Advances in Physiology Education最新文献

The integration of neuroscience into teacher education has the potential to improve educational practices by enhancing teachers' understanding of how the brain learns. However, a lack of structured training often limits the effective translation of neuroscientific knowledge into the classroom and may contribute to the spread of neuromyths. POPNeuro is a university-based outreach initiative created at the Federal University of Pampa (UNIPAMPA), Brazil, aiming to provide accessible, evidence-based, and pedagogically relevant neuroscience education for teachers and the broader public. This article reports on more than ten years of implementation of the Neuroscience Applied to Education Course (NAEC), an initiative of POPNeuro, which has been held in 13 editions between 2013 and 2024. We describe the course structure, objectives, target audience, and content, as well as the collaborative approach between neuroscientists and educators in its development. We also present the outcomes, strengths, and limitations observed throughout its application. Our findings highlight the importance of interdisciplinary efforts in designing scientifically accurate and meaningful training, contributing to more informed, critical, and reflective teaching practices.

Graduate education in biomedical science faces persistent challenges in rural and under-resourced regions, including limited access to research training infrastructure and experiential learning opportunities. The University of South Dakota's Graduate Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (G-RISE) program addressed these barriers by embedding structured training within a Carnegie-classified high research activity institution (R2) in a state designated by the NIH Institutional Development Award (IDeA) program as historically underfunded. From 2020 to 2025, G-RISE supported 11 Ph.D. students, most of whom were first-generation college graduates or from rural backgrounds, through a curriculum emphasizing rigorous research, mentor development, microcredential coursework, science communication, and career exploration. Trainees achieved 100% Ph.D. retention and graduated one year faster than their peers (4.08 vs. 5.07 years), with comparable publication rates (1.04 vs. 1.16 publications/year). Department-wide outcomes also improved during the funding period: the median time-to-degree decreased to 5.0 years, attrition dropped, and graduates averaged 5.7 peer-reviewed publications, more than twice the pre-G-RISE average. Additionally, there were increases in graduates earning nationally competitive fellowships. Key training innovations, including interdisciplinary microcredential electives and formal mentor training, were adopted across the broader graduate program, strengthening institutional capacity. These findings illustrate that targeted, scalable interventions can improve educational outcomes and research productivity in institutions with limited NIH training infrastructure. The USD G-RISE model offers a replicable framework for programs, especially in rural or less resourced settings, seeking to enhance biomedical training. Further, it underscores the importance of aligning training strategies with local strengths and workforce needs.

What should guide curriculum development for generalist undergraduate degrees such as biomedical science? In the absence of accreditation and a single clear graduate pathway, how can these degrees best prepare students for future work and study? Undergraduate biomedical science degrees encompass a wide range of disciplines such as anatomy, biochemistry, microbiology, pharmacology and physiology. To help guide curriculum development and renewal the Bachelor of Biomedical Science undergraduate degree at Monash University, a Delphi survey methodology was utilized to identify and rate the importance of key knowledge, skills and dispositions graduates should be able to demonstrate. A panel of 124 experts, including industry, alumni, biomedical researchers and educators, surveyed in this study identified 33 knowledge, 37 skill, and 31 disposition items as important for biomedical science graduates. These novel findings indicate the prioritization of a broad foundation of knowledge and transferable skills. Qualitative data from the panel also provided a rich source of perspectives which can be used by course designers to inform curriculum design and implementation.

Neuroanatomy is essential in clinical neurology for localization and differential diagnoses, yet the pace of residency can limit time to reinforce foundational concepts. This proof-of-concept study aimed to examine neurology residents' perceptions of the acceptability (e.g., ease of use, engagement, educational value, and practicality of implementation) of a guided virtual reality (VR) neuroanatomy learning experience. The authors worked closely with the information technology (IT) department to address technical issues, including having a dedicated Wi-Fi signal with sufficient strength, preventing headset network switching, and avoiding institutional firewalls. Five neurology residents (n=5) completed a 40-minute guided VR session using the Organon software on an Oculus Quest 3 headset, covering cerebrovascular arterial supply, cerebral venous sinuses, ventricular anatomy, and major cortical structures. Residents completed pre- and post-sessions surveys that included questions about their perceptions of the VR experience and open-ended questions. Participants also completed knowledge quizzes at pre-session, immediate post-session, and 3-week follow-up, as a secondary, exploratory outcome. Overall, residents reported the VR experience as user-friendly and engaging and offered actionable suggestions to enhance its implementation and instructional value for advanced learners. The results of the knowledge quizzes are informative and useful for refining the protocol and informing a larger cohort to better characterize acceptability and implementation within neurology residency training.

Diffusion is a critical component of the Physiology Core Concept of flow down gradients and is fundamental to understanding how ions, gases, or signaling molecules travel short distances in the body. When asked about diffusion, students often reason successfully using the "things move from areas of high to low concentration" heuristic but struggle to understand that random motion underlies this movement. We investigated the different knowledge resources students use when reasoning about diffusion across different contexts. Additionally, we determined if item context impacted the resources students activated and how consistent students were in their reasoning. We gave students a pair of questions from three contexts (plant, animal, and nonliving) that asked them to predict and explain where a molecule of gas would be located before and after equilibrium. Using the resources framework, we identified 14 common knowledge resources and 6 different patterns in resource activation. "High to low" and related resources were used in 73% of responses. Only 23% of responses included at least one "random motion" resource, and the vast majority of these responses described random particle motion starting only after equilibrium is reached. Item context did not significantly affect the resources students used. Students were also mostly consistent in their reasoning, with 76% using similar resources across the two items. These findings indicate that "high to low" and related resources have a high cueing priority for many students and that instructors should help students unpack random motion as the mechanism underlying diffusion instead of leaving it "black boxed."NEW & NOTEWORTHY We present the first physiology education study that investigates students' understanding of diffusion using a resources framework. Students frequently used "high to low" knowledge resources and rarely coordinated them with "random motion." Of the 23% that included "random motion" resources, the vast majority described random motion starting only after equilibrium. While "high to low" resources are sometimes productive, when students coordinate "random motion" resources, they have tools for a more nuanced understanding of physiological phenomena.

Despite legal protections under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, Indian medical curricula lack trans-affirmative competencies, skills essential for providing respectful, evidence-based care to transgender and gender-diverse individuals. This pilot curriculum development study aimed to longitudinally embed trans-affirmative competencies into the first-year physiology curriculum across theory, practical, ethics, and early clinical exposure (ECE) sessions. Conducted at a public medical school in Delhi, the study involved 170 first-year MBBS students over 11 mo (August 2023-June 2024). Using Kern's six-step approach to curriculum development, we adapted and aligned 16 trans-affirmative competencies with the five roles of the Indian medical graduate: clinician, leader, professional, communicator, and lifelong learner. These were delivered across 1,005 min (16 h 45 min), primarily during ethics (48%) and ECE (36%) sessions. Health humanities tools, such as trigger films, Theater of the Oppressed, lived experiences sessions, thinking ethics, storytelling, and poetry, were used to foster empathy and engage learners with complex socioethical issues. Feedback from all 11 facilitators (100% response rate) indicated unanimous support for the appropriateness and effectiveness of the competencies. Student feedback (92.3% response rate, n = 157) showed that 69.0% found the addition relevant to learning and 80.6% deemed it essential for future practice. This study demonstrates the feasibility of integrating trans-affirmative competencies without disrupting core curricula. It provides a replicable model for incorporating gender-inclusive medical education and highlights the transformative potential of humanities-based pedagogy in fostering inclusive, rights-based health care.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This pilot study is the first in India to longitudinally integrate trans-affirmative competencies into the MBBS physiology curriculum using a mixed-methods approach. Delivered over 11 mo, it demonstrated that nearly 17 h of gender-inclusive education can be embedded without disrupting existing teaching schedules. Using health humanities tools like poetry, trigger films, and Theater of the Oppressed, the curriculum enhanced student engagement and empathy. The study offers a scalable model for incorporating transgender health into early medical education, bridging curricular gaps and aligning with legal and professional mandates for inclusive health care.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY The proposed metacurriculum tackles the persistent "bioscience problem" by teaching students how to learn. It embeds self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies across all phases of the physiology learning cycle and uses low-stakes assessment and retrieval practice to reinforce learning. This approach is designed to improve self-efficacy, engagement, and achievement in bioscience.

In large undergraduate science courses, instructors often invite students to voluntarily answer questions (VANQ) in front of the class for a variety of pedagogical reasons. However, it is unclear what drives instructor decisions to use this practice. We conducted exploratory interviews with 21 college science instructors from a research-intensive institution; some invite students to VANQ and some do not. We probed the perceived costs and benefits associated with inviting students to VANQ and participants' reasoning for why they implement or avoid the practice in their science courses. We found that instructors perceive that asking students to VANQ builds students' skills and knowledge. However, participants acknowledged that the practice could take away time from content delivery and potentially damage the instructor-student relationship. Instructors reported inviting students to VANQ for the purpose of maximizing student learning and avoided the practice to prevent an inequitable classroom environment. This study is the first to examine instructor opinions of and motivations for inviting students to VANQ.NEW & NOTEWORTHY There is little research suggesting that asking students to voluntarily answer questions (VANQ) in large science classes leads to student learning, yet substantial evidence shows inviting students to VANQ results in inequities in whose voices are heard. Instructors reported that implementing VANQ may lead to learning for all students but felt it could take away time from content delivery and potentially damage the instructor-student relationship. In sum, instructors invite students to VANQ to promote learning, and some avoid it to prevent inequities in class.

Acid-base physiology is widely recognized as one of the most conceptually challenging topics in undergraduate education due to its interdisciplinary nature and the necessity for both mechanistic and integrative understanding. This article presents a structured, system-based teaching framework designed to enhance student comprehension of acid-base balance by promoting active learning and conceptual integration across organ systems. The instructional model is organized around four core modules: mastering terminology, identifying acid sources, exploring regulatory mechanisms, and understanding acid-base disorders. Notably, the approach introduces a specific sequence for concept delivery, supported by interactive in-class activities such as multiple-choice questions, open-ended prompts, pattern recognition tasks, physiological reflex analysis, and the construction of concept maps. This format encourages students to link molecular mechanisms with systemic outcomes and fosters the application of knowledge to clinical and everyday life scenarios.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This teaching strategy not only enhances understanding of acid-base regulation but also exemplifies how system-based integration, interactive learning, and scaffolded concept development can transform the delivery of complex physiological content. The integration of teleological reasoning with mechanistic analysis and the explicit teaching of homeostatic patterns improves higher order thinking. Implementation of this framework significantly improved student performance on acid-base physiology exam questions and reduced the proportion of students identifying acid-base balance as one of the most difficult topics.