Pub Date : 2024-02-29eCollection Date: 2024-02-01DOI: 10.36834/cmej.77475
Aditi Sivakumar, Karla Willows, Sepideh Behroozan, Jocelyn Stairs
Newcomer populations face many barriers accessing healthcare, including language barriers. Language-concordant care has been shown to enhance equity and optimize health outcomes for underserved populations. This paper describes a sexual and reproductive health (SRH) animation for newcomer populations. The animation was created collaboratively by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Global Health Unit, the Halifax Newcomer Health Clinic, and student volunteers. Integrating this animation into other healthcare settings may help improve inclusion, trust, and patient-centred care for newcomer patients. Institutions may also consider creating further SRH animations based on the needs of the patients they serve.
{"title":"A multilingual sexual and reproductive health animation: a novel educational tool for newcomer patients.","authors":"Aditi Sivakumar, Karla Willows, Sepideh Behroozan, Jocelyn Stairs","doi":"10.36834/cmej.77475","DOIUrl":"10.36834/cmej.77475","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Newcomer populations face many barriers accessing healthcare, including language barriers. Language-concordant care has been shown to enhance equity and optimize health outcomes for underserved populations. This paper describes a sexual and reproductive health (SRH) animation for newcomer populations. The animation was created collaboratively by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Global Health Unit, the Halifax Newcomer Health Clinic, and student volunteers. Integrating this animation into other healthcare settings may help improve inclusion, trust, and patient-centred care for newcomer patients. Institutions may also consider creating further SRH animations based on the needs of the patients they serve.</p>","PeriodicalId":72503,"journal":{"name":"Canadian medical education journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10961133/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140289801","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-29eCollection Date: 2024-02-01DOI: 10.36834/cmej.77943
Filipe Prazeres
{"title":"Responses to \"On the advantages and disadvantages of virtual continuing medical education: a scoping review\".","authors":"Filipe Prazeres","doi":"10.36834/cmej.77943","DOIUrl":"10.36834/cmej.77943","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":72503,"journal":{"name":"Canadian medical education journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10961119/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140289820","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-29eCollection Date: 2024-02-01DOI: 10.36834/cmej.78784
Adam Neufeld
{"title":"A few comments on \"let food be thy knowledge gap: the lack of nutrition education in medical curricula\".","authors":"Adam Neufeld","doi":"10.36834/cmej.78784","DOIUrl":"10.36834/cmej.78784","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":72503,"journal":{"name":"Canadian medical education journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10961124/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140289800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-29eCollection Date: 2024-02-01DOI: 10.36834/cmej.75274
Arundhati Dhara, Sarah Fraser
The advocate role is recognized as an intrinsic medical competency. Despite recent attention to pedagogical approaches, it is a role that remains poorly understood and difficult to teach. At the same time there is a growing body of evidence showing the necessity of incorporating humanities-based education into medical curricula. Here, we present five ways to use the humanities as a tool for teaching the advocate role including: decentre the physician as expert, develop engaged providers, engage learners in curricular decisions, value the humanities (and show it), and keep it practical.
{"title":"Five ways to get a grip on teaching advocacy in medical education: the health humanities as a novel approach.","authors":"Arundhati Dhara, Sarah Fraser","doi":"10.36834/cmej.75274","DOIUrl":"10.36834/cmej.75274","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The advocate role is recognized as an intrinsic medical competency. Despite recent attention to pedagogical approaches, it is a role that remains poorly understood and difficult to teach. At the same time there is a growing body of evidence showing the necessity of incorporating humanities-based education into medical curricula. Here, we present five ways to use the humanities as a tool for teaching the advocate role including: decentre the physician as expert, develop engaged providers, engage learners in curricular decisions, value the humanities (and show it), and keep it practical.</p>","PeriodicalId":72503,"journal":{"name":"Canadian medical education journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10961115/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140289805","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-29eCollection Date: 2024-02-01DOI: 10.36834/cmej.77791
Sunil Ruparelia, David-Dan Nguyen, Anne X Nguyen
{"title":"The utility of the MD extension program in Canadian medical education.","authors":"Sunil Ruparelia, David-Dan Nguyen, Anne X Nguyen","doi":"10.36834/cmej.77791","DOIUrl":"10.36834/cmej.77791","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":72503,"journal":{"name":"Canadian medical education journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10961116/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140289822","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
John C. Lin, Christopher J. Shin, Paul B Greenberg
Background: Interviews are considered an important part of the medical school admissions process but have been critiqued based on bias and reliability concerns since the 1950s. To determine the impact of the interview, this systematic review investigated the characteristics and outcomes of medical students admitted with and without interviews. Methods: We searched four literature databases from inception through August 2022; all studies comparing medical students admitted with and without interviews were included. We excluded studies from outside the medical school setting and non-research reports. We reviewed interview type, study design, quality, and outcomes. Results: Eight studies from five institutions across five countries were included. Six reported no demographic differences between students admitted with and without interviews; one found that more men were admitted without than with semi-structured interviews, and both cohorts had similar academic and clinical performance. Structured interviews admitted students who scored higher on clinical exams and social competence and lower on academic exams. Cohorts admitted with and without structured interviews had similar mental health issues by their final year of medical school. Discussion: This review suggests that students admitted with and without unstructured and semi-structured interviews were similar demographically, academically, and clinically. Moreover, structured interviews selected more socially competent students who performed better clinically but worse academically. Further research is needed to determine the impact of the selection interview in medical school admissions.
{"title":"The impact of the medical school admissions interview: a systematic review","authors":"John C. Lin, Christopher J. Shin, Paul B Greenberg","doi":"10.36834/cmej.76138","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.36834/cmej.76138","url":null,"abstract":"Background: Interviews are considered an important part of the medical school admissions process but have been critiqued based on bias and reliability concerns since the 1950s. To determine the impact of the interview, this systematic review investigated the characteristics and outcomes of medical students admitted with and without interviews.\u0000Methods: We searched four literature databases from inception through August 2022; all studies comparing medical students admitted with and without interviews were included. We excluded studies from outside the medical school setting and non-research reports. We reviewed interview type, study design, quality, and outcomes.\u0000Results: Eight studies from five institutions across five countries were included. Six reported no demographic differences between students admitted with and without interviews; one found that more men were admitted without than with semi-structured interviews, and both cohorts had similar academic and clinical performance. Structured interviews admitted students who scored higher on clinical exams and social competence and lower on academic exams. Cohorts admitted with and without structured interviews had similar mental health issues by their final year of medical school.\u0000Discussion: This review suggests that students admitted with and without unstructured and semi-structured interviews were similar demographically, academically, and clinically. Moreover, structured interviews selected more socially competent students who performed better clinically but worse academically. Further research is needed to determine the impact of the selection interview in medical school admissions.","PeriodicalId":72503,"journal":{"name":"Canadian medical education journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139450652","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-12-30eCollection Date: 2023-12-01DOI: 10.36834/cmej.75170
Kristin A Black, Brittany Schroeder, Cassandra Felske-Durksen, Rebecca Rich
Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the perceptions of Indigenous medical students on postgraduate admissions through an Indigenous admissions pathway (IAP), and to determine what factors may influence Indigenous medical students' choice of residency training program.
Methods: We distributed a survey to self-identified Indigenous students at settler Canadian medical schools. The survey questioned the students' acceptability of an IAP, and what factors would influence application through an IAP. Analysis included descriptive statistics and thematic analysis of open-ended questions.
Results: Thirty-six participants responded to the survey. Location and proximity to family or support system were the most important factors in choosing a residency program. Participants identified mentorship from Indigenous physicians and community involvement as being important features of a residency program that has an IAP. Eighty-one percent of participants felt the availability of an IAP would influence their choice of residency program. Fear of judgement or stigma, concern about entrance requirements, and program logistics were identified as barriers to applying to residency through an IAP. All participants believed that an IAP would have a positive influence on the healthcare system more broadly.
Conclusions: An IAP appears to be an acceptable residency application format to Indigenous students but cannot exist in isolation. It is important for programs to consider the needs and safety of Indigenous trainees within residency programs.
{"title":"Perspectives of Indigenous medical students on a postgraduate Indigenous admissions pathway.","authors":"Kristin A Black, Brittany Schroeder, Cassandra Felske-Durksen, Rebecca Rich","doi":"10.36834/cmej.75170","DOIUrl":"10.36834/cmej.75170","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The objective of this study is to assess the perceptions of Indigenous medical students on postgraduate admissions through an Indigenous admissions pathway (IAP), and to determine what factors may influence Indigenous medical students' choice of residency training program.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We distributed a survey to self-identified Indigenous students at settler Canadian medical schools. The survey questioned the students' acceptability of an IAP, and what factors would influence application through an IAP. Analysis included descriptive statistics and thematic analysis of open-ended questions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Thirty-six participants responded to the survey. Location and proximity to family or support system were the most important factors in choosing a residency program. Participants identified mentorship from Indigenous physicians and community involvement as being important features of a residency program that has an IAP. Eighty-one percent of participants felt the availability of an IAP would influence their choice of residency program. Fear of judgement or stigma, concern about entrance requirements, and program logistics were identified as barriers to applying to residency through an IAP. All participants believed that an IAP would have a positive influence on the healthcare system more broadly.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>An IAP appears to be an acceptable residency application format to Indigenous students but cannot exist in isolation. It is important for programs to consider the needs and safety of Indigenous trainees within residency programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":72503,"journal":{"name":"Canadian medical education journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10787868/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42838775","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-12-30eCollection Date: 2023-12-01DOI: 10.36834/cmej.75300
Brett Schrewe, Tatiana Yeuchyk, Melanie El Hafid, Joyce Nyhof-Young
Background: Over one million Francophone Canadians live in official language minority communities (OLMC) outside of Québec. Availability and accessibility of linguistically appropriate care to these OLMCs is lacking, resulting in poorer quality of care. To help address this health equity gap, the FrancoDoc program was created in 2015 to identify Francophone/Francophile medical students enrolled at medical faculties that use English as their primary language of instruction and equip them with skills to increase their medical French abilities. Little is known, however, about the affordances and limitations of this educational endeavour.
Methods: Our qualitative instrumental single case study explored participants' experiences with FrancoDoc, while also examining factors shaping the delivery of linguistically appropriate healthcare services to OLMCs. We conducted semi-structured interviews with medical students from across Canada and thematically analyzed these using a reflexive, inductive approach.
Results: Four main themes were derived from 12 interviews: factors facilitating French language learning; barriers to French language learning; contextual factors shaping linguistically appropriate healthcare provision; and recommendations to improve healthcare education to better prepare learners to provide care to OLMCs.
Conclusions: Medical student participants are highly motivated to engage in educational activities linked to FrancoDoc. Their efforts are nonetheless frequently impeded by barriers such as time constraints, irregular event programming, lack of regular clinical learning opportunities, and lukewarm support from faculties of medicine. If medical faculties are to realize their obligations to the OLMCs that they serve, recognition of language as a specific social determinant of health and more robust institutional supports for initiatives like FrancoDoc are paramount.
{"title":"Educating future physicians for francophone official language minority communities in Canada: a case study.","authors":"Brett Schrewe, Tatiana Yeuchyk, Melanie El Hafid, Joyce Nyhof-Young","doi":"10.36834/cmej.75300","DOIUrl":"10.36834/cmej.75300","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Over one million Francophone Canadians live in official language minority communities (OLMC) outside of Québec. Availability and accessibility of linguistically appropriate care to these OLMCs is lacking, resulting in poorer quality of care. To help address this health equity gap, the FrancoDoc program was created in 2015 to identify Francophone/Francophile medical students enrolled at medical faculties that use English as their primary language of instruction and equip them with skills to increase their medical French abilities. Little is known, however, about the affordances and limitations of this educational endeavour.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Our qualitative instrumental single case study explored participants' experiences with FrancoDoc, while also examining factors shaping the delivery of linguistically appropriate healthcare services to OLMCs. We conducted semi-structured interviews with medical students from across Canada and thematically analyzed these using a reflexive, inductive approach.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Four main themes were derived from 12 interviews: factors facilitating French language learning; barriers to French language learning; contextual factors shaping linguistically appropriate healthcare provision; and recommendations to improve healthcare education to better prepare learners to provide care to OLMCs.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Medical student participants are highly motivated to engage in educational activities linked to FrancoDoc. Their efforts are nonetheless frequently impeded by barriers such as time constraints, irregular event programming, lack of regular clinical learning opportunities, and lukewarm support from faculties of medicine. If medical faculties are to realize their obligations to the OLMCs that they serve, recognition of language as a specific social determinant of health and more robust institutional supports for initiatives like FrancoDoc are paramount.</p>","PeriodicalId":72503,"journal":{"name":"Canadian medical education journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10787852/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46737065","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-12-30eCollection Date: 2023-12-01DOI: 10.36834/cmej.75571
Sallie Han, Iris Kim, David Rojas, Joyce Nyhof-Young
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted medical education systems worldwide. Between March 2020 and December 2021, 111 MD students at the University of Toronto completed two-week quarantines due to hospital or community exposures and experienced disrupted clinical instruction. We explored the experiences, barriers, and supports of these quarantined medical students to identify program development opportunities and improve student supports.
Methods: We used a qualitative descriptive approach to explore experiences of clerkship students quarantined due to COVID-19 exposure. Methods included an online survey with open-ended questions and an audio-recorded interview. We analysed the demographic survey responses using descriptive statistics. Subsequently, we conducted descriptive thematic analysis of the narrative survey responses and transcribed interview recordings.
Results: Concerns reported in surveys (n = 23, response rate 20.7%) and interviews (n = 5) included themes of illness uncertainty, racial tensions, confidentiality of COVID-19 status, unclear academic expectations, and financial burden. Supports included friends, family, and MD program administration. Recommendations related to communication, administration, equity considerations, supports, confidentiality/privacy, and academics.
Conclusion: Supporting student wellbeing and learning is at the core of medical training. Enhanced understanding of health profession trainee needs during COVID can improve institutional supportive responses to students routinely and during times of crisis.
{"title":"Investigating the experiences of medical students quarantined due to COVID-19 exposure.","authors":"Sallie Han, Iris Kim, David Rojas, Joyce Nyhof-Young","doi":"10.36834/cmej.75571","DOIUrl":"10.36834/cmej.75571","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly impacted medical education systems worldwide. Between March 2020 and December 2021, 111 MD students at the University of Toronto completed two-week quarantines due to hospital or community exposures and experienced disrupted clinical instruction. We explored the experiences, barriers, and supports of these quarantined medical students to identify program development opportunities and improve student supports.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used a qualitative descriptive approach to explore experiences of clerkship students quarantined due to COVID-19 exposure. Methods included an online survey with open-ended questions and an audio-recorded interview. We analysed the demographic survey responses using descriptive statistics. Subsequently, we conducted descriptive thematic analysis of the narrative survey responses and transcribed interview recordings.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Concerns reported in surveys (<i>n</i> = 23, response rate 20.7%) and interviews (<i>n</i> = 5) included themes of illness uncertainty, racial tensions, confidentiality of COVID-19 status, unclear academic expectations, and financial burden. Supports included friends, family, and MD program administration. Recommendations related to communication, administration, equity considerations, supports, confidentiality/privacy, and academics.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Supporting student wellbeing and learning is at the core of medical training. Enhanced understanding of health profession trainee needs during COVID can improve institutional supportive responses to students routinely and during times of crisis.</p>","PeriodicalId":72503,"journal":{"name":"Canadian medical education journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10787861/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46589009","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-12-30eCollection Date: 2023-12-01DOI: 10.36834/cmej.78208
Laura Rendon, Cynthia R Ventrella, Adamo A Donovan
{"title":"Revealing and commemorating the faces and warmth of the COVID-19 frontline.","authors":"Laura Rendon, Cynthia R Ventrella, Adamo A Donovan","doi":"10.36834/cmej.78208","DOIUrl":"10.36834/cmej.78208","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":72503,"journal":{"name":"Canadian medical education journal","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10787857/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139473107","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}