired competency by the end of undergraduate medical education, as specified by the NKLM, and the level of proficiency actually achieved in terms of practical clinical skills. More teaching and feedback methods may need to be established to impart these skills during undergraduate medical education and to integrate these skills into complex clinical contexts.

Objective: Through the digital transformation the everyday working life of nursing staff and the demands made on them are steadily changing. To meet these demands, Bachelor students need to learn appropriate "digital" skills during their courses. This study aimed at developing a module that imparts these digital skills. It was not clear which concrete skills the students should acquire and which topics should therefore be dealt with in the module.

Methods: 24 semi-structured guide-based interviews with experts were carried out and analyzed with qualitative content analysis. The experts came from the field of science, technology manufacturing, practical applications/practitioners and pedagogics.

Results: We identified 4 different areas of skills: (1) organizing successful collaboration with patients, relatives and other professionals (doctors, therapists, IT); (2) supporting patients and relatives in the use of assistive technologies; (3) planning and implementing projects related to assistive technologies (4) managing lifelong learning in relation to assistive technologies. A reflective use of digital technologies in patient care and the education of patients and relatives were described as key qualifications.

Conclusions: On the basis of the different assessments of the experts, it was possible to identify and discuss a wide range of digital skills. This can be used to define learning objectives for appropriate modules or to evaluate existing ones. The study therefore contributes to evidence-based teaching.