BMC Medical Education最新文献

Background: Accurately predicting academic performance among medical postgraduate students is crucial for understanding educational outcomes and providing effective early academic guidance. Traditional statistical approaches often struggle to balance predictive performance with interpretability, particularly when handling complex relationships among academic and psychosocial factors.

Methods: A semi-structured survey was administered to medical postgraduate students at a Chinese medical university, yielding a final sample of 1,091 participants. GPA was dichotomized into two categories: outstanding academic performance (GPA ≥ 80) and non-outstanding academic performance (GPA < 80). Feature selection was performed using the Boruta algorithm. Logistic regression and XGBoost models were developed and evaluated on a held-out test set. Model performance was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, accuracy, and complementary validation metrics. Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) analysis was applied to interpret the contributions of key predictors.

Results: Both models demonstrated acceptable predictive performance. Undergraduate academic achievement emerged as the most influential predictor of GPA classification, followed by selected psychosocial characteristics and foundational academic skills. Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) interpretation provided transparent insights into the relative importance and directionality of these predictors.

Conclusion: This study presents an interpretable machine learning framework for predicting academic performance in medical postgraduate education. By combining predictive modeling with explainable techniques, the proposed approach supports reliable performance assessment while maintaining transparency, offering a methodological foundation for future research and cautious application in educational analytics.

Background: The prevalence of burnout complaints among medical residents is high and rising, with health-related consequences for residents, and negative impact on the quality of healthcare. Group reflection sessions are a promising intervention to impact on burnout and enhance well-being in medical professionals. The aim was to evaluate the effect of a consecutive series of 6-10 group reflection sessions of 2.5-3 h each, on job demands, job resources, resilience, burnout symptom and work engagement in medical residents.

Methods: The study has a pre- and post-intervention controlled design. A group of residents (n = 78) received group reflection sessions lasting on average nine months, with a control group (n = 23) not receiving any intervention. Data collection at baseline and after nine months included: demographics, job demands, job and personal resources, resilience, the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). Temporal changes, within and between groups were tested.

Results: At baseline, 3% of the intervention group and 0% of the control group was at risk for burnout. In the intervention group, resources (supervisor support, self-efficacy, and resilience) improved significantly over time (differences in means T1 - T0: 0.09; 0.10; 0.08 respectively, p < 0.05). In the control group, one resource (resilience subscale hope) and work engagement decreased significantly over time (difference in means T1 - T0: -0.23, -0.32, respectively, p < 0.05). Group differences were not significant over time (p > 0.05).

Conclusions: Group reflection aided to maintain and strengthen psychological capital in residents. The lack of significant between-group differences over time might be explained by floor and ceiling effects, limited power and a too short follow-up period to detect the development of burnout risk. Research in a larger sample is required to corroborate these preliminary findings on psychological capital. Research with a longer follow-up in a group at risk for burnout is needed to test effects on burnout complaints and whether this effect is mediated by psychological capital.

Background: Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly recognized as a valuable tool in undergraduate medical education. It offers immersive, interactive environments that support experiential learning and skill development. However, its specific application in internal medicine education remains variably described. This scoping review aims to explore how VR is currently implemented in undergraduate internal medicine education, identify its educational outcomes, and highlight associated advantages, limitations, and gaps in literature.

Methods: Following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we conducted a comprehensive search of eight databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase. Studies were included if they addressed the use of VR in internal medicine education among undergraduate medical students. Data were extracted and analyzed thematically.

Results: Of 1343 records screened, 9 studies published between 2017 and 2024 met the inclusion criteria. Studies originated from diverse countries and employed immersive and non-immersive VR technologies. Applications included teaching clinical reasoning, procedural skills, and emergency management. VR was associated with improved student engagement, satisfaction, and knowledge retention. Key advantages included scalability, safety, and cost-effectiveness. Limitations included technical challenges, limited physical interaction, and high initial costs. Few studies assessed long-term outcomes or included diverse, low-resource settings.

Conclusion: VR is a promising adjunct to traditional internal medicine education, enhancing learner engagement and skill acquisition. However, its integration requires addressing technical barriers, ensuring faculty training, and expanding research to include diverse educational contexts and long-term effectiveness.

Background: Scenario-based animations are e-learning tools that offer significant contributions to students to transform their learning into action by influencing their perceptions and feelings. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of a scenario-based range of motion exercise animation on nursing students' knowledge, motivation, and attitudes.

Methods: The randomized controlled experimental study was conducted in December 2021. The students were randomly assigned to experimental (n=52) and control (n=52) groups. Data were obtained with the "Student Information Form", "Range of Motion Exercises Knowledge Test","E-Learning Motivation Scale", and "E-Learning Attitude Scale". The study was carried out in two stages. First, the scenario-based animation video was created. In the second, the experimental group was trained with the scenario-based animation video, and the control group with the basic skill video. Ethics committee approval was obtained (Date:21/12/2020, Number: 24237859-775).

Results: Both groups' knowledge levels increased in the post-test (p = 0.001), but there was no statistically significant difference in the knowledge levels between the groups (p > 0.001). Besides, the motivation and attitude scores of the students in the experimental group were statistically significantly higher than those of the students in the control group in the post-test (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Scenario-based animation videos in nursing education are instructive and have a positive effect on developing high motivation and attitude in students. Scenario-based animation videos should be integrated into the nursing education curriculum as course material.

Background: Burnout among medical students is a widespread problem that threatens academic performance, well-being, and professional identity. The educational environment is crucial for shaping students' psychological resilience regarding burnout. The current study investigates how perceptions of the educational environment and reflective self-perceptions are associated with burnout symptoms among students enrolled in three different language medical programs.

Methods: A cross-sectional, self-report study was conducted among 731 medical students across three language programs at a Hungarian university. Participants completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS) and the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM). Language program, age, sex and study semester were also included as variables into the model and statistical analyses to check for potential meaningful differences.

Results: Significant differences in burnout dimensions were observed across language groups, with international students reporting higher emotional exhaustion and lower academic efficacy. All five DREEM subscales showed moderate correlations with burnout dimensions. Regression analyses identified social self-perception as a consistent negative predictor of exhaustion and cynicism, and academic self-perception as a significant positive predictor of academic efficacy. Reflective self-perception mechanisms were found to function as protective factors across all models.

Conclusions: Medical students' burnout is significantly linked to their perceptions of both academic and social aspects of their competences related to their educational environment. Enhancing self-reflective capacities and fostering a socially supportive learning climate may help reduce burnout risk, particularly among international and female students.

Background: Academic stress is a dynamic cognitive appraisal process in which students perceive educational demands as exceeding their coping resources This perception is associated with emotional and behavioral responses that relate to well-being and perceived academic stress.

Objective: This study aimed to identify the main academic stressors in medical students and to examine their relationship with sleep quality, physical activity, and gender, specifically focusing on perceived stress rather than academic grades.

Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted including sociodemographic questions and validated instruments: the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Academic Stress Questionnaire (E-CEA), and the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Logistic regression analyses were performed.

Results: Significant gender-related differences were found in stress responses and coping strategies. Female students reported higher levels of academic overload (p = 0.004), emotional demands, and exam-related anxiety (p = 0.005), as well as differences in exam preparation strategies (p = 0.037). Regarding lifestyle factors, poor sleep quality was identified as a significant factor associated with higher stress levels (OR = 1.12; 95% CI: 1.03-1.22).

Conclusion: Academic overload and exam anxiety were identified as significant factors associated with medical students´ well-being. Female students showed a higher probability of reporting stress (OR = 5.56). These findings highlight the need for gender-sensitive psychoeducational interventions that promote healthy sleep habits and stress management alongside physical activity recommendations.

Introduction: Healthcare systems rely on a skilled and diverse workforce to deliver patient-centred care across settings. Rising patient acuity, rapid technological change, and interprofessional collaboration have heightened expectations for graduates to be "practice-ready" on entry to the workforce. Health professions education (HPE) must therefore extend beyond discipline-specific knowledge to prepare graduates for real-world practice. Employers, as key stakeholders, are uniquely positioned to assess this readiness, yet their perspectives are seldom explored. This study explores employer views on how well HPE curricula prepare recent graduates for independent clinical practice, to inform future educational and workforce strategies.

Methods: Employers of recent graduates from a range of healthcare disciplines participated in semi-structured interviews. These in-depth discussions captured perceptions of graduate preparedness, and an inductive thematic analysis was undertaken to identify patterns and develop themes reflecting readiness for practice.

Results: Thirty-one employers from medicine, nursing, podiatry, physiotherapy, oral health, speech therapy, social work, nutrition and dietetics, and multidisciplinary clinical services contributed to the study. Four themes were identified. Patient-Centred Care was consistently prioritised, with graduates generally seen as capable, particularly in structured environments. Clinical Competence was perceived as a continuum, with strong readiness in routine care but limited preparedness for emergencies and complex scenarios. Transition to Practice emerged as a critical phase requiring structured support, digital literacy, and systems navigation. Finally, Wellbeing and Adaptability reflected concerns around resilience, sustainability, and self-directed learning in high-pressure settings. These findings informed the development of the ADAPT model, comprising five interdependent domains of graduate readiness.

Conclusion: This study contributes a novel, employer-informed framework for graduate readiness, extending existing models of employability to include adaptive capacity, system fluency, and wellbeing. To align with the ADAPT model for practice-ready professionals, training pathways must foster clinical reasoning and communication, embed resilience and interprofessional collaboration, and use structured frameworks for transitioning to practice. The results carry practical implications for HPE curriculum design and workforce preparedness strategies, ensuring that graduates are not only knowledgeable, but also adaptable and sustainable contributors to healthcare systems.

Background: Transitioning from medical school to clinical practice is critical for recent medical graduates. Ensuring that graduates feel adequately prepared for this transition is essential for delivering high-quality patient care. The newly implemented reformed medical curriculum (comprising 5 years of medical school followed by 2 years of internship, replacing the traditional 6-year school and 1-year internship) at the Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University (FOM-SCU), Egypt, seeks to enhance readiness for clinical practice by integrating competency-based education, early clinical exposure, and extended internship training. This study aims to assess the perceived readiness of the first cohort of graduates from this reformed curriculum for clinical practice and to identify areas requiring improvement.

Methods: A cross-sectional, survey-based study was conducted among the first cohort of medical graduates (academic year 2022-2023) from the reformed curriculum at FOM-SCU. A validated, self-administered questionnaire was distributed electronically to collect data on graduates' perceived readiness across four domains: Communication and Collaboration, Comprehensive Clinical Practice, Clinical Skills and Confidence, and Ethical, Empathetic, and Safe Patient Care. Responses were recorded using a 5-point Likert scale. Two open-ended questions were added to the survey to assess expected challenges and suggestions for enhancements. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: A total of 141 graduates participated (response rate: 66.8%). The mean overall perceived readiness score was 3.79 ± 0.64, with Communication and Collaboration rated highest (4.08 ± 0.57), reflecting strengths in teamwork and communication. Comprehensive Clinical Practice was rated lowest (3.55 ± 0.64), indicating challenges in managing complex cases and administrative tasks. Male graduates reported significantly higher readiness across all domains (p < 0.05). Graduates with extra-curricular clinical experience showed higher readiness (p = 0.013).

Conclusions: While graduates of the reformed curriculum at FOM-SCU reported moderate preparedness for clinical practice, some areas for improvement were identified in basic medical skills and comprehensive clinical practice, particularly in handling complex medical conditions and administrative responsibilities. Enhancing hands-on training, structured mentorship, and simulation-based learning could improve graduates' confidence and competence.